Reflectance Modulation Research Articles

Determination of Hydrocarbon Level in Distilled Water via Fiber Optic Displacement Sensor

Fiber optic displacement sensor offers a feasible way to detect hydrocarbon level in water. A reflective light intensity modulation technique is accomplished to detect hydrocarbon concentration in the ranges of 0%–20%. The reflective configuration technique enables the sensor to collect output voltage at a different displacement. The output voltage decreases linearly with hydrocarbon level at a corresponding optimized displacement of 1.5 mm. Linearity index close to one indicates that a high confident degree the sensor. Simple in design and low cost, makes this system as a promising sensor for determination of hydrocarbon level in water.

Dynamics and control of flexible spinning solar sails under reflectivity modulation

Electrochromic devices have been used for the attitude control of a spinning solar sail in a deep space mission by modulating the reflectivity of the sail membrane. As a flexible spinning solar sail has no rigid structure to support its membrane, the distributed load due to solar radiation will lead to the deformation of the sail membrane, and the control torque generated by reflectivity modulation can introduce oscillatory motion to the membrane. By contrast, the deformation and oscillatory motion of the sail membrane have an impact on the performance of the reflectivity control. This paper investigates the dynamics and control of flexible spinning solar sails under reflectivity modulation. The static deformation of a spinning sail membrane subjected to solar radiation pressure in an equilibrium state is analyzed. The von Karman theory is used to obtain the displacements and the stress distribution in the equilibrium states. A simplified analytical first-order mode is chosen to model the membrane oscillation. The coupled membrane oscillation-attitude-orbit dynamics are considered for a GeoSail formation flying mission. The relative attitude and orbit control of flexible spinning solar sails under reflectivity modulation are numerically tested. The simulations indicate that the membrane deformation and oscillation have a lower impact on the control of the reflectivity modulated sails than the increase of the spinning rate.

MISR empirical stray light corrections in high-contrast scenes

Abstract. We diagnose the potential causes for the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer's (MISR) persistent high aerosol optical depth (AOD) bias at low AOD with the aid of coincident MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery from NASA's Terra satellite. Stray light in the MISR instrument is responsible for a large portion of the high AOD bias in high-contrast scenes, such as broken-cloud scenes that are quite common over ocean. Discrepancies among MODIS and MISR nadir-viewing blue, green, red, and near-infrared images are used to optimize seven parameters individually for each wavelength, along with a background reflectance modulation term that is modeled separately, to represent the observed features. Independent surface-based AOD measurements from the AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) and the Marine Aerosol Network (MAN) are compared with MISR research aerosol retrieval algorithm (RA) AOD retrievals for 1118 coincidences to validate the corrections when applied to the nadir and off-nadir cameras. With these corrections, plus the baseline RA corrections and enhanced cloud screening applied, the median AOD bias for all data in the mid-visible (green, 558 nm) band decreases from 0.006 (0.020 for the MISR standard algorithm (SA)) to 0.000, and the RMSE decreases by 5 % (27 % compared to the SA). For AOD558 nm < 0.10, which includes about half the validation data, 68th percentile absolute AOD558 nm errors for the RA have dropped from 0.022 (0.034 for the SA) to < 0.02 (~ 0.018).

Epsilon-near-zero Al-doped ZnO for ultrafast switching at telecom wavelengths

Transparent conducting oxides have recently gained great attention as CMOS-compatible materials for applications in nanophotonics due to their low optical loss, metal-like behavior, versatile/tailorable optical properties, and established fabrication procedures. In particular, aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) is very attractive because its dielectric permittivity can be engineered over a broad range in the near infrared and infrared. However, despite all these beneficial features, the slow (> 100 ps) electron-hole recombination time typical of these compounds still represents a fundamental limitation impeding ultrafast optical modulation. Here we report the first epsilon-near-zero AZO thin films which simultaneously exhibit ultra-fast carrier dynamics (excitation and recombination time below 1 ps) and an outstanding reflectance modulation up to 40% for very low pump fluence levels (< 4 mJ/cm2) at the telecom wavelength of 1.3 {\mu}m. The unique properties of the demonstrated AZO thin films are the result of a low temperature fabrication procedure promoting oxygen vacancies and an ultra-high carrier concentration. As a proof-of-concept, an all-optical AZO-based plasmonic modulator achieving 3 dB modulation in 7.5 {\mu}m and operating at THz frequencies is numerically demonstrated. Our results overcome the traditional "modulation depth vs. speed" trade-off by at least an order of magnitude, placing AZO among the most promising compounds for tunable/switchable nanophotonics.

