Tomographic microscopy of three-dimensional phase objects in spatially incoherent light

The use of spatially incoherent light is proposed for raising the quality of interference projection data in tomographic microscopy of phase objects. The optical scheme of the tomographic microscope is based on the scheme of a Linnik microinterferometer with an extended source of quasi-monochromatic light. Characteristic features of the tomography of phase objects positioned near flat reflecting surfaces are considered.     

Coherence enhancement of spatially incoherent light beams through soliton interactions

We show that the spatial coherence of a partially incoherent light beam can be greatly enhanced through an energy-conserving interaction with an incoherent or a coherent dark spatial soliton. Computer simulations show that during this process a portion of the incoherent beam is trapped within the dark notch of the dark soliton, thus forming a sharp intensity spike. In this region the correlation length dramatically increases by at least 2 orders of magnitude.     

Imaging through aberrating media by computational ghost imaging with incoherent light

We demonstrate a series of experiments on imaging through both stationary aberrating media and moving aberrating media by computational ghost imaging(CGI).An incoherent LED light source is used instead of the common pseudothermal light source(laser light passing through a rotating ground glass).A digital micromirror device is used as a simple spatial light modulator to perform CGI.Moreover,a digital filtering method is introduced to improve imaging quality through moving aberrating media.This imaging modality may have potential applications in medicine and astronomy.     

Imaging through aberrating imaging with media by computational ghost incoherent light

we demonstrate a series of experiments on imaging through both stationary aberrating media and moving aberrating media by computational ghost imaging （CGI）. An incoherent LED light source is used instead of the common pseudothermal light source （laser light passing through a rotating ground glass）. A digital micromirror device is used as a simple spatial light modulator to perform CGI. Moreover. a digital filtering method is introduced to improve imaging quality through moving aberrating media. This imaging modality may have potential applications in medicine and astronomy.     

Diffraction-induced edge contrast enhancement for terahertz imaging

Contrast enhancement is particularly important for imaging of weakly absorbing materials. We demonstrate the inherent contrast-enhancement effect at the edges of a transparent object by using a conventional pulsed terahertz imaging setup without additional modification of the system design. We provide both experimental and theoretical evidence suggesting that this effect is a consequence of the frequency-dependent energy loss of the terahertz radiation induced by edge diffraction. The influence of the phase step of the broadband terahertz pulses on the edge contrast is discussed.     

Single-shot and lensless complex-amplitude imaging with incoherent light based on machine learning

We present a single-shot incoherent light imaging method for simultaneously observing both amplitude and phase without any imaging optics, based on machine learning. In the proposed method, an object with a complex-amplitude field is illuminated with incoherent light and is captured by an image sensor with or without a coded aperture. The complex-amplitude field of the object is reconstructed from a single captured image using a state-of-the-art deep convolutional neural network, which is trained with a large number of input and output pairs. In experimental demonstrations, the proposed method was verified with a handwritten character database, and the effect of a coded aperture printed on an overhead projector film in the reconstruction was examined. Our method has advantages over conventional wavefront sensing techniques using incoherent light, namely simplification of the optical hardware and improved measurement speed. This study shows the importance and practical impact of machine learning techniques in various fields of optical sensing.     

Selective microvascular muscle perfusion imaging in the shoulder with intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM)

The evaluation of local muscle recruitment during a specific movement can be done indirectly by measuring changes in local blood flow. Intravoxel incoherent motion perfusion imaging exploits some properties of the magnetic resonance to measure locally microvascular perfusion, and seems ideally suited for this task. We studied the selectivity of the increase in intravoxel incoherent motion blood flow related parameter fD* in the muscles of 24 shoulders after two physical exam maneuvers, Jobe and Lift-off test (test order reversed in half of the volunteers) each held 2 min against resistance. After a lift-off, IVIM blood flow-related fD* was increased in the subscapularis (in 10⁻³ mm² s⁻¹, 3.24 ± 0.86 vs. rest 1.37 ± 0.58, p < 0.001) and the posterior bundle of deltoid (2.62 ± 1.34 vs. rest 0.77 ± 0.32, p < 0.001). Those increases were selective when compared with other rotator cuff muscles and deltoid bundles respectively. After a Jobe test, increase in fD* was scattered within the rotator cuff muscles, but was selective for the lateral deltoid compared to the other deltoid bundles (anterior, p < 0.001; posterior, p < 0.05). Those results were similar when the testing order was reversed. In conclusion, this study demonstrated a selective increase in local microvascular perfusion after specific muscle testing of the shoulder muscles with IVIM. This technique has the potential to non-invasively characterize perfusion-related musculoskeletal physiological as well as pathological processes.     

