Reflection Of Beam Research Articles

Simulation of the reflection of a high energy laser beam at the sea surface for hazard and risk analyses

The application of a high energy laser beam in a maritime scenario necessitates a laser safety concept to prevent injury to personnel or uninvolved third parties from uncontrolled reflections of laser light from the sea surface. Therefore, it is crucial to have knowledge of the amount and direction of reflected laser energy, which varies statistically and depends largely on the dynamics of the wavy sea surface. These dynamics are primarily influenced by wind speed, wind direction, and fetch. An analytical model is presented for calculating the time-averaged spatial intensity distribution of the laser beam reflected at the dynamic sea surface. The model also identifies the hazard areas inside which laser intensities exceed a fixed exposure limit. Furthermore, as far as we know, our model is unique in its ability to calculate the probabilities of potentially eye-damaging glints for arbitrary observer positions, taking into account the slope statistics of gravity waves. This is a critical first step toward an extensive risk analysis. The simulation results are presented on a hemisphere of observer positions with fixed radii from the laser spot center. The advantage of the analytical model over our numeric (dynamic) model is its fast computation time. A comparison of the results of our new analytical model with those of the previous numerical model is presented.

Optical spatial differentiation enabled layer sensing of two-dimensional atomic crystals

Zero-thickness model and slab model are two important models in the description of optical behaviors in two-dimensional atomic crystals. The predicted difference in optical behaviors between the two models is very small, which is difficult to distinguish by established measurement methods. Here, we present an optical spatial differentiation method to examine the difference in edge images of different graphene layers. The theoretical results show that the edge imaging is significantly different between the two different models. When the beam reflection is at the Brewster angle, different graphene layers are used to adjust the spatial differentiation. It is shown that the slab model is more sensitive to the number of graphene layers. The zero-thickness model is more suitable for one-dimensional optical differential operation. Moreover, the spatial differentiation plays the role of a band-pass filter. The high-frequency edge information components will pass through the filter, thus realizing layer-sensitive edge-enhanced imaging. In addition, we do not focus on the verification of the exact model, but only provide an alternative method to characterize the number of graphene layers based on two models, and also provide possibilities for achieving imaging edge detection by graphene differential operators. This study may provide a possible method for the optical characterization of two-dimensional atomic crystals.

Multifunctional 2-bit coded reconfigurable metasurface based on graphene-vanadium dioxide

In this paper, a graphene-vanadium dioxide-based reconfigurable metasurface unit structure is proposed. Using the change at a graphene Fermi energy level on the surface of the unit structure to satisfy the 2-bit coding condition, four reflection units with a phase difference of 90∘ can be discovered. The modulating impact of the multi-beam reflection wave with 1-bit coding is then confirmed. Then we study the control of a single-beam reflected wave by metasurfaces combined with a convolution theorem in a 2-bit coding mode. Finally, when vanadium dioxide is in an insulating condition, the structure can also be transformed into a terahertz absorber. It is possible to switch between a reflection beam controller and a terahertz multifrequency absorber simply by changing the temperature of the vanadium dioxide layer without retooling a new metasurface. Moreover, compared with the 1-bit coded metasurface, it increases the ability of single-beam regulation, which makes the device more powerful for beam regulation.

Design of a monocapillary with an inner Al2O3/HfO2 multilayer to obtain focused monochromatic hard X-rays

An X-ray monocapillary with an inner multilayer can be a promising optical device to obtain focused monochromatic X-rays. A focused beam is acquired via controlling the shape of the monocapillary meanwhile monochromatic X-rays are screened out by the inside multilayer. For hard X-rays such as Cu-kα line 8.04 keV and Mo-kα line 17.44 keV, Al2O3/HfO2 is an effective material pair for the X-ray multilayer that can reflect the X-rays at an acceptable efficiency. In this work, four tapered-monocapillaries with inner Al2O3/HfO2 multilayers are designed to focus and monochromatize X-rays (8.04 keV and17.44 keV, respectively) from the point source and collimated beam. The theoretical transmission performance, including the beam size, reflectivity, and monochromaticity of the device, is also calculated. The results show that the ideal optics can focus desired X-rays with efficiency of about 60%. It provides a reference for fabricating this optics in the future, especially via the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique, which represents great potential to coat uniform film on a curved surface.

