Performance of an optical stand-off control system for laser materials processing

This paper presents an experimental investigation into a high-bandwidth optical range sensor for laser materials processing stand-off control. Radiation from a low-power laser beam is focused onto a workpiece surface and light reflected from the surface is collected through a main lens and directed into an imaging lens which focuses the signal to two positions after being split by a beam splitter. The irradiances of the two beams are detected by photodiodes placed behind pinhole apertures positioned fore and aft of the two focal positions. A differential amplifier is used to generate an output signal that determines the magnitude and direction of any workpiece displacement. The system facilitates a measuring range of ±6 mm. A set of of experiments are performed and results are analysed for different setup configurations. The approximate range of instrument linearity is ±1 mm for the 75-mm focal length main less and ±2 mm for the 120-mm lens; in this linear range the optimal accuracy resolution is 1 μm. The system's effectiveness is controlling the stand-off distance of a laser cutting machine, and hence cut quality, is assessed.     

Microlenses focal length measurement using Z-scan and parallel moiré deflectometry

In this paper, a simple and accurate method based on Z-scan and parallel moiré deflectometry for measuring the focal length of microlenses is reported. A laser beam is focused by one lens and is re-collimated by another lens, and then strikes a parallel moiré deflectometer. In the presence of a microlens near the focal point of the first lens, the radius of curvature of the beam is changed; the parallel moiré fringes are formed only due to the beam divergence or convergence. The focal length of the microlens is obtained from the moiré fringe period graph without the need to know the position of the principal planes. This method is simple, more reliable, and completely automated. The implementation of the method is straightforward. Since a focused laser beam and Z-scan in free space are used, it can be employed for determining small focal lengths of small size microlenses without serious limitation on their size.     

激光位移传感器的光学系统设计

针对目前国内自主研制的激光位移传感器精度低,测量范围小等问题,提出了一种采用光学设计软件预先仿真整个激光位移传感器光学系统的方法。在分析系统各部分的光学特性的基础上,结合具体要求设计了一个激光位移传感器的光学系统,其工作范围为（50±10）mm。采用系统分割的方法,将整个光学系统分为两部分进行设计,第一部分是激光束的整形透镜,要求在有效的工作范围内得到小而均匀的出射光斑,设计结果表明,在测量范围内,光斑大小能够控制在10-1mm量级;另一部分是被测面散射光接收的成像物镜,该系统的特点是物面和像面相对于光轴都有一定的角度,实验结果表明其成像满足Scbeimpflug条件。     

基于Pancharatnam-Berry相位和动力学相位调控纵向光子自旋霍尔效应

提出了一种基于Pancharatnam-Berry相位和动力学相位操控纵向光子自旋霍尔效应的方法.理论分析表明:当光场通过一个由Pancharatnam-Berry相位透镜和动力学相位透镜构成的透镜组时,透镜组会存在两个自旋相关的焦点.首先,当左旋和右旋圆偏振光通过微结构相位延迟为π的Pancharatnam-Berry相位透镜时,由于Pancharatnam-Berry相位的自旋相关性,两个圆偏振分量会获得符号相反的Pancharatnam-Berry相位而导致其中一个被聚焦而另一个发散.然后,在Pancharatnam-Berry相位透镜后再插入普通透镜引入动力学相位调制,由于动力学相位是自旋无关,使得这一透镜组,可以在合适的条件下使不同自旋态的光子分别聚焦于纵向上不同焦点处.纵向自旋分裂由两透镜焦距及间距共同决定,因此可以通过改变两个透镜的焦距及其间距获得任意的纵向自旋分裂值.最后,搭建了一套实验装置,所得实验结果与理论结果一致.     

基于衍射微透镜的光学加速度传感器设计

提出了一种基于菲涅耳衍射微透镜的新型光学加速度传感器,它能够解决导航系统中惯性传感器普遍存在的抗电磁干扰和电磁冲击能力差等缺陷。其传感原理是把一个反光膜平行地置于衍射微透镜的后方,加速度的变化会改变反光膜的位置,根据微透镜前方会聚点处光强的变化,感知加速度的大小。介绍了传感器及其动力学系统的工作原理,并对衍射微透镜和动力学系统的微弹性机械结构进行了设计和加工,最后对传感器的性能和误差进行了分析。原理验证性实验的结果表明这种新型光学加速度传感器的原理正确,并且结构简单,灵敏度高。     

Laser surface patterning using a Michelson interferometer and femtosecond laser radiation

We report on a simple method to obtain surface gratings using a Michelson interferometer and femtosecond laser radiation. In the optical setup used, two parallel laser beams are generated using a beam splitter and then focused using the same focusing lens. An interference pattern is created in the focal plane of the focusing lens, which can be used to pattern the surface of materials. The main advantage of this method is that the optical paths difference of the interfering beams is independent of the distance between the beams. As a result, the fringes period can be varied without a need for major realignment of the optical system and the time coincidence between the interfering beams can be easily monitored. The potential of the method was demonstrated by patterning surface gratings with different periods on titanium surfaces in air.     