Quantum imaging with incoherent photons

We propose a technique to obtain subwavelength resolution in quantum imaging with potentially 100% contrast using incoherent light. Our method requires neither path-entangled number states nor multiphoton absorption. The scheme makes use of N photons spontaneously emitted by N atoms and registered by N detectors. It is shown that for coincident detection at particular detector positions a resolution of lambda/N can be achieved.     

Optical correlation with totally incoherent light

An optical correlator that can operate with totally incoherent light is presented. Such a correlator can be designed to compensate completely for the inherent chromatic aberrations by resorting to elements with specialized, possibly impractical, dispersion characteristics. Nevertheless, a practical configuration that exploits available achromatic lenses and Fresnel zone plates was designed, built, and tested experimentally. The results reveal that detectable correlation peaks can be obtained with totally incoherent white light. The designs, experimental procedures, and results are presented.     

Visibility enhancement in two-dimensional lensless ghost imaging with true thermal light

We report an experimental demonstration of two-dimensional(2D) lensless ghost imaging with true thermal light. An electrodeless discharge lamp with a higher light intensity than the hollow cathode lamp used before is employed as a light source. The main problem encountered by the 2D lensless ghost imaging with true thermal light is that its coherence time is much shorter than the resolution time of the detection system. To overcome this difficulty we derive a method based on the relationship between the true and measured values of the second-order optical intensity correlation, by which means the visibility of the ghost image can be dramatically enhanced. This method would also be suitable for ghost imaging with natural sunlight.     

X射线光场成像技术研究

X射线三维成像技术是目前国内外X射线成像研究领域的一个研究热点.但针对一些特殊成像目标,传统X射线计算层析(CT)成像模式易出现投影信息缺失等问题,影响CT重建的图像质量,使得CT成像的应用受到一定的限制.本文主要研究了基于光场成像理论的X射线三维立体成像技术.首先从同步辐射光源模型出发,对X射线光场成像进行建模;然后,基于光场成像数字重聚焦理论,对成像目标场在深度方向上进行切片重建.结果表明:该方法可以实现对成像目标任一视角下任一深度的内部切片重建,但是由于光学聚焦过程中的离焦现象,会引入较为严重的背景噪声.当对其原始数据进行滤波后,再进行X射线光场重聚焦,可以有效消除重建伪影,提高图像的重建质量.本研究既有算法理论意义,又可应用于工业、医疗等较复杂目标的快速检测,具有较大的应用价值.     

Subwavelength imaging enhancement through a three-dimensional plasmon superlens with rough surface

In this Letter we investigate the subwavelength imaging of a three-dimensional plasmon superlens based on the full vector wave simulations of optical wave propagation and transmission. The optical transfer functions are computed. Comparisons are made between the results of lenses with flat and periodic/random rough surfaces. We also study the problem of practical imaging system geometry using laser as an illumination source. Results show that the lens with periodic or random roughness can reduce the field interference effects, and provide improved focus on the transmission field and the Poynting flux. We illustrate that the subwavelength roughness in a plasmon lens can enhance the image resolution over a flat lens for both matched and unmatched permittivity conditions. The enhancement of resolution occurs because the introduced subwavelength roughness can amplify the evanescent wave components and suppress the surface plasmon resonance peaks.     

Phase filters for correlators with incoherent light

Optimized phase filters can be designed and incorporated into hybrid electronic-optic correlators that exploit incoherent light. These filters lead to high optical efficiency and little, if any, loss of information that normally result from discarding amplitude data. The optimization procedure was experimentally tested by recording optimized filters in photo resist and incorporating them into the correlator. The optimization algorithm, the filter recording procedures, and the experiment correlation results demonstrating the efficacy of our design are presented. These results are superior when compared to those of correlators using holographic filters.     

