Wave Plate Research Articles

Reduction in the Sensor Effect on Acoustic Emission Data to Create a Generalizable Library by Data Merging.

The aim of this paper is to discuss the effect of the sensor on the acoustic emission (AE) signature and to develop a methodology to reduce the sensor effect. Pencil leads are broken on PMMA plates at different source-sensor distances, and the resulting waves are detected with different sensors. Several transducers, commonly used for acoustic emission measurements, are compared with regard to their ability to reproduce the characteristic shapes of plate waves. Their consequences for AE descriptors are discussed. Their different responses show why similar test specimens and test conditions can yield disparate results. This sensor effect will furthermore make the classification of different AE sources more difficult. In this context, a specific procedure is proposed to reduce the sensor effect and to propose an efficient selection of descriptors for data merging. Principal Component Analysis has demonstrated that using the Z-score normalized descriptor data in conjunction with the Krustal-Wallis test and identifying the outliers can help reduce the sensor effect. This procedure leads to the selection of a common descriptor set with the same distribution for all sensors. These descriptors can be merged to create a library. This result opens up new outlooks for the generalization of acoustic emission signature libraries. This aspect is a key point for the development of a database for machine learning.

Uniform optically pumped spin-exchange relaxation-free comagnetometer based on optical compensation

In the spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) comagnetometer, the atomic polarization gradient caused by light absorption can cause significant but unexpected nuclear spin transverse relaxation, which affects the system’s accuracy and sensitivity. This paper proposes the SERF comagnetometer configuration based on optical compensation to suppress polarization gradient in the vapor cell. The influence of polarization gradient on the system’s magnetic field suppression ability is analyzed by the state-space method. In addition, the atomic polarization distribution simulation and the performance testing between the traditional SERF comagnetometer and the proposed configuration are conducted. Compared to traditional configuration, the polarization gradient relaxation of the proposed configuration is effectively suppressed by 62%, the magnetic field suppression ability of the system is improved by 51%, and the rotation sensitivity is increased by 25.4%. This work investigates the influence of polarization gradient on system characteristics and proposes a comagnetometer configuration to suppress polarization gradient, enhancing the system’s magnetic field suppression ability and improving sensitivity. The demonstration of the polarization gradient suppression method is of significance for improving the performance of other inertial measurement devices such as nuclear magnetic resonance gyroscopes.

Multifunctional beam modulation based on gratings combined with additive metasurfaces

A design scheme combining grating and element additive metasurface is proposed in this paper. Multi-dimensional joint control of the phase, amplitude, angle and polarization and multi-functional integrated metasurface applications were realized by using the inherent characteristics of the light wave properties (polarization and wavelength). Firstly, suitable structural parameters are obtained based on the reflection response of the unit structure, and a 2-bit encoded metasurface array is constructed by utilizing the combinatorial operation between the unit structure. Combined with the polarization selectivity of the lower grating, the dual-function integration of asymmetric transmission (the contrast ratio is 98%) and abnormal reflections (operating bandwidth is 300 nm) was realized. Next, two new half-wave plates were obtained by addition and rotating the elemental structure, and the polarization conversion efficiency of 95%–97% was achieved thanks to the Fabry–Perot cavity formed by the upper metasurface and lower grating. Finally, encoded metasurface based on the geometric phase principle to achieve 300 nm bandwidth cross-polarized wave deflection characteristics with polarization conversion efficiency close to 100%. Our work combines grating structures with element additive metasurfaces, which solves the problem that element structure needs to be redesigned with the change of function, and also paves the way for the application of multifunctional integrated metasurfaces in optical sensing, optical imaging and other fields.

Reducing noise in polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography for high-quality local phase retardation imaging

Local phase retardation (LPR) is increasingly recognized as a crucial biomarker for assessing disease progression. However, the presence of speckle noise significantly challenges its accuracy and polarization contrast. To address this challenge, we propose a signal-processing strategy aimed at reducing the impact of noise on LPR measurements. In this approach, the LPR is reconstructed by polar decomposition after averaging multiple Mueller matrices from different overlapping sub-spectra. To optimize measurement accuracy, we systematically combined and traversed different sub-spectral numbers and bandwidths. By examining the quarter-wave plate and glass slide, high-accuracy phase retardation measurements were successfully verified, and the maximum polarization contrast was improved by 23%. Moreover, experimental results from multi-tissue imaging vividly illustrate that the equivalent number of looks (ENL) and polarization contrast were improved by 18% and 19%, respectively. This outcome indicates that our proposed strategy can effectively reduce the noise spikes, enhancing tissue discrimination capabilities.

