White Light Beam Research Articles

Theoretical predictions of the changes in the irradiance and color of light beams traveling in sugared water caused by optical rotation phenomena, and their possible applications for educational purposes

The coloring phenomena caused by optical rotation of polarized light beams in sugared water can be an appropriate subject for use as an educational tool. In this paper, such coloring phenomena are studied in terms of theory, and the results are compared with experimental results. First, polarized laser beams in red, blue, or green were allowed to travel in sugared water of certain concentrations, and changes in the irradiance of the beams were measured while changing the distance between a pair of polarizing plates arranged in the sugared water. The angle of rotation was then determined for each color. An equation was established for predicting a theoretical value of the angle of rotation for laser beams of specific colors (wavelengths) traveling in sugared water of specific concentrations. The predicted results from the equation exhibited satisfactory agreement with the experimental values obtained from the measurements. In addition, changes in the irradiance of traveling laser beams, as well as the changes in colors observable for white light beams, were also predicted, resulting in good agreement with the observed results.

Horizontal white light flat-topped beams produced by the diffraction mask

The flat-topped beam is a special beam with wide applications in the directional backlight autostereoscopic display, and it is used as a directional backlight in the horizontal direction. However, it is still challenge to white light flat-topped beams with the traditional flat-topped beam shaper. In this paper, it is proposed that diffraction mask with butterfly-shaped hole arrays and cylindrical lens be used to produce the horizontal flat-topped white beams. The surface of the LCD backlight mask is covered by a layer of diffraction mask, where the butterfly-shaped holes are arranged in line along the vertical direction. Simultaneously, the height and width, hole center height are kept identical, and the ratio between the center depth and the perimeter of butterfly-shape hole is defined as the concavity. A flat convex cylindrical lens is placed in front of diffraction mask gaplessly. The uniform light field from LCD backlight is transformed into the white light flat-topped beams and projected on the receiving screen by the diffraction mask and cylindrical lens. Based on the Huygens-Fresnel diffraction integral, the intensity distribution formula of diffraction of the single wavelength light source on the receiving screen is derived. Furthermore, the intensity distribution formula on the screen is derived by super positioning the multiple wavelengths. The proposed method is verified by both numerical simulation and experimental validation. Numerical simulations elucidate the effects of the different transmission distance and butterfly hole concavity on the white light flat-topped beam flat-topped factor. The stimulated results show that the propagation distance does not influence the white light beam transverse intensity distribution characteristics of flat top. With the beam propagation distance increasing, the horizontal width of flat-topped beam becomes larger. When the concavity of the butterfly hole decreases, light intensity distribution shifts from Gaussian to flat type. However, the flat-topped factor decreases when the butterfly concavity is too small. The optimal concavity varies from 0.4 to 0.6, where the flattened factor of the transverse flat-topped beams reaches 0.89. In the experiments, films are produced with the diffraction of butterfly hole array mask. The height and width of butterfly are both 48 μm, and the concavities of the butterfly are 1, 0.83, 0.66 and 0.83 respectively. The cylindrical lens adopts PMMA cylindrical lens grating plate, with a thickness of 8 mm, a grating density for 18 line/inch, and the cylindrical lens curvature radius R is 2.67 mm. The experimental results show that the beam transmission is consistent with the result of numerical simulation. When concavity of the butterfly is 0.5, the flat factors of the white light horizontal of flat-topped beams are higher than 0.89 in a range from 500 mm to 2000 mm. Moreover, we also discuss the dispersion effects of shaft flat-topped beams and off-axis flat-topped beams, showing that the refraction and dispersion of the cylindrical lens can cancel out each other, so that the horizontal flat-toped white beams is basically dispersionless.

Characterizing temporal coherence of visible synchrotron radiation with heterodyne near field speckles

In this paper we extensively describe the heterodyne near field speckle method (HNFS) to characterize both spatial and temporal coherence of synchrotron radiation (SR). The method relies on Fourier analysis of near field speckles generated by scattering from nanoparticles suspended in a liquid. A criterion based on master curves of power spectra is introduced and validated by measurements on the visible light produced by the ALBA bending dipole. While spatial coherence measurements with HNFS have been reported, we present for the first time measurements of the temporal coherence of SR wavefronts with the HNFS method both for narrowband and white light beams. In the former case, using a band-pass filter, a coherence time of $40\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{fs}$ is measured, in good agreement with the expected value of 43 fs for the filter inverse linewidth. Moreover, by exploiting the self-reference scheme of the technique, we show that coherence areas propagate carrying nonvanishing curvature. In the latter case, the measured coherence time of the incident SR without any monochromator is $1.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.4\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{fs}$, corresponding to a bandwidth of 240 nm at a peak wavelength of 350 nm. Exploiting the Wiener-Kintchine theorem, we also retrieve the SR power spectral density at the sample position from the measured temporal coherence function. Results are in good agreement with the measurements performed using a standard spectrometer, yielding a coherence time of 1.4 fs.