Patterned graphene edges for tailored reflection of plasmonic modes.

Combining graphene with plasmonics is expected to lead to new nanoscale applications such as sensors, photodetectors, and optical circuits, since graphene plasmons in the infrared have relatively low losses and are easily tunable. It was shown that the edges of a graphene sheet completely reflect these plasmons with negligible radiation losses. Here, however, we examine structured graphene edges, which provide the ability to tailor and even completely cancel the reflection. These properties depend on the suitable dimensions of the edge grating. We explain the reflection modulation via the appearance of longitudinal Fabry-Perot type modes. Interesting phase changes and resonances appear when the longitudinal modes interact with lateral modes mediated by edge plasmons.

Ionic polymer metal composite for an optical zoom in a compact camera.

The reflective method is utilized in the optical zoom function of a thin camera for the advantage of folding the optical path. An ionic polymer metal composite deformable mirror used in a reflective zoom system achieves large deformations to change optical power with a low bias voltage. Polydimethylsiloxane is used as a buffer layer to improve surface roughness. The surface roughness of this layer is about 17 nm. The optical focusing power of the deformable mirror reaches 73.8 m(-1) diopters with 3 volts. A complete reflective camera module is fabricated using two ionic polymer metal composite deformable mirrors in the zoom function. The zoom ratio is about 1.6 × .

A wideband deflected reflection based on multiple resonances

We propose to realize wideband deflected reflection in microwave regime through multiple resonances. A wideband deflected reflection of a phase gradient metasurface is designed using a double-head arrow structure, which has demonstrated an ultra-wideband cross-polarized reflection caused by multiple electric and magnetic resonances. The wideband effect benefits from the wideband cross-polarized reflection and flexible phase modulation of the double-head arrow structure. Simulated and experimental results agree well with theoretical predictions. Furthermore, relative bandwidths of deflected reflection reach to 71 % for both x- and y-polarized waves under normal incidence. Our method of expansion bandwidth may pave the way in many practical applications, such as RCS reduction, stealth surfaces.

Terahertz spectroscopy characterization of antibacterial surfaces prepared via multistep physicochemical procedure

The antibacterial surfaces presented can be one of the solutions for lowering the risk of pathogen outbreaks. Samples were prepared via a multistep physicochemical approach and characterized by terahertz spectroscopy. Properties of modified materials were analyzed using two spectrometers—terahertz pulsed imaging and spectroscopy Spectra [attenuated total reflection (ATR) and transmission module] and Tera optical sampling by cavity tuning. Each sample was measured 3 to 10 times to get accurate results. Observed regions for the transmittance module were set to 0 to 2.6 THz, and 0 to 4 THz for the ATR module. The obtained refractive indices allowed for easy distinguishing between each material. Absorbance spectra were assigned where possible as was the peak position that showed successful bonding of the used monomers/antibacterial agents. Measured dielectric properties described slight changes in materials due to the modification process. The experimentally analyzed transmittance displayed changes in every material up to the 2.6 THz region and Fabry–Perot interferences together with water vapor noise beyond this area. The section containing terahertz imaging of the samples is presented. The present work is one of the first of its kind. The possibility of using terahertz spectroscopy for characterizing materials with antibacterial agents bonded by intermolecular forces onto a treated surface is presented.

Optical reflection modulation using surface plasmon resonance in a graphene-embedded hybrid plasmonic waveguide at an optical communication wavelength.

We propose a high-performance, graphene-based optical modulator with a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at 1550nm. In the proposed device, a graphene layer is embedded in a hybrid plasmonic waveguide to enhance the light-graphene interaction. The adjustment of the permittivity of the graphene causes a significant modulation of the absorption in the SPR through a variation of the field confinement in the graphene layer, in addition to a resonant angle shift. With an optimal thickness of a metal (Ag) film and the properly chosen operation point of the Fermi level of graphene, a modulation depth of ∼100% was achieved. As the number of graphene layers in the proposed device increases, the insertion loss decreases. With five-layer graphene, a 6% insertion loss was achieved.

