Blur Reduction in the Focal Plane of Optical Receivers by Exploiting the Negative Refractive Behavior of Photonic Crystals

We present a passive method for reducing the size of a focal spot blurred by wavefront distortions in an optical system. The key to this reduction lies in the rather unique behavior of photonic crystals to exhibit negative refraction. First, we review the design of such a photonic crystal structure and analyze its dispersion property to find the proper condition where negative refraction occurs. The predictions derived from theoretical infinite structures are confirmed by rigorous electromagnetic analysis using both the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) and rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA) methods in combination with more realistic finite structures. Second, we discuss an unconventional approach to exploit the negative refractive behavior in reducing the focal spot area spread caused by a blurred wavefront. A proof-of-principle calculation of this approach is performed with the ray trace method to visualize the reduction of the illumination area while preserving the propagation angle of the incoming beam. Finally, we investigate the crystal’s performance when its two-dimensional structure is exposed to conical illumination.     

惠更斯作图法分析双折射中e光的反常现象

在单轴晶体双折射中,e光会发生一些反常的折射现象如负折射、e光离散角、全反射现象等.与文献中普遍所采用的基于平面光波在晶体中传播的电磁理论特性求解的过程不同,本文则以更为直观的惠更斯作图法为出发点,利用几何求解,得出负反射临界角、e光离散角、全反射临界角,并加以说明和讨论.     

Diffraction grating fabrication in lithium niobate and KDP crystals with femtosecond laser pulses

We report studies of the modifications induced inside lithium niobate and KDP crystals by Yb:KGW ultrafast laser pulses, having 300-fs pulse duration and operating at 100-kHz repetition rate. By focusing the laser beam with a 0.42 numerical-aperture objective, we have recorded homogeneous volume Bragg gratings in the bulk of the niobate crystal that showed excellent diffraction efficiencies, reaching up to 87%, and remained permanent after thermal annealing for one hour at 150°C. The refractive index modification level was found to be 0.002 in lithium niobate. The results show that lithium niobate is a very promising crystal candidate for microphotonics applications. On the contrary, in the KDP crystal no smoothly modified refractive index zones were created.     

Effective refractive index for determining ray propagation in an absorbing dielectric particle

The ray-tracing technique can be employed to simulate the scattering of light by a dielectric particle whose characteristic dimension is much larger than the incident wavelength. When a scattering particle is absorptive, a localized electromagnetic wave refracted into the scatterer is inhomogeneous, which requires the use of an effective refractive index to determine the propagation direction of the refracted ray. The effective refractive index for the first-order reflection–refraction event (i.e., the case for the ray-transmission from air into a particle) has been previously derived by the authors. In this study, we further develop recurrence formulae for the effective refractive indices associated with higher-order reflection–refraction events when the ray-transmission is from a particle to air. It is shown from the new formulae that effective refractive indices in this case depend upon ray history. Numerical results indicate that the real and imaginary parts of the effective refractive index are larger and smaller, respectively, than the real and imaginary parts of the inherent complex refractive index of an absorbing particle. Furthermore, if the particle faces associated with two sequential internal reflections are parallel to each other, the corresponding effective refractive indices are the same.     

Quantum photonic crystals—Quantytes

Optical properties and structural characteristics of quantum photonic crystals??quantytes??are investigated. Quantytes are crystalline structures with periodically arranged quantum dots of dielectrics, ferroelectrics, magnets, or metals. They feature so-called stop bands in which anomalous reflection of electromagnetic radiation from the photonic crystal surface is observed. It is found that quantytes are characterized by a negative refractive index and anomalous deceleration of electromagnetic waves in some spectral ranges. Possible uses of quantytes as devices for recording and reading of optical information, optical elements with negative refraction, selective mirrors, and narrow-band light filters are discussed.     

Thermally tempered glass surface stress measurement by critical ray

A critical ray was excited along the glass surface by laser beam incidence. Part of the critical ray was refracted during propagation. The angle of refraction depended on the refractive index of the glass sirface. When the glass surface was birefringent due to the photoelastic effect, the angles of refraction differed from each other between two linearly polarized beams. This difference allows surface stress determination.     

