Dichroic Mirror Research Articles

High-speed fluorescence excitation-scanning hyperspectral imaging microscopy using thin-film tunable filters.

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technologies have enabled a range of experimental techniques and studies in the fluorescence microscopy field. Unfortunately, a drawback of many HSI microscope platforms is increased acquisition time required to collect images across many spectral bands, as well as signal loss due to the need to filter or disperse emitted fluorescence into many discrete bands. We have previously demonstrated that an alternative approach of scanning the fluorescence excitation spectrum can greatly improve system efficiency by decreasing light losses associated with emission filtering. Our initial system was configured using an array of thin-film tunable filters (TFTFs, VersaChrome, Semrock) mounted in a tiltable filter wheel (VF-5, Sutter) that required ~150-200 ms to switch between wavelengths. Here, we present a new configuration for high-speed switching of TFTFs to allow rapid time-lapse HSI microscopy. A TFTF array was mounted in a custom holder that was attached to a piezoelectric rotation mount (ThorLabs), allowing high-speed rotation. Switching between adjacent filters was achieved using the internal optics of a DG-4 lightsource (Sutter Instrument), including a pair of off-axis parabolic mirrors and galvanometers. Output light was coupled to a liquid lightguide and into an inverted widefield fluorescence microscope (TI-2, Nikon Instruments). Initial tests indicate that the HSI system provides a 15-20 nm bandwidth tunable excitation band and ~10-20 ms wavelength switch time, allowing for high-speed HSI imaging of dynamic cellular events. This work was supported by NIH P01HL066299, R01HL169522, NIH TL1TR003106, and NSF MRI1725937.

New extreme ultraviolet transmission measurements of two thin-film filters for imaging of plasmaspheric cold ions

New extreme ultraviolet transmission measurements of two thin-film filters for imaging of plasmaspheric cold ions

The ProtoDUNE Photon Detection System: technology validation and performance

DUNE is a long-baseline accelerator experiment currently in construction at Fermilab and SURF (South Dakota). The science objectives of DUNE include the search for CP violationin the leptonic sector and the identification of the neutrino mass hierarchy, along with theobservation of supernova neutrino bursts and proton decay.The Far Detector consists of four modules located deep underground, three of those instrumented with Liquid Argon TPCs and equipped with the DUNE Photon Detection System (PDS). The PDS is based on a novellight trapping technology that greatly enhances the DUNE physics reach,improving vertex identification, energy resolution and providing the trigger for non-beam events.Following a first run of data taking (from 2018 to 2020), the PDS of the two prototypes of the Far Detector located at CERN Neutrino Platform, ProtoDUNE-HD and ProtoDUNE-VD, is currently being reinstalled in order to implement the final design of the first (Horizontal Drift) and second (Vertical Drift) module.This paper presents the latest results of the PDS from test facilities and the status of the installation in ProtoDUNE in view of its second run. The most important achievements of the Vertical Drift PDS are reported, with emphasis on the new SiPM configuration and cold electronics, the custom WaveLength Shifting bars, and the latest generation of the dichroic filter designed for ProtoDUNE-VD.

A Neural Network Computational Spectrometer Trained by a Small Dataset with High-Correlation Optical Filters.

A computational spectrometer is a novel form of spectrometer powerful for portable in situ applications. In the encoding part of the computational spectrometer, filters with highly non-correlated properties are requisite for compressed sensing, which poses severe challenges for optical design and fabrication. In the reconstruction part of the computational spectrometer, conventional iterative reconstruction algorithms are featured with limited efficiency and accuracy, which hinders their application for real-time in situ measurements. This study proposes a neural network computational spectrometer trained by a small dataset with high-correlation optical filters. We aim to change the paradigm by which the accuracy of neural network computational spectrometers depends heavily on the amount of training data and the non-correlation property of optical filters. First, we propose a presumption about a distribution law for the common large training dataset, in which a unique widespread distribution law is shown when calculating the spectrum correlation. Based on that, we extract the original dataset according to the distribution probability and form a small training dataset. Then a fully connected neural network architecture is constructed to perform the reconstruction. After that, a group of thin film filters are introduced to work as the encoding layer. Then the neural network is trained by a small dataset under high-correlation filters and applied in simulation. Finally, the experiment is carried out and the result indicates that the neural network enabled by a small training dataset has performed very well with the thin film filters. This study may provide a reference for computational spectrometers based on high-correlation optical filters.