Dual electrochemical modulation of reflectivity and luminescence on plasmonic gratings investigated by fluorescence microscopy coupled to electrochemistry

By coupling fluorescence microscopy and electrochemistry at plasmonic electrodes, a first example of simultaneous dual electrochemical modulation of reflected light and luminescence is demonstrated through two examples of fluorophores: one switching by electrochemical reduction (tetrazine derivative) and the other switching by electrochemical oxidation (iridium complex). Opposite behaviors are observed: in the first case, reflected light interacting with plasmons is electrochemically tuned in the reverse way compared to luminescence, while in the latter case, both modulations go in the same direction. Discrimination between reflected light and fluorescence is obtained using an adequate set of excitation filters and backside optical detection. This dual modulation is observed either in direct (epifluorescence) or in total internal reflection (TIRF) excitation configurations.

High-efficiency THz modulator based on phthalocyanine-compound organic films

We report a high efficiency, broadband terahertz (THz) modulator following a study of phthalocyanine-compound organic films irradiated with an external excitation laser. Both transmission and reflection modulations of each organic/silicon bilayers were measured using THz time-domain and continuous-wave systems. For very low intensities, the experimental results show that AlClPc/Si can achieve a high modulation factor for transmission and reflection, indicating that AlClPc/Si has a superior modulation efficiency compared with the other films (CuPc and SnCl2Pc). In contrast, the strong attenuation of the transmitted and reflected THz waves revealed that a nonlinear absorption process takes place at the organic/silicon interface.

In situ nondestructive identification of natural dyes in ancient textiles by reflection fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy.

Silk embroideries and cotton grounds of ancient Caucasian (Kaitag) textiles were analyzed in situ by a portable Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer equipped with a reflection module. Differently colored areas were analyzed for the purpose of identifying the dyes fixed on the fibers. The spectra so obtained were elaborated by calculating the corresponding second derivative, and a library search was then performed using a database including the second derivative spectra of a large range of historical dyes and the corresponding undyed fibers. The results presented here suggest that this technique, combined with the library search method, has a good capability of recognizing natural dyes on both types of ancient textile fibers, in an entirely non-destructive way.

Electrical Switching of Infrared Light Using Graphene Integration with Plasmonic Fano Resonant Metasurfaces

Graphene has emerged as a promising optoelectronic material because its optical properties can be rapidly and dramatically changed using electric gating. Graphene’s weak optical response, especially in the infrared part of the spectrum, remains the key challenge to developing practical graphene-based optical devices such as modulators, infrared detectors, and tunable reflect-arrays. Here it is experimentally and theoretically demonstrated that a plasmonic metasurface with two Fano resonances can dramatically enhance the interaction of infrared light with single layer graphene. Graphene’s plasmonic response in the Pauli blocking regime is shown to cause strong spectral shifts of the Fano resonances without inducing additional nonradiative losses. It is shown that such electrically controllable spectral shift, combined with the narrow spectral width of the metasurface’s Fano resonances, enables reflectivity modulation by nearly an order of magnitude. We also demonstrate that metasurface-based enhancement of the interaction between graphene and infrared light can be utilized to extract one of the key optical parameters of graphene: the free carrier scattering rate. Numerical simulations demonstrate the possibility of strong active modulation of the phase of the reflected light while keeping the reflectivity nearly constant, thereby paving the way to tunable infrared lenses and beam steering devices based on electrically controlled graphene integrated with resonant metasurfaces.

Analysis of the Annual Performance of Bifacial Modules and Optimization Methods

Bifacial modules have the advantage of capturing sunlight from front as well as from rear surfaces, and therefore, they are able to produce larger amounts of energy, compared with standard (monofacial) modules. However, their performance depends on the spatial distribution of the irradiance incident on the rear module surface, which is strongly affected by several site-specific conditions, such as albedo, reflective surface size, module elevation, and tilt angle. In this study, we elaborate upon the individual and combined effects of these factors on the annual energy yield of stand-alone south-facing bifacial modules through simulations at two site locations with contrary climatic conditions. Following the optimization of the tilt angle of bifacial modules dependent on the site, albedo, and module elevation, we demonstrate that the annual energy yield of a bifacial module increases linearly with albedo, which shows a monotonically increasing but, in addition, saturating behavior versus reflective surface size, and increases up to a certain module elevation. Through the simultaneous consideration of these dependences, we suggest an optimal positioning of bifacial modules. Finally, we show that under these optimal conditions, bifacial modules can supply up to 25% more energy compared with standard modules.

