High Spatial Frequency Range Research Articles

Spatiotemporal image quality of virtual reality head mounted displays

Virtual reality (VR) head mounted displays (HMDs) require both high spatial resolution and fast temporal response. However, methods to quantify the VR image quality in the spatiotemporal domain when motion exists are not yet standardized. In this study, we characterize the spatiotemporal capabilities of three VR devices: the HTC VIVE, VIVE Pro, and VIVE Pro 2 during smooth pursuit. A spatiotemporal model for VR HMDs is presented using measured spatial and temporal characteristics. Among the three evaluated headsets, the VIVE Pro 2 improves the display temporal performance using a fast 120 Hz refresh rate and pulsed emission with a small duty cycle of 5%. In combination with a high pixel resolution beyond 2 k times 2 k per eye, the VIVE Pro 2 achieves an improved spatiotemporal performance compared to the VIVE and VIVE Pro in the high spatial frequency range above 8 cycles per degree during smooth pursuit. The result demonstrates that reducing the display emission duty cycle to less than 20% is beneficial to mitigate motion blur in VR HMDs. Frame rate reduction (e.g., to below 60 Hz) of the input signal compared to the display refresh rate of 120 Hz yields replicated shadow images that can affect the image quality under motion. This work supports the regulatory science research efforts in development of testing methods to characterize the spatiotemporal performance of VR devices for medical use.

Aberration correction for flow velocity measurements using deep convolutional neural networks

Optical imaging-based flow measurement techniques, like particle image velocimetry, are vulnerable to optical distortions caused by inhomogeneous refractive index or fluctuating phase boundaries. These distortions can lead to blurred particle images and uncertain tracer particle position assignment, resulting in a degradation of velocity measurement accuracy. In order to improve the measurement accuracy, adaptive optics system can be applied to correct distortions. For imaging metrology in fluid mechanics, the optical distortions have features of large frequency range, high spatial frequency and large dynamic range. Actuator-based approaches are limited by its performances. In our work, a novel intelligent adaptive optic system was applied to flow measurement, a learning-based aberration correction method without wavefront corrector was demonstrated, which was used to correct distortions in imaging-based flow measurement. A particle image velocimetry setup which can measure wavefront aberration was built to generate training and test dataset for deep neural network, and also the distortion caused PIV image degradation model. The correction performance of the trained neural network was quantitatively evaluated by corrected PIV image quality and flow measurement result.

The Contrast Sensitivity of the Visual System in “Dry” Immersion Conditions

We have studied the contrast sensitivity of the visual system in various ranges of the spatial frequencies in “dry” immersion conditions that simulate the physiological effects of microgravity. The contrast sensitivity in the range of low and high spatial frequencies is indicative of the functional state of the magnocellular and parvocellular neuronal pathways that form the dorsal and ventral information flows from the occipital to the frontal lobes. The study involved ten volunteers who were exposed to “dry” immersion for 21 days. The contrast sensitivity of the visual system was recorded with a method of visocontrastometry. The Gabor elements were used as stimuli. An increase in contrast sensitivity was registered in the low spatial frequency range with specific sensitivity of the magnocellular pathway to these frequencies on the third day of immersion and 1 day after the end of the experiment, compared to the background values. The contrast sensitivity in the high spatial frequency range with specific sensitivity of the parvocellular pathway to these frequencies in the experiment remained unchanged. Thus, our findings have shown that the magnocellular neuronal pathway is involved in the processes of adaptation to extreme ambient conditions.

Experimental power spectral density analysis for mid- to high-spatial frequency surface error control.

