Near-field Plane Research Articles

Learning-based surface deformation recovery for large radio telescope antennas

Abstract The surface deformation of the main reflector in a large radio telescope is closely related to its working efficiency, which is important for some astronomical science studies. Here, we present a deep learning-based surface deformation recovery framework using non-interferometric intensity measurements as input. The recurrent convolutional neural network (RCNN) is developed to establish the inverse mapping relationship between the surface deformation of the main reflector and the intensity images at the aperture plane and at a near-field plane. Meanwhile, a physical forward propagation model is adopted to generate a large amount of data for pre-training in a computationally efficient manner. Then, the inverse mapping relationship is adjusted and improved by transfer learning using experimental data, which achieves a 15-fold reduction in the number of training image sets required, which is helpful to facilitate the practical application of deep learning in this field. In addition, the RCNN model can be trained as a denoiser, and it is robust to the axial positioning error of the measuring points. It is also promising to extend this method to the study of adaptive optics.

Design of large-angle distortion-free and spot adjustable LED spot array projector based on microlens array and eyepiece

The spot array projector has long been a challenging and intriguing research focus in the fields of projection and lighting applications. In the current literature, there is a lack of a comprehensive and detailed presentation on the design and analysis method for a spot array generator based on the structure of imaging eyepiece and MLA. We present a novel design and optimization method for a large-angle, distortion-free and spot adjustable LED spot array projector that is composed of an eyepiece, two microlens arrays (MLAs), and a micro-LED array (MLEDA). The eyepiece system is optimized using imaging optical methods to project sub-beams to the target plane with a large angle. The sub-lens of condenser MLA is also optimized using imaging optical methods to refocus the collimating beam and match the numerical aperture (NA) with the eyepiece, and the sub-lens of the collimating MLA is acquired by using simulated annealing (SA) global illumination optics optimization method to achieve collimation and far-field homogenization. The predistortion MLEDA and the MLAs are proposed and implemented by the radial basis function (RBF) interpolation method, which correct the large-angle distortion introduced by the eyepiece. Both near-field and far-field applications can be realized by the proposed system. In the near-field applications, different spot geometries at the near-field target plane can be achieved. In the far-field applications, the power matching of the MLEDA is used to improve far-field uniformity of spot array. Moreover, the predefined-geometry arrangement spot array can be realized in both near and far fields. Two design examples with full field of view (FOV) projection of 80° and 100° are provided to validate the proposed method. Overall, the proposed system offers a promising solution for various applications requiring target identification or 3D calibration.

Near-field antenna measurement based on Rydberg-atom probe.

Current near-field antenna measurement methods are commonly based on metal probes, with the accuracy limited and hard to be optimized due to the drawbacks they suffered, such as large volume, severe metal reflection/interference and complex circuit signal processing in parameter extracting. In this work, a novel method is proposed based on Rydberg atom in the near-field antenna measurement, which can offer a higher accuracy due to its intrinsic character of traceability to electric field. Replacing the metal probe in near-field measurement system by Rydberg atoms contained in a vapor cell (probe), amplitude- and phase- measurements on a 2.389 GHz signal launched out from a standard gain horn antenna are conducted on a near-field plane. They are transformed to far-field pattern and agree well with simulated results and measured results by using a traditional metal probe method. A high precision in longitudinal phase testing with an error below 1.7% can be achieved.

Light field analysis for modeling and transmission characteristics of partially coherent light-emitting diodes

When analyzing the transmission characteristics of LEDs for long-distance lighting and communication applications, the light field is commonly assumed to be fully incoherent. However, in reality, the LED light source emits partially coherent light with a spatial coherence length on the order of microns. This paper is based on the generalized higher-order Lambert model of LEDs and aims to construct a Gaussian-Schell model for the LED beam (LED-GSM) on the near-field source plane, with a half-power angle of no more than 10o. Utilizing the cross-spectral density function transmission theory for partially coherent light, this paper provides the LED-GSM model’s spatial coherence length and beam radius at different distances and designs an experiment for measuring the spatial coherence length of LED beams. Experimental measurements of the spatial coherence length and beam spot size of LED beams at different distances are carried out using a Thorlabs LED528EHP light source. The experimental results match well with the theoretical simulations of the LED-GSM model, thus validating its effectiveness. Then, the proposed LED-GSM model is utilized to investigate the long-distance transmission characteristics of partially coherent narrow-beam LED light. Simulation results indicate that the spatial coherence length of the LED light field can reach tens to hundreds of millimeters over transmission distances of several kilometers. The beam radius is much smaller than that of the beam radius based on the fully incoherent model, and the beam intensity distribution also displays distinct differences.

