Narrow Bandpass Optical Filters Research Articles

Design and analysis of tunable optical filter based on silicon-on-insulator photonic crystal for visible light communication

In this paper, tunable narrow bandwidth band-stop and band-pass optical filters for visible light communication (VLC) are designed and numerically investigated using a photonic crystal (PC) structure. Designing a tunable filter for visible light communication is crucial for enhancing spectral utilization and maximizing communication efficiency. A rectangular defect with optimized sides length utilized in the center of the PC structure based on the desired filtering characteristics. To obtain a favorable narrow bandwidth filter for visible light wavelengths, this defect is filled with a specific liquid crystal. In addition, an electric field is applied to the proposed structure in order to change the refractive index of the liquid crystal and achieve tunability in the desired range. The functional wavelength ranges of band-pass and band-stop filters are 550–570 nm and 565–585 nm, respectively. Applying an electric field causes a shift in the central wavelengths of the filters. It is shown that a 1.5 nm central wavelength shift for a band-stop filter and a 0.9 nm central wavelength shift for a band-pass filter can be achieved by changing the voltage source up to 1.5 V. In addition, the impact that the variation in the length of the rectangular defects’ sides has on the filtering characteristics of the proposed device is studied.

Narrow bandpass filter using Octonacci photonic quasicrystal

Abstract In this paper, we propose structures for tunable narrow bandpass optical filters covering the visible range of 400–800 nm. The transmittance spectra of s-polarized (TE mode) light in one-dimensional photonic crystals are obtained by using a theoretical calculation based on the transfer matrix method. Here, photonic crystals and photonic quasicrystals composed of Si and SiO2 are organized according to some generations of the Octonacci sequence. The number of output channels and their central wavelengths are found to be dependent on the generation number and the angle of incidence. The results show an increase in the quality factor as the angle of incidence increased. Therefore, the proposed structures are believed to be suitable for efficient narrow bandpass filters operating in the visible range.

Investigation of the temperature and magnetic field effect on the Cesium D1 atomic line filter characteristics

Atomic spectral line filter is a narrow band pass optical filter which has many applications in quantum and laser systems. By engineering the system parameters like gas temperature and intensity of magnetic field, the filter with desired characteristics could be obtained. In this work, an atomic spectral line filter for Cesium D1 line (894.6nm) is implemented and characterized. The effect of system parameters on the filter transmission and its bandwidth is investigated. It is observed that by applying a magnetic field of 390 Gauss and adjusting the gas cell temperature on 40°C, a single peak filter with maximum filter transmission and FWHM of 0.24 GHz could be obtained.

Inexpensive multispectral imaging device

Multi/hyperspectral imaging is an important technique to obtain color data and spectral monitoring. It is a precise remote sensing technique that includes two or more bands in the visible and invisible spectrum. This study demonstrates the design and construction of a low-cost, multispectral imaging system using a single linear array sensor and a varifocal lens coupled to individual spectral band-pass filters. The system allows the automated data acquisition of raw spectral data for seven spectral bands, each with different wavelengths. The raw data are visualized in real-time to generate images of spectral bands to obtain the desired spectral information on the computer graphical screen. Sensor arrays with spectral responsivity between 0.3 and 1.05 μm and motorized filter disks with a linear guide are used for acquiring data from specific wavelengths. Axis movement of the imaging device is achieved by a linear guide for spatial monitoring. Seven different bands are scanned and transferred to the computer via motorized band-pass filter sets with the imaging device. The multispectral imaging device has high accuracy with a 0.9936 linear correlation coefficient (r2) and averaged noise of the total system is below 1% (0.7%). Although the present configuration uses seven spectral bands including visible and narrow bandpass optical filters to obtain multispectral information from an object, the system is designed to have a replaceable and selectable motorized rotating filter, easily remounted, and adjusted up to forty spectral bands with 20 nm full width at half maximum (FWHM).

