Optical Axis Research Articles

Blazed photon sieve for the correction of presbyopia.

What we believe to be a new type of transparent photon sieve is presented with application for presbyopia correction. Inspired by blazed gratings, we propose to design an intracorneal implant with slanted holes. The slopes introduce a new degree of freedom, breaking the symmetry of energy distribution along the optical axis and allowing to balance the energy between near and far vision. This new implant design is presented together with the simulation, manufacturing and validation methods. The first experimental results obtained with an implant manufactured in a biocompatible material are presented confirming the potential of the approach.

Precise Focal Spot Positioning on an Opaque Substrate Based on the Diffraction Phenomenon in Laser Microfabrication.

The precise positioning of the laser focal spot on the substrate is an important issue for laser microfabrication. In this work, a diffraction pattern-based focal spot positioning method (DFSPM) is proposed to achieve the precise positioning of the laser focal spot on opaque substrates. A series of diffraction patterns of laser focus under-positioning, exact positioning and over-positioning were obtained to investigate the cross-section light distribution of the laser focal spot. According to the monotonic tendency of FWHM to exhibit light intensity at the focal spot cross-section away from the focal plane, the FWHM threshold of polynomial fitted curves was used to determine the exact positioning of laser focus. The ascending scanning method was used to obtain the diffraction patterns at various vertical positions and the FWHM threshold of light distribution at the exact position. The polynomial fitted curves verify the FWHM monotonic tendency of light intensity distribution at the focal spot cross-section along the optical axis. Precise positioning can be achieved with a 100 nm adjustment resolution. This work was expected to provide references for laser microfabrication on opaque materials.

Obstacle-tolerant terahertz wireless link using self-healing Bessel beams

Wireless communications using highly directive terahertz (THz) waves exhibit lower immunity to obstructions than microwaves, limiting their applications. This study demonstrates an obstacle-tolerant THz wireless link established by a self-healing Bessel beam at 300 GHz. The Bessel beam is generated by sending a Gaussian beam through a dielectric axicon lens. Furthermore, experiments were conducted to investigate the short-range transmission (98 mm) reception characteristics with and without the dielectric cubic obstacle (7.5 λ in size) and the metallic obstacle (22 λ in length and 8 λ in width) in the Gaussian beam and self-healing Bessel beam cross sections. The maximum attenuation of the received power due to obstruction was 8.8 and 2.2 dB for the Gaussian and Bessel beams, respectively, when the dielectric obstacle is placed in the middle of the transmission path (49 mm from a transmission lens). This study further investigated the bit error rate (BER) characteristics (1 Gbps, on–off keying) with the dielectric obstacle crossing the beam cross section. When the obstacle crosses the Gaussian beam, the BER degrades as the obstacle approaches the optical axis, breaking the wireless link. In contrast, when the obstacle crosses the Bessel beam cross section, the BER is maintained at <3.8 × 10−3 (the forward error correction limit), and the wireless link is maintained. A self-healing beam, such as the Bessel beam, makes the THz wireless link more tolerant than the Gaussian beam to obstacle and expand applications for THz wireless communications.

Tuning Q-Factor and Perfect Absorption Using Coupled Tamm States on Polarization-Preserving Metasurface

The circular polarization of light flips its handedness after a conventional metallic mirror reflection. Therefore, a polarization-preserving metasurface is a crucially important element in a series of chiral photonic structures. They include tunable cholesteric LCs and anisotropic photonic crystals. Chiral structures are rich in interfacial localized modes including Tamm states. In this report, coupled modes formed as a result of the interaction between two chiral optical Tamm states or a chiral optical Tamm state and a chiral Tamm plasmon polariton are analytically and numerically investigated. It is shown that the effective control of coupled modes can be carried out by changing the pitch of the cholesteric and the angle between the optical axis of the cholesteric and the polarization-preserving anisotropic mirror. The influence of the metasurface period on the spectral characteristics of coupled modes is investigated. The possibility of realizing a bound state in the continuum of the Friedrich–Wintgen type, resulting from the destructive interference of coupled modes, which leads to the collapse of the resonance line corresponding to the chiral optical Tamm state, has been demonstrated.