Research on the Method of Near-Field Measurement and Modeling of Powerful Electromagnetic Equipment Radiation Based on Field Distribution Characteristics

With the wide application of power equipment consisting of high switching frequencies and large current switching devices in the integrated power system on ships, the low-frequency radiation interference caused by the powerful electromagnetic equipment becomes more and more serious. Establishing an equivalent model of radiation interference based on the near-field measurement data is the key to subsequent electromagnetic compatibility design. Due to the large size of the equipment, there will be many measurement points in the near-field measurement area, which leads to long testing times and low modeling efficiency. To solve the above problems, this article first proposes a method of near-field measurement and a modeling method of powerful electromagnetic equipment radiation based on field distribution characteristics. Firstly, the near-field measurement data are obtained by the sparse and uniform sampling of the near-field measurement plane at large sampling intervals. Then, the near-field measuring plane is separated into several regions by the magnetic field’s distribution characteristics. The near-field measurement data required for modeling are obtained by further sampling in the region with a large magnetic field amplitude. Finally, the equivalent radiation model is obtained by the equivalent dipole method. Simulations and experiments show that the method can significantly reduce the amount of measurement data and testing time while improving the efficiency of equivalent radiation modeling and maintaining the accuracy of the modeling.

Investigation of active phased arrays performance deficiency due to array planarity and misalignment

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the degradation in the electromagnetic performance of an active phased array antenna and establishes the coupling relationship between the antenna array alignment/planarity to the near-field scanner probe. An analytical framework is presented to evaluate the sensitivity of radiation parameters of active phased arrays antenna due to the deviation of complex excitation vector. A laser-based positioning metrology equipment measures the near-field scanner plane to the antenna under test (AUT) plane in a global coordinate system. The antenna array surface is adjusted and aligned to the near-field scanner probe measurement plane within 1 mm (in S-band) by employing the mechanical mechanism within the positioning accuracies of 50–100 µ. The collimation of a perfectly aligned antenna array results in the alignment of electrical and mechanical boresight of the active phased array radar. The theoretical evidence and experimental results presented powerful tools and guidelines to set a reasonable tolerance for array alignment in the near-field test range (NFTR) to achieve high performances of the active phased array antenna.

Two-dimensional quantitative near-field phase imaging using square and hexagonal interference devices.

We demonstrate the formation of the near field with non-trivial phase distribution using surface plasmon interference devices, and experimental quantitative imaging of that phase with near-field phase microscopy. The phase distribution formed with a single device can be controlled by the polarization of the external illumination and the area of the device assigned to the object wave. A comparison of the experimental data to a numerical electromagnetic model and an analytical model assigns the origin of the near-field phase to the out-of-plane electric component of surface plasmon polaritons, and also verifies the predictive power of the models. We demonstrate a formation of near-field plane waves with different propagation directions on a single device, or even simultaneously at distinct areas of a single device. Our findings open the way to the imaging and tomography of phase objects in the near field.

Generating high-energy densities by sidelobe suppression in the far-field of phase-locked lasers

Laser beams with high-energy densities are desired for both fundamental research and applied applications. We present a numerical study on the generation of high-energy densities by sidelobe suppression in the far-field intensity distribution of phase-locked lasers. The method relies on modifying the combined field distribution of phase-locked lasers to obtain uniform amplitude and phase distributions in a near-field plane, which enables the formation of a high-energy density main central lobe (zeroth order) in the far field. The method is applied to various one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) array geometries, such as square, triangular, Kagome, random, and 1D ring. The results show that for in-phase-locked lasers in 2D array geometries, the diffraction efficiency of the high-energy density region (zeroth-order lobe) can be increased in the range of 90%–95%. For in-phase-locked lasers in a 1D ring array, the maximum diffraction is found to be ∼ 75 % . Further, the effects of the range of phase locking, system size, as well as topological defects are examined on diffraction efficiency. The method is also applied to an out-of-phase-locked laser in the square array, and a high-energy density output beam is obtained.