Multispectral Narrowband Frustrated Total Internal Reflection Filter with Inclusions of Plasmonic Nanoparticles

A spatial-frequency thin-film filter with inclusions of nanoparticles operating in the visible range of the spectrum is investigated. The effect of nanoparticles embedded in the central and lateral layers of the frustrated total internal reflection filter on the spectral characteristics, considering the frequency dispersion, is investigated. It is shown that plasmonic effects cause the splitting of the filter bandwidth into a set of narrow-band spectral lines and the angular splitting of the incident beam into a set of output beams. It is demonstrated that due to the difference in the resonance conditions for s- and p-polarization waves, the spectral lines of transparency do not coincide, which indicates the possibility of using the filter as a polarizer.

Calibration improvements expand filterscope diagnostic use.

The filterscope diagnostic on DIII-D utilizes photomultiplier tubes to measure visible light emission from the plasma. The system has undergone a substantial upgrade since previous attempts to cross-calibrate the filterscope with other spectroscopic diagnostics were unsuccessful. The optics now utilize a dichroic mirror to initially split the light at nearly 99% transmission or reflectance for light below or above 550nm. This allows the system to measure Dα emission without degrading visible light emission from the plasma for wavelengths below 550nm (to measure Dβ, Dγ, W-I, C-III, etc.). Additional optimization of the optical components and calibration techniques reduce the error in the signal up to 10% in some channels compared to previous methods. Cross-calibration measurements with two other high resolution spectroscopic diagnostics now show excellent agreement for the first time. This expands the capabilities of the filterscope system allowing measurement of divertor detachment, emission profiles, edge-localized mode behavior, and plasma-wall interactions. It also enables direct comparisons against calculations from boundary plasma simulations. These were not possible before.

X-Arapuca long term test

The photon detection system of the DUNE experiment is based on the X-ARAPUCA light trap. The basic elements of the X-ARAPUCA are the dichroic filters coated with wavelength shifter (para-Therphenyl), a waveshifting plate and an array of SiPMs which detects the trapped photons. A small scale prototype of the X-ARAPUCA has been installed in liquid argon in a dedicated facility at INFN-Napoli and exposed to alpha particles from a source. In order to test the stability of the overall device response the X-ARAPUCA was kept for 10 days in continuously purified liquid argon. The performed tests allowed for a preliminary estimation of the X-ARAPUCA absolute photon detection efficiency.

Mathematical model to optimize solar spectrum allocation for a Stirling engine-based concentrated photovoltaic thermal system

Incorporating a Stirling engine into a concentrated photovoltaic thermal system (CPVT) with spectral beam splitting converts wasted photovoltaic panel energy into electricity, boosting efficiency. However, complex Stirling engine development slows system performance estimation, which explains the scarce studies on the Stirling engine-based CPVT spectrum allocation range. Furthermore, the literature shows inconsistent remarks on low or high-energy photon allocation to a thermal system and uncertainty of solar irradiance variation effect on spectrum allocation. A generic methodology is presented for determining optimal spectrum allocation for a Stirling engine-based CPVT system with a dichroic filter. The analysis in this work shows that considering non-absorption and thermalization losses improves performance by 13.2 % compared to solely accounting for non-absorption loss in beam splitting. Additionally, a shift of up to 40 nm in the optimal spectrum allocation range is observed with a daily spectral irradiance source compared to the AM1.5D source. The PV mathematical model is validated with an average error of 8.9 %, and the Stirling engine model with an error of 5.2 %. Through this study, future researchers can determine an optimal spectrum allocation range for Stirling engine-based CPVT that maximizes PV performance based on a specified location with the proposed generalized CPVT model.

Investigation of laser-induced contamination on dielectric thin films in MHz sub-ps regime

High-repetition rate diode-pumped sub-ps lasers are widely used in the industrial sector for high-quality material processing applications. However, for their reliable operation, it is crucial to study the power handling capabilities of the optical components used in these systems. The optical components, such as mirrors, gratings, dichroic filters, and gain media, are designed based on dielectric thin films. When subjected to high-intensity laser radiation, the phenomenon of laser-induced contamination (LIC) can lead to the growth of a nanometric, highly absorbent layer on an irradiated optical surface, which can result in transmission or reflection loss and eventual permanent damage. In this study, we investigate LIC growth on dielectric oxide thin films in an air environment irradiated by MHz sub-ps laser at 515 nm. We examine the effect of thin film deposition method, material, and thickness on LIC growth dynamics. The irradiated spots on the surface are inspected using multiple observation methods, including white light interference microscopy and fluorescence imaging. Our results show that the LIC growth dynamics depend on the laser intensity and irradiation time and can be affected by the thin film deposition method, material, and thickness. These findings could be used to inform the development of more resistant optical components, ensuring long-term reliable laser operation required for industrial applications. The study highlights the need for validating optical components using tests that closely mimic real-world applications and provides insight into the complex processes that lead to LIC.