The control of surface errors as a function of spatial frequency is critical during the fabrication of modern optical systems. A large-scale surface figure error is controlled by a guided removal process, such as computer-controlled optical surfacing. Smaller-scale surface errors are controlled by polishing process parameters. Surface errors of only a few millimeters may degrade the performance of an optical system, causing background noise from scattered light and reducing imaging contrast for large optical systems. Conventionally, the microsurface roughness is often given by the root mean square at a high spatial frequency range, with errors within a 0.5×0.5 mm local surface map with 500×500 pixels. This surface specification is not adequate to fully describe the characteristics for advanced optical systems. The process for controlling and minimizing mid- to high-spatial frequency surface errors with periods of up to ∼2-3 mm was investigated for many optical fabrication conditions using the measured surface power spectral density (PSD) of a finished Zerodur optical surface. Then, the surface PSD was systematically related to various fabrication process parameters, such as the grinding methods, polishing interface materials, and polishing compounds. The retraceable experimental polishing conditions and processes used to produce an optimal optical surface PSD are presented.

Three-dimensional cascaded system analysis of a 50 µm pixel pitch wafer-scale CMOS active pixel sensor x-ray detector for digital breast tomosynthesis

High-resolution, low-noise x-ray detectors based on the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) active pixel sensor (APS) technology have been developed and proposed for digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). In this study, we evaluated the three-dimensional (3D) imaging performance of a 50 µm pixel pitch CMOS APS x-ray detector named DynAMITe (Dynamic Range Adjustable for Medical Imaging Technology). The two-dimensional (2D) angle-dependent modulation transfer function (MTF), normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS), and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) were experimentally characterized and modeled using the cascaded system analysis at oblique incident angles up to 30°. The cascaded system model was extended to the 3D spatial frequency space in combination with the filtered back-projection (FBP) reconstruction method to calculate the 3D and in-plane MTF, NNPS and DQE parameters. The results demonstrate that the beam obliquity blurs the 2D MTF and DQE in the high spatial frequency range. However, this effect can be eliminated after FBP image reconstruction. In addition, impacts of the image acquisition geometry and detector parameters were evaluated using the 3D cascaded system analysis for DBT. The result shows that a wider projection angle range (e.g. ±30°) improves the low spatial frequency (below 5 mm−1) performance of the CMOS APS detector. In addition, to maintain a high spatial resolution for DBT, a focal spot size of smaller than 0.3 mm should be used. Theoretical analysis suggests that a pixelated scintillator in combination with the 50 µm pixel pitch CMOS APS detector could further improve the 3D image resolution. Finally, the 3D imaging performance of the CMOS APS and an indirect amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin-film transistor (TFT) passive pixel sensor (PPS) detector was simulated and compared.

Contrast Sensitivity after Pars Plana Vitrectomy: Comparison between Macula-On and Macula-Off Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment

Purpose: To evaluate the contrast sensitivity (CS) of eyes successfully repaired by vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) with or without preoperative macular involvement. Methods: In this retrospective, consecutive, interventional case series, 109 eyes received primary vitrectomy for RRD, of which 36 with at least 12 months of follow-up and a best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ≥1 at 12 months postoperatively were investigated. The main outcome measurements were BCVA and CS at 12 months postoperatively. Patients with macula-on RRD preoperatively were included in the macula-on group, and patients with macula-off RRD preoperatively were included in the macula-off group. The between-group difference in CS under evening vision conditions was measured with a Takagi glare tester CGT-2000 at 6 visual angles and 13 contrast levels with and without glare. Results: CS was significantly lower in the macula-off group for targets with visual angles of 1.6, 1.0, and 0.64° with glare (p < 0.05) and for the target with a visual angle of 0.64° without glare (p < 0.05). Conclusions: CS in the higher spatial frequency range (especially with glare) is reduced in macula-off RRD patients with good postoperative BCVA compared to macula-on RRD patients with good postoperative BCVA.