Effect of instrumental polarization with a half-wave plate on the B-mode signal: prediction and correction

We study the effect of incident unpolarized signal converted to polarized light produced by a realistic half-wave plate (HWP) and evaluate the impact of the effect in the measurement of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) B-mode polarization signal targeting to probe the tensor-to-scalar ratio r. The HWP is modeled with the Mueller formalism, and coefficients are decomposed for any incident angle into harmonics of the HWP rotation frequency due to azimuthal angle dependence. Although we use a general formalism, band-averaged matrix coefficients are calculated as an example for a 9-layer sapphire HWP using EM propagation simulations. We perform simulations of multi-detector observations in a band centered at 140 GHz using LiteBIRD instrumental configuration. We show both theoretically and with the simulations that most of the artefacts on Stokes parameter maps are produced by the dipole leakage on B-modes induced by the fourth harmonics MQI (4f) and MUI (4f). The resulting effect is strongly linked to the spin-2 focal plane scanning cross linking parameters. We develop a maximum likelihood-based method to correct the IP leakage by joint fitting of the Mueller matrix coefficients as well as the Stokes parameter maps. We show that the residual leakage after correction leads to an additional noise limited uncertainty on r of the order of 10-7, independently of the value of the Mueller matrix coefficients. We discuss the impact of the monopole signal and the potential coupling with other systematic effects such as gain variations and detector nonlinearities.

Polarimetric differential imaging with VLT/NACO

Context. The observed diversity of exoplanets can possibly be traced back to the planet formation processes. Planet-disk interactions induce sub-structures in the circumstellar disk that can be revealed via scattered light observations. However, a high-contrast imaging technique such as polarimetric differential imaging (PDI) must first be applied to suppress the stellar diffraction halo. Aims. In this work we present the PDI PiPelIne for NACO data (PIPPIN), which reduces the archival polarimetric observations made with the NACO instrument at the Very Large Telescope. Prior to this work, such a comprehensive pipeline to reduce polarimetric NACO data did not exist. We identify a total of 243 datasets of 57 potentially young stellar objects observed before NACO’s decommissioning. Methods. The PIPPIN pipeline applies various levels of instrumental polarisation correction and is capable of reducing multiple observing setups, including half-wave plate or de-rotator usage and wire-grid observations. A novel template-matching method is applied to assess the detection significance of polarised signals in the reduced data. Results. In 22 of the 57 observed targets, we detect polarised light resulting from a scattering of circumstellar dust. The detections exhibit a collection of known sub-structures, including rings, gaps, spirals, shadows, and in- or outflows of material. Since NACO was equipped with a near-infrared wavefront sensor, it made unique polarimetric observations of a number of embedded protostars. This is the first time detections of the Class I objects Elia 2-21 and YLW 16A have been published. Alongside the outlined PIPPIN pipeline, we publish an archive of the reduced data products, thereby improving the accessibility of these data for future studies.

P‐11.2: Study on the Optical Compensation Improvement Effect of Micro LEDs at Various Brightness Levels

P‐11.2: Study on the Optical Compensation Improvement Effect of Micro LEDs at Various Brightness Levels

Full higher-order Poincaré sphere beam mode-locked fiber laser

In this paper, the controlled generation of full higher-order Poincaré sphere (HOPS) beams from a mode-locked fiber laser was introduced and demonstrated. In the cavity, two mirror-placed spatial mode converters, consisted of the vortex waveplate, quarter waveplate and half waveplate, were applied to achieve the mutual conversion of the LP01 mode and HOPS beams. Then, the full HOPS beams mode-locked fiber laser was established to obtain the circularly polarized vortex beams, cylindrical vector beams (CVBs), and elliptically polarized CVBs, with pulse width of 390 ps, repetition frequency of 14.7 MHz, central wavelength of 1043.35 nm and 3 dB bandwidth of 0.53 nm. The results may be potentially important for the generation of full HOPS beam from a mode-locked fiber laser.

Experimental saturation characteristics of the PMT and adaptive compensation algorithm for OWC

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) utilizes numerous sub-carriers to achieve high transmission data rates. The frequency selectivity of the channel becomes a crucial factor influencing the communication performance of OFDM-based systems. In optical wireless communication (OWC) systems, the photomultiplier tube (PMT) may experience saturation when the incident optical power approaches its saturation threshold. This paper, for the first time, characterizes the saturation levels of a high-speed PMT based on the measured amplitude in the time domain and the output response of the PMT in the frequency domain. Additionally, an adaptive optical saturation compensation algorithm, leveraging an electronically controlled variable optical attenuator, is proposed to realize a reliable OWC system. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed saturation compensation method achieves a higher tolerance to large dynamic signal and background radiation compared with that without compensation, while maintaining a satisfactory bit error rate.

