Optimal key mask design for optical encryption based on joint transform correlator architecture

We examine perfect recovery in the optical encryption system based on joint transform correlator architecture, which requires the key mask to be space-limited and phase-only in the frequency domain. Accordingly, a discrete sinc function interpolation is used to generate a binary phase difference mask for image encryption and decryption. Furthermore, the optimal binary phase difference mask is derived from the interpolation process best approximating the ideal sinc function interpolation. The simulation results confirm better recovery of the decrypted image for applying the proposed key masks to the optical encryption system. Especially, the optimal binary phase difference mask significantly enhances the recovery performance.     

Negative refraction of complex lattices of dielectric cylinders

Some photonic crystals (PCs) consisting of complex lattices of dielectric cylinders can have an effective refraction index (neff$n_{\mathrm{eff}}$) of −1. Subwavelength imaging by a slab of a honeycomb PC of dielectric cylinders with neff=−1$n_{\mathrm{eff}}=-1$ is investigated and an open resonator with a quality factor higher than 3000 is designed with the same PC. Air–PC interfaces with low reflection are also used for the slab lens and open resonator.     

Electron momentum density in Cu<Subscript>0.9</Subscript>Al<Subscript>0.1</Subscript>

A reconstruction technique based on the solution of the Radon transform in terms of Jacobi polynomials is used to obtain the 3D electron momentum density, ϱ(p), from nine high-resolution Compton profiles (CPs) for a Cu_0.9Al_0.1 disordered alloy single crystal. The method was also applied to theoretical CPs computed within the Korringa–Kohn–Rostoker coherent potential approximation (KKR-CPA) first-principles scheme for the same nine orientations of the crystal. The experimental ϱ(p) is in satisfactory agreement with the theoretical ϱ(p), shows most details of the Fermi surface (FS) and exhibits electron correlation effects. We comment on the map of the FS obtained by folding the reconstructed ϱ(p) into the first Brillouin zone, which yields the occupation number density, ϱ(k). A test of the validity of data via a consistency condition (within our reconstruction algorithm) as well as the propagation of experimental noise in the reconstruction of both ϱ(p) and ϱ(k) are investigated. Received: 24 October 2001 / Accepted: 20 January 2002 / Published online: 3 June 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +48-71/344-10-29, E-mail: samsel@int.pan.wroc.pl     

Refractive and geometric lens characterization through multi-wavelength digital speckle pattern interferometry

Physical parameters of different types of lenses were measured through digital speckle pattern interferometry (DSPI) using a multimode diode laser as light source. When such lasers emit two or more longitudinal modes simultaneously the speckle image of an object appears covered of contour fringes. By performing the quantitative fringe evaluation the radii of curvature as well as the refractive indexes of the lenses were determined. The fringe quantitative evaluation was carried out through the four- and the eight-stepping techniques and the branch-cut method was employed for phase unwrapping. With all these parameters the focal length was calculated. This whole-field multi-wavelength method does enable the characterization of spherical and aspherical lenses and of positive and negative ones as well.     

On the origins of decoherence and extinction contrast in phase-contrast imaging

A theoretical formalism describing the formation of images in a linear shift invariant X-ray optical system is derived within the wave-optical theory. It is applicable to a non-crystalline object consisting of two types of features, with the characteristic sizes which are respectively not smaller and much smaller than the resolution of the imaging system. This formalism is then applied to two phase-contrast imaging techniques, the propagation-based and analyser-based imaging. The obtained formulae for the intensity distribution in the image well explain the “decoherence effect” which is observed in the former technique and the “extinction contrast” which is a characteristic of the latter technique. This formalism is shown to be in good agreement with the results of the accurate numerical simulations, using rigorous wave-optical theory, of the propagation-based and analyser-based phase-contrast images of the model objects.     