Performance evaluation of CsI screens for X-ray imaging

CsI film has been one of the most extensively used scintillators for indirect X-ray imaging because of its needle-like micro-structure. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the imaging performance of CsI screen as a function of thickness and radiation quality. Four multilayer scintillation screens with microcolumnar CsI:Tl film (thicknesses of 50 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm and 300 μm) included were prepared and coupled to an optical imaging sensor. The modulation transfer function (MTF), normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS) and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) of these screens were evaluated based on the standard IEC 62220-1, and the results indicated that, in the medium spatial frequency range (1–6 lp/mm), the MTF of CsI screens with the same thickness was lower when the incident X-ray photon energy was higher, possibly owing to scattering and K-fluorescence re-absorption effects. The NNPS in the higher spatial frequency range (above 8 lp/mm) is dominated by stochastic noise while the entrance surface air Kerma (ESAK) decreases. For 100 μm, 200 μm and 300 μm thick CsI screens, the DQE under RQA7 and RQA9 is lower than that under RQA3 and RQA5 due to low absorption efficiency.

Ion Beam Figuring Fabricate Effect with Different Removal Sizes

Ion Beam Figure (IBF) is believed to be one of the most effective technics that can fabricate lens with nano or even sub-nano accuracy. For different sizes of IBF removal functions, the correct effects in different spatial frequency range are different. Power Spectral Density (PSD) curve can describe surface errors in full spatial frequency range, so it is a very convenient way to evaluate the quality of lens’ surface. In this paper, firstly, the principles of IBF and PSD are introduced briefly; Secondly, IBF removal functions with sizes from 2 mm to 15 mm are generated. A lens with surface error more than PV value 400nm is simulated with different sizes of IBF removal functions by Lucy-Richardson algorithm. Finally, experiments are done by IBF plant. A lens is fabricated by different sizes of removal functions and the fabricate results are tested by interferometer precisely and calculated to PSD curves. By the comparison of these curves, the IBF fabricate effects with different removal sizes are analyzed, which show that the smaller the removal size, the better the removal effect in higher spatial frequency range, but in the meantime, it will take a much longer time. Also the reasons of the difference between theory simulation and actual fabrication result are taken into account, and several influence factors are analyzed.

Active optics methods for exoplanet direct imaging

Context. The next generation of exoplanet hunters will be targeting hot Jupiter-like exoplanets orbiting around nearby stars through direct imaging. The high contrast needed for such planet finders requires optical surfaces free of high spatial frequency ripples that might remain in the post-coronagraphic image as quasi-static speckles. Aims. We report results on the manufacturing of three supersmooth aspherical mirrors for the ESO/VLT-SPHERE instrument. The excellent optical quality obtained will allow the future planet hunter to increase the level of achievable contrast by a strong reduction of the noise level and residual quasi-static speckles on the image plane. Methods. The stress polishing method used on these mirrors is well suited to superpolishing aspheric components for astronomy. The main advantage of this technique is the very high optical quality obtained either on the form errors or on the high spatial frequency errors. Furthermore, the roughness can be decreased to a few angstroms, thanks to the classical polishing with a large pitch tool.Results. Interferograms obtained during polishing and in the final stage show the supersmooth quality of each mirror. Errors in the high spatial frequency range are lower than 4 nm rms WF, thereby avoiding the degradation of the post-coronagraphic image. A comparison of the power spectral density (PSD) obtained by stress polishing and the PSD of the VLT-UT3 primary mirror demonstrates that the contrast capabilities will not be limited by the aspherical mirrors.

Dissociation of Sensitivity to Spatial Frequency in Word and Face Preferential Areas of the Fusiform Gyrus

Different cortical regions within the ventral occipitotemporal junction have been reported to show preferential responses to particular objects. Thus, it is argued that there is evidence for a left-lateralized visual word form area and a right-lateralized fusiform face area, but the unique specialization of these areas remains controversial. Words are characterized by greater power in the high spatial frequency (SF) range, whereas faces comprise a broader range of high and low frequencies. We investigated how these high-order visual association areas respond to simple sine-wave gratings that varied in SF. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we demonstrated lateralization of activity that was concordant with the low-level visual property of words and faces; left occipitotemporal cortex is more strongly activated by high than by low SF gratings, whereas the right occipitotemporal cortex responded more to low than high spatial frequencies. Therefore, the SF of a visual stimulus may bias the lateralization of processing irrespective of its higher order properties.