Negative refraction and bulk polariton properties of the graphene-based hyperbolic metamaterials

We theoretically investigate the electromagnetic properties of the multilayer graphene-dielectric composite materials based on the effective medium theory. It is found that the structure exhibits hyperbolic isofrequency wavevector dispersions at THz and far-infrared frequencies, hence thereby realizing the effective graphene-based hyperbolic metamaterials (HMM). The frequncy band of the hyperbolic dispersion can be tuned by changing the Fermi energy of graphene sheet, the thickness of the dielectric layer and the layer number of graphene sheets. Because of the hyperbolic dispersion, graphene-based HMM possesses a negative energy refraction and positive phase refraction for oblique incidence at far below the critical frequency. The highly confined bulk polariton modes are also supported. Based on the attenuated total reflection configuration, the excitation of the bulk polariton mode is studied, in addition, such properties used in the tunable optical reflection modulation are also explored.

Reflectivity and Bandwidth Modulation of Fiber Bragg Gratings in a Suspended Core Fiber by Tunable Acoustic Waves

The acousto-optic modulation of fiber Bragg gratings in a four-hole suspended core fiber is experimentally demonstrated. Strong modulations with a reflectivity amplitude decrease by up to 67% and a 57% bandwidth increase in the Bragg resonance are obtained for gratings of 0.26- and 1-nm 3-dB bandwidths, respectively. The reduction of the required acoustic power for achieving the acousto-optic modulation compared to conventional solid-core single-mode fibers points to more efficient modulator devices in suspended core fibers.

Tunable Fabry-Perot resonators with embedded graphene from terahertz to near-infrared frequencies.

Fabry-Perot resonators with inserted graphene are proposed for efficient reflectance modulation from terahertz to near-infrared frequencies. The resonators' structure is simple and consists of the Bragg top mirror, the cavity with the graphene, and the metallic bottom mirror. Reflectance from the cavities is electrically controlled by adjusting the Fermi level in the graphene. At near-infrared and terahertz frequencies, the amplitude modulation of the reflectance is dominant. On the other hand, tuning at mid-infrared frequencies is based on the spectral modulation of cavity resonances. By the impedance matching of resonators to a surrounding medium, the achieved insertion loss and modulation depth approach zero and 100%, respectively.

A terahertz scanning near-field optical microscope with an attenuated total internal reflection module

The first terahertz scanning near-field optical microscope with an attenuated total internal reflection module and a free-electron laser (FEL) as the radiation source was developed. A scanning system with positioning using a confocal sensor with chromatic coding and a surface-subwavelength probe touch sensor were developed and tested. A new technique for sensing the distance between the probe and a conducting surface via corona-discharge current measurement was developed. A specific lock-in system for detection of probe-scattered pulse-periodic radiation, which includes a hot-electron superconducting bolometer and an electronic signal-storage circuit, was developed to operate with the Novosibirsk terahertz FEL. All elements of the microscope were tested, and their working capacity was demonstrated. Experiments on the detection of microscope-probe-scattered terahertz radiation have been initiated.

Efficient and compact reflective-type encapsulation module for high-power light-emitting diode

This paper presents a practical and effective reflective-type encapsulation module employing a high-power LED chip and a light concentrator with the advantages of high-performance and ultra-compactness. Linear-segment and cubic-spline (LSCS) synthesis method is proposed for the light concentrator design, the detailed of which is thoroughly investigated. Design results show that the reflective encapsulation module could not only reduce the irradiance non-uniformity from 28.72% down to 8.34% within the prescribed illumination region, but also minimize the optical dimension by 9.6%, which demonstrate both the effectiveness and robustness of the LSCS method. It is believed that there would be a huge market potential to commercialize this design.

Ultrafast Electrically Tunable Polaritonic Metasurfaces

Electrically tunable mid‐infrared metasurfaces with nanosecond response time and broad tuning range are reported. Electrical tuning is achieved by employing strong polaritonic coupling of electromagnetic modes in metallic nanoresonators with voltage‐tunable inter‐subband transitions in semiconductor heterostructures, tailored for a giant quantum‐confined Stark effect. Experimentally, a 220‐nm‐thick multi‐quantum‐well semiconductor layer is sandwiched between a ground plane and a metal layer patterned with plasmonic nanoresonators. Approximately 300 nm absorption peak tuning and over 30% absorption change are demonstrated at around 7 μm wavelength at normal incidence by changing the DC bias voltage from 0 to +5 V. Fast reflectivity modulation of the metasurface is shown with a response time less than ∼10 ns using bias voltage modulation between +2 V and +4 V. Since the bias affects the optical response at the individual nanoresonator level, this approach may be used to create metasurfaces for ultrafast electrical wavefront tuning and beam steering.