Development Research of an ADT-24 Multichannel Real-time Fluorescence PCR Detection System

This study describes a fluorescence detection system for purified ADT-24 nucleic acids and a PCR detection-integrated machine. The application background and structure of the fluorescence scanning system are described. We designed a confocal 4-channel fluorescence detection scanning head with monochromatic LEDs as the excitation light source, a multipixel photon counter (MPPC) as the optical path detection terminal, and a narrow-band filter and dichroic mirror as the main optical components. This paper discusses in detail the principle of the working system, including optical path selection and standards, optical component selection, channel spectral characteristic analysis, detector selection, performance evaluation, optical path simulation, and sensitivity verification. The design and use of this optical system are also summarized. Finally, a 4-fold dilution of mix reagent was used to test the detection effect of the fluorescence scanning head, and a scheme to control “temperature drift” and optimize performance was proposed. According to the verification results and subsequent live debugging, the debugged results achieved the expected design objectives.

A Monochromatically Excitable Green-Red Dual-Fluorophore Fusion Incorporating a New Large Stokes Shift Fluorescent Protein.

Genetically encoded sensors enable quantitative imaging of analytes in live cells. Sensors are commonly constructed by combining ligand-binding domains with one or more sensitized fluorescent protein (FP) domains. Sensors based on a single FP can be susceptible to artifacts caused by changes in sensor levels or distribution in vivo. To develop intensiometric sensors with the capacity for ratiometric quantification, dual-FP Matryoshka sensors were generated by using a single cassette with a large Stokes shift (LSS) reference FP nested within the reporter FP (cpEGFP). Here, we present a genetically encoded calcium sensor that employs green apple (GA) Matryoshka technology by incorporating a newly designed red LSSmApple fluorophore. LSSmApple matures faster and provides an optimized excitation spectrum overlap with cpEGFP, allowing for monochromatic coexcitation with blue light. The LSS of LSSmApple results in improved emission spectrum separation from cpEGFP, thereby minimizing fluorophore bleed-through and facilitating imaging using standard dichroic and red FP (RFP) emission filters. We developed an image analysis pipeline for yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) timelapse imaging that utilizes LSSmApple to segment and track cells for high-throughput quantitative analysis. In summary, we engineered a new FP, constructed a genetically encoded calcium indicator (GA-MatryoshCaMP6s), and performed calcium imaging in yeast as a demonstration.

Integrated Broadband Filter with Sharp Transition Edges Based on SiN and SiON Composite Waveguide Coupler

Broadband filters with sharp transition edges are important elements in diverse applications, including Raman and fluorescence spectral analysis, wideband wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM), and multi-octave interferometry. While the multi-layer thin-film interference broadband filter has been widely applied in various free-space optical systems, its integrated counterpart is still far from mature, which is also highly desired for constructing chip-scale miniature optical modules. In this article, we design, fabricate, and characterize an integrated broadband filter with sharp transition edges. An adiabatic coupler based on silicon nitride (SiN) and silicon oxynitride (SiON) composite waveguide is employed here. Long-pass, short-pass, band-pass, and band-stop filters can be realized in a single design of the composite waveguide coupler for a specific wavelength range, with only a difference in the SiN taper waveguide width. Experimental results with a roll-off value of larger than 0.7 dB nm−1 and a 15 dB extinction ratio (ER) are presented.

A white cell based broadband transient UV-vis absorption spectroscopy with pulsed laser photolysis reactors for chemical kinetics under variable temperatures and pressures

UV-vis spectroscopy is widely used for kinetic studies in physical chemistry, as species’ absolute cross-sections are usually less sensitive to experimental conditions (i.e., temperature and pressure). Here, we present the design and characterization of a multipass UV-vis absorption spectroscopy white cell coupled to a pulsed-laser photolysis flow reactor. The glass reactor was designed to facilitate studies of gas phase chemical reactions over a range of conditions (239–293 K and 10–550 Torr). Purged windows mitigate contamination from chemical precursors and photolysis products. We report the measured impact of this purging on temperature uniformity and the absorption length and present some supporting flow calculations. The combined optical setup is unique and enables the photolysis laser to be coaligned with a well-defined absorption pathlength probe beam. This alignment leverages the use of one long-pass filter to increase the spectrum flatness and increase the light intensity vs other systems that use two dichroic mirrors. The probe beam is analyzed with a dual exit spectrograph, customized to split the light between an intensified CCD and photomultiplier tube, enabling simultaneous spectrum and single wavelength detection. This multipass system yields a pathlength of ∼450 cm and minimum observable concentrations of ∼3.7 × 1011 molecule cm−3 (assuming cross-sections ∼1.2 × 10−17 cm2). The temperature profile across the reaction region is ±2 K, defined by the worst-case temperature of 239 K, validated by measurements of the N2O4 equilibrium constant. Finally, the system is implemented to study the simplest Criegee intermediate, demonstrating the instrument performance and advantages of simultaneous spectrum and temporal profile measurements.