单轴晶体的光程差和Lyot型滤光器的视场

 建立了以光线入射方向和晶体光轴方向为基准的入射坐标系，利用波法线反曲面方程和电磁场在晶体折射界面处切向分量连续性的边界条件，得到了晶体中波法线方向、射线方向、波法线折射率和射线折射率的表达式。从非常光的射线方向和射线折射率出发，得到了在任意的晶体光轴方向和入射角条件下，光通过单轴晶体后寻常光、非常光的光程差表达式。对Lyot型滤光单元的透射率和视场进行了计算分析后发现，滤光单元的透射率随光线入射角的变化呈现一定的周期性，视场随光轴倾角的增大而减小。得出了透射率和视场随光轴倾角(光轴与晶体表面的夹角)和光线入射角(光线在晶体表面的入射角)的变化规律。讨论了通过改变晶体倾角实现滤光器调谐和补偿晶体厚度加工误差等技术问题。     

利用布儒斯特角测定透明薄膜的折射率

本文以光波在分层媒质中的传播理论及布儒斯特角原理为基础讨论了均匀媒质薄膜的折射率测量，为均匀媒质薄膜折射率的测量提供了一种简单的方法。     

Observation of superluminal and slowdown light propagation in doped lithium niobate crystals

We investigate the group velocity of light in a one-dimensional volume grating inside lithium niobate crystals doped with different impurities. The superluminal and slowdown light propagations are both observed in the crystals. The relationships between the group refractive index and the grating amplitude and phase shift are presented and discussed.     

Coupled thermal-optic effects and electrical modulation mechanism of birefringence crystal with Gaussian laser incidence

We study the Gaussian laser transmission in lithium niobate crystal(LiNbO3) by using the finite element method to solve the electromagnetic field's frequency domain equation and energy equation. The heat generated is identified by calculating the transmission loss of the electromagnetic wave in the birefringence crystal, and the calculated value of the heat generated is substituted into the energy equation. The electromagnetic wave's energy losses induced by its multiple refractions and reflections along with the resulting physical property changes of the lithium niobate crystal are considered.Influences of ambient temperature and heat transfer coefficient on refraction and walk-off angles of O-ray and E-ray in the cases of different incident powers and crystal thicknesses are analyzed. The E-ray electrical modulation instances, in which the polarized light waveform is adjusted to the rated condition via an applied electrical field in the cases of different ambient temperatures and heat transfer coefficients, are provided to conclude that there is a correlation between ambient temperature and applied electrical field intensity and a correlation between surface heat transfer coefficient and applied electrical field intensity. The applicable electrical modulation ranges without crystal breakdown are proposed. The study shows that the electrical field-adjustable heat transfer coefficient range becomes narrow as the incident power decreases and wide as the crystal thickness increases. In addition, it is pointed out that controlling the ambient temperature is easier than controlling the heat transfer coefficient. The results of the present study can be used as a quantitative theoretical basis for removing the adverse effects induced by thermal deposition due to linear laser absorption in the crystal, such as depolarization or wave front distortion, and indicate the feasibility of adjusting the refractive index in the window area by changing the heat transfer boundary conditions in a wide-spectrum laser.     

Absorption and propagation of light in quaterthiophene crystals

We examine absorption of light in quaterthiophene crystals for different directions of the ray and wave-normal vector after refraction on the vacuum/crystal interface. Experimental non-normal incidence spectra are reported where different absorption bands show different behaviour as a function of the angle of incidence. This allows to identify those originating from the b_u Frenkel exciton state.     

Amphoteric refraction exhibited by anisotropic crystals

Amphoteric refraction of light ray at the interface between isotropic materials and anisotropic materials is analyzed. Depending on the incident angle, the refractive light ray can either refract positively or negatively. This amphoteric refraction phenomenon can be quite prevalent when the difference of the two principal refractive indices is large. The reflectance under various incident angles has also been calculated, and an experimental demonstration with a calcite crystal in air is presented.     

含负折射率材料的一维光子晶体的光学传输特性

采用光学传输矩阵方法,模拟研究了由正折射率材料和负折射率材料交替组成的一维光子晶体的光学传输特性.计算了这种含负折射率材料的一维光子晶体的透射谱和色散关系.结果表明,在正入射时,含负折射率材料的光子晶体的带隙要比传统的光子晶体要大得多,并具有狭窄的透射带,从光学薄膜理论的色散关系出发解释了形成上述现象的原因.讨论了在不同的偏振模式下,光以中心波长入射时,反射率随着入射角度的变化关系.发现含负折射率材料的一维光子晶体具有更好的角度特性,可以用来实现对中心波长的全方位反射.     