Real and virtual propagation dynamics of angular accelerating white light beams.

Accelerating waves have received significant attention of late, first in the optical domain and later in the form of electron matter waves, and have found numerous applications in non-linear optics, material processing, microscopy, particle manipulation and laser plasma interactions. Here we create angular accelerating light beams with a potentially unlimited acceleration rate. By employing wavelength independent digital holograms for the creation and propagation of white light beams, we are able to study the resulting propagation in real and virtual space. We find that dephasing occurs for real propagation and that this can be compensated for in a virtual propagation scheme when single plane dynamics are important. Our work offers new insights into the propagation dynamics of such beams and provides a versatile tool for further investigations into propagating structured light fields.

Measurement of degenerate two-photon absorption spectra of a series of developed two-photon initiators using a dispersive white light continuum Z-scan

To achieve efficient micro- and nanostructuring based on two-photon polymerization (2PP), the development and evaluation of specialized two-photon initiators (2PIs) are essential. Hence, a reliable method to determine the two-photon absorption (2PA) spectra of the synthesized 2PIs used for 2PP structuring is crucial. A technique by which absolute visible-to-near-infrared 2PA spectra of degenerate nature can be determined via performing a single dispersive white-light continuum (WLC) Z-scan has been realized. Using a dispersed white light beam containing 8 fs pulses at wavelengths ranging from 650 nm to 950 nm, the nonlinear transmittance as a function of the sample position can be measured for all spectral components by performing a single scan along the laser beam propagation direction. In this work, the 2PA spectrum of three different 2PIs was determined using this technique. 2PP structuring was also accomplished using the developed 2PIs at different wavelengths. Tuning the wavelength of the laser to match the peak of the 2PA spectra of the developed 2PIs resulted in lower intensity thresholds and facilitated higher structuring speeds. As an example, using M2CMK 2PI for 2PP, the scanning speed can be increased up to 5 folds when the laser wavelength is tuned to 760 nm (i.e., 2PA maximum) instead of the conventionally used 800 nm.

Coding Scheme for Assessment of Students’ Explanations and Predictions

In the process of analyzing students’ explanations and predictions for interaction between brightness enhancement film and beam of white light, a need for objective and reliable assessment instrumentarose. Consequently, we developed a codingscheme that was mostly inspired by the rubrics for self-assessment of scientific abilities. In the paper we present the grading categories that were integrated in the coding scheme, and descriptions of criteria used for evaluation of students work. We report the results of reliability analysis of new assessment tool and present some examples of its application.

68-2: Smart Liquid Crystal Beam Deflector With Laser Ablated Polymer Micro Grating Structure

LC beam steering devices are realized using the combination of liquid crystal and polymer micro grating structures. The micro gratings are fabricated by combining two major techniques: laser ablation for a master mold and soft lithography for replicas with the desired optical materials. The LC components demonstrate effective beam deflections with a steering angle of 2.6° for both polarized monochromatic light (deflection efficiency >40%) and unpolarized white light beam (deflection efficiency >30%).

Model of minor stroke with mild peri-infarct ischemic injury

BackgroundTransient ischemic attack, minor stroke and stroke recurrence need improved treatment but lack animal models for research. The aim was to modify photothrombosis methods thereby producing both a minor stroke (with adjacent mild damage) or a minor recurrent stroke. New methodA minor stroke, as detected using magnetic resonance imaging and histology, was produced using a low intensity beam of white light with a bright centre, a low dose of Rose Bengal and a short 5min illumination of thinned skull. A recurrent minor stroke was produced by repeating the procedure two days later except the cortical mask was positioned 1.5mm posteriorly. ResultsThe minor photothrombosis procedure produced a small superficial infarct surrounded by a region of scattered necrosis detected histologically. Marked hyperintensities in diffusion weighted and T2 images identified the infarct. Peri-infarct regions with modest T2 increases corresponded to regions of scattered cell death. A recurrent minor photothrombosis produced additional damage in regions with overlapping mild injury. Comparison with existing methodsPrevious photothrombosis methods usually produce large cortical infarcts with little penumbra. The current method produces small infarcts with diffuse mild peri-infarct ischemic injury that can be diagnosed using T2 imaging. ConclusionsThe modified photothrombotic procedure will produce a minor stroke consisting of a small infarct in a region with marked diffusion and T2 hyperintensities and a peri-infarct region of selective necrosis with modest T2 changes. Minor recurrent stroke is readily produced but imaging is key for assessing size and location of each insult.