Focal length measurement of a varifocal liquid lens with capacitance detection

This paper reports on a detailed deformation model of varifocal liquid lenses fabricated by Parylene-on-liquid-deposition (POLD), which can be applied to measure and adjust the focal length of such lenses without using extra sensors or sensing mechanisms. The lens was fabricated by encapsulating a liquid between a transparent electrode and a polymer film that was covered with a metal electrode. When voltage is applied to the two electrodes, the lens deforms due to the electrostatic force, and its focal length and the capacitance between the two electrodes change simultaneously. This characteristic enables the focal length of the lens to be adjusted and detected by measuring the capacitance change. The focal length of the fabricated varifocal liquid lens changed from 153.6 to 82.6 mm by applying 150-V. The focal length change of the liquid lens was calculated from the change in its capacitance. Finally, to confirm the efficiency of this varifocal liquid lens, we fabricated a confocal distance sensor using the lens for laser scanning and demonstrated that this system can be used to measure distances of 94–140 mm with an average error of 0.83 mm and a standard deviation of 0.77 mm.     

基于自聚焦透镜的光纤数字全息系统实验研究

在光纤数字全息光路中引入自聚焦透镜，利用其特有的成像特性，作为物光波的中继传输器件，构成一套紧凑型光纤数字无透镜傅里叶变换全息记录系统，以实现对微小物体的全息记录与数值再现.研究结果表明，结合自聚焦透镜和光纤数字全息术的特点，不仅可使光学测试系统紧〖CM(42〗〖JP2〗凑、微型化，而且还可以对一些特殊环境、光线难以直接到达的隐藏区域或封闭系统内部进行测量.     

一种新颖的全光型表面原子(分子)漏斗

提出了一种产生全光型表面原子(分子)漏斗的新方案.采用红失谐高斯激光束照明由柱面透镜组成的光学系统，可在透镜焦平面附近产生横向漏斗形光强分布，以构成一表面光波导型原子漏斗.计算了漏斗的光强分布及其光学偶极势与偶极力分布.研究结果表明：该原子漏斗可用于冷原子(分子)的表面光波导、分束器和干涉仪以及微阱囚禁的有效装载，因而在集成原子光学及其原子芯片的研究中有着重要的应用. 关键词： 原子漏斗 分子漏斗 光学偶极势 原子芯片     

利用Kagome光纤实现多芯光子晶体光纤的输出合束

多芯光纤的输出光束只能在远场和焦点附近实现良好的同相位超模合束,这种超模传输特性大大影响了多芯光纤的应用范围.一种新型中空Kagome光纤为解决这一难题提供了可行的方案,利用中空Kagome光纤可以实现七芯光纤输出模式的整形合束.本文利用中心波长800 nm的钛宝石飞秒激光作为激光源,耦合入七芯非线性光子晶体光纤,得到700 nm至1050 nm的展宽光谱,并实现同相位超模输出.随后,将非线性展宽之后的宽谱七芯光束耦合至Kagome光子晶体光纤中,从Kagome光纤输出光斑呈高斯分布的模式传输,不再演变回七芯模式,耦合效率71%.实验还进一步验证此方法适用于不同结构的多芯光纤,为多芯光纤在高功率激光等领域的应用提供了参考.     

Spherical reflectors as laser-beam expanders

Lasers emit a narrow beam of light which, for many applications, is often required to be expanded and then collimated. A common type of device used for this purpose is a lens telescope in which a pin-hole is placed at the common focal point of the two lenses. In dye laser cavities, dispersion through a number of prisms gives an expanded beam. The divergence of a laser beam can also be achieved by a convex reflecting surface like a polished steel ball. Here the capability of a small steel ball as an inexpensive, simple and convenient laser-beam expander has been investigated experimentally. It has been shown, with the help of shearing interferograms and Ronchigrams, that the aberrations introduced from on-axis as well as off-axis illumination of the ball are less than 1/4 of a fringe.     

Surface profile measurement using laser-scanning angle deviation microscopy

Laser-scanning angular deviation microscopy based on the small angle measurement using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) phase detection technique is proposed. The phase shift coming from a SPR sensor is measured by a common-path heterodyne interferometry. This phase deviation is proportional to the beam converging or diverging angle, due to the specimen departing from the focal plane of objective lens. Using the phase deviations, one can calculate the surface profile by use of numerical method. The specimen could be scanned in real-time and the axial-resolution could be better than 1 nm. PACS 07.79-v; 68.37.-d; 73.20.Mf; 42.30.Wb; 42.62.Eh     

基于共焦原理的反射式自聚焦光纤传感技术研究

基于共焦显微成象原理,提出了一种由自聚焦透镜和X型光纤组成的高精度反射式自聚焦光纤传感器.该传感器具有绝对位置跟踪的特殊能力,并有体积小、抗干扰性强、轴向分辨率高等特点.由实验分析得,其轴向分辨率可达30nm.可用于表面微观形貌、外形尺寸、曲面轮廓等测量领域.     