Development of pseudorandom binary arrays for calibration of surface profile metrology tools

Optical metrology tools, especially for short wavelengths (extreme ultraviolet and x-ray), must cover a wide range of spatial frequencies from the very low, which affects figure, to the important mid-spatial frequencies and the high spatial frequency range, which produces undesirable scattering. A major difficulty in using surface profilometers arises due to the unknown point-spread function (PSF) of the instruments [G. D. Boreman, Modulation Transfer Function in Optical and Electro-Optical Systems (SPIE, Bellingham, WA, 2001)] that is responsible for distortion of the measured surface profile. Generally, the distortion due to the PSF is difficult to account for because the PSF is a complex function that comes to the measurement via the convolution operation, while the measured profile is described with a real function. Accounting for instrumental PSF becomes significantly simpler if the result of measurement of a profile is presented in the spatial frequency domain as a power spectral density (PSD) distribution [J. W. Goodman, Introduction to Fourier Optics, 3rd ed. (Roberts &amp; Company, Englewood, CO, 2005)]. For example, measured PSD distributions provide a closed set of data necessary for three-dimensional calculations of scattering of light by the optical surfaces [E. L. Church et al., Opt. Eng. (Bellingham) 18, 125 (1979); J. C. Stover, Optical Scattering, 2nd ed. (SPIE Optical Engineering Press, Bellingham, WA, 1995)]. The distortion of the surface PSD distribution due to the PSF can be modeled with the modulation transfer function (MTF), which is defined over the spatial frequency bandwidth of the instrument. The measured PSD distribution can be presented as a product of the squared MTF and the ideal PSD distribution inherent for the system under test. Therefore, the instrumental MTF can be evaluated by comparing a measured PSD distribution of a known test surface with the corresponding ideal numerically simulated PSD. The square root of the ratio of the measured and simulated PSD distributions gives the MTF of the instrument. The applicability of the MTF concept to phase map measurements with optical interferometric microscopes needs to be experimentally verified as the optical tool and algorithms may introduce nonlinear artifacts into the process. In previous work [V. V. Yashchuk et al., Proc. SPIE 6704, 670408 (2007); Valeriy V. Yashchuk et al., Opt. Eng. (Bellingham) 47, 073602 (2008)] the instrumental MTF of a surface profiler was precisely measured using reference test surfaces based on binary pseudorandom (BPR) gratings. Here, the authors present results of fabricating and using two-dimensional (2D) BPR arrays that allow for a direct 2D calibration of the instrumental MTF. BPR sequences are widely used in engineering and communication applications such as global position systems and wireless communication protocols. The ideal BPR pattern has a flat “white noise” response over the entire range of spatial frequencies of interest. The BPR array used here is based on the uniformly redundant array (URA) prescription[E. E. Fenimore and T. M. Cannon, Appl. Opt. 17, 337 (1978)] initially used for x-ray and gamma ray astronomy applications. The URA’s superior imaging capability originates from the fact that its cyclical autocorrelation function very closely approximates a delta function, which produces a flat PSD. Three different size BPR array patterns were fabricated by electron beam lithography and induction coupled plasma etching of silicon. The basic size units were 200, 400, and 600nm. Two different etch processes were used, CF4∕Ar and HBr, which resulted in undercut and vertical sidewall profiles, respectively. The 2D BPR arrays were used as standard test surfaces for MTF calibration of the MicroMap™-570 interferometric microscope using all available objectives. The MicroMap™-570 interferometric microscope uses incoherent illumination from a tungsten filament source and common path modulated phase shifting interference to produce a set of interferograms detected on a change coupled device. Mathematical algorithms applied to the datasets yield the surface phase map. The HBr etched two-dimensional BPR arrays have proven to be a very effective calibration standard making possible direct calibration corrections without the need of additional calculation considerations, while departures from the ideal vertical sidewall require an additional correction term for the CF4∕Ar etched samples [Samuel K. Barber et al., Abstract to Optics and Photonics 2009: Optical Engineering and Applications Symposium, San Diego, CA, 2–6 August 2009]. Initial surface roughness of low cost “prime” wafers limits low magnification calibration but should not be a limitation if better polished samples are used.