Switchable circular beam deflectors

In this work, we report two types of electrically tunable photonic devices with circularly symmetric polarization independent beam steering performance (beam condensing resp. beam broadening). The devices consist of circular micro grating structures combined with nematic liquid crystal (LC) layers with anti-parallel alignment. A single beam deflector converts a polarized and monochromatic green laser beam ( nm) into a diffraction pattern, with the peak intensity appearing at the third order when is applied and at the zeroth order (no deflection) for voltages above . Depending on the shape of the grating structure (non-inverted or inverted), the deflection is inwards or outwards. Both grating types can be made starting from the same diamond-tooled master mold. A polarized white light beam is symmetrically condensed resp. broadened over 2° in the off state and is passed through unchanged in the on state. By stacking two such devices with mutually orthogonal LC alignment layers, polarization independent switchable circular beam deflectors are realized with a high transmittance (>80%), and with the same beam steering performance as the polarization dependent single devices.

Achromatization of conical diffraction: application to the generation of a polychromatic optical vortex.

Vortex beams are plagued by the intrinsic chromaticity of the physical phenomenon used to generate them. To the authors' best knowledge, attempts to generate them in a broad spectral range remain quite scarce and limited in their results. Crystal optics and especially conical diffraction (CD) (or refraction) intrinsically create achromatic vortices. The vortex is created by a wavelength-independent topological charge, embedded directly in the Fresnel equations. However, for biaxial crystals of low crystallographic symmetry, which includes all crystals used practically for CD, the dispersion of the binormal axis creates a chromaticity effect. In this Letter, we propose a new way to compensate this dispersion of the binormal axis of a biaxial crystal in order to generate white-light vortex beams by CD in a 250 nm spectral range, covering almost all the visible range. The advantages of the ability to use CD in a wide spectral range vastly exceed the sole generation of vortex beams.

Color holographic display with white light LED source and single phase only SLM.

This work presents color holographic display, which is based on a single phase only spatial light modulator (SLM). In the display entire area of the SLM is illuminated by an on-axis white light beam generated by a single large LED. The holographic display fully utilizes SLM bandwidth and has capability of full-color, full frame rate imaging of outstanding quality. This is achieved through: (i) optimal use of the source coherence volume, (ii) application of the single white light LED source, (iii) a development of a novel concept of color multiplexing technique with color filter mask in Fourier plane of the SLM, (iv) and a complex coding with improved diffraction efficiency. Within experimental part of the paper we show single color, full-color holographic 2D and 3D images generated for reconstruction depth exceeding 10 cm.

Optical measurement of flow rate in a microfluidic channel

A way to measure flow rate inside a microchannel using a contactless optical technique is reported. The optofluidic device consists of a Bragg grating written on a soft wall, namely a Mylar stripe glued on the top of a microfluidic channel. Diffraction of a white-light probe beam is used to detect the small displacements of the grating caused by the liquid flowing inside the microchannel. A simple model of the hydraulic circuit gives theoretical expressions for the response time of the diffracted signal allowing to fit the experimental data and determine the applied flow rates.

基于双复眼透镜的三基色激光合成均匀白光束

基于双复眼透镜的三基色激光合成均匀白光束

Polychromatic polarization microscope: bringing colors to a colorless world.

Interference of two combined white light beams produces Newton colors if one of the beams is retarded relative to the other by from 400 nm to 2000 nm. In this case the corresponding interfering spectral components are added as two scalars at the beam combination. If the retardance is below 400 nm the two-beam interference produces grey shades only. The interference colors are widely used for analyzing birefringent samples in mineralogy. However, many of biological structures have retardance <100 nm. Therefore, cells and tissues under a regular polarization microscope are seen as grey image, which contrast disappears at certain orientations. Here we are proposing for the first time using vector interference of polarized light in which the full spectrum colors are created at retardance of several nanometers, with the hue determined by orientation of the birefringent structure. The previously colorless birefringent images of organelles, cells, and tissues become vividly colored. This approach can open up new possibilities for the study of biological specimens with weak birefringent structures, diagnosing various diseases, imaging low birefringent crystals, and creating new methods for controlling colors of the light beam.