Ross Ice Shelf Displacement and Elastic Plate Waves Induced by Whillans Ice Stream Slip Events

AbstractIce shelves are assumed to flow steadily from their grounding lines to the ice front. We report the detection of ice‐propagating extensional Lamb (plate) waves accompanied by pulses of permanent ice shelf displacement observed by co‐located Global Navigation Satellite System receivers and seismographs on the Ross Ice Shelf. The extensional waves and associated ice shelf displacement are produced by tidally triggered basal slip events of the Whillans Ice Stream, which flows into the ice shelf. The propagation velocity of 2,800 m/s is intermediate between shear and compressional ice velocities, with velocity and particle motions consistent with predictions for extensional Lamb waves. During the passage of the Lamb waves the entire ice shelf is displaced about 60 mm with a velocity more than an order of magnitude above its long‐term flow rate. Observed displacements indicate a peak dynamic strain of 10−7, comparable to that of earthquake surface waves that trigger ice quakes.

Broadband-tunable quarter wave plates based on paired metal nanowire grids

Ultrathin wave plates based on metallic and dielectric metasurfaces have attracted much attention for independently controlling the phase, amplitude, and polarization of incident light. However, the issues of narrow bandwidth and low polarization conversion need to be improved for their optical applications. In this study, we show that an array of paired metal nanowire grids (PMNG) covered with a dielectric layer controls the polarization state in a broadband of visible to mid-infrared wavelengths. By analyzing the phase difference and amplitude ratio of orthogonal electric-field components passing through the SiO2-covered PMNGs, it is observed that the wavelengths operating as a circular polarizer appear regularly in the range from 450 nm to 4.0 μm with a stable phase difference of π/2. Also, the array of PMNG continuously converts linear polarization into circular or elliptical polarization by rotating the polarization angle of the incident light. Then, we demonstrate experimentally accessible polarization control by investigating the change in polarization ellipse between input and output light for this PMNG structure. Moreover, the PMNG can play an effective role as a wire grid polarizer in the IR region. Therefore, the suggested PMNG platform can be variously applied to emerging fields requiring ultrathin, multifunctional, and high-performance planar polarization components.

Acoustic field visualisation using local absorption of ultrasound and thermochromic liquid crystals

Acoustic field and vibration visualisation is important in a wide range of applications. Laser vibrometry is often used for such visualisation, however, the equipment has a high cost and requires significant user expertise, and the method can be slow, as it requires scanning point by point. Here we suggest a different approach to visualisation of acoustic fields in the kHz – MHz range, using paint-on or removable film sensors, which produce a direct visual map of ultrasound displacement. The sensors are based on a film containing thermochromic liquid crystals (TLC), along with a backing/underlay layer which improves absorption of ultrasound. The absorption generates heat, which can be seen by a change in colour of the TLC film. A removable sensor is used to visualise the resonant modes of an air-coupled flexural transducer operated from 410 kHz to 7.23 MHz, and to visualise 40 kHz standing waves in a Perspex plate. The thermal basis of the visualisation is confirmed using thermal imaging. The speed and cost of visualisation makes the new sensor attractive for use in condition monitoring, for fast assessment of transducer quality, or for analysis of acoustic field distribution in power ultrasonic systems.

Improving wave energy conversion performance of a floating BBDB-OWC system by using dual chambers and a novel enhancement plate

In this study, a novel floating dual-chamber backward bent duct buoy oscillating water column (BBDB-OWC) wave energy converter (WEC) is introduced, featuring a horizontal plate at the bottom of the front chamber to act as an enhancement plate. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed and validated by comparing its results with existing experimental measurements. The validated model is employed to investigate the hydrodynamic performance and power generation characteristics of the dual-chamber BBDB-OWC WEC under various conditions, including variations in the length of the horizontal plate (lp/lf) and different regular wave conditions. Key performance metrics, including peak to average ratio of power (PTARP), wave energy capture width ratio (ξtotal), and its wave period respond bandwidth (indicated by Pξtotal > 0.5 and Pξtotal > 0.7), are analyzed and compared with those of a traditional single-chamber BBDB-OWC WEC. The results reveal that, compared to the single-chamber WEC, the dual-chamber WEC with a specific horizontal plate length reduces the average PTARP from 2.88 to a minimum value of 1.82 for lp/lf = 0.5, improves the average ξtotal from 0.55 to a maximum value of 0.64 for lp/lf = 2.5, and increases Pξtotal > 0.5 and Pξtotal > 0.7 from 71 % and 14 % to maximum values of 86 % and 43 % for lp/lf = 2.5, respectively. An explanation for these observations is also provided in the context of structure motion and flow fields.

