One-dimensional iterative algorithm for three-dimensional point-spread function engineering

We present a new method with which to binarize pupil filters designed to control the three-dimensional irradiance distribution in the focal volume of an optical system. The method is based on a one-dimensional iterative algorithm, which results in efficient use of computation time and in simple, easy to fabricate binary filters. An acceptable degree of resemblance between the point-spread function of the annular binary filter and that of its gray-tone counterpart is obtained.     

Optimized pupil-plane filters for confocal microscope point-spread function engineering

We present a new method of superresolving pupil-plane filter design in confocal microscopy in which we specify the properties of the desired point-spread function and use an optimization procedure to determine a suitable pupil-plane filter. A new, flexible method of filter implementation using reconfigurable binary optical elements is described, and experimental results are presented.     

Time-independent point-spread function for NMR microscopy.

The resolution of NMR microscopy is analyzed in terms of the point-spread function, PSF(r), and the equivalent k space modulation transfer function, MTF(k). The analysis is developed for NMR spin warp and projection reconstruction imaging experiments; however, the framework provided is quite general. Incoherent spin motion is analyzed to predict what limits, if any, on spatial resolution are imposed by diffusion. Previous estimates of diffusion limits at 1-5 microns were developed for specific imaging techniques, typically using a mean displacement argument. Although qualitatively correct, the quantitative predictions represent practical rather than fundamental limits. It is shown that diffusion-dependent "blurring" can be made arbitrarily small and that the practical limits are less stringent than previously thought. A major point illustrated by the PSF-MTF formulation is that the irreversible loss of coherence by randomly diffusing spins occurs faster than the physical displacement, thereby reducing their effect considerably on the frequency or phase of the net detected signal. The irreversible loss of signal due to diffusive motion will contribute to and possibly dominate the signal-to-noise limit of resolution. The resolution as measured by the width of the PSF and MTF for diffusion is shown to be independent of the signal acquisition time, and their functional forms allow selection of microscopic imaging parameters. An example of a three-dimensional spin-warp image of a green algae cell is shown with resolution of approximately 16 microns x 13 microns x 10 microns.     

Attosecond two-photon interferometry for doubly excited states of helium

We show that the correlation dynamics in coherently excited doubly excited resonances of helium can be followed in real time by two-photon interferometry. This approach promises to map the evolution of the two-electron wave packet onto experimentally easily accessible noncoincident single-electron spectra. We analyze the interferometric signal in terms of a semianalytical model which is validated by a numerical solution of the time-dependent two-electron Schr?dinger equation in its full dimensionality.     

多色双光子激发荧光显微技术实验研究

双光子激发荧光(two-photon excited fluorescence, TPEF)显微是一种非线性光学显微技术, 具有高的时间分辨率和空间分辨率、高的信噪比和固有的三维层析分辨能力等优点. 传统的TPEF显微一般采用波长可调谐的超短脉冲激光器作为光源. 在实际应用中, 利用TPEF显微技术研究含有多种荧光团或未知成分的待测样品, 往往需要多次改变激发光的波长以获得对各种荧光团的最佳激发. 为了同时获取不同荧光团的荧光信号, 利用超连续谱激光光源实现了多色TPEF显微成像, 实验中无需调节波长, 能够同时获得具有两种不同发射波长的荧光标记的铃兰根茎切片样品的TPEF图像. 实验结果表明, 与传统的TPEF显微相比, 该方法能够同时获取含有多种荧光团的待测样品的高对比度TPEF图像, 具有系统结构简单、操作简便、信息量大等优点, 在生物医学和材料科学等领域具有广阔的应用前景.     

Crossed-coil detection of two-photon excited nuclear quadrupole resonance

Applying a recently developed theoretical framework for determining two-photon excitation Hamiltonians using average Hamiltonian theory, we calculate the excitation produced by half-resonant irradiation of the pure quadrupole resonance of a spin-3/2 system. This formalism provides expressions for the single-quantum and double-quantum mutation frequencies as well as the Bloch-Siegert shift. The dependence of the excitation strength on RF field orientation and the appearance of the free-induction signal along an axis perpendicular to the excitation field provide an unmistakable signature of two-photon excitation. We demonstrate single- and double-quantum excitation in an axially symmetric system using 35Cl in a single crystal of potassium chlorate (omega(Q) = 28 MHz) with crossed-coil detection. A rotation plot verifies the orientation dependence of the two-photon excitation, and double-quantum coherences are observed directly with the application of a static external magnetic field.     

