Extrinsic fibre-optic sensors for remote measurement: Part two

The impact of incorporating fibre optic components into well established optical techniques such as laser Doppler velocimetry, non-contact vibration measurement, holography and light scattering, is discussed in the two sections of this paper. The possibilities range from simply including a fibre ‘optic link’ in a conventional system to facilitate measurements in difficult or remote areas, to the realization of entirely new optical configurations in which virtually all of the conventional optical components have been replaced by their fibre-optic equivalents. In part two laser velocimetry, vibration measurement, holography and scattering are discussed.     

The application of high speed photography and white light speckle to the study of dynamic fracture

A white light speckle technique is combined with high speed photography to study the dynamic fracture of a sample of PMMA. A series of single exposure speckle patterns are photographically recorded at the rate of 2 × 10⁵ frames s^-1 during fracture of the sample. The displacement field around the tip of the propagating crack may then be determined by superimposing pairs of individual frames to form a ‘double-exposure’ speckle pattern. It is shown that the method gives values for the stress intensity factor K which are consistent with those obtained from other techniques.     

Speckle velocimeter for a self-powered vehicle

Laboratory tests of a laser speckle velocimetry technique are reported. The use of integral statistics in the space-time plane is discussed. Preliminary experimental results are compared with data obtained by other speckle velocimeter methods.     

Non-contact blood flow determination using a laser speckle method

An electro-optical device is described which allows the non-contact determination of the skin blood flow and its temporal course. As the laser light penetrates the skin, it is not only scattered from the epidermis but also from the moving red blood cells in the capillaries. The scattered light is time dependent and can be described in terms of the dynamic laser speckle effect. Measurements at the skin demonstrate that there is a so-called ‘involuntary body movement’ which must be taken into account when the measurement of the blood flow is determined. Theoretical considerations show a way to reduce the influence of this movement. Some measurements demonstrate the response of the device to blood flow variations.     

Velocity sensitivity of laser-speckle velocimeters

The method of increasing sensitivity in laser speckle velocimetry is studied theoretically and experimentally. The sensitivity of the velocimeters is shown to have a fairly strong dependence on the optical configurations, such as the diameter of the incident laser beam-waist, or its position relative to the moving diffuse object to be measured. It is pointed out that the minimal sensitivity appears in the configuration where the converging incident light beam produces its beam waist at the position of a detecting pinhole. In some cases when using image speckles to obtain finite spatial resolution in the object plane, an optimum condition exists which gives the maximal sensitivity. The sensitivity of a laser speckle velocimeter using a spatial filter and two point cross-correlation technique is also discussed.     

光盘信息符散斑图的统计特性研究

提出了一种用激光散斑测量光盘信息符统计特性的方法.利用散斑统计理论中衍射散斑场的平均对比度与散射屏表面粗糙度近似成线性关系,把光盘等效为弱散射屏,对未刻录、刻录及存在缺陷的CD-R光盘不同区域形成的衍射散斑图进行了对比研究.实验结果表明,该方法具有可量化、全场测量的优点,能够表征光盘信息符的某些统计特性,这为测量光盘刻录质量提供了一种新的方法和途径.     

On the application of the optical method of caustics to the investigation of transient elastodynamic crack problems: Limitations of the classical interpretation

Several possible sources of inaccuracy that occur in the classical interpretation of caustics patterns generated during transient crack growth in elastic materials are examined using a ‘Bifocal Caustics’ set-up and a new full field optical technique called ‘Coherent Gradient Sensing’. During unsteady dynamic crack growth, strict K^d_I-dominance is generally absent, especially at times close to crack initiation and arrest, even in regions outside the crack-tip 3-D zone where plane stress conditions persist. In such cases a truly transient higher order expansion is found to be essential for correctly describing stress fields outside the 3-D zone.     

基于散斑干涉的光滑表面变形快速检测

针对目前光滑表面力学性能测试困难的情况,建立了一种改进的数字激光散斑干涉测量系统。首先通过新的散斑干涉光路设计实现散斑照射,同时采用空间载波傅里叶变换法,对光滑零件加载变形的动态散斑干涉图像进行处理,最后得到光滑表面的变形场分布情况。该方法不对被测表面进行任何处理,可实现光滑表面的高精度全场变形测量。实验结果表明:最大变形处为镜面板的中央,测得最大变形量分别为1.936、1.861和1.797μm,与中心变形预设值接近。该方法光路简单、测量方案切实可行,能够实现光滑表面变形的快速动态测量。     

Non-contact optical fibre phased array generation of ultrasound for non-destructive evaluation of materials and processes

The use of non-contact laser techniques for the generation of ultrasound has extended the limits of the application of traditional ultrasonic techniques. This paper focusses on the use of one such non-contact laser technique, known as ‘optical fibre array’, to generate shear and surface waves. The shear wave experimental directivity pattern results are presented and compared with the theoretical results of a single source and an array source. The experimental directivity results for the surface wave are also presented, and compared with the theoretical results. The data show that the array enhances signal generation in the forward direction for both shear and surface waves. The array gain is also discussed. The receiver for the directivity measurements was a contact piezoelectric transducer.     

