Operation of an electrically controlled beam steering device based on Rochon prism made by use of nematic liquid crystal is modelled numerically. Deflection angles and angular distribution of light intensity in the deflected beam are calculated. Dynamics of the device is studied. Advantage of application of dual frequency nematic liquid crystal is demonstrated. Role of flexoelectric properties of the nematic is analyzed.
We report on the first application of the graphics processing units (GPUs) accelerated computing technology to improve performance of numerical methods used for the optical characterization of evaporating microdroplets. Single microdroplets of various liquids with different volatility and molecular weight (glycerine, glycols, water, etc.), as well as mixtures of liquids and diverse suspensions evaporate inside the electrodynamic trap under the chosen temperature and composition of atmosphere. The series of scattering patterns recorded from the evaporating microdroplets are processed by fitting complete Mie theory predictions with gradientless lookup table method. We showed that computations on GPUs can be effectively applied to inverse scattering problems. In particular, our technique accelerated calculations of the Mie scattering theory on a single-core processor in a Matlab environment over 800 times and almost 100 times comparing to the corresponding code in C language. Additionally, we overcame problems of the time-consuming data post-processing when some of the parameters (particularly the refractive index) of an investigated liquid are uncertain. Our program allows us to track the parameters characterizing the evaporating droplet nearly simultaneously with the progress of evaporation.
The main objective of this work is to characterize the performance of an interferometric fibre sensor which has been designed in order to register rotational phenomena, both in seismological observatories and engineering constructions. It is based on a well-known Sagnac effect which enables to detect one-axis rotational motions in a direct way and without any reference system. The presented optical fibre sensor – FOSREM allows to measure a component of rotation in a wide range of signal amplitude form 10–8 rad/s to 10 rad/s, as well as frequency from 0 Hz to the upper frequency from 2.56 Hz to 328.12 Hz. The laboratory investigation of our system indicated that it keeps theoretical sensitivity equal to 2·10–8 rad/s/Hz1/2 and accuracy no less than 3·1–8 to 1.6·10–6 rad/s in the above mentioned frequency band. Moreover, system size that equals 0.36×0.36×0.16 m and opportunity to remotely control the system via Internet by special server make FOSREM a mobile and autonomous device.
An overview of our recent developments, regarding “water-window” soft X-ray (SXR) microscopy based on a laser-plasma double stream gas puff target sources is presented. The work, presented herein, describes two approaches to SXR microscopy. The first one is a low spatial resolution, achromatic SXR microscopy, employing Wolter type-I objective. The second one is a nanometer spatial resolution SXR microscopy, with the use of a Fresnel zone plate objective, for imaging various objects with quasimonochromatic light, emitted from a double stream gas puff target based short wavelength source. The developments regarding both systems are presented, as well as the possible applications, for which the SXR microscope was already employed. Such compact, table-top size, laboratory type microscopy setups may be employed in the near future for complementary-like studies to other, often used, microscopy techniques.
In this paper we propose a method which allows to overcome the basic functional problems in holographic displays with naked eye observation caused by delivering too small images visible in narrow viewing angles. The solution is based on combining the spatiotemporal multiplexing method with a 4f optical system. It enables to increase an aperture of a holographic display and extend the angular visual field of view. The applicability of the modified display is evidenced by Wigner distribution analysis of holographic imaging with spatiotemporal multiplexing method and by the experiments performed at the display demonstrator.
There exists a need in a quality and accuracy of a three-dimensional laser metrology operating in numerically controlled automatic machines. For this purpose, one sends three laser beams mutually perpendicular. These three beams of the wavelength λ = 0.6328 μm are generated by the same laser and are directed along three independent, orthogonal, mutually perpendicular, optical paths with a given light polarization plain. Using these beams, constituting the frame of coordinates, three independent laser rangefinders are able to determine spatial coordinates of a working tool or a workpiece. To form these optical pulses, a special refractive index matched Half-Wave Plate with nematic Liquid Crystal (LCHWP) was applied. The presented half-wave plate is based on a single Twisted Nematic (TN) cell (with the twist angle Φ = π/2) of a rather high cell gap d ~15 μm filled with a newly developed High-Birefringence Nematic Liquid Crystal Mixture (HBLCM) of optical anisotropy as high as Δn ~0.40 at λ = 0.6328 μm, where the Mauguin limit above 5.00 ~ Δnd >> λ/2 = 0.32 is fulfilled.
The Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG) based temperature optical sensor has been designed and demonstrated. FBGs have been modelled and fabricated so as to convert the Bragg wavelength shift into the intensity domain. The main experimental setup consists of a filtering FBG and two scanning FBGs, respectively, left and right scanning FBG, whereby scanning FBGs are symmetrically located on the slopes of the filtering FBG. Such an approach allows for the modulation of power for the propagating optical signal depending on the ambient temperature at the scanning FBG location. A positive or negative change of power is determined by the spectral response of the FBG. Experimental research of the scanning FBGs’ sensitivities emphasized that the key issue is the filtering FBG. A different level of sensitivity could be achieved due to the spectral characteristic of the filtering FBG. Omitting advanced and high-cost devices, the FBG-based temperature sensor is presented. The FBG-based sensor setup could yield resolution of 1°C for the range of temperature 0.5°C to 52.5°C. The experimental study has been performed as a base for an easy-placed sensor system to monitor external parameters in real environment.
In the paper the analysis of up-conversion (UC) luminescence in 0.5Yb2O3/(0.25-1)Eu2O3 (mol.%) co-doped germanate glass and optical fibre has been investigated. Up-conversion emission of bands at 591, 616, 652, 701 nm to which correspond Eu3+: 5D0 → 7F1, 5D0 → 7F2, 5D0 → 7F3, 5D0 → 7F4 transitions, respectively was obtained as a result of cooperative energy transfer between Yb3+ and Eu3+ ions. The highest up-conversion emission (Yb3+ → Eu3+ energy transfer efficiency η = 24%) was obtained in 0.5Yb2O3/0.75Eu2O3 co-doped glass. Comparison of up-conversion and down-conversion luminescence spectra of bulk glass, glass fibre and different length double-clad optical fibre (up to 5 m) showed subtle differences in shape of the spectrum. In comparison to down – conversion emission (λexc = 405 nm) main UC luminescence band is red-shifted by 2 nm and is characterized by 5 nm greater full – width half – maximum (FWHM).
In cyclic articles previously published we described and analysed self-organized light fibres inside a liquid crystalline (LC) cell contained photosensitive polymer (PP) layer. Such asymmetric LC cell we call a hybrid LC cell. Light fibre arises along a laser beam path directed in plane of an LC cell. It means that a laser beam is parallel to photosensitive layer. We observed the asymmetric LC cell response on an external driving field polarization. Observation has been done for an AC field first. It is the reason we decided to carry out a detailed research for a DC driving field to obtain an LC cell response step by step. The properly prepared LC cell has been built with an isolating layer and garbage ions deletion. We proved by means of a physical model, as well as a numerical simulation that LC asymmetric response strongly depends on junction barriers between PP and LC layers. New parametric model for a junction barrier on PP/LC boundary has been proposed. Such model is very useful because of lack of proper conductivity and charge carriers of band structure data on LC material.
We experimentally studied three different D-shape polymer optical fibres with an exposed core for their applications as surface plasmon resonance sensors. The first one was a conventional D-shape fibre with no microstructure while in two others the fibre core was surrounded by two rings of air holes. In one of the microstructured fibres we introduced special absorbing inclusions placed outside the microstructure to attenuate leaky modes. We compared the performance of the surface plasmon resonance sensors based on the three fibres. We showed that the fibre bending enhances the resonance in all investigated fibres. The measured sensitivity of about 610 nm/RIUfor the refractive index of glycerol solution around 1.350 is similar in all fabricated sensors. However, the spectral width of the resonance curve is significantly lower for the fibre with inclusions suppressing the leaky modes.