Microgrooves with Small Taper Angle Processed by Nanosecond Laser in Closed Flowing Water.

To improve the capability of nanosecond lasers to process structures with a high aspect ratio, a new method of nanosecond laser processing in closed flowing water was proposed in this paper. The microgrooves on a stainless steel 304 surface were processed by the new method, and the influence of processing parameters on the microgrooves was studied. The comparative experiments of laser processing in still water and overflowing water were also carried out, and the unusual phenomenon of laser processing in different flowing water was discovered by a high-speed camera. The results showed that the flowing velocity played a crucial role in underwater laser processing, and that high flowing velocity could timely remove bubbles in closed flowing water, thus obtaining higher processing efficiency. As the depth of the groove increased, the bubbles firstly affected the processing of the sidewall, causing a circular transition between the sidewall and bottom surface. The reflection of the laser beam by the bubble could cause secondary processing on the sidewall, resulting in a decrease in the taper angle. Based on the above research, the microgroove with a width of 0.5 mm, aspect ratio of 3, and taper angle of 87.57° was successfully processed by a nanosecond laser in closed flowing water. Compared to conventional nanosecond laser processing, laser processing in closed flowing water was more advantageous in processing microgrooves with a small taper angle and high aspect ratio.

Astigmatism-based active focus stabilisation with universal objective lens compatibility, extended operating range and nanometer precision

Focus stabilisation is vital for long-term fluorescence imaging, particularly in the case of high-resolution imaging techniques. Current stabilisation solutions either rely on fiducial markers that can be perturbative, or on beam reflection monitoring that is limited to high-numerical aperture objective lenses, making multimodal and large-scale imaging challenging. We introduce a beam-based method that relies on astigmatism, which offers advantages in terms of precision and the range over which focus stabilisation is effective. This approach is shown to be compatible with a wide range of objective lenses (10x-100x), typically achieving <10 nm precision with >10 μm operating range. Notably, our technique is largely unaffected by pointing stability errors, which in combination with implementation through a standalone Raspberry Pi architecture, offers a versatile focus stabilisation unit that can be added onto most existing microscope setups.

Vanadium dioxide-based terahertz metasurface device with switchable broadband absorption and beam steering functions

A simple terahertz (THz) metasurface device with dual functionalities of broadband absorption and beam steering is proposed in this paper. The device exploits the phase change properties of vanadium dioxide (VO2), transitioning between its insulating state and metallic states to achieve functional switching. In the metallic state, the device exhibits broadband absorption, surpassing 90% absorption in the 1.03–2.07 THz range. The absorption function maintains exceptional performance across a wide range of incident angles and possesses polarization insensitive properties. In the insulating state of VO2, the metasurface converts into a THz reflective beam steering device. By employing phase coding, 1-bit coding metasurfaces based on phase gradients are designed, enabling dual-beam and four-beam reflection. Building upon this foundation, 2-bit coding metasurfaces facilitate anomalous reflection of a single beam in distinct directions. Consequently, the device not only toggles between broadband absorption and beam steering but also satisfies the design criteria for 3-bit coding metasurfaces. The modulation characteristics of this device serve as a valuable design reference for multifunctional THz devices in diverse scenarios.

A tunable terahertz metasurface with function of polarization conversion and circular dichroism

A tunable and multifunctional electromagnetic control metasurface is proposed. The metasurface comprises the graphene sheet and gold open ring, enabling multiband cross-polarization conversion (CPC) and line-to-circular polarization conversion (LTCPC). Simultaneously, it can achieve circular dichroism (CD) with amplitude of 0.99 at 2.28 THz, along with the capability for near-field imaging. The physical mechanism of operation is studied by analyzing surface current distribution and electric field. In addition, because the metasurface exhibits chiral characteristics, appropriate rotation can induce a phase gradient, facilitating a phase coverage of 0–360°. Based on the tunable phase gradient of metasurface, anomalous reflection and vortex beams can be realized.