Micro-integrated high-power narrow-linewidth external-cavity tapered diode laser at 762 nm for daylight imaging

Solar radiation is a challenge for laser-based daylight imaging since it decreases the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the imaging. Here we demonstrate a micro-integrated external-cavity tapered diode laser system for daylight imaging. It emits light at a wavelength of 762 nm, chosen because of its overlap with an oxygen absorption band in the solar radiation spectrum. The integrated laser system consists of a tapered diode amplifier as gain medium and an external volume Bragg grating for spectrum stabilization and narrowing, thus a narrow bandpass optical filter can be used to improve the SNR further. The laser system can be operated in both continuous wave (CW) mode and pulsed mode by modulating the injected current to the amplifier. In CW mode operation, 1.3 W of output power is obtained with an emission spectral linewidth of 4 pm, and a beam propagation factor in the slow axis, M2, of 1.7 (4σ). In pulsed mode operation with a trigger signal of a 50μs pulse width and a 10 kHz repetition rate, 2.0 W of peak output power is achieved with an emission spectral bandwidth of 0.2 nm, and an M2 in the slow axis of 1.9 (4σ). The modulation depth is almost 100%.

Analysis of Dielectric Waveguide Grating and Fabry-Perot Modes in Elastic Grating in Optical Detection of Ultrasound.

In our previous work, we have demonstrated that dielectric elastic grating can support Fabry–Perot modes and provide embedded optical interferometry to measure ultrasonic pressure. The Fabry–Perot modes inside the grating provide an enhancement in sensitivity and figure of merit compared to thin film-based Fabry–Perot structures. Here, in this paper, we propose a theoretical framework to explain that the elastic grating also supports dielectric waveguide grating mode, in which optical grating parameters control the excitation of the two modes. The optical properties of the two modes, including coupling conditions and loss mechanisms, are discussed. The proposed grating has the grating period in micron scale, which is shorter than the wavelength of the incident ultrasound leading to an ultrasonic scattering. The gap regions in the grating allow the elastic grating thickness to be compressed by the incident ultrasound and coupled to a surface acoustic wave mode. The thickness compression can be measured using an embedded interferometer through one of the optical guided modes. The dielectric waveguide grating is a narrow bandpass optical filter enabling an ultrasensitive mode to sense changes in optical displacement. This enhancement in mechanical and optical properties gives rise to a broader detectable pressure range and figure of merit in ultrasonic detection; the detectable pressure range and figure of merit can be enhanced by 2.7 times and 23 times, respectively, compared to conventional Fabry–Perot structures.

A Fiber-Attached Coupler for Transmission Bandpass Whispering Gallery Mode Resonator

A fiber attached coupler for transmission bandpass whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonator is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The coupler fabricated by femtosecond laser ablation consists of a pair of curved waveguides with a curvature radius of 50 μm, by which the WGM field is excited and collected through evanescent field coupling, respectively. As a proof of concept, a polymer microsphere functioning as the WGM cavity is embedded into a femtosecond laser ablated hole between the two curved waveguides. A passband with a full width of 0.15 nm at half maximum is observed when the microsphere is surrounded by air, verifying the feasibility of the proposed coupler for constructing a WGM cavity-based transmission narrow bandpass optical fiber filter. Benefitting from the relatively high thermo-optical coefficient, the passband of a packaged transmission bandpass WGM resonator can be thermo-optically tuned with a sensitivity of 446.6 pm/°C.

Magnesium fluoride as low-refractive index material for near-ultraviolet filters applied to optical sensors

This article describes the fabrication of MgF2 and MgO thin-film-based optical filters and compares the optical transmission of the filters over UV. The MgF2 thin-films were deposited by use of an e-beam technique and their optical properties were characterised by ellipsometry. The effect of substrate temperature on the optical properties was studied. The MgF2 optimum refractive indices were obtained with a substrate temperature between 200 °C and 300 °C. Optical simulations were performed to compare the performance of MgF2 and MgO in the fabrication of near-UV narrow bandpass optical filters. While MgO-based optical filters result in a higher transmittance peak intensity, especially at 350 nm, the MgF2 optical filters are narrower, present lower values of FWHM, a mean value of 20 nm. This feature could be especially relevant for specific applications on fluorescent optical sensors. Finally, a Fabry-Perot based on a MgF2/TiO2 optical filter was deposited, using an e-beam technique for the MgF2 thin-films and RF-sputtering technique for the TiO2 thin-films. The MgF2/TiO2 optical filter peak transmittance is approximately 70% close to 400 nm, as expected. The results are discussed with focus on applications in fluorescent optical sensors for peaks at 350, 370, 380 and 400 nm, respectively.