饱和对数非线性介质中非相干孤子碰撞对相干性的改善

基于相干密度理论，数值地研究了饱和对数非线性支持的部分非相干亮孤子对的相互作用.研究表明，两个非相干亮孤子碰撞不仅能增大碰撞区的光强，还可以大大改善部分非相干光束的相干性.同时还研究了非相干性对孤子碰撞的影响，非相干性不仅抑制了孤子间的相干作用如吸引、排斥和能量交换，同时还由于非相干叠加作用而引入了弱的相互吸引. 关键词： 非相干性 饱和对数非线性 空间光孤子     

量子态的非相干光时域测量

提出了利用非相干光实现对量子态的时域高分辨率测量的新方法.以测量Autler-Townes效应为例,通过对信号解析表达式的详细讨论,阐述了利用这种方法测量量子态的物理过程,揭示出被测量的演化规律及测量过程对量子态的影响.研究结果表明利用这种方法既可以有效地、高分辨地测量很小的量子态能级间距和很大的原子能级间距,同时又可以测量相干量子态的横向弛豫速率.通过对时域和频域测量方法的比较表明利用非相干光对量子态的时域测量可以全面揭示量子态演化信息. 关键词： 非相干光 量子态测量 Autler-Townes 效应     

Spontaneous pattern formation with incoherent white light

We present the first experimental observation of modulation instability and spontaneous pattern formation with incoherent white light emitted from an incandescent light bulb. We show experimentally that modulation instability of white light propagating in a noninstantaneous self-focusing medium is a collective effect, where the entire temporal spectrum of the light beam becomes unstable at the same threshold value and collectively forms a pattern with a single periodicity. We experimentally demonstrate that the temporal spectrum of the evolving perturbation self-adjusts to match the collective pattern formation phenomenon.     

Generation of three-dimensional versatile vortex linear light bullets(Invited Paper)

We generate and measure the versatile vortex linear light bullet,which combines a high-order Bessel beam and an Airy pulse.This three-dimensional optical wave packet propagates without distortion in any medium,while carrying an orbital angular momentum.Its non-varying feature in linear propagation is verified by a threedimensional measurement.Such a novel versatile linear light bullet can be useful in various applications such as micromachining.     

Optical security and encryption with totally incoherent light

We present a method for securing and encrypting information optically by use of totally incoherent illumination. Encryption is performed with a multichannel optical processor working under natural (both temporal and spatially incoherent) light. In this way, the information that is to be secured can be codified by use of color signals and self-luminous displays. The encryption key is a phase-only mask, providing high security from counterfeiting. Output encrypted information is recorded as an intensity image that can be easily stored and transmitted optically or electrically. Decryption or authentication can also be performed optically or digitally. Experimental results are presented.     

Bacteriorhodopsin modules for data processing with incoherent light

Incoherent optical processing with films made from the biological photochrome bacteriorhodopsin (BR) is accomplished by use of the photoinducible anisotropy of polymeric BR films. BR has two spectrally well separated states, B and M, both of which show a high degree of optical anisotropy. Whereas with green and blue light the BR molecule can be switched between the two states, the accompanying changes in the refractive index may be nondestructively read out by wavelengths in the red, e.g., at 676nm. As the sensitivity of CCD arrays is quite high for such wavelengths, even low-power light sources are sufficient for detection. We describe a BR-based XOR computing module for incoherent optical data processing.     

Modulation instability with incoherent white light in self-defocusing photorefractive crystal

We report on the first experimental observation of modulation instability and spontaneous pattern formation with incoherent white light emitted from an incandescent lamp in self-defocusing photorefractive LiNbO₃:Fe crystal. Experimental results show that the modulation instability of white light in self-defocusing medium is related to the input intensity, illumination time and the direction of the crystalline c-axis with respect to that of the lamp filament. At the illumination time t = 0 and the steady-state of MI, we give the spatial distribution of the optical Fourier power spectrum experimentally and the corresponding Fourier transformation of the output intensity numerically, and observe the emergence of the high frequency component along the c-axis.