Effect of wall scattering on SNR in off-axis differential-type laser Doppler velocimetry

Though various properties and applications of laser Doppler velocimetry have been extensively studied in the past decade, there is little discussion on the effect of light scattering from the surface of a cell on Doppler beat signals or on methods of reducing it. In this paper, the effect of light scattering from the surface of the cell is treated as a background noise and is studied theoretically and experimentally on the detecting process of Doppler beat signals in off-axis differential-type laser Doppler velocimetry. Laser Doppler velocimetry of an off-axis type is verified to be effective for measurement of the flow velocity in the vicinity of a scattering wall. The effect of the light scattered from the wall surface on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of Doppler beat signals is discussed in detail. The minimum distance, which is close to the wall and at which good Doppler beat signals can be obtained, is defined and determined quantitatively. This minimum distance is found to be strongly affected by the off-axis angle of the detecting optical system.     

Basic physical principles of defocused speckle photography: a tilt topology inspection technique

This paper describes the basic physical principles of defocused speckle photography, and how tilt (differential) topology variations on a scatter surface may be separated from linear displacements. Several rather special features about the scattering process have been revealed, such as the laser source distance from the scatter surface must be considered as well as the light incidence angle. Also, the surface must be treated as mirror facet discontinuities for linear displacements using ray and intensity analogies, and surface topology must be treated in terms of phase and pathlength changes, and a continuous smooth surface. The complementary relationship between focused speckle photography and defocused (topological) speckle photography is shown using specially developed separation techniques. This demanded a detailed look at the ‘speckle process’. The basic physical principles, together with an appropriate analysis technique for the developed speckle photographs, have enabled very small faults and indentations on engineering structures to be detected and measured.     

Optical focus control system for laser welding and direct casting

A non-intrusive optical sensor system has been developed for focus control of laser welding. This detects the light generated by the process through the laser delivery optics, and exploits the chromatic aberrations of these optics to detect any laser focal error at the workpiece. This system works for a wide range of materials and welding parameters, and example results are presented. The sensor has also been applied to laser ‘direct casting’, a process in which 3-D structures are built by flowing metal powder into a focused laser beam. In this case, melt pool temperature is also important, and so additional optics are incorporated into the sensor to provide a pyrometric temperature measurement which is used to control the laser power.     

Global noise characteristics of a laser Doppler vibrometer-II. Experiments using beam dynamics

The use of a laser Doppler vibrometer to obtain velocity information from vibrating structures has gained wide acceptance in recent years. Although use of such an instrument can yield a spatially dense matrix of velocity information, several users have noted ‘noise’ at certain points in the spatial field. The technique by which the SLDV system operates results in occasional velocity ‘drop-outs’ which are unidirectional, always estimating the velocity response closer to zero than reality. These ‘drop-out’ areas occur more predominately at points of maximum velocity response with small rotational components. Alternatively, points exhibiting minimum velocity response with large rotational components are less susceptible to the ‘noise’. In this paper, an experiment to visualize the speckle pattern motions received by the photo-detectors during these vibration conditions is presented. Theories regarding the source(s) of the ‘noise’ are developed.     

Velocity and density field measurements by digital speckle method

Velocity and density field measurements based on image processing of laser speckle or pseudo-speckle pattern have been developed. Laser speckle velocimetry (LSV) or white-light speckle velocimetry (WSV), which corresponds to a high-image-density PIV, gives a local velocity vector map or whole field velocity contour map of a two-dimensional flow field seeded densely with fine particles. This technique has an advantage in high-speed flow measurement without limit of frame rate except for directional ambiguity. New techniques of laser speckle photography and laser speckle interferometry by means of digital image processing have been developed recently for density field measurements. In laser speckle photography, a local density gradient vector map is reconstructed by cross-correlation evaluation between the reference and the object speckle patterns. In laser speckle interferometry, an equi-density contour map is reconstructed by image subtraction between the reference and the object interferometric speckle patterns.     

Application of DPIV to study both steady state and transient turbomachinery flows

Digital particle imaging velocimetry (DPIV) is a powerful measurement technique, which can be used as an alternative or complementary approach to laser doppler velocimetry (LDV) in a wide range of research applications. The instantaneous planar velocity measurements obtained with PIV make it an attractive technique for use in the study of the complex flow fields encountered in turbomachinery. The planar nature of the technique also significantly reduces the facility run time over point-based techniques. Techniques for optical access, light sheet delivery, CCD camera technology and particulate seeding are discussed. Results from the successful application of the PIV technique to both the blade passage region of a transonic axial compressor and the diffuser region of a high speed centrifugal compressor are presented. Both instantaneous and time-averaged flow fields were obtained. The averaged flow field measurements are used to estimate the flow turbulence intensity. The instantaneous velocity vector maps obtained during compressor surge provide previously unobtainable insight into the complex flow field characteristics occurring during short lived surge events. These flow field maps illustrate the true power of the DPIV technique.     