Study of short-wavelength pass dichroic laser mirror coatings with hafnia–silica mixture layers

Hafnia/silica (HfO2/SiO2) short-wavelength pass dichroic laser mirror (DLM) coatings are widely utilized in high-power laser systems. However, the half-wave hole effect resulting from the refractive index inhomogeneity of HfO2 severely restricts the spectra and potential applications of these coatings. To address this issue, an investigation was conducted on HfO2–SiO2 mixture coatings with different proportions, which were produced by electron beam co-evaporation. Compared to the inhomogeneous growth characteristics observed in pure HfO2 coatings, the introduction of 10 % or higher SiO2 admixing in HfO2–SiO2 mixture coatings results in an amorphous structure characterized by excellent refractive index homogeneity and improved surface smoothness. Leveraging this, different DLM coatings with the objective of achieving high transmittance across the 400 to 900 nm range were designed and prepared, while ensuring high reflectance at 1064 nm. The incorporation of HfO2–SiO2 mixture layers instead of pure HfO2 layers in the mirror coatings led to a fundamental inhibition of the half-wave hole effect throughout the entire broad transmission band, resulting in a substantial improvement in the optical performance of the coatings. Moreover, by incorporating several types of HfO2–SiO2 mixture layers with different proportions in the coating stacks, the transmittance of DLM coatings in the pass band can be further increased, and the transmission fluctuations at different wavelengths can be further compressed. Additionally, compared to traditional DLM coatings with HfO2 layers, DLM coatings incorporating HfO2–SiO2 mixture layers exhibit lower roughness, higher laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) at 532 nm, and similar LIDT at 1064 nm. These results indicate a promising strategy for fabricating DLM coatings tailored for high-power laser systems.

Thermal management of tungsten by spectrally selective thin film optical filters under laser illumination

Surface temperature management of refractory metals, such as Tungsten, is crucial for their use in high-temperature applications like aerospace, defense, and laser instruments. In this study, distributed Bragg reflectors (DBR) were utilized to reduce the temperature caused by intense laser illumination. To address this problem, we developed a coupled optical and thermal model and investigated multiple factors, including material composition, morphology, architecture, and source-related parameters, such as wavelength. Our results indicate that our DBR coating designs can significantly decrease the temperature of the Tungsten.

Ultrafast dynamics of CN radical reactions with chloroform solvent under vibrational strong coupling.

Polariton chemistry may provide a new means to control molecular reactivity, permitting remote, reversible modification of reaction energetics, kinetics, and product yields. A considerable body of experimental and theoretical work has already demonstrated that strong coupling between a molecular vibrational mode and the confined electromagnetic field of an optical cavity can alter chemical reactivity without external illumination. However, the mechanisms underlying cavity-altered chemistry remain unclear in large part because the experimental systems examined previously are too complex for detailed analysis of their reaction dynamics. Here, we experimentally investigate photolysis-induced reactions of cyanide radicals with strongly-coupled chloroform (CHCl3) solvent molecules and examine the intracavity rates of photofragment recombination, solvent complexation, and hydrogen abstraction. We use a microfluidic optical cavity fitted with dichroic mirrors to facilitate vibrational strong coupling (VSC) of the C-H stretching mode of CHCl3 while simultaneously permitting optical access at visible wavelengths. Ultrafast transient absorption experiments performed with cavities tuned on- and off-resonance reveal that VSC of the CHCl3 C-H stretching transition does not significantly modify any measured rate constants, including those associated with the hydrogen abstraction reaction. This work represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first experimental study of an elementary bimolecular reaction under VSC. We discuss how the conspicuous absence of cavity-altered effects in this system may provide insights into the mechanisms of modified ground state reactivity under VSC and help bridge the divide between experimental results and theoretical predictions in vibrational polariton chemistry.