Generalized neutral axes in nondepolarizing optical systems.

The polarizing properties of optical systems are often characterized by their action on specific polarization states. For example, half-wave plates are used to rotate linear polarizations and quarter-wave plates to turn a linear polarization into an elliptical polarization and into a circular polarization if the linear polarization makes a 45° angle with the slow and fast axes of the quarter-wave plate. Phase shifts introduced by the optical train of an interferometer may lead to coherence losses and the existence of neutral axes-in the sense of linear polarizations whose polarization state is not modified by the optical system-is then of importance to maximize the fringe contrast. Neutral axes do not systematically exist. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how this notion can be generalized to define generalized neutral axes for optical systems. Generalized neutral axes are defined as linear polarizations whose polarization state is not modified by the optical system except for their orientation. It is shown that such generalized neutral axes exist for some classes of optical systems. The scheme proposed in this paper has quasi-unitary Jones matrices to give an approximate description of optical systems when generalized neutral axes do not exist. To the best of my knowledge, this formalism is a new scheme to describe the polarizing properties of nondepolarizing optical systems.

A new Stroh formalism for gradient electro-mechanics with applications to Lamb waves in piezoelectric and flexoelectric coupled plates

In this paper, a new Stroh formalism for gradient electro-mechanics is derived for the first time, which is both mathematically concise and numerically powerful, applicable to generally coupled anisotropic material systems. Based on this new formalism, the complicated Lamb wave in flexoelectric and piezoelectric plates is investigated. The dispersion equation is obtained by solving the eigenvalue problem along with the unconditionally stable dual-variable and position method. From the obtained dispersion equation, the dispersion curves and mode shapes of the Lamb wave are calculated by the 1D form of the multidimensional moduli ratio convergence method. Two important and interesting features are observed from our analysis: One is the difference in the mode shape symmetry between the piezoelectric and flexoelectric cases, and the other is the size-dependent property of the flexoelectric effect as observed by nondimensionalization. These features are further illustrated by comparing the dispersion curves and wave-mode shapes among the three different material models (purely piezoelectric, purely flexoelectric, and flexoelectric and piezoelectric coupled). The newly derived Stroh formalism offers a robust, concise, and unified approach for dealing with strain gradient electro-mechanic materials with crystal systems of general anisotropy. The present work also explains the physical mechanism of symmetry breaking observed, as induced by flexoelectric coupling in piezoelectric materials.

A semi-analytical wavelet finite element method for wave propagation in rectangular rods

Prior knowledge of the dispersion curves and mode shapes of guided waves provides valuable information for wave mode selection and excitation in the field of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) and structural health monitoring (SHM). They are typically computed by the matrix methods, the finite element (FE) and semi-analytical finite element (SAFE) methods. However, the former is prone to numerical instability, and the latter two are limited by the refinement level of the FE mesh. In this paper, a semi-analytical wavelet finite element (SAWFE) method is presented to characterize wave propagation in rectangular rods. The piecewise polynomial interpolation functions of the SAFE method are replaced by two-dimensional scaling functions of the B-spline wavelet on the interval (BSWI). To demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed SAWFE technique, the propagation of guided waves in an aluminium plate is studied first. Then, the propagation of guided waves in rectangular rods of arbitrary aspect ratio is investigated. The results of this work clearly show that the SAWFE method presented here has higher accuracy and efficiency than the SAFE method.

Detecting Cracks on Plates Using Reflections of Fundamental Symmetric and Anti-symmetric Lamb Waves from Defect