Using optically filtered high-speed imaging to characterise expansion tube operating conditions

Traditionally, Pitot rake test models have been used to take time- and spatially resolved impact pressure measurements in impulse facilities for flow characterisation. When expansion tubes are used for the study of hypervelocity planetary entry phenomena, generally the post-shock flow in the test section strongly radiates. This paper outlines a simple method which uses a high-speed camera in addition to a conventional Pitot rake to improve estimates of experimental test time and core flow size by imaging post-shock radiative emission over the probes in the Pitot rake. This method can also be used with specific narrow bandpass optical filters to examine when the emission from key species remains constant in the test flow in both time and space. The selection and suitability of various optical filters for a high-enthalpy Earth entry scenario are examined in this paper, as well as the effect of radiation from flow contamination. Experimentally, it was found that the radiative emission generally rises quite abruptly at the end of the test time and sometimes in situations where the pressure remains constant. It was also seen that different optical filters focusing on different spectral features can show their abrupt rise at different times, giving differing values for the end of the test time. Unfiltered measurements were found to be compromised by contaminant radiative emission which was seen to be randomly distributed in time and space towards the end of the test time.

Structural and optical properties of phosphate-zinc-nickel oxide glasses for narrow band pass absorption filters

Novel two phosphate glass systems with compositions 50P2O5–30ZnO–20NiO and 50P2O5–30ZnO–20[NiCl2–6H2O] were prepared using a conventional melt-quench technique. The absorbance and transmittance were measured using a spectrophotometer in the spectral range between 190 and 1100 nm. The data demonstrates that the system acts as a narrow bandpass optical absorption filter, with a transmission band in the UV region of 311–376 nm, which is centred at 350 nm and has a full width half maximum (FWHM) of almost 34 nm, whereas, the red region is the UV region of 617–684 nm, and centred at 650 nm and has a full width half maximum (FWHM) of nearly 32 nm. However, the refractive index (n), optical band gap (Eopt), non-linear refractive index n2, third order non-linear susceptibility χ(3) and non-linear absorption coefficient β were also calculated. It was apparent that the non-linear refractive index, third order non-linear susceptibility and non-linear absorption coefficient increases by decreasing the optical energy gap. Finally, we investigated the structure of the prepared glasses by using Raman and FTIR spectra. We found that the local network structure based mainly on Q1 and Q2 tetrahedron units connected by P–O–P linkages.

Improved test time evaluation in an expansion tube

Traditionally, expansion tube test times have been experimentally evaluated using test section mounted impact pressure probes. This paper proposes two new methods which can be performed using a high-speed camera and a simple circular cylinder test model. The first is the use of a narrow bandpass optical filter to allow time-resolved radiative emission from an important species to be captured, and the second is using edge detection to track how the model shock standoff changes with time. Experimental results are presented for two test conditions using an air test gas and an optical filter aimed at capturing emission from the 777 nm atomic oxygen triplet. It is found that the oxygen emission is the most reliable experimental method, because it is shown to exhibit significant changes at the end of the test time. It is also proposed that, because the camera footage is spatially resolved, the radiative emission method can be used to examine the ‘effective’ test time in multiple regions of the flow. For one of the test conditions, it is found that the effective test time away from the stagnation region for the cylindrical test model is at most 45% of the total test time. For the other test condition, it is found that the effective test time of a 54 $$^\circ$$ wedge test model is at most a third of the total test time.