Research on the core factors affecting the temperature rise of dichroic mirrors in wavelength beam combination system under high-power CW laser

The wavelength beam combination is considered an important method for improving the source power of high-energy laser weapons while maintaining high beam quality. The dichroic mirror is the key component that decisively determines the laser beam quality of the wavelength beam combining system. However, the temperature rise of the dichroic mirror due to continuous high-power laser irradiation can significantly deteriorate the beam quality and decrease the efficiency of the systems. Along these lines, in this work, the factors that influence the temperature rise of the dichroic mirror under high power CW laser were systematically examined. The temperature field equation of the dichroic mirror under transmission and reflection laser was also calculated. The variation of the dichroic mirror temperature by the laser power, laser spot size, diameter, and thickness of substrates, as well as material of substrates and thin-film absorption was simulated. The simulated results were verified by performing experiments on both sapphire and quartz substrates. The transmittance absorption was proved to be the main cause of the temperature rise and the laser power had a linear relationship with the maximum temperature. Interestingly, the temperature decreased with the thermal conductivity and the laser spot size. As a result, the optimization of the substrate size can significantly reduce the temperature of the dichroic mirror. Our work provides valuable insights into the design and increase in performance of dichroic mirrors in the wavelength combination system.

Using harmonic beam combining to generate pulse-burst in nonlinear optical laser

The ultrashort lasers working in pulse-burst mode reveal great machining performance in recent years. The number of pulses in bursts effects greatly on the removal rate and roughness. To generate a more equal amplitude of pulses in burst with linear polarization output and time gap adjustable, we propose a new method by the harmonic beam combining (HBC). The beam combining is commonly used in adding pulses into the output beam while maintaining the pulse waveform and beam quality. In the HBC, dichroic mirrors are used to combine laser pulses of fundamental wave (FW) into harmonic wave (HW), and nonlinear crystals are used to convert the FW into HW. Therefore, HBC can add arbitrarily more HW pulses to generate pulse-burst in linear polarization with simple structure. The amplitude of each pulse in bursts can be adjusted the same to increase the stability of the burst, the time gap of each pulse can be adjusted precisely by proper time delay. Because HBC adds pulses sequentially, the peak power density of the burst is the same as each pulse, pulses can be combined without concern of back-conversion which often occurs in high peak power density. In the demonstration, the extendibility of HBC was verified by combining two beams with a third beam. The combined efficiency rates were larger than 99%, and the beam quality of each beam was maintained at M 2 ≈ 1.4.

Simultaneous three-dimensional deformation measurement using tri-wavelength and monochrome camera imaging with a pyramid prism.

What we believe to be a new electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI) configuration is being developed for simultaneous three-dimensional deformation measurements. In this ESPI system, two pairs of symmetrical illuminating arrangement with dual-wavelength lights were used to independently sense two in-plane deformation components, one Michelson interferometer-based set illuminating with the other wavelength light was utilized to measure out-of-plane deformation. The color speckle interferogram was split into four sub-patterns by a prism, three of them were filtered by three different bandpass dichroic filters and recorded by one monochrome camera. Micro-rotation testing work firstly verifies the validation of the proposed phase-shifting device. Three-dimensional deformation information was simultaneous obtained by using temporal phase-shift method. All strain components related to the specimen surface deformation were further determined by numerical differential. The experimental results of a tested specimen were excellently consistent with those of FEM simulation, which verified the validation and feasibility of the proposed ESPI system for measuring 3D deformation.

High-performance and compact integrated photonic dichroic filters and triplexer realized by an efficient inverse design.

Integrated optical filters are key components in various photonic integrated circuits for applications of communication, spectroscopy, etc. The dichroic filters can be flexibly cascaded to construct filters with various channel numbers and bandwidths. Therefore, the development of high-performance and compact dichroic filters is crucial. In this work, we develop the dichroic filters with 1.49/1.55-µm channels by an inverse design. Benefiting from a search-space-dimension control strategy and advanced optimization algorithm, our efficient design method results in two high-performance dichroic filters without and with subwavelength gratings (SWGs). The comparison suggests that SWGs in filters can be useful for loss reduction and footprint compression by dispersion engineering. The developed dichroic filter with SWGs exhibits measured bandwidths of 26/29 nm, excess losses of < 0.5 dB, and crosstalks of <-10 dB with a compact footprint of 2.5 × 22.0 µm2. It has advantages in performance or compactness compared to the previously reported counterparts. A triplexer with a footprint of 10.5 × 117 µm2 is developed based on the dichroic filters, also showing decent overall performance and compactness.