Accurate calibration on optical axis of polarizer in a polarization imaging system

Accurate calibration on optical axis of polarizer in a polarization imaging system

Equivalent distortion imaging model-based calibration method for a projection moiré system using combined lenses

The projection moiré method is a noncontact full-field optical topography measurement technique, which requires a precise model and corresponding calibration method; however, the existing models and calibration methods are either incompatible with system distortion or involve complex experimental operations. This study presents an equivalent distortion imaging model coupled with a flexible calibration method that overcomes such shortcomings. The proposed model is constructed by considering the stacking effect of the distortions of the two lenses and the misalignment between the optical axes. The corresponding calibration method leverages the existing camera calibration method to avoid complex operations. The proposed model has high precision owing to its ability to describe the complex imaging of the system. Moreover, the calibration is flexible and requires far fewer operations than with the two-stage calibration method. Both simulations and experiments verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Dual-wavelength Nd:CALGO laser based on differential loss of birefringent filter

Continuous-wave dual-wavelength (DW) operation of an a-cut Nd:CALGO (Nd:CaGdAlO4) laser around ∼1.08 μm was demonstrated using a single plate quartz birefringent filter (BRF) with an on-surface optical axis. A wide range of wavelength separations between the two laser lines ranging from sub-nm up to 10 nm was observed with controllable intensity ratios. A new regime of operation of DW laser was also identified where one of the oscillating spectral lines was in the rejection band of the filter. This is in sharp contrast with typical operation of DW lasers with BRF where wavelength separation was limited either to the free spectral range or to the linewidth of a single transmission peak of the used filter. This was enabled by differential loss introduced by a single transmission peak of the BRF. Using this mechanism, generation of a large number of laser wavelength pairs became possible.

Exploring the impact of longitudinal modulation on the twisting angle in Pancharatnam-Berry phase-based waveguides.

A circularly polarized (CP) beam propagating in a rotated anisotropic material acquires an additional phase delay proportional to the local rotation angle. This phase delay is a particular kind of geometric phase, the Pancharatnam-Berry phase (PBP), stemming from the path of the beam polarization on the Poincaré sphere. A transverse gradient in the geometric phase can thus be imparted by inhomogeneous rotation of the material, with no transverse gradient in the dynamic phase. A waveguide based upon this principle can be induced when the gradient accumulates in propagation, the latter requiring a longitudinal rotation in the optic axis synchronized with the natural rotation of the light polarization. Here, we evaluate numerically and theoretically the robustness of PBP-based waveguides, in the presence of a mismatch between the birefringence length and the external modulation. We find that the mismatch affects mainly the polarization of the quasi-mode, while the confinement is only slightly perturbed.

Optical Pupil Shift Correction Method for Large Ground-Based Optical Telescopes

Cassegrain telescopes with larger apertures suffer significant optical pupil shifting errors caused by gravity and temperature gradients. This study constructs an optical model of a large Cassegrain telescope and a method to calculate and compensate its shifting error. First, the optical structure is simplified by incorporating only the most relevant telescope components, and the system optics is modeled using ray tracing. A computer-aided mounting-based method for calculating the misalignment error of primary and secondary mirrors is proposed, with the spatial position change of secondary mirrors as the input. Next, a compensation method based on the coma-free point theory of the Cassegrain system is proposed, with the main mirror’s optical axis as the reference. Finally, using a 4 m aperture telescope as an example, the gravity- and thermal-deformation-induced shifting error is simulated. Based on this simulation, the secondary mirror position is adjusted using a secondary mirror-adjustment mechanism Hexapod platform to compensate for the misalignment error. Both gravity and temperature are major causes of shift in the pupil position, with a maximum shift of 18 mm. After compensation, this shift is controlled within 1 mm. The modeling method and the simulation process mentioned in this research can also be used in the other relevant fields.

Use of the Laser Beam Deflection Technique for Thermo-Optic Coefficients Study in Gadolinium-Yttrium Oxyorthosilicate Doped with Erbium Ions

Results of use of the laser beam deflection technique for determination of thermo-optic coefficients (TOCs) of the Er3+-doped gadolinium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate crystal (Er3+:(GdY) SiO– Er:GYSO) are presented. A 0.1 at.% Er-doped gadolinium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate crystal was grown by the Czochralski method under nitrogen atmosphere. Raw materials such as Er2O3, Gd2O3, Y2O3, and SiO2 were weighed according to the formula (Er0.001Gd0.8995Y0.0995)2SiO5. Optical properties of the biaxial Er:GYSO crystal are described within the frame of the optical indicatrix with orthogonal principal axes Np , Nm , and Ng . To characterize the anisotropy of the TOCs a sample from the grown Er:GYSO crystal was prepared in a shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with dimensions of 7.0 (Np ) × 8.0 (Nm ) × 8.5 (Ng ) mm3. Each face of the sample is perpendicular to one of the optical indicatrix axes Np , Nm and Ng . For determination of the TOCs the laser beam deflection technique for a material with a linear temperature gradient is used. Measurements are performed at the wavelength of 632.8 nm. The thermal coefficient of the optical path (TCOP) for the Er:GYSO crystal measured at the wavelength of 632.8 nm at different light polarization E and propagation direction k were obtained. The TCOP values are positive for all directions of the light propagation k // Np , Nm , Ng . This means that the sign of the thermal lens which is directly related to the TCOP value will also be positive, and the positive thermal lens is then expected for Np Nm-, and Ng -cut Er:GYSO. Applying an analysis of the thermal lensing the dn /dT value for Yb:GYSO is estimated to be 6.5×10–6 K–1.