Visual evoked potential-based acuity assessment in normal vision, artificially degraded vision, and in patients

Aims:To assess visual acuity (VA) objectively using visual evoked potentials (VEPs), avoiding subjective trace evaluation and providing an acuity estimate with associated confidence limits.Methods:40 normal subjects and 24 patients (with...

On the calculation of optical performance factors from vertebrate spatial contrast sensitivity

A novel technique for calculating the visual optical modulation transfer function (OMTF) is described. The technique involves application of the Rovamo–Barten model of spatial vision to measured contrast sensitivity data. [For details of the basic model see; Rovamo, J., Mustonen, J., & Nasanen, R. (1994). Modelling contrast sensitivity as a function of retinal illuminance and grating area. Vision Research, 34, 1301–1314 and Barten, P. J. G. (1999). Contrast sensitivity of the human eye and its effects on image quality. Washington: SPIE Optical Engineering Press.] In order to obtain OMTF, the model was simplified for use in the high spatial frequency range and also modified to include a transfer function term relating to attenuation by the retinal receptor sampling process. Calculations of OMTF were initially obtained from published contrast sensitivity for the human, cat, rat and chicken. The results were found to correlate well with OMTF values directly obtained through a double-pass optical measuring technique applied to all four species. It was assumed, following this initial test, that the modified Rovamo–Barten model could be used to extract OMTF from vertebrate contrast sensitivity data in general. Using published behavioural contrast sensitivity, further OMTF values were calculated from the model for the pigeon, goldfish, owl monkey, and tree shrew. The results obtained were used to provide a direct inter-species comparison of optical performance for a matched stimulus luminance. This study also confirms that, in many cases, vertebrate optical and receptor sampling processes are well matched in their attenuation properties.

Far-infrared upconversion imaging devices: Imaging characteristics and quantum efficiency

We have carried out an investigation of imaging characteristics and quantum efficiency of far-infrared (FIR) semiconductor imaging devices. The realization of the FIR imaging employs the concept of photon frequency upconversion in GaAs homojunction interfacial work-function internal photoemission (HIWIP) FIR detectors integrated with GaAs∕AlGaAs near-infrared light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Satisfying images have been expected through the analysis of modulation transfer function of the system, where the FIR detector parameters play key roles in the low spatial frequency image contrast, while those of LEDs dominate in the high spatial frequency range. We have examined in detail the dependence of the quantum efficiency on the emitter layer number, thickness, doping concentration, and applied bias of the FIR detectors, as well as the active layer thickness and internal quantum efficiency of the LEDs. The present study has also yielded an optimal structure for the integrated HIWIP-LED FIR imaging devices.

The neural deficit in strabismic amblyopia: sampling considerations

In order to understand the nature of the neural loss in strabismic amblyopia, we have applied a technique which has been used in the normal periphery to psychophysically probe the sampling properties of the neuronal population. We ask whether there is a ‘sampling’ deficit and if so whether it is based on either an absolute loss of neurons (i.e. spatial undersampling) or an irregular arrangement of a normal number of neurons (i.e. irregular sampling). Our results suggest that neural pooling restricts the spatial frequency region where sampling considerations are important to a very small part of the visible high spatial frequency range. Within this limited region, irregular sampling rather than spatial undersampling is the greater contributor to the strabismic amblyope deficit.

A review of mask errors on a variety of pattern generators

The question of how mask dimensional errors impact yield is becoming increasingly critical to VLSI manufacturing. Both the magnitude and the spatial correlation of CD and registration errors are believed important to this issue. As part of a program to characterize these errors, we have had one identical test mask made on 6 different state-of-the-art mask pattern generators with widely different architectures. The test mask provides information on both registration and feature-size errors in both x- and y-directions, and does so over distances of several centimeters with spacing between measurements as small as 1 /spl mu/m. More than 100000 data points have been collected from these test plates using a LMS2000 optical metrology system, and are analyzed in the spatial frequency domain where error contributors as small as 1 nm can be identified. All systems were found to have similar characteristics in that most error contributors occur at a number of machine-specific spatial frequencies correlated to the particular architecture and printing strategy of the machine. Comparison of raster to vector machines show that vector machines tend to have more periodic error contributors, especially in the high spatial frequency range, which is consistent with the more complex writing fields used to achieve higher throughput.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Assessment of contrast sensitivity of patients with macular disease using reduced contrast near visual acuity charts.