Photonic devices often use light delivered by a single-mode telecommunication fibre. However, as the diameter of the core of the optical fibre is of 10 microns, and the transverse dimensions of the photonic waveguides are usually micrometer or less, there is an issue of incompatibility. The problem may be solved by application of tapered optical fibres. For efficient light coupling, the taper should be prepared so as to create a beam of long focal length and small spot diameter in the focus. The article describes the design, fabrication and characterization of tapered optical fibres prepared with a fibre-optic fusion splicer. We modelled the tapers with FDTD method, for estimation of the influence of the tapered length and angle on the spot diameter and the focal length of an outgoing beam. We fabricated tapers from a standard single mode fibre by the Ericsson 995 PMfi- bre-optic fusion splicer. We planned the splicing technology so as to get the needed features of the beam. We planned a multistep fusion process, with optimized fusion current and fusion time. The experimental measurements of best tapered optical fibres were carried out by the knife-edge method.
A novel all optical measurement scheme is proposed to measure wideband microwave frequencies up to 30 GHz. The proposed method is based on a four-wave mixing (FWM) approach in a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) of both even order side-bands generated by an unknown microwave frequency modulating an optical carrier. The optical power of a generated FWM signal depends on frequency spacing between extracted side-bands. A mathematical relation is established between FWM power and frequency of an unknown signal. A calibration curve is drawn based on the mathematical relation which predicts the unknown frequency from power withdrawn after FWM
The paper presents results of a simulation of the plasmon effect achieved between a thin precious metal layer and a biconical optical fibre taper, manufactured on a standard single mode fibre. Gold, silver and titanium were used as a metal which fulfilled a cladding function for a small diameter structure. For simulation Mode Solution software was used on which modal and frequency analyses of a wavelength were provided in the range of 800–1700 nm. A displacement of a plasmon pick in dependence of thickness of a deposited precious layer for the highest plasmon effects was observed.
Non−uniformity noise, it was, it is, and it will probably be one of the most non−desired attached companion of the infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) data. We present a higher order filter where the key advantage is based in its capacity to estimates the detection parameters and thus to compensate it for fixed pattern noise, as an enhancement of Constant Statistics (CS) theory. This paper shows a technique to improve the convergence in accelerated way for CS (AACS: Acceleration Algorithm for Constant Statistics). The effectiveness of this method is demonstrated by using simulated infrared video sequences and several real infrared video sequences obtained using two infrared cameras
The subflorescence and efflorescence phenomena are widely acknowledged as the major causes of permanent damage to fresco wall paintings. They are related to the occurrence of cycles of dry/wet conditions inside the walls. Therefore, it is essential to identify the presence of water on the decorated surfaces and inside the walls.
Nondestructive testing in industrial applications have confirmed that active infrared thermography with continuous timed images acquisition can improve the outcomes of thermal analysis aimed to moisture identification. In spite of that, in cultural heritage investigations these techniques have not been yet used extensively on a regular basis. This paper illustrates an application of these principles in order to evaluate the decay of fresco mural paintings in a medieval chapel located in North−West of Italy. One important feature of this study is the use of a robotic system called aIRview that can be utilized to automatically acquire and process thermal images. Multiple accurate thermal views of the inside walls of the building have been produced in a survey that lasted several days. Signal processing algorithms based on Fast Fourier Transform analysis have been applied to the acquired data in order to formulate trustworthy hypotheses about the deterioration mechanisms.
This paper presents and assesses an inverse heat conduction problem (IHCP) solution procedure which was developed to determine the local convective heat transfer coefficient along the circumferential coordinate at the inner wall of a coiled pipe by applying the filtering technique approach to infrared temperature maps acquired on the outer tube’s wall. The data−processing procedure filters out the unwanted noise from the raw temperature data to enable the direct calculation of its Laplacian which is embedded in the formulation of the inverse heat conduction problem. The presented technique is experimentally verified using data that were acquired in the laminar flow regime that is frequently found in coiled−tube heat−exchanger applications. The estimated convective heat transfer coefficient distributions are substantially consistent with the available numerical results in the scientific literature.