Fano-type interference in the point-spread function of nanohole arrays

Measurement of the point-spread function of metal nanohole arrays by using microscopic imaging reveals two contributions. The first of these is due to propagating resonant surface plasmons and the second to nonresonant transmission through the holes. We observe a Fano-type interference between these contributions.     

双光子聚合多次快速扫描机制与小线宽研究

采用自由基浓度起伏理论并考虑光镊集聚效应,理论研究了飞秒激光双光子聚合多次快速扫描的线宽问题。根据双光子光聚合过程中自由基浓度随时间变化的关系,考虑光镊力及自由扩散效应对自由基分布的影响,得到了多次快速扫描加工线宽的表达式。研究了多次扫描过程中产生自由基浓度随扫描次数的变化、双光子聚合加工不同扫描次数下加工线宽随激光功率的变化、多次扫描过程中间隔时间对于加工线宽的影响。多次扫描的线宽表达式可以直接回归至单次扫描的一般公式,且理论结果与文献中实验加工线宽相吻合,两者误差在2%。控制扫描间隔时间,减少自由基的向外扩散运动以及被树脂材料内大分子猝灭,使得活性自由基的分布更为集中,可以获得更小的加工线宽。研究结果为飞秒激光双光子更小线宽加工的研究提供了新的思路,为飞秒激光多次快速扫描加工提供了理论依据。     

Quasi-phase-matching engineering for spatial control of entangled two-photon states

We show that transverse engineering of quasi-phase-matched geometries can be used to tailor the spatial mode function that describes the quantum state of photon pairs generated in spontaneous parametric down-conversion. We study several geometries and reveal how properly engineered gratings affect, in particular, the spatial correlations embedded in two-photon entangled states.     

基于双光子激发荧光的单分子探测技术研究

介绍采用双光子激发荧光方法进行单分子探测的原理和自行研制的实验装置,激发光聚焦和荧光收集采用共焦方式。选择香豆素C445水溶液作为研究对象,从样品流速、浓度、激光功率、信噪比和检测限等方面探讨了双光子激发荧光的特性。该谱仪目前己达到探测灵敏区内C445的平均分子数为1.5个的检测限     

Investigation of transient two-photon excited fluorescence in biological tissue

The fluorescence power from biological tissue excited by a femtosecond laser pulse compared with excitation power does not appear to obey a simple quadratic relationship given by the steady non-linear theory.A more reliable analysis is developed based on transient two-photon absorption because the response time of two-photon absorption is longer than the width of a femtosecond pulse.Good agreement is obtained between the theoretical analysis and the experimental results of fluorescence power versus excitation power.This letter offers potential value to non-linear optics in biological tissues.     

Sensitivity to point-spread function parameters in medical ultrasound image deconvolution

Clinical ultrasound images are often perceived as difficult to interpret due to image blurring and speckle inherent in the ultrasound imaging. But the image quality can be improved by deconvolution using an estimate of the point-spread function. However, it is difficult to obtain a sufficiently accurate estimate of the point-spread function in vivo because of the unknown properties of the soft tissue in clinical applications. Local variations in the speed of sound and attenuation change the pulse and beam shape. These in turn affect the point-spread function. The purpose and novelty of this paper is therefore to explore the sensitivity of a state-of-the-art deconvolution algorithm to uncertainty in the point-spread function. The point-spread function in our restoration algorithm is made shift invariant in the lateral dimension but shift dependent in the axial direction, and is modelled to match a 128-element 1D linear array often found in clinical use. We present simulated and in vitro sensitivity analyses of two-dimensional deconvolution while varying six parameters on which the point-spread function depends. Uncertainty in the ultrasound machine is analysed by varying the axial depths of lateral and elevational foci alongside height and width of transducer elements. Sensitivity to tissue influence is investigated by varying the speed of sound and frequency-dependent attenuation of the electro-mechanical impulse response. The results are analysed both quantitatively and in terms of the perceived image quality. First, the assessment of deconvolution using the logarithmic image amplitude is found to be a better indicator of the perceived improvement in the restoration. Secondly, the two most critical parameters for two-dimensional deconvolution are discovered to be the lateral focus and the speed of sound, because the success of deconvolution is perceived primarily in terms of deblurring. We also observed similar patterns for the simulation and in vitro experiment. Finally, we show that it is possible to restore in vivo ultrasound images using an assumed point-spread function and hence conclude that an exact point-spread function is not necessary for enhancing ultrasound image quality by deconvolution.     