Classification of complete (k,2)-arcs in NFPG(2,9) using veronesean

In this paper, we investigate the Veronesean arc, the non-Veronesean arc by converting a point expressed in Cartesian coordinates to homogeneous coordinates in left nearfield plane of order 9 where a k − arc in a finite projective or affine plane is a set of k points no three of which are collinear. And also, we examine that whether founded complete (7, 2)-Non-Veronesean arc satisfy Pascal’s Theorem in the left nearfield projective plane of order 9. Six of (7, 2)-Non-Veronesean arc’s all points which are {1, 4, 11, 21, 35, 38} points line on same conic. But it is determined that (7, 2)-Non-Veronesean arc does not satisfy Pascal’s Theorem.

Comparative analysis of numerical methods to calculate electric field distribution from the initial plane to a plane non-parallel to the initial one

The paper presents a brief overview of the numerical methods for continuation of electric field amplitude/phase distribution from the near-field scanning plane to a plane non-parallel to the initial plane in a general case. The methods are considered based on their feasibility for finding an optimal arrangement of the phased-array antenna feed.

Solving Surface Deformation of Radio Telescope Antenna by Artificial Neural Network

Recent investigations have derived the relation between the near-field plane amplitude and the surface deformation of reflector antenna, namely deformation-amplitude equation (DAE), which could be used as a mathematical foundation of antenna surface measurement if an effective numerical algorithm is employed. Traditional algorithms are hard to work directly due to the complex mathematical model. This paper presents a local approximation algorithm based on artificial neural network to solve DAE. The length factor method is used to construct a trial solution for the deformation, which ensures the final solution always satisfies the boundary conditions. To improve the algorithm efficiency, Adam optimizer is employed to train the network parameters. Combining the application of the data normalization method proposed in this paper and a step-based learning rate, a further optimized loss function could be converged quickly. The algorithm proposed in this paper could effectively solve partial differential equations without boundary conditions such as DAE, which at the same time contains the first-order and the second-order partial derivatives, and constant terms. Simulation results show that compared with the original algorithm by Fast Fourier transform, this algorithm is more stable and accurate, which is significant for the antenna measurement method based on DAE.

Direct-focusing surface-emitting laser.

Focusing is a fundamental optical technique that has been widely implemented via lenses. Here, we demonstrate direct focusing from a band-edge surface-emitting laser, whose emission area is 200 µm × 200 µm, without any lenses. To achieve this, a phase-modulating layer is incorporated into the laser cavity. This layer acts simultaneously as a lasing cavity similar to that of a photonic crystal laser and as a holographic spatial-phase modulator, which transforms the output beam into a focusing beam by slightly shifting the positions of holes from a periodic square lattice. Beam profiles along the surface normal clearly show that direct focusing occurs with a focal length and focal spot size of 310 µm and 6.1 µm, respectively. The focal length agrees well with the theoretical value, and the focal spot size is 2.0 times the diffraction-limited size, which indicates that the higher transverse modes are sufficiently suppressed. In addition, the power density at the focus is 540 times higher than that at the near-field plane. Interestingly, a focus pattern is also observed in the opposite direction at the near-field plane, which indicates that a converging beam and a diverging beam are simultaneously emitted because of the nature of the in-plane band-edge laser. The conventional beam patterns of semiconductor laser cavities are limited to the regime of two-dimensional projection based on a Fourier hologram. In contrast, we demonstrate the simplest form of a three-dimensional point cloud based on a Fresnel hologram, which is quite useful for micro-sensing applications such as microfluidics, flow cytometry, blood sensors, and endoscopy.