Tunable VO2 metasurface for reflective terahertz linear and circular polarization wavefront manipulation at two frequencies independently

In this work, a tunable VO2 metasurface (MS) is proposed and numerically demonstrated in the terahertz (THz) region, which can independently manipulate reflected linearly polarized (LP) and circularly polarized (CP) wavefronts at two frequencies independently. The unit-cell of the proposed VO2 MS consists of a metallic circular ring (CR) structure, rectangular-shaped-patch (RSP) and circular-double-split-ring (CDSR) structure VO2 adhered on a dielectric substrate by a bottom metallic ground plane. The proposed MS structure enables the reflected cross-polarization conversion of LP waves at lower frequencies (fL = 1.34 THz) and CP waves at higher frequencies (fH = 2.53 THz), respectively. By changing the external temperature, the conductivity of the VO2 RSP and CDSR structures can be adjusted dynamically. By varying the conductivity of the VO2, the proposed MS can achieve a reflected LP conversion with efficiency from 0% to 98.86% at lower frequency of 1.34 THz and the reflected CP conversion with efficiency from 0% to 81.86% at higher frequency of 2.53 THz. Moreover, the corresponding modulation depths of this MS are as high as 98.86% and 81.86% at two different frequencies, respectively. Moreover, a 2π phase shift can be realized by the transmission phase and geometric phase principles at lower and higher frequencies, respectively. Finally, two VO2 MSs have been constructed to achieve the reflection deflection for both CP and LP waves, and reflective CP focusing and LP vortex beam generation, respectively. These findings are favorable for expanding the range of temperature-controlled VO2 MS for wavefront manipulation, thereby opening up new possibilities for the development of advanced, tunable, and multifunctional THz devices that can handle both LP and CP waves.

Design and discussion of off-axis reflective double-pass optical systems.

In most off-axis reflective optical systems, light beams only pass each optical element once. A double-pass structure can increase the number of beam reflections while using the same number of elements as conventional systems, which can be advantageous for some optical systems, with benefits that include high system compactness and cost-friendliness. In this paper, a design method for off-axis reflective double-pass optical systems is proposed that enables effective control of the overlap of a beam that passes through the double-pass surface twice. Furthermore, we designed and analyzed various geometric folding structure double-pass optical systems that include three-mirror reflections to explore their optimization potential and volume control capabilities. Subsequently, the effect of the double-pass structure on the optical system's performance is investigated using the system volume as an indicator. The results obtained show that when a system inherently requires a longer total optical length to enable better aberration correction, a double-pass structure may reduce the system volume. Finally, we discuss the impact of the double-pass configuration on the optical system's position sensitivity and surface shape sensitivity.

Fully analytical design of electromagnetic transmissive metagratings for highly efficient extreme-angle beam refraction and reflection

Fully analytical design of electromagnetic transmissive metagratings for highly efficient extreme-angle beam refraction and reflection

Spectral origami: an angle-variable, wavelength-selective concept with a highly efficient filter-based sensing.

This study demonstrates the concept of an angle-variable compact spectral module. As a key feature, the filter-based module enables highly efficient wavelength-selective light detection by applying the reflective beam path according to the origami example. It was accomplished through inclined mirrors, which allow for different incident angles on the wavelength separating interference filters used in a robust assembly with no moving parts. To experimentally verify the concept, a wavelength range between 550 and 700 nm was detected by 11 spectral channels. These initial results showed the potential to develop easily scalable and application-tailored sensors, which can overcome conventional filter-based sensor approaches that use upright or fixed-angle illumination.