The superprism effect in lithium niobate photonic crystals for ultra-fast, ultra-compact electro-optical switching

We numerically analyze ultra-refraction and slow-light in lithium niobate photonic crystals in order to investigate and then optimize the efficiency of a tunable photonic crystal superprism. In contrast to a passive superprism 1-to-N demultiplexer, we describe a tunable bandpass filter with only three output ports. The electro-optic effect in lithium niobate is used to achieve tunability, with the filter bandwidth shifting in wavelength as the refractive index of the superprism is modified by an externally applied electric field. Such a device could be used to realize a compact and fast wavelength multiplexer/demultiplexer for telecommunications or optical interconnect applications. We calculate constant frequency dispersion contours (plane-wave expansion) to identify initial configurations that show significant ultra-refraction, and verify the expected behavior of light propagation inside the structure using 2D FDTD (finite difference time domain) simulations. We show that the voltage requirements of such an electro-optically tunable superprism could potentially be relaxed by exploiting the enhancement of the electro-optic effect recently discovered by our group [M. Roussey, M.-P. Bernal, N. Courjal, D. Van Labeke, F.I. Baida, Electro-optic effect exaltation on lithium niobate photonic crystals due to slow photons. Appl. Phys. Lett. 89 (24) (2006) 241110], which we believe to be due to the presence of slow-light in the nanostructure. We present a methodology that readily identifies superprism design points showing both strong ultra-refraction as well as low group velocity. However, we find that this improved voltage efficiency comes at the cost of reduced operating bandwidth and increased insertion losses due to proximity to the band-edge.     

Waveguides in lithium niobate fabricated by focused ultrashort laser pulses

We report on investigations of the bulk microstructuring of lithium niobate crystals with intense femtosecond laser pulses. In different crystal cuts, optical waveguides were produced whose properties depend strongly on the processing parameters. To explore the origin of the refractive index changes, we subjected the crystals to different conditions (like temperature, illumination, etc.) while monitoring the waveguide output. This way several mechanisms for the change in refractive index could be singled out. These include the photorefractive effect, inhomogeneous ion concentrations and stress in the crystalline lattice. As an application, we demonstrate frequency doubling of 1064 nm laser radiation in a microstructured phase-matched waveguide.     

Design of an omnidirectional band gap independent of ambient media refractive indices by using a heterostructure magnetic photonic crystal

This paper aims to study the general conditions under which omnidirectional band gaps (OBGs) are achieved by using heterostructure magnetic photonic crystals (HMPCs). These structures contain periodic layers with alternative dielectric permittivity and magnetic permeability. The proposed design offers the stacking of two magnetic photonic crystals (MPCs), where one MPC has Brewster’s angle at TE polarization and another has the angle at TM polarization. The propagation of electromagnetic waves is investigated by means of the transfer matrix method. Also, the total reflection frequency range for any incident angle and polarization is discussed in this paper. As a conclusion, although each MPC has no OBG individually, the proposed HMPC may contain an OBG. The main advantage of the proposed design is that the obtained OBG is independent of the ambient media refractive index. Therefore, it can be used in engineering omnireflectors in integrated photonics.     

双折射晶体琼斯矩阵分析

利用双折射晶体中两特征偏振态在晶体中独立传播的理论，推导出双折射晶体的琼斯矩阵，并对特征光波为线、圆、椭圆偏振光时的琼斯矩阵做出相应的分析和讨论。找出了直接影响光透过晶体后偏振态的因素，并做出相互之间的关系曲线。对分析双折射晶体对光偏振态的影响以及通过光学方法分析晶体性质具有一定参考价值。最后分析了水晶片旋光性质变化的原因，对四频差动激光陀螺中水晶片的安装具有一定的指导作用。     

Structuring of material parameters in lithium niobate crystals with low-mass, high-energy ion radiation

Ferroelectric lithium niobate crystals offer a great potential for applications in modern optics. To provide powerful optical components, tailoring of key material parameters, especially of the refractive index n and the ferroelectric domain landscape, is required. Irradiation of lithium niobate crystals with accelerated ions causes strong structured modifications in the material. The effects induced by low-mass, high-energy ions (such as ³He with 41?MeV, which are not implanted, but transmit through the entire crystal volume) are reviewed. Irradiation yields large changes of the refractive index ??n, improved domain engineering capability within the material along the ion track, and waveguiding structures. The periodic modification of ??n as well as the formation of periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) (supported by radiation damage) is described. Two-step knock-on displacement processes, ³He??Nb and ³He??O causing thermal spikes, are identified as origin for the material modifications.     

变折射率介质中光线追迹通用算法的研究

基于几何光学的光线折射和反射原理提出了变折射率介质中的光线追迹算法,给出了在光线追迹过程中进行递推的反射光线和折射光线的方向余弦方程;解决了空间中法线的确定和光线回转等问题。最后通过对多种不同的存在解析解的特殊折射率分布的数值解值和解析解值的比较,验证了算法的正确性,并且讨论了应用算法时应该注意的问题和算法中还有待解决的问题。该算法不但具有广泛的适用性,基本不受折射率分布的制约,而且其数值解精度达10^-5。该算法在变折射率介质的光学设计和空间成像补偿等方面有着广阔的应用前景。