Determination of nonlinearity parameter B/A of liquids by comparison with solutions of the three-dimensional Westervelt equation

Though nonlinear propagation depends upon the nonlinearity parameter B/A of the medium, it is often difficult to measure accurately. Thermodynamic methods often require high temperature and pressure excursions that can damage fragile molecules. Finite-amplitude methods often require unrealistic assumptions of ideal piston sources to account for diffraction effects. An alternative, described here, is to use the numerical solution of the three-dimensional Westervelt equation for weakly nonlinear fields (considering up to 10 s of harmonics of the fundamental frequency), and to match measured harmonic generation with that for simulated media. In particular, we follow Jafarzadeh et al. [Ultrasound Med. Biol. 47(3), 809–819 (2021)] to find that the nonlinearity parameter of a liquid can be recovered by determining the best match between measurements and simulations of media with different B/A values. Ideal piston sources with radial symmetry are not required, only a high-spatial-resolution hydrophone scan of the near-field source plane. Other techniques to determine the nonlinearity parameter by comparing propagation models with experiments, such as Richard et al. [New J. Phys. 22, 063021 (2020)], may improve on earlier measurement methods.

Near-field airborne particle concentrations in young children undergoing high-flow nasal cannula therapy: a pilot study

High-flow nasal cannula therapy (HFNC) may increase aerosol generation, putting healthcare workers at risk, including from SARS-CoV-2. To examine whether use of HFNC increases near-field aerosols and whether there is an association with flow rate. Subjects aged four weeks to 24 months were recruited. Each child received HFNC therapy at different flow rates. Three stations with particle counters were deployed to measure particle concentrations and dispersion in the room: station 1 within 0.5 m, station 2 at 2 m, and station 3 on the other side of the room. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and relative humidity were measured. Far-field measurements were used to adjust the near-field measurements. Ten children were enrolled, aged from 6 to 24 months (median: 9). Elevated CO2 indicated that the near-field measurements were in the breathing plane. Near-field breathing plane concentrations of aerosols with diameter 0.3-10 μm were elevated by the presence of the patient with no HFNC flow, relative to the room far-field, by 0.45 particles/cm3. Whereas variability between subjects in their emission and dispersion of particles was observed, no association was found between HFNC use, at any flow rate, and near-field particle counts. This method of particle sampling is feasible in hospital settings; correcting the near-patient aerosol and CO2 levels for the room far-field may provide proxies of exposure risk to pathogens generated. In this pilot, near-patient levels of particles with a diameter between 0.3 and 10 μm and CO2 were not affected by the use of HFNC.

Demonstration of a general scaling law for far-field propagation.

This paper conducts experiments that demonstrate the utility of a general scaling law (GSL) for far-field propagation. In practice, the GSL accurately predicts the diffraction-limited peak irradiance in a far-field plane, regardless of the beam shape in a near-field plane. Within the experimental setup, we use a reflective, phase-only spatial light modulator to generate various beam shapes from expanded and collimated laser-source illumination, including both flattop and Gaussian beams with obscurations, in addition to phased arrays with these beam shapes. We then focus the resulting near-field source plane to a far-field target plane and measure the peak target irradiance to compare to the associated GSL prediction. Overall, the results show excellent agreement with less than 1% error for all test cases. Such experiments present a convenient and relatively inexpensive approach to demonstrating laser-system architectures (of varying complexity) that involve far-field propagation.

A New Approach to Telescope Fourier Optics

In this paper we take a new approach to solving the Ray-leigh-Sommerfeld-Smythe equation for a telescope’s optical impulse re-sponse to a monochromatic point source spherical wave radiating outward from the origin in the object plane. Two cases are covered: 1) the point source at the origin in the telescope’s near-field object plane; 2) the point source at the origin in the far-field object plane as is the case with satellite infrared sensors when the distance between the telescope and the point source is very much greater than the telescope’s circular aperture diameter. With only the assumption of a thin circular aperture we 1) derive a general solution that erases the distinction among the three classically defined zones of the optical axis: Near, Fresnel, and Fraunhofer; 2) reduce the computational complexity down from two-dimensional to one-dimensional Fourier transform integrals and; 3) identify Filon quadrature as the numerical method of choice for accurately and efficiently approximating the values of these integrals and; 4) provide a computational example.