Energy Yield of Spectral Splitting Concentrated Solar Power Photovoltaic Systems

Combined concentrated solar power with photovoltaics can provide electricity and heat at the same system while maximizing the power output with reduced losses. Spectral splitting is required in such systems to separate the infrared part of the solar spectrum towards the thermal system, while the visible and near-infrared radiation can be converted by the photovoltaic solar cell. The performance of concentrated solar power plants comprising reflective beam splitters for combined generation of electricity and heat is presented in this work. A 50 MW power plant is considered in this work as a case of study in Southern Crete, Greece. The solar power plant consists of parabolic trough collectors and utilizes beam splitters with varying reflectivity. The dynamic performance of the power plant is modeled, and the annual energy yield can be calculated. Up to 350 MWt of thermal power can be delivered to the photovoltaic system utilizing a 50% reflecting splitter. The penalty to the high-reflectivity system is limited to 16.9% and the annual energy yield is calculated as 53.32 GWh. During summer months, a higher energy yield by up to 84.8 MWh/month is produced at 80% reflectivity compared to 90% as a result of the number of parabolic troughs. The reported energy yields with reflectivity by dynamic modeling can highlight discrete points for improvement of the performance in concentrated solar power photovoltaics.

Pre-conceptual design of the fixed mirrors for the DEMO Electron Cyclotron Heating antenna

The M1 mirrors are part of the in-vessel quasi-optical Electron Cyclotron beam propagation system of the DEMO nuclear fusion reactor. These four mirrors are all non-movable and with a plane reflecting surface. Based on their functionality they are divided into two groups, the Mid-Steering Antenna (MSA) and the Multi-Beam Mirror (MBM) antenna. The MSA is responsible for controlling the neoclassical tearing modes, while the MBM is available for plasma bulk heating, current drive and thermal instability control.These mirrors are designed to withstand the thermal loads generated during operation: neutron heating, ohmic losses and stray radiation caused by the mm-wave beam reflection. To fulfil the design requirements, efficient heat removal strategies based on water cooling principles minimizing pressure drop are implemented.This paper presents the pre-conceptual design of the MBM and MSA M1 mirrors, validating the structural and geometric boundary conditions, as well as the appropriate selection of materials. Using FEA tools, thermal-hydraulic and thermo-mechanical simulations were performed with the available thermal loads to optimize the cooling parameters and perform a first stress assessment on the two M1 mirrors.

Composite phase modulated beam steering controllable reflective metasurface

Terahertz metasurface functional devices as an effective method to control terahertz waves have attracted extensive attention from researchers. In order to enhance the functionality and flexibility of the metasurface and adapt to diverse application scenarios and demands, a beam-steering controllable reflective metasurface is designed by combining the Pancharatnam-Berry phase principle and the phase change material vanadium dioxide in this work. The metasurface unit consists of five layers, they being the top layer that is a metal patterned layer, the third layer that is made of vanadium dioxide and located between the dielectric layers with different thickness, the dielectric layer that is made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and the bottom layer that serves as a metal reflective layer. The metasurface units are rotated based on the Pancharatnam-Berry phase principle to obtain four metasurface units with fixed phase differences in between, after which the metasurface units are arranged in two dimensions based on the generalized Snell reflection law to obtain the desired phase-gradient deflected reflection beam. The insulating state-metallic state transition of the vanadium dioxide layer on the metasurface can change the phase gradient of the preset metasurface, thereby realizing the on/off function of deflection. The simulation results show that when the vanadium dioxide is in the insulating state, the phase gradient of the designed metasurface appears, and the metasurface can deflect the vertically incident circularly polarized wave with specific angle anomalies in a operating band of 1.1–2.0 THz; when the vanadium dioxide is in the metallic state, for the same operating band of the same metasurface, the phase gradient of the metasurface disappears, and the metasurface mirror reflects the vertically incident circularly polarized waves, thereby realizing the function switching. This design provides new possibilities for modulating the terahertz reflected beam, which will have potential applications in terahertz wireless communication and radar systems.