Non-interferometric transient quantitative phase microscopy for ultrafast engineering

Lead-free piezoelectric ceramics Bi_0.5(Na_1-x-yK_xAg_y)_0.5TiO₃ [BNKAT(x/y)] have been synthesized by the mixed oxide method. The effects of the amount of K⁺ and Ag⁺ on the electrical properties were examined. X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that K⁺ and Ag⁺ ions partially substitute for the Na⁺ ions in Bi_0.5Na_0.5TiO₃ and form a solid solution during sintering. At room temperature, the ceramics exhibit good performances with piezoelectric constant d₃₃=189 pC/N, electromechanical coupling factor k_p=35.0%, remanent polarization P_r=39.5 μC/cm², and coercive field E_c=3.3 kV/mm, respectively. The curves of the dielectric constant ε_r and loss tangent tan δ versus temperature show that the transition temperature from ferroelectric to anti-ferroelectric phase decreases with increasing the K⁺ content for the compositions researched. The dependencies of k_p and polarization versus electric (P–E) hysteresis loops on temperature reveal that the depolarization temperature T_d of BNKAT(0.15/0.015) ceramics, which have good piezoelectric properties (d₃₃=134 pC/N, k_p=32.5%) and strong ferroelectricity (P_r=39.5 μC/cm², E_c=4.1 kV/mm) at room temperature, is above 160 °C. PACS 77.22.-d; 77.65.Bn; 77.80.Bh; 77.80.Dj; 77.84.Dy     

Improving the performance of DCT-based fragile watermarking using intelligent optimization algorithms

The performance of a fragile watermarking method based on discrete cosine transform (DCT) has been improved in this paper by using intelligent optimization algorithms (IOA), namely genetic algorithm, differential evolution algorithm, clonal selection algorithm and particle swarm optimization algorithm. In DCT based fragile watermarking techniques, watermark embedding can usually be achieved by modifying the least significant bits of the transformation coefficients. After the embedding process is completed, transforming the modified coefficients from the frequency domain to the spatial domain produces some rounding errors due to the conversion of real numbers to integers. The rounding errors caused by this transformation process were corrected by the use of intelligent optimization algorithms mentioned above. This paper gives experimental results which show the feasibility of using these optimization algorithms for the fragile watermarking and demonstrate the accuracy of these methods. The performance comparison of the algorithms was also realized.     

Polarized-light-controlled holographic recording in an azobenzene-doped polymer film

A new polarized-light-controlled holographic recording based on the optical enhancement/restraint of self-diffraction has been demonstrated in an azobenzene-doped polymer film. It is found that a continuous variation of the polarization status as well as of the intensity of the pumping light results in a continuous variation of self-diffraction efficiency. The mechanism originates from the photo-induced anisotropy and polarization-dependent absorption. Both positive and negative replicas of an incident image were presented in real time by means of this incoherent–coherent optical conversion technique. Received: 30 March 2000 / Revised version: 28 September 2000 / Published online: 27 April 2001     

Quantum theory of super-resolution for optical systems with circular apertures

We present the two-dimensional quantum theory of super-resolution, applicable for a large variety of optical systems with circular pupils. Our theory is formulated in terms of circular prolate spheroidal functions which form the eigen basis of two-dimensional imaging system with circular pupils. We provide, in particular, analytical and numerical results for the point-spread function characterizing reconstruction of optical objects with super-resolution from diffraction-limited images. We evaluate the super-resolution factor as a function of the signal-to-noise ratio in the input object for coherent light and multimode squeezed light.     

Blind dispersion compensation for optical coherence tomography

We present a numerical method for compensating dispersion effects in optical coherence tomography that does not require a priori knowledge of dispersive properties of the sample. The method yields results equivalent to recently demonstrated quantum-optical coherence tomography, but without exploiting non-classical states of optical radiation. Dispersion compensation is accomplished by processing phase information present in standard interferograms to calculate the generalized autoconvolution function. The operation of the method can be conveniently visualized using the Wigner distribution function formalism.