Continuous Lubricant Film Thickness Measurement Between Piston Ring and Cylinder Bore

Measurement of film thickness between piston ring and cylinder bore has been a challenge for decades; laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) method was used by several groups, and promising results are obtained for the investigation of lubricant film transport. In this study, blue light generated by a laser source is transmitted to a beam splitter by means of a fiber optic cable and combined with another fiber optic line, then transmitted to the piston ring and cylinder bore conjunction. The light causes the fluorescence dye present in the lubricant to emit light in a longer wavelength, i.e., green. Reflected light is recollected; blue wavelength components are filtered out using a narrow band pass optical filter, and only components in the florescence wavelength is transmitted to a photomultiplier tube. The photomultiplier produces a voltage proportional to instantaneous lubricant film thickness. Then, the photomultiplier signal is calibrated for lubricant film thickness using a laser textured cylinder bore with known geometries. Additional marks were etched on the liner for calibration. The LIF system is adapted to a piston ring and cylinder bore friction test system simulating engine conditions. Static piston ring and reciprocating liner configuration of the bench test system allow the collection of continuous lubricant film thickness data as a function of crank angle position. The developed system has potential to evaluate new designs, materials, and surface properties in a controlled and repeatable environment.

Optical Filter Enabled Continuous Disinfection of Hospital Rooms Using Multi-Sensor Feedback Aided Light Source

In this paper, We have implemented an efficient technique for the inactivation of pathogens in the air and on the surfaces of the hospital rooms. These rooms are the main source of the bacterial diseases spreading in the locality and thereby contaminating the environment. So, a new method is taken into account which uses the wavelength light centered at 405 nm for the disinfection process. The inactivation process of bacteria’s is caused by the 405 nm light which targets the intra-cellular porphyrin of the pathogens which absorbs the light and bacteria’s are eliminated due to the generation of reactive oxygen species in their body. This process has been successfully achieved by the proposed model system. This system uses the light source assembly as a primary source that emits the white light in the broad spectrum which ranges from 450-475 nm that lies in the visible spectrum region. Then this broad spectrum white light is passed through the high-intensity narrow band pass optical filter which reduces the wavelength in the range of 400-410 nm having wavelength centered at 405 nm. Along with this, a multi-sensor adaptive feedback network is also applied to the system which changes the intensity level of the disinfecting light depending on the density of the bacteria’s present in the room. This adaptive nature of the system helps in reducing the power consumption by the system which is necessary in case of continuous disinfection process. This method holds an upper hand over the ultraviolet light devices (UV-C) technique which uses the wavelength in the range of 254-360 nm for the disinfection process. Since the 405 nm light lies in the visible spectrum, hence it is safe to use in presence of a person in the room, thus making the system a continuous process for the disinfection.

Optical nanoscopy with contact Mie-particles: Resolution analysis

The theoretical limits of resolution available in microspherical nanoscopy are explored using incoherent point emitters in the air. The images are calculated using a two-dimensional model and solving the Maxwell equations which account for the wave effects on the sub-wavelength scale of the emitter-microsphere interaction. Based on our results, we propose to use small dielectric particles with diameters λ ≲ D ≲ 2λ made of a high-refractive-index material n∼2 for imaging sub-wavelength objects. It is shown that such particles form virtual images below and real images above them. At wavelengths of the Mie resonances, these images have slightly better than ∼λ/4 resolution that can be attributed to the image magnification in close proximity to the object and contributions of its near field. The resonant super-resolution imaging of various point-like objects, such as dye molecules, fluorophores, or nanoplasmonic particles, can be realized by using narrow bandpass optical filters spectrally aligned with the Mie resonances.

Tetraselmis as a challenge organism for validation of ballast water UV systems

Transport and release of waterborne organisms as a result of ballasting and de-ballasting operations is widely acknowledged to represent an important mechanism for invasions by non-indigenous species. Regulatory requirements have been implemented globally to require treatment of ballast water before its release to the environment as a means of minimizing risks of invasion. UV-based processes represent an option for ballast water treatment; however, their use will require development of appropriate methods for reactor validation. To address this need, Tetraselmis was examined as challenge organism using a most probable number (MPN) assay for quantification of the concentration of viable (reproductively active) cells in suspension. A low pressure collimated-beam reactor was used to investigate UV254 dose-response behavior of Tetraselmis. Based on the experimental conditions applied, Tetraselmis indicated 4.5–5 log10 units of inactivation for UV254 doses of approximately 120 mJ/cm2, with no apparent change of resistance resulting from repeated exposure. A medium pressure UV collimated-beam reactor equipped with a series of narrow bandpass optical filters was used to investigate the action spectrum of Tetraselmis for wavelengths ranging from 228 nm–297 nm. Radiation with wavelengths in the range 254–280 nm was observed to be most efficient for inactivation of Tetraselmis. Additionally, DNA was extracted from Tetraselmis to allow measurement of its absorption spectrum. These results indicated strong absorbance from 254 nm to 280 nm, thereby suggesting that damage to DNA plays an important role in the inactivation of Tetraselmis sp. However, deviations of the action spectrum shape from the shape of the DNA absorption spectrum suggest that UV-induced damage to biomolecules other than DNA may contribute to Tetraselmis inactivation at some wavelengths in the UVC range.