Immobilization of photorefractive solitons by charge anchoring on conductive walls

Spatial solitons have shown great promise for various applications, but their limited stability in terms of beam movement has been a significant hindrance. This limitation is especially prominent in the conventional configuration where the bias electric field is oriented perpendicular to the soliton propagation direction, leading to instability caused by the drift–diffusion processes. To address this issue, we explore a novel, to the best of our knowledge, approach where solitons are propagated from one bias plate to the other, with a tilted angle with respect to the field and to the optical axis of the photorefractive crystal. By directing the solitons toward the bias electrodes, we observe an intriguing anchoring effect that immobilizes the soliton beam, resulting in reduced self-bending. The charge distribution on the conductive walls is numerically investigated as a function of the crystallographic orientation of the c-axis. The immobilization of the soliton beams is a fundamental issue for their technological applications as waveguides in integrated photonic circuits, which would result in an addressable but perfectly stable waveguide over time.

Influences of YVO4 optical axis direction deviation on performances of a-cut Nd:YLF/Cr:YAG/ c-cut YVO4 multi-Raman mode laser

Influences of YVO4 optical axis direction deviation on performances of a-cut Nd:YLF/Cr:YAG/ c-cut YVO4 multi-Raman mode laser

Development and evaluation of ultrasound navigation for free-hand biopsies of small masses in the head and neck area

Ultrasound is an important imaging method in the head and neck area. It is readily available, dynamic, inexpensive, and does not involve radiation exposure. Interventions in the complex head and neck anatomy require good orientation, which is supported by navigation systems. This work aimed to develop anew ultrasound-controlled navigation system for taking biopsies of small target structures in the head and neck region. Aneck phantom with sonographically detectable masses (size: 8-10 mm) was constructed. These were automatically segmented using aResNet-50-based deep neural network. The ultrasound scanner was equipped with an individually manufactured tracking tool. The positions of the ultrasound device, the masses, and apuncture needle were recorded in the world coordinate system. In 8out of 10cases, an 8‑mm mass was hit. In aspecial evaluation phantom, the average deviation was calculated to be 2.5 mm. The tracked biopsy needle is aligned and navigated to the masses by auditory feedback. Outstanding advantages compared to conventional navigation systems include renunciation of preoperative tomographic imaging, automatic three-dimensional real-time registration that considers intraoperative tissue displacements, maintenance of the surgeon's optical axis at the surgical site without having to look at anavigation monitor, and working freely with both hands without holding the ultrasound scanner during biopsy taking. The described functional model can also be used in open head and neck surgery.

Optical Parameters of Aluminum Alloy Samples Irradiated by High Current Relativistic Electron Beams

The aluminum alloys D16, D16AT are widely used as construction materials in the aircraft industry. Questions connected with the enhancement of the properties of the construction elements made of the alloys through surface modification are of great interest now. The objects of the study in our paper are the samples of the aluminum alloy D16AT subjected to irradiation by high-current relativistic electron beams. Leaving aside the material science aspects, in this work we focused on modeling the optical properties of the samples. The problem is relevant because optical methods for surface analysis have become widespread due to their versatility and efficiency. Through the treatment of the preliminary measured ellipsometry data, we obtain the optical constants of the samples and their dispersion in the visible region of wavelength. The method used consists of an approximation of the reflection coefficient calculated from the ellipsometry data by finding the values of the parameters in the model. The last is performed by the least squares method. The reflection coefficient is assumed to correspond to the semibounded uniaxial medium with the optical axis perpendicular to the interface between the medium and the homogeneous and dielectric ambient medium. The dielectric function of the semibounded medium is approximated by the Drude-Lorentz model. The possibility of birefringence of the samples caused by the irradiation with electron beams is discussed.

Spin angular momentum at the sharp focus of a cylindrical vector vortex beam

Sharp focusing of a light field with double (phase and polarization) singularity is studied. Using the Richards-Wolf method, an exact analytical expression for the longitudinal projection of the spin angular momentum (SAM) vector at the focus is obtained. The expression derived suggests that 4 (n –1) subwavelength regions are formed at the focus, where n is the cylindrical vector beam order, with their centers located on a certain circle centered on the optical axis. Notably, the SAM projections are found to have the opposite sign in the neighboring regions. This means that in the neighboring focal regions, the light has alternating left or right elliptical polarization (manifestation of a spin Hall effect). At the center of the focal spot near the optical axis, the field is right-handed elliptically polarized at m > 0, or left-handed elliptically polarized at m < 0, where m is the vortex charge. The total longitudinal spin, i.e., the longitudinal SAM component averaged over the beam-cross section, is zero and preserved upon focusing. Due to the beam containing an optical vortex with charge m, the transverse energy flow rotates on a spiral path near the focal plane, rotating on a circle in the focal plane. The rotation direction near the optical axis is counterclockwise for m > 0, and clockwise for m < 0.