Large-format fabrication by two-photon polymerization in SU-8

Microporous structures are central to many fields of science and engineering, but many of these systems are complex with little or no symmetry and are difficult to fabricate. We applied two-photon polymerization (2PP) and femtosecond laser direct-writing techniques to fabricate broad-area large-format 3D microporous structures (450 μm × 450 μm × 40 μm) in the epoxy-based photoresist SU-8. The appropriate exposure was determined by controlling average pulse energies and stage speeds to generate the exposure curves. Mechanical distortion exhibited in suspended walls fabricated by 2PP laser writing was studied by controlling wall lengths and widths. A simple thermal-expansion model is presented to explain the distortion caused by axial loadings of the walls.     

Polarization-induced control of two-photon excited fluorescence in a chiral polybinaphthyl

The fluorescence behavior of a chiral polybinaphthyl excited with 100 fs 800 nm laser pulses was investigated in tetrahydrofuran solution. The peak fluorescence intensity versus the input irradiance was measured to meet a square dependence, giving evidence for two-photon excited fluorescence (TPF). The variations of the TPF intensity were found to be strongly modulated by the different polarized incident lights and tightly depend on the linearly polarized component of the incident light. Furthermore, combining with the characteristics of chiral molecules, the two-photon polarization ratio was studied to reveal the symmetry of the involved excited states.     

双光子开关的自相关函数

本文推导出半导体双光子光电导开关的自相关函数,给出对照比与激光强度的关系.实验测出GaAs在1.06 μm Nd:YAG激光超窄脉冲作用下的双光子自相关函数.     

Femtosecond laser-induced two-photon polymerization of inorganic-organic hybrid materials for applications in photonics

Investigations of two-photon polymerization of inorganic-organic hybrid materials initiated by femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser pulses are performed. First applications of this technique for the fabrication of three-dimensional microstructures and photonic crystals in inorganic-organic hybrid polymers with a structure size down to 200 nm and a periodicity of 450 nm are discussed.     

Determining the complex point-spread function of a scanning differential heterodyne microscope

For a scanning differential heterodyne microscope, the two-dimensional point spread function and the pupil function are determined from experimental measurements of the intensity distribution of a probing beam. The phase components of these functions were restored from the measured distributions using the Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm. Based on the two-dimensional pupil function, the three-dimensional point-spread function is determined in the scalar approximation using the Debye integral. The aberration function of the microscope is analyzed from the viewpoint of the composition of aberrations and method of their balancing. The focusing adjustment criterion of the microscope for an object under study by the phase response from the test structure is considered.     

Apodization to produce a monotonically-decreasing,radially symmetrical,point-spread function

A class of apodized pupil functions is derived which have the property of producing a point-spread function which decreases monotonically with increasing radius. This in turn produces coherent line and edge images which are free of the usual subsidiary diffraction maxima and minima. An example of one of these functions is given, together with the point, coherent line and coherent edge images produced.     

Fabrication of three-focal diffractive lenses by two-photon polymerization technique

Fabrication of submicron-height relief of three-focal diffractive lenses using two-photon polymerization is studied. Optical properties of the designed lenses are investigated theoretically and experimentally. The proposed design of the combined diffractive?Crefractive lenses is promising for the realization of three-focal optical ophthalmological implants with predetermined light intensity distribution between the foci. The realized three-focal optical element has a diameter size of 2.7?mm with the focal distances in the range of 27?C34?mm.