The coherent sound field separation method combining compressive sensing

When multiple coherent sound sources are distributed on the same side of the holographic surface, the conventional method must use known information such as sound source distribution and geometry. In view of this situation, a method of coherent sound field separation combined with compressive sensing is proposed. The method is based on the plane equivalent source near-field acoustic holography method and the orthogonal matching pursuit algorithm of compressive sensing technology. Get the distribution of the virtual sound source on the plane, and then the virtual sound sources are grouped and selected. Finally, the distribution of sound pressure in the near-field plane after separation of the sound field is calculated using the conduction matrix. The method does not require other prior knowledge. The simulation results show that this method can be used as an effective complementary method for coherent sound field separation based on single-sided measurement.

Surface deformation recovery algorithm for reflector antennas based on geometric optics.

Surface deformations of large reflector antennas highly depend on elevation angle. This paper adopted a scheme with the ability to conduct measurement at any elevation angle: carrying an emission source, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) scans the antenna on a near-field plane, meanwhile the antenna stays stationary. Near-field amplitude is measured in the scheme. To recover the deformation from the measured amplitude, this paper proposed a novel algorithm by deriving the deformation-amplitude equation, which reveals the relation between the surface deformation and the near-field amplitude. By the algorithm, a precise deformation recovery can be reached at a low frequency (<1GHz) through single near-field amplitude. Simulation results showed the high accuracy and adaptability of the algorithm.

Single-Molecule Imaging Using Atomistic Near-Field Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy.

Advances in tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) have demonstrated ultrahigh spatial resolution so that the vibrational modes of individual molecules can be visualized. The spatial resolution of TERS is determined by the confinement of the plasmon-induced field in the junction; however, the conditions necessary for achieving the high spatial confinement required for imaging individual molecules are not fully understood. Here, we present a systematic theoretical study of TERS imaging of single molecules, using a hybrid atomistic electrodynamics-quantum mechanical method. This approach provides a consistent treatment of the molecule and the plasmonic near field under conditions where they cannot be treated separately. In our simulations, we demonstrate that TERS is capable of resolving intricate molecule vibrations with atomic resolution, although we find that TERS images are extremely sensitive to the near field in the junction. Achieving the atomic resolution requires the near field to be confined within a few ångstroms in diameter and the near-field focal plane to be in the molecule plane. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the traditional surface selection rule of Raman spectroscopy is altered due to the significant field confinement that leads to significant field-gradient effects in the Raman scattering. This work provides insights into single-molecule imaging based on TERS and Raman scattering of molecules in nanojunctions with atomic dimensions.

Ultrathin thermoacoustic nanobridge loudspeakers from ALD on polyimide

The recent development of low-temperature (<200 °C) atomic layer deposition (ALD) for fabrication of freestanding nanostructures has enabled consideration of active device design based on engineered ultrathin films. This paper explores audible sound production from thermoacoustic loudspeakers fabricated from suspended tungsten nanobridges formed by ALD. Additionally, this paper develops an approach to lumped-element modeling for design of thermoacoustic nanodevices and relates the near-field plane wave model of individual transducer beams to the far-field spherical wave sound pressure that can be measured with standard experimental techniques. Arrays of suspended nanobridges with 25.8 nm thickness and sizes as small as 17 μm × 2 μm have been fabricated and demonstrated to produce audible sound using the thermoacoustic effect. The nanobridges were fabricated by ALD of 6.5 nm Al2O3 and 19.3 nm tungsten on sacrificial polyimide, with ALD performed at 130 °C and patterned by standard photolithography. The maximum observed loudspeaker sound pressure level (SPL) is 104 dB, measured at 20 kHz, 9.71 W input power, and 1 cm measurement distance, providing a loudspeaker sensitivity value of ∼64.6 dB SPL/1 mW. Sound production efficiency was measured to vary proportional to frequency f 3 and was directly proportional to input power. The devices in this paper demonstrate industrially feasible nanofabrication of thermoacoustic transducers and a sound production mechanism pertinent to submicron-scale device engineering.