First steps toward spatially resolved OSL dating with electron multiplying charge-coupled devices (EMCCDs): System design and image analysis

Spatially resolved OSL (SR-OSL) measurements are made with a scanning or imaging system that records luminescence emissions from known sources within a sample. This work is a first step toward the development of an SR-OSL methodology based on the imaging of ultraviolet OSL emissions with an EMCCD camera. We present UV OSL images of natural quartz extracts, OSL/TL/IR images of sandstone, image-based OSL measurements from aluminum oxide grains, and dose recovery experiments on aluminum oxide and Risø calibration quartz. Camera sensitivity and quantitative reproducibility indicate that EMCCD-based OSL dating is feasible. Further experimentation is necessary to adequately define the error sources and measurement limitations of EMCCDs in the OSL regime.     

Three-dimensional color photon counting microscopy using Bayesian estimation with adaptive priori information

In this Letter, we propose a novel three-dimensional(3D) color microscopy for microorganisms under photonstarved conditions using photon counting integral imaging and Bayesian estimation with adaptive priori information. In photon counting integral imaging, 3D images can be visualized using maximum likelihood estimation(MLE). However, since MLE does not consider a priori information of objects, the visual quality of 3D images may not be accurate. In addition, the only grayscale image can be reconstructed. Therefore, to enhance the