Research and Design of Wavefront Performance of Reflective Laser Beam Expander Under Thermal Environment

Research and Design of Wavefront Performance of Reflective Laser Beam Expander Under Thermal Environment

Precision tailoring of laser beam propagation in a single crystalline diamond tool for in situ laser-assisted diamond turning.

The characteristics of laser beam propagation within a diamond tool critically influence the applied thermal softening capability of in situ laser-assisted diamond turning (In-LAT). In the present work, we perform optical geometric analysis, optical simulation and experimental validation to propose a novel diamond tool configuration for precisely tailoring laser beam propagation in In-LAT. First, the characteristics of laser beam propagation in the current In-LAT diamond tool are theoretically and experimentally explored. Second, according to the issues discovered in the current In-LAT diamond tool, an improved tool configuration based on the total internal reflection of a laser beam within the diamond tool is proposed, aiming for promoting refraction of the laser beam from the rake face of the diamond tool as well as eliminating the reflection of laser beam to tool holder. Finally, the optimization of laser beam incident position is carried out for achieving the superior profile and intensity of the emitted laser spot. Current work provides rational laser beam propagation for improving the thermal-softening capability of an In-LAT diamond tool.

Multifunctional metasurface for Terahertz wavefront manipulation based on the combination of vanadium dioxide and graphene

In this paper, we propose a multifunctional wavefront control metasurface based on vanadium dioxide (VO2) and graphene. The unit cell structure contains a VO2 substrate, three rectangular metal strips as the bottom layer, orthogonal graphene strips as the top layer, and an intermediate layer consisting of a split ring resonator and circular metal patches. The desired performances can be achieved by changing the parameters of the split ring resonator in the middle layer, as well as controlling the phase transition state of VO2 and the Fermi level of graphene. When VO2 is in the insulating phase and the Fermi level of graphene is 1 eV, a transmissive metasurface is established, which realizes cross-polarization conversion, anomalous refraction, focusing lens, and orbital angular momentum generation at the frequency of 0.63 THz by changing the geometric sizes of the unit cell. When VO2 is in the metal phase and the Fermi level of graphene is 0.01 eV, a reflective metasurface can be achieved, which realizes terahertz beam splitting, radar cross section, and anomalous reflection of a single beam at the frequency of 0.63 THz. This multifunctional wavefront control metasurface treating the combination of VO2 and graphene exhibits significant application prospects in terahertz transmission, imaging, and communication.

Trapezoidal dual-function splitter under second Bragg incidence

In this paper, a reflective trapezoidal dual-functional beam splitter grating is proposed, which performs two independent functions at 1550 nm. For TE polarization, the grating can achieve a uniform three-port output with efficiencies of 32.85%, 32.89%, and 32.75% for 0th, -1st, and -2nd orders respectively. For TM polarization, the grating can achieve a highly-efficient single-channel output of order -2nd with an efficiency of 93.27%. HfO2 is chosen as the material of grating ridge layer, the structural parameters of the grating are studied by using rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) and simulated annealing algorithm (SAA), and the results are verified by using finite element method (FEM). In addition, the influence of structure and incident error on grating efficiency was also analyzed, the results indicate that the grating has good incident bandwidth and manufacturing tolerance with excellent performance.

Wood-based superblack

Light is a powerful and sustainable resource, but it can be detrimental to the performance and longevity of optical devices. Materials with near-zero light reflectance, i.e. superblack materials, are sought to improve the performance of several light-centered technologies. Here we report a simple top-down strategy, guided by computational methods, to develop robust superblack materials following metal-free wood delignification and carbonization (1500 °C). Subwavelength severed cells evolve under shrinkage stresses, yielding vertically aligned carbon microfiber arrays with a thickness of ~100 µm and light reflectance as low as 0.36% and independent of the incidence angle. The formation of such structures is rationalized based on delignification method, lignin content, carbonization temperature and wood density. Moreover, our measurements indicate a laser beam reflectivity lower than commercial light stoppers in current use. Overall, the wood-based superblack material is introduced as a mechanically robust surrogate for microfabricated carbon nanotube arrays.