A set of near Bailey-Lovie logMAR letter charts that varied in contrast from 0.40 dB (C = 0.95) to 58.0 dB (C = 0.001) were used to measure the middle and high spatial frequency range of the contrast sensitivity function (CSF) of 15 subjects with age-related maculopathy (ARM) and 15 age-matched normal subjects. The letter charts were shown to have good test-retest reliability. Compared with measures made using CRT generated square wave gratings of variable contrast and spatial frequency they were also shown to provide a valid measure of CSF in the mid to high spatial frequency range. The 20.0 dB letter chart alone was shown to be a good screening device for macular disease. The letter charts do not provide a measure of the peak of the CSF and a supplementary test of contrast sensitivity is needed to quantify contrast sensitivity at a low spatial frequency. Three measures are proposed as necessary to document foveal visual capability of patients with macular disease: distance logMAR visual acuity to measure high spatial frequency resolution, visual acuity with letter charts of 20 dB contrast to assess mid spatial frequency resolution; and contrast sensitivity for the detection of an edge to estimate contrast sensitivity for larger objects.

Image Quality Of Optical Systems For Truncated Gaussian Laser Beams

In general the Gaussian intensity distribution of a laser beam is truncated at the pupil of the image-forming system. The more pronounced the truncation effect, the less the energy portion used, and it deteriorates toward zero for a very pronounced beam expansion with almost homogeneous illumination. For an image-forming system the Gaussian intensity distribution of the incident beam may be interpreted as an apodization with a Gaussian amplitude in the pupil. Point image, encircled energy, MTF, and depth of focus can be calculated from the pupil function that is defined in this way. For diffraction-limited lenses it is shown how different pronounced truncations of the incident Gaussian beam will affect these image quality criteria. Applications of this effect occur, for example, in optical data storage technology and in infrared laser applications. The smallest point image is obtained for homogeneous illumination of the pupil, but the beam expansion needed utilizes only a small portion of the total incident energy. The more pronounced the apodization effect in the truncated Gaussian beam, the wider the central core becomes. The encircled energy functions for less pronounced apodizations are similar in the central region to those without apodization. Outside a diameter corresponding to the first dark Airy ring an increase of the apodization effect (which means less pronounced truncation) reduces the fraction of the total energy contained in the outer region of the point image. For a 3X Airy disk diameter almost the total energy is encircled for a Gaussian distribution, whereas only some 90% is encircled for homogeneous illumination. A nontruncated Gaussian beam results in a reduction up to about 0.25 in the MTF values in the higher spatial frequency range. With a nontruncated Gaussian beam a depth of focus some 50% larger is obtained, compared with that for homogeneous illumination.

Retinal and tectal responses to alternating gratings are unaffected by monocular deprivation in pigeons

Retinal and tectal potentials to alternating gratings were recorded in pigeons raised monocularly deprived. Deprived eyes showed consistent myopia and anterior-posterior axis elongation. In addition, vitreal opacities were observed in 70% of the deprived eyes. In pigeons with vitreal opacities, a reduction of retinal and tectal response amplitude was consistently found in the high spatial frequency range. Pigeons with clear media of the deprived eyes showed normal retinal and tectal responses.

Phase perception in the high spatial frequency range

A compound waveform was composed of a fundamental and a higher harmonic with 46/15 times the frequency. No phase slip can be observed when the frequency of the fundamental is 6 c/deg. Phase perceptibility is therefore frequency dependent, and may be limited, in the high frequency range, by a 2′ tolerance for absolute position.