Measurement of Particle Density During Explosive Particle Dispersal

AbstractA gauge based on laser light attenuation has been developed to determine the temporal history of particle number density during the explosive dispersal of inert particles. The optical scheme of the gauge employs narrow band pass and spatial optical filters that protect the optical sensors from ambient light and laser light scattered by particles. The gauge is used in field experiments to measure particle density at two locations in close proximity to spherical metalized explosive charges containing a packed bed of either iron, nickel, or glass particles saturated with nitromethane. The heavy iron particles penetrate the blast wave in the near field, whereas the lighter particles remain behind the blast wave. Comparisons with multiphase calculations indicate that the particle density field inferred from the light intensity signals is consistent with the computations until the point at which the combustion products containing soot arrives at the gauge, blocking the laser light.

Design and fabrication of SiO2/TiO2 and MgO/TiO2 based high selective optical filters for diffuse reflectance and fluorescence signals extraction.

This paper presents the design, optimization and fabrication of 16 MgO/TiO2 and SiO2/TiO2 based high selective narrow bandpass optical filters. Their performance to extract diffuse reflectance and fluorescence signals from gastrointestinal tissue phantoms was successfully evaluated. The obtained results prove their feasibility to correctly extract those spectroscopic signals, through a Spearman's rank correlation test (Spearman's correlation coefficient higher than 0.981) performed between the original spectra and the ones obtained using those 16 fabricated optical filters. These results are an important step for the implementation of a miniaturized, low-cost and minimal invasive microsystem that could help in the detection of gastrointestinal dysplasia.

Multiple narrow bandpass optical filters based on one-dimensional rugate photonic structures of two periodicities

A theoretical analysis of a design of multiple narrow bandpass filters based on one-dimensional (1D) rugate photonic structures with a period jump defect is presented. The optical properties, including transmittance and energy density distributions, are numerically calculated using the propagation matrix method. Our results show that multiple resonance transmission modes are produced when the period jump defect is introduced into the 1D rugate film. Both blueshift and redshift of the stop band of the rugate structure and wavelengths of resonant modes are observed, depending on the change of period jump. The number, the wavelengths, the band intervals, and the intensities of multiple resonance transmission modes are tunable by adjusting structure parameters of the rugate structure. Experimental feasibility of the proposed multiple narrow bandpass optical filters using the technique of glancing angle deposition is also discussed.

A Novel Locking Technique for Very Narrow Tunable Optical Filters With Sub-GHz 3-dB Bandpass

We demonstrate a novel locking technique for very narrow bandpass optical tunable filters. Locking stability within 1% of the 3-dB bandwidth was achieved experimentally on filters with 3-dB bandwidths ranging from 1 GHz, 25 MHz, to 1 MHz.

Narrow-Band Frequency Analysis for White-Light Spectroscopy Diagnostics

Precancerous conditions in tissue are often characterized by a slight increase in the nuclei size of epithelium cells. There has been research in the determination of precancerous tissue using white-light spectroscopy as an optical biopsy. In this paper, we investigate white light scattering off of tissue phantoms, created with polystyrene microspheres. When analyzing scattered white light, it is well known that the size of the scatterer contributes to a specific spatial oscillation pattern as a function of the wavelength. However, when examining a mixture of two or more different sized scatterers, it is difficult to relate this oscillation pattern to the specific scatterer sizes composing the mixture. To overcome this challenge, we convert this spatial oscillation pattern into the Fourier domain, which emphasizes a signature frequency peak for each particular component of the mixture. To improve our results, we use a narrow bandpass optical filter when interrogating the sample. This reduces noise in the frequency domain and isolates a single signature frequency for each scatterer in the mixture.