Intensity‐Enhanced Apodization Effect on an Axially Illuminated Circular‐Column Particle‐Lens

A particle can function as a refractive lens to focus a plane wave, generating a narrow, high intensive, weak‐diverging beam within a sub‐wavelength volume, known as the ‘photonic nanojet’. It is known that apodization method, in the form of an amplitude pupil‐mask centrally situated on a particle‐lens, can further reduce the waist of a photonic nanojet, however, it usually lowers the intensity at the focus due to blocking the incident light. In this paper, the anomalously intensity‐enhanced apodization effect was discovered for the first time via numerical simulation of focusing of the axially illuminated circular‐column particle‐lenses, and a greater than 100% peak intensity increase was realised for the produced photonic nanojets.     

光声信号的声透镜层析成像研究

提出了一种用声透镜实现光声层析成像的新模式。从理论上计算出了声透镜的响应，测出了已知声场中标准物像面处的声场分布。考虑到圆形活塞振源的指向性，对代表物成像进行了理论修正，并与实验结果做了对比分析。研究表明，利用声透镜可以实现光声层析成像，并经图像重构得到了生物组织中异物的光声图像，横向、纵向分辨力较高。     

Acoustic wave focusing by two-dimensional lattice of cylinders in air

A sound source (3 cm in diameter) image in air, formed in the far wave zone behind a two-dimensional periodic lattice, was experimentally obtained. The lattice consisted of plane parallel rows of steel cylinders with a diameter of 1.58 cm, forming an acoustic crystal with hexagonal structure, The crystal lattice constant (a = 2.14 cm) is smaller than the emission wavelength in air (∼ 3.4 cm). The relations between the emission wavelength and lattice parameters were selected according to model calculation in the second transmission band of the crystal at its negative refractive index n = −0.7. The lateral size of the focused (over the sound pressure distribution) image of the sound source is close to the emission wavelength. A distinctive feature of the experiment is the formation of such a sharply focused image under conditions of an extremely small output aperture (the beam diameter at the acoustic crystal output did not exceed 2.5 acoustic wavelengths in air). It can be considered that the flat acoustic lens is realized. Possible explanations of the observed effect are discussed.     

一种基于OTF稳定性的波前编码相位板优化方法

提出了一种简单的可用于光学系统中子午弧矢方向白光OTF稳定性评价的波前编码相位板参量优化方法.该方法仅以标准偏差来评价OTF在目标景深范围内的稳定性,并且结合自适应模拟退火算法在参量空间内优化得到相位板的最佳参量.使用该方法优化得到的相位板参量,可以大幅度提高光学系统的景深,并且可以获得更为清晰、稳定的成像.对应用波前编码技术前后光学系统的成像性能作了比较,并且考察了优化参量的容差性.     

Focusing of longitudinal ultrasonic waves in air with an aperiodic flat lens

Modeling and experimental results of an ultrasonic aperiodic flat lens for use in air are presented. Predictive modeling of the lens is performed using a hybrid genetic-greedy algorithm constrained to a linear structure. The optimized design parameters are used to fabricate a lens. A method combining a fiber-disk arrangement and scanning laser vibrometer measurements is developed to characterize the acoustic field distribution generated by the lens. The focal spot size is determined to be 0.88 of the incident wavelength of 80-90 kHz at a distance of 2.5 mm from the lens. Theoretically computed field distributions, optimized frequency of operation, and spatial resolution focal length are compared with experimental measurements. The differences between experimental measurements and the theoretical computations are analyzed. The theoretical calculation of the focal spot diameter is 1.7 mm which is 48% of the experimental measurement at a frequency of 80-90 kHz. This work illustrates the capabilities of a hybrid algorithm approach to design of flat acoustic lenses to operate in air with a resolution of greater than the incident wavelength and the challenges of characterizing acoustic field distribution in air.     

A lateral super-resolution differential confocal technology with phase-only pupil filter

In order to achieve a higher lateral resolution required for ultraprecision measurement of microstructural workpieces, phase-only pupil filtering differential confocal microscopy (PFDCM), a new approach is proposed based on the differential confocal microscopy (DCM), which uses a three-zone phase-only pupil filter with lateral super-resolution capability obtained through optimized design to change the distribution of DCM three-dimensional point spread function, so that the DCM lateral resolution is therefore significantly improved while its axial resolution is slightly improved. Preliminary experimental comparison and analyses indicate that, the lateral and axial resolutions of PFDCM are better than 0.2 μm and 2 nm, respectively, when wavelength of incidence laser beam , numerical aperture of measuring lens NA=0.85, and lateral spot size with a three-zone phase-only pupil filter G_T=0.65. It is therefore concluded that PFDCM is a new approach to further improvement of lateral resolution in laser probe measurement systems.     