Isotropic diffraction-limited focusing using a single objective lens

Focusing a light beam through a lens produces an anisotropic spot elongated along the optical axis, because the light comes from only one side of the focal point. Using the time-reversal concept, we show that isotropic focusing can be realized by placing a mirror after the focal point and shaping the incident beam. This idea is applied to confocal microscopy and brings about a dramatic improvement of the axial resolution.     

Focus shaping of tightly focused TEM11 mode cylindrically polarized Laguerre Gaussian beam by diffractive optical element

We study the focus shaping of tightly focused TEM₁₁ mode cylindrically polarized Laguerre Gaussian beam with high numerical aperture lens axicon system is investigated theoretically by vector diffraction theory. The intensity pattern at the focus can be tailored by appropriately adjusting the rotation angle. We show that the high NA lens axicon system can generates a sub wavelength focal spot, focal hole, focal splitting and flat-topped focal shapes with extended depth of focus.     

ICF系统全光路像差测量与校正方法

 介绍一种新的像差探测方法,该方法能够探测整个惯性约束聚变（ICF）光学系统的像差。驱动变形镜调制各种不同的像差加入ICF光学系统,从而导致远场的焦斑变化,此时将CCD放置到远场探测焦斑强度,同时采用哈特曼-夏克波前传感器在近场探测系统像差变化量。根据不同的系统像差变化量以及与其对应的远场强度,利用改进的相位反演算法可以计算出整个光学系统的像差。数值模拟表明,该方法可以测量并校正整个ICF系统的光学像差。     

Fresnel diffraction model for the point spread of a laser light profile microscope (LPM)

Light profile microscopy is a new method of thin film imaging in which a microscope forms an image of a laser beam intersecting a thin layer along its depth axis. Emission (luminescence or scatter) from the beam volume is transmitted through a cross sectional view surface and used by a microscope to form an image of the beam propagating through the sample. Fresnel diffraction theory is used in this work to derive a point spread model for a microscope operating in this configuration, assuming that the emission from the source beam is completely incoherent. This theory illustrates the dependence of the image resolution on the laser beam radius, which determines the effective thickness of the system object seen by the microscope. The effect of relative displacement of the source beam center from the object plane of the microscope is evaluated. The present theory shows that radial resolution may be evaluated by means of an object focus envelope and a focal energy distribution computed for the objective lens. PACS 42.25Fx; 07.60Pb     

Critical parameters influencing the material distribution produced by pulsed laser deposition

The parameters that control the thickness distribution of thin films produced by pulsed laser deposition are investigated. It is found that highly asymmetric material distribution profiles can be obtained in vacuum when high energy densities are used and the target surface is positioned at the lens focus. The asymmetries are due to asymmetries in the spatial distribution of the beam. Under Ar gas pressure, the profile becomes symmetric and the distribution narrows as a consequence of collisions between the ejected species and the gas. In vacuum, decreasing the energy density, by decreasing the laser energy output or by moving the lens to defocus the beam, leads to symmetric distribution profiles. Nevertheless, in the first case a quite broad distribution and a low deposition rate are obtained, whereas in the second case the distribution is narrow and the deposition rate increases.     

采用曲率传感器测量热透镜焦距

 分析了用光栅型波前曲率传感器测量热透镜焦距的基本原理,针对高功率固体激光器的工作特点,结合实验现象推导了在热透镜效应较强时热透镜焦距变化的计算公式。对半导体二极管(LD)侧面泵浦的百W级Nd:YAG激光棒在泵浦电流为15~25 A时的热透镜焦距值进行了测量,讨论了可能存在的误差。实验现象和理论分析一致,测量的热透镜焦距值与理论值符合得较好。     

Focusing of flattened Gaussian beams by an annular lens

Focusing properties of flattened Gaussian beams (FGBs) passing through an annular lens is studied based on the Collins formula. It is found that the on-axis irradiance distributions of focused FGBs are unsymmetrical with respect to the geometrical focal plane even for large values of Fresnel number F_w associated with the beam, so that there exist focal shifts in general. Detailed numerical results show the dependence of focal shifts on the beam and system parameters. Focal shifts of FGBs by a lens without central obscuration and focal shifts of Gaussian beams by an annular lens can be treated as special cases of the obscure ratio =0 and beam order N=0, respectively. Furthermore, focal shifts of plane waves by an annular lens can also be treated as a special case of N=0 and F_w→∞.