Multiple-scattering speckle in holographic optical coherence imaging

We investigate the effect of multiple scattering on the image quality of holographic optical coherence imaging, which is a full-field coherence-domain imaging form of optical coherence tomography. The speckle holograms from turbid media and from multicellular tumor spheroids are characterized by high-contrast speckle on a multiply-scattered background caused by channel cross-talk. We quantify the multiple-scattered light that is accepted by the holographic coherence gate, and identify a cross-over from single-scattered to multiple-scattered light beyond 15 to 20 optical thicknesses. Speckle reduction relies on vibrating diffusers and on fast adaptive holograms in photorefractive quantum well devices. The high anisotropy factor for tumor tissue reduces multiply-scattered light contributions for biomedical tumor imaging.     

Phase iteration and spacing iteration algorithms for speckle fringe pattern processing

Speckle fringe pattern is characterized by speckle noise because the speckle is the information carrier. Phase iteration and Spacing iteration are algorithms that are able to extract the information as well as suppress noise. Phase iteration is a loop of smoothing, phase calculation, and pattern reconstruction. Spacing Iteration is a repetition of correlation, phase calculation, and least-squares fit. The two algorithms are reviewed and compared in this paper. The modern computer provides the capability to explore all sorts of convergent methods by simply ‘do it again’. Phase iteration and Spacing iteration are two of the convergent methods in processing optical metrology fringe pattern.     

Measurement of apex angle of the prism using total internal reflection

Total internal reflection technique is examined critically for the measurement of apex angle of the prism. Recognition of the critical boundary completely specifies the apex angle ‘A’ of the prism by keeping constant the ratio of refractive index of sample fluid (n₁=1.4) to that of glass (n₂=1.7). Recording of observations in the laboratory is dependent upon whether the apex angle ‘A’ of prism is greater than or less than or equal to critical angle ‘r_c’. The minimum value of error function ‘χ’ in the proximity of Abbe angle explain the choice of Abbe type instruments and shown invariant by relating positive ‘₊’ and the negative angle of emergence ‘₋’. Using ray-tracing technique, an expression for the length of the critical boundary ‘l’ is derived and is shown as a measure of the apex angle ‘A’ of the prism.

The choice of the realistic grazing condition leads us to two turning points for which error function ‘χ’ is minimal and yields appropriate option of the measurement of apex angle ‘A’ of the prism. It is further shown that the small error ‘ζ’ crept in the apex angle ‘A’ of the prism can lead to a significant error in the design of Pulfrich type instruments.

Experimental measurements are in-line with the predictions made.     

光束会聚点位置的判断方法

本文给出快速判断光束会聚点位置的三种简便方法，即基于毛玻璃在光束会聚点附近的散班效应的散斑法和几何投影特性的阴影法，以及基于光栅在光束会聚点附近的衍射特性的光栅法。分析了各种方法的判断精度。结果表明，所给出的方法可方便地用于光路调整中光束，特别是激光束会聚点的准确判断     

On the control of complex dynamic systems

A method is described for the limited control of the dynamics of systems which generally have several dynamic attractors. associated either with maps or first order ordinary differential equations (ODE) in ⁿ. The control is based on the existence of ‘convergent’ regions, C_C(k = 1,2,…), in the phase space of such systems, where there is ‘local convergence’ of all nearby orbits. The character of the control involves the ‘entrainment’ and subsequent possible ‘migration’ of the experimental system from one attractor to another. Entrainment means that lim_{t > → ∞} |x(t) − g(t)| = 0, where is the system's controlled dynamics, and the goal-dynamics, g(t) ε G_k, has any topological form but is limited dynamically and to regions of phase space, G_k, contained in some C_k, G_k C_k. The control process is initiated only when the system enters a ‘basin of entrainment’, BE_k G_k, associated with the goal-region G_k. Aside from this ‘macroscopic’ initial-state information about the system, no further feedback of dynamic information concerning the response of the system is required. The experimental reliability of the control requires that the regions, BE_k, be convex regions in the phase space, which can apparently be assured if G_k C_k. Simple illustrations of these concepts are given, using a general linear and a piecewise-linear ODE in . In addition to these entrainment-goals, ‘migration-goal’ dynamics is introduced, which intersects two convergent regions G ∩ C_j ≠ , G ∩ C_j ≠ (i ≠ j), and permits transferring the dynamics of a system from one attractor to another, or from one convergent region to another. In the present study these concepts are illustrated with various one-dimensional maps involving one or more attractors and convergent regions. Several theorems concerning entrainment are derived for very general, continuous one-dimensional maps. Sufficient conditions are also established which ensure ‘near-entrainment’ for a system, when the dynamic model of the system is not exactly known. The applications of these concepts to higher dimensional maps and flows will be presented in subsequent studies.