High depth of focus by combining annular lenses

In some technological applications, optical systems that produce a high depth of focus and superresolving transversal responses are required. In this paper we present a pupil design consisting in a phase pupil with binary amplitude, that added to a conventional optical system, can accomplish these goals. The pupil function is characterized by a complex amplitude that consists basically in combining two annular lenses with different focal length. Meanwhile the central portion of the pupil has an amplitude equal to 0, the external portion is modulated with two quadratic phases each one covering an annular zone. One of the phases corresponds to a convergent lens and the other to a divergent lens. The effect on the incident wavefront is to redirect the light in front of and behind the best image plane (BIP) producing a widened focus. The evolution of the transverse gain for the extended focus is also studied. Experimental results are given, and they confirm the extended focus and the superresolving behavior of the proposed pupil function.     

Simulation of sound field in a tissue medium generated by a concave spherically annular transducer

The concave spherically annular transducer is regarded as a negative and a positive concave spherical transducer, and the spheroidal beam equation is used to simulate the linear and nonlinear sound field in a tissue medium generated by this transducer. It is found that the acoustic focus of the ring does not coincide with the acoustic focus of its central part. If the width of the ring increases, its acoustic focus will move toward the geometric focus and the amplitudes of nonlinear harmonics will increase obviously. If there are several coaxial rings placed on the concave spherical surface, more than one peak will appear along the axial direction for the fundamental, and high harmonics focus better. The distribution of sound field will change with the number and the excited signals of rings, so it maybe is a potential approach to treat locally big tumors.     

Comprehensive analysis of photonic nanojets in 3D dielectric cuboids excited by surface plasmons

In this paper we study the excitation of photonic nanojets (PNJ) in 3D dielectric cuboids by surface plasmons at telecommunication wavelengths. The analysis is done using the effective refractive index approach. It is shown that the refractive index contrast between the regions with and without cuboid should be roughly less than 2 in order to generate jets at the output of the cuboid. The best performance at λ₀ = 1550 nm is obtained when the height of the cuboid is 160 nm producing a jet just at the output interface with a subwavelength resolution of 0.68λ₀ and a high intensity enhancement (×5) at the focus. The multi‐wavelength response is also studied demonstrating that it is possible to use the proposed structure at different wavelengths. Finally, the backscattering enhancement is numerically evaluated by inserting a metal particle within the PNJ region, demonstrating a maximum value of ～2.44 dB for a gold sphere of radius 0.1λ₀.

     

Multiple image encryption using an aperture-modulated optical system

A multiple image cryptosystem based on different apertures in an optical set-up under a holographic arrangement is proposed. The system is a security architecture that uses different pupil aperture mask in the encoding lens to encrypt different images. Based on this approach multiple encryption is achieved by changing the pupil aperture arrangement of the optical system among exposures. In addition to the classical speckle phase mask, the geometrical parameters characterizing the apertures are introduced to increase the system security. Even when an illegal user steals the speckle phase mask, the system cannot be broken into without the correct pupil geometrical parameters. The experimental set-up is based on a volume photorefractive BSO crystal as storing device. Information retrieval is done via a phase conjugation operation. We also have to stress that the multiple storage under this scheme, is only possible with the help of the aperture mask. Simulation and experimental results are further introduced to verify the proposed method.     

A study of the optical transfer function for annular binary filters

The annular binary pupil filters consist of two transparent annuli obstructed by an annular mask. The optical transfer functions for them are analytically derived under paraxial approximation, and three- and two- as well as one-dimensional numerical plots are presented. It is shown that by changing the parameters of transparent regions it is possible to improve the axial resolution whilst the transverse resolution remains unchanged, compared with an annular lens. Results indicate, as is well known, that this kind of filters can be applied to three-dimensional confocal microscopy.     

A clustered speckle approach to optical trapping

An in situ study of the clustered speckle 3D structure using an optical tweezer setup is presented. Clustered speckles appear when a coherently illuminated diffuser is imaged through a pupil mask with several apertures, properly distributed over a closed path, which is placed before the objective lens of a standard optical trapping system. Thus, light volumes are reduced several times when compared with standard speckles, being even smaller than the focus volume of a Gaussian beam commonly used to trap. Moreover, clustered speckles have odd statistical properties which differentiated it from standard speckles. Then, geometrically ordered multiple trapping arrays, with statistical random distribution of intensities, can be created with this technique. This fact could enable different studies concerning optical binding or new developments in coherent matter wave transport where Optical Trapping has been proven with standard speckles. In this work, a qualitative analysis of clustered speckles in an optical tweezer setup relative to the number of apertures in the mask and their size is carried on. Besides, in the Rayleigh regime, a general quantitative method to characterize the trapping capability of an optical field is proposed. Then, it is applied to clustered speckles. As a result, a relation between aperture size and the maximum size of the particles that could be trapped is found. This fact opens the possibility of engineering the statistic of the trapped particles by properly selecting the pupil mask.     