Propagation properties of partially coherent radially polarized rotationally-symmetric power-exponent-phase vortex beams in turbulent atmosphere

In this paper, the propagation properties of partially coherent radially polarized rotationally-symmetric power-exponent-phase vortex beams (RP-RSPEPVBs) in turbulent atmosphere were investigated. Based on the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle and unified theory of coherence and polarization, the theoretical propagation model was established. Then, the numerical simulations were carried out to reveal the evolution of intensity distribution, spectral degree of coherence (DOC) and spectral degree of polarization (DOP) in turbulent atmosphere. The results showed that although the partially coherent RP-RSPEPVBs diverged during the propagation, the spatial structure remains analogous, and the relatively larger waist widths gain smaller divergence. Moreover, the optical pattern can be evidently modulated by optical parameters, as the number of sidelobes can be changed with topological charge l, and the continuity of the light spot as well as the rotating speed around the optical axis can be influenced by power exponent n. Besides, the spectral DOC and DOP would decrease with larger propagation distance and refractive-index structure constant, but decrease less with a shorter coherence width. This work may be helpful in fields such as remote sensing and optical communication.

Background-oriented schlieren sensitivity in terms of geometrical parameters of measurement setup

Background-oriented schlieren imaging is a recently proposed noninvasive optical method for imaging of full ultrasound fields. In this work, the impact of uncertainty in geometrical parameters of a background-oriented schlieren measurement setup for imaging of full ultrasound fields is studied using numerical simulations. The studied parameters are focal length of the camera and positions and orientations of the camera, water tank, and ultrasound field. The results demonstrate that the most sensitive parameters affecting the accuracy of the reconstructed ultrasound fields are the orientations of the camera that change the direction of an effective optical axis. Other sensitive parameters are the focal length of the camera and the position of the ultrasound field in perpendicular directions of an optical axis. This synthetic study demonstrates the accuracy requirements for calibrating the geometrical parameters of a measurement setup that would be required to achieve accuracy comparable to that of hydrophone measurements using the background-oriented schlieren imaging. Explicitly, limits of the variation ranges of the geometrical parameters resulting in relative error ranges of 5% and 10% are given. The results of this study may contribute to help design future background-oriented schlieren measurement setups intended for measurement of full ultrasound fields.

The Simons Observatory: A fully remote controlled calibration system with a sparse wire grid for cosmic microwave background telescopes.

For cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization observations, calibration of detector polarization angles is essential. We have developed a fully remote controlled calibration system with a sparse wire grid that reflects linearly polarized light along the wire direction. The new feature is a remote-controlled system for regular calibration, which has not been possible in sparse wire grid calibrators in past experiments. The remote control can be achieved by two electric linear actuators that load or unload the sparse wire grid into a position centered on the optical axis of a telescope between the calibration time and CMB observation. Furthermore, the sparse wire grid can be rotated by using a motor. A rotary encoder and a gravity sensor are installed on the sparse wire grid to monitor the wire direction. They allow us to achieve detector polarization angle calibration with an expected systematic error of 0.08°. The calibration system will be installed in small-aperture telescopes at Simons Observatory.

Sigma vector calculations in nodal aberration theory and experimental validation using a Cassegrain telescope

Nodal Aberration Theory (NAT) was developed to explain the field dependency of aberration field centers in the image plane of nominally rotationally symmetric optical systems that have lost their symmetry through misalignments. A new insight into the theory led to calculating the sigma vectors, which locate the aberration field centers, using the angle between a real-ray trace of the optical axis ray (OAR) and the normal of the local surface where “local” refers to the object and image optical spaces of that surface. Here, we detail the sigma vector calculations for general optical systems and provide an experimental investigation of a misaligned system with a high-precision customized Cassegrain telescope. In the simulations, a Newtonian telescope, a Cassegrain telescope, and a three-mirror anastigmat telescope were misaligned intentionally in ray-tracing software. The sigma vectors were calculated analytically for the third-order aberrations of astigmatism and coma. Experimentally, the same perturbations were implemented for the Cassegrain telescope system, and the aberrations were quantified through interferometric measurements on a grid of field points in the image plane that verified the analytical derivation and simulations.

Laser Conoscopy of Crystal Plates with Input Face Parallel to Optical Axis

Laser Conoscopy of Crystal Plates with Input Face Parallel to Optical Axis