Introduction: Ultrasonic Lamb waves can achieve long-range inspection on plate-like structures and can even detect unreachable cracks and defects. There are multiple modes under a certain generation frequency with most of them dispersive. Method: The dispersion curves of Lamb wave in a steel plate were given by numerical calculation. A 2-D finite element (FE) model of a steel plate was promoted. The fundamental symmetric and antisymmetric Lamb waves were generated by uploading symmetrical and anti-symmetrical displacements on one side of the plane. The wave reflects when it comes across the defect and the edge of the plate. Mode conversion will occur after the asymmetrical discontinuities of the structure. Result: The theoretical and numerical results of the values of group velocities of S0 and A0 in a steel plate show well agreement. The maximum amplitude of the converted A0 wave from the interaction of the incident S0 wave with the cracks was observed. The amplitude will first rise then fall under any depth of the defects. The relationship between the defect reflection and the length as well as the depth of defects were simulated based on the FE model. Phase reversion and phase delay were discovered by controlling the defect size changing in one dimension. The reflection coefficient increases linearly with the defect length while the depth is constant, as well as the defect depth while the length is constant. method: Using finite element (FE) method to simulate Lamb wave motion in a plate, as well as experiments on steel plates with artificial defects. Conclusion: Experiments on steel plates with artificial defects including thorough holes and tapered holes were carried out using ISONICA STAR. The results also show that when the defect size changes in one dimension such as the thorough holes, the reflection coefficient increases linearly correspondingly. However, the testing results of the taper holes were inconsistent with the regulation as the size increases in both the length and the depth. result: The values of group velocities were calculated by time-of-flight method to identify specific modes. The results were calibrated and showed well agreement with theoretical data. Mode conversion will appear when the wave comes across asymmetric discontinuities of the structure.

Characteristics of Phytoplankton Productivity in Three Typical Lake Zones of Taihu, China

In lake aquatic ecosystems, which form the material and energy base of lakes, primary production is critical. The present study addresses the characteristics of primary phytoplankton productivity and its relationship with environmental physicochemical factors in three typical zones (algae-type, transition, and grass-type) of the eutrophic Lake Taihu. Seasonal sampling was conducted, and black–white bottle oxygen measurement was used to determine the primary productivity in different water layers in the lake. The results show obvious temporal and spatial differences in the physicochemical factors and phytoplankton productivity in Lake Taihu. The water column productivity and respiration conformed to the following seasonal descending order, summer > fall > spring > winter, and the following regional descending order, algae-type zone > transition zone > grass-type zone. The seasonal proportions of primary productivity were approximately 40% in the summer, 25% in the fall, 20% in the spring, and less than 15% in the winter. The highest values of water layer productivity and respiration were mainly at a depth of 0.2 m and decreased with the water depth. The percentage of productivity at different water layers was 23% (0 m), 31% (0.2 m), 23% (0.4 m), 11% (0.6 m), 7% (0.8 m), and 5% (1 m). The optical compensation depth for Lake Taihu was about 0.8 times the transparency (SD). Spearman correlation indicated that the temperature (T) and water depth (D) had an obvious impact on productivity in all three lake zones. Multiple stepwise regression suggested that T, D, SD, and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) can be used to estimate productivity in different seasons/regions. The main influencing factors on phytoplankton productivity are T, D, Chl-a, and SD in the algae-type and transition zones and T, D, and total suspended solids (TSSs) in the grass-type zone.

A flexible U-shaped metamaterial terahertz quarter-wave plate with corner design

To overcome the bottleneck problem that the right-angle of metamaterial metal unit cell can’t be perfectly machined in the existing photolithography process, the tangent treatment of U-shaped corners is carried out in this paper. Using two layers of U-shaped metamaterial gold unit cell with corner design sandwiched with three polyimide layers, a flexible terahertz quarter-wave plate (QWP) with polarization conversion efficiency of 0.8 and operating bandwidth of 0.2 THz is obtained. The equivalent dielectric parameter of substrate is proposed to provide the correct dielectric parameter input of polyimide for the precise simulation. The influences of the equivalent dielectric parameter, the corner tangent length and the geometric parameters of the metamaterial metal unit cell on the QWP performance are analyzed. To better understand the effects of these parameters on the QWP performance, an empirical formula for multilayer U-shaped metamaterial is given in this paper. This work has good application potential in terahertz wireless communications, terahertz imaging, and terahertz medical diagnostic systems and other fields.

Diopter detection method based on optical imaging.

The peripheral retinal refractive state plays an important role in eye growth and development and is closely related to the development of myopia. Existing methods for measuring the peripheral retinal refractive state are cumbersome and can only detect in a limited range. To address the above shortcomings, this paper proposes a retinal refractive state detection method using optical refractive compensation imaging. First, a series of defocus images is captured using an optical system, and then the images are enhanced and filtered. Subsequently, the Sobel function is applied to calculate sharpness, and the asymmetric Gaussian (AG) model is employed for peak fitting, allowing for the determination of the fundus retina's overall refractive compensation value. We performed consistency analysis on the central and peripheral diopters with autorefractor KR-8900 (Topcon, Japan) and WAM-5500 (Grand Seiko, Japan), respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) are all greater than 0.9, showing good consistency. This is a promising alternative to the current techniques for assessing the refraction of the peripheral retina.