Investigation of pupil-fill factors as process window indicators for dry optical lithography

This work presents two pupil-fill factors as process window indicators for optical projection lithography when resolution enhancement techniques are employed. The formulations of these two pupil-fill factors are based on two different concepts of the correlation between the process window and the diffraction orders captured at the pupil of the imaging lens. One pupil-fill factor considers the amplitude of the diffracted orders. The other pupil-fill factor considers the extent of overlap between the 0th and the 1st diffraction orders at the pupil. This work investigates how accurately the variation of the two pupil-fill factors indicates the influences of source configuration and mask features on the process window. The Chromeless Phase Shift Lithography (CPL™) technology, in the context of dry optical lithography, is used as a case study. The results suggest that the pupil-fill factor, which considers the amplitude of the diffraction spectrum, is a better process window indicator than the other.     

A ray model of sound focusing with a balloon lens: an experiment for high school students

A weather balloon filled with carbon dioxide gas is used as a positive spherical acoustic lens. High frequency but audible sound from a circular loudspeaker ensonifies the balloon and produces increased sound pressure levels in a region along the principal axis according to a ray acoustics model. This enhancement was measured experimentally and was found to agree with theory. The possibility that interference from reflected sound off walls or the floor could mask or mimic the expected focusing was countered by calculating and measuring within a "shadow zone" in which only direct rays or rays refracted by the balloon exist by the method of Fresnel volumes. The experiment described in this paper would be a suitable learning experience for junior high and high school students showing how rays and Snell's law apply to sound as well as light and giving them a measurable predicted focal region for enhanced sound pressure levels.     

Focus shaping of tightly focused TEM11 mode cylindrically polarized Laguerre Gaussian beam by diffractive optical element

We study the focus shaping of tightly focused TEM₁₁ mode cylindrically polarized Laguerre Gaussian beam with high numerical aperture lens axicon system is investigated theoretically by vector diffraction theory. The intensity pattern at the focus can be tailored by appropriately adjusting the rotation angle. We show that the high NA lens axicon system can generates a sub wavelength focal spot, focal hole, focal splitting and flat-topped focal shapes with extended depth of focus.     

大焦深内窥镜光学系统设计

医用内窥镜技术要求在大的物距范围内实现清晰成像,但其使用环境又对系统尺寸及镜片数目的要求非常严格,难以利用传统方法实现光学调焦。在传统的光学设计中,通常依靠减小相对孔径来增大系统焦深,往往会造成许多负面影响。介绍了一种电润湿型液体可变焦透镜,并在这一新型元件的基础上,设计了一种微型可调焦光学系统。该系统依靠外加电压控制液体透镜焦距做微小改变,从而校正由于物距变化产生的离焦,增大内系统的焦深,同时保证系统的微型结构。这一设计将使内窥镜的使用更加方便,有着广泛的应用前景。     

共形Mikaelian声透镜设计*

该文研究了利用共形变换设计声学器件的一般方法,在此基础上根据普通Mikaelian透镜的折射率分布规律,利用指数映射设计出了弧形的Mikaelian透镜,分析并讨论了弧形透镜的密度、模量和折射率分布规律。对160 k Hz的声波进行了仿真实验,仿真结果表明,在弧形透镜的理论预测焦点处出现能量汇聚的现象,即实现了弧形聚焦的效果。同时,声波在经过该透镜后传播方向产生了一定角度的偏转。该工作为实现弧形声学器件提供了理论方法,在水下声探测及水下声通讯等方面有着潜在的应用。     

Polarization phase in aberration compensation

A phase/amplitude mask on the aperture of an imaging system results in a pupil function that is multiplicative with the lens function, resulting in a morphological transformation of the imaging wavefront. It was shown that such amplitude and phase functions can be implemented using polarization masks, with the advantage that the phase and amplitude can be controlled in real time and in some cases, independently of each other. The phase and amplitude variation over the mask can be controlled either by changing the polarization of the mask or by changing the input beam parameters. Wavefront tailoring using polarization-masked apertures is therefore feasible and may be utilized for focal shift and partial aberration compensation. For complete compensation of aberration, the phase distribution over the mask should be conjugate to that of the phase error of the aberrant wavefront, which necessitates the use of a continuously variable polarization mask. Since such a mask is difficult to implement, we have considered polarizing masks consisting of discrete polarized zones on the lens aperture, leading to polarization phase steps on the exit pupil of the imaging system. The simulation results presented in this paper show that effects of focal shift, partial compensation of primary spherical aberration and astigmatism can indeed be achieved by the proper use of polarization masked apertures.     

基于周期结构负反射的远场增强成像研究

远场高分辨率成像是近几年来声学和光学领域的研究焦点之一, 倏逝波无法在介质中传播成为将高分辨率成像带入远场的最大困难.本文提出了一种均匀排列的散射钢柱构成的超构散射体成像方式, 利用周期结构负反射现象将倏逝波信息转化为可传播波来增强成像.有限元数值模拟被用来研究和验证该方案的可行性, 结果显示波长3.4 mm的声波可以在20 cm外的远场获得大约0.6个波长的成像分辨能力. 通过减小散射体的晶格常数有希望达到更高分辨率成像.