Relationship between brightness and roughness of polypropylene abraded surfaces

This article proposes to analyze the relation between gloss and roughness of surfaces of polypropylene samples abraded at different magnitudes. Experiments consist of mechanical polishing at different grades, roughness profiles measurement, and specular light reflectometry with three incidence angles of resulting surfaces. About 100 roughness parameters were considered in this investigation and an original statistical methodology combining the conventional one‐way ANOVA to the recent and powerful Computer Based Bootstrap Method (CBBM) is presented to select which of them is the most relevant, first, to characterize the polypropylene surfaces abraded at different magnitude and, second, to model the physical interaction of these abraded surfaces with a white light beam. The statistical treatment of the experimental results of this investigation shows that the fractal dimension is the most relevant roughness parameter in the two cases. As far as the optical properties are concerned, it is shown that the fractal dimension of an abraded surface is closely related to the local curvature radii of peaks which are known to play a major role in physical interactions with a white light beam. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 56:103–117, 2016. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers

Paper No S3.4: Switchable Liquid Crystal Devices for Efficient Light Steering

AbstractIn this article, we describe an electrically switchable light beam steering component, based on the combination of microprism structures and nematic liquid crystals, which effectively deflects both a laser beam and a collimated white light beam with a controllable steering range of 3°.

High-Efficiency Broadband High-Harmonic Generation from a Single Quasi-Phase-Matching Nonlinear Crystal.

Nonlinear frequency conversion offers an effective way to expand the laser wavelength range based on birefringence phase matching (BPM) or quasi-phase-matching (QPM) techniques in nonlinear crystals. So far, efficient high-harmonic generation is enabled only via multiple cascaded crystals because of the extreme difficulty to simultaneously satisfy BPM or QPM for multiple nonlinear up-conversion processes within a single crystal. Here we report the design and fabrication of a chirped periodic poled lithium niobate (CPPLN) nonlinear crystal that offers controllable multiple QPM bands to support 2nd-8th harmonic generation (HG) simultaneously. Upon illumination of a mid-IR femtosecond pulse laser, we observe the generation of an ultrabroadband visible white light beam corresponding to 5th-8th HG with a record high conversion efficiency of 18%, which is high compared to conventional supercontinuum generation, especially in the HG parts. Our CPPLN scheme opens up a new avenue to explore and engineer novel nonlinear optical interactions in solid state materials for application in ultrafast lasers and broadband laser sources.

Improving the performance of gold nanohole array biosensors by controlling the optical collimation conditions.

An experimental investigation on how the bulk and surface sensitivities of gold nanohole arrays fabricated by interference lithography affect the degree of white light beam collimation is presented. The optical transmission response of nanohole arrays has been recorded by focused and collimated beam transmission spectra. The results show that both the bulk and surface sensitivities for the collimated case are much larger than for the focused case. In particular, the shape of the spectra was dependent on the degree of beam collimation. The results showed that improved sensing performance (around 3.5 times) and higher figure of merit (around 4.4 times) can be obtained by simply adjusting the incident/collection experimental conditions in transmission measurements.

Electrically Controllable Liquid Crystal Component for Efficient Light Steering

In this paper, we present an electrically controllable microoptical component for light beam steering and light intensity distribution built on the combination of nematic liquid crystal (LC) and polymer microprisms. Polymer microprism arrays are fabricated using soft embossing with elastic polydimethylsiloxane molds and ultraviolet curable resins. Surface profiling measurements show that the dimensions of the replicated prisms closely approximate those of the master prism. Two different LC alignment techniques were employed: hybrid rubbing alignment and obliquely evaporated $\hbox{SiO}_{2} $ alignment, both of which result in proper alignment of the LC molecules along the prism groove direction. The operation voltage of the LC components is relatively low (10 $\hbox{V}_{\bf rms} $ ) . The steering angle of a green laser beam was experimentally studied as a function of applied voltage, and a steering range of 3 $^{\circ} $ was found. The active LC components also effectively deflect a collimated white light beam over a steering angle of about 2 $^{\circ} $ with an efficiency of 27%–33%. All the optical measurements are in agreement with theoretical calculations based on Snell's law.

A Kind of Color Calculation Method of Light Beam Hologram Papers Presswork

By using printability tester for printing on ordinary white cardboard and light beam hologram paper, measuring spectral information and chrominance information of the two samples, and then perform spectral fitting by analyses their color characteristics, The aim of this research was to propose one method for color calculation of printing on light beam hologram papers, according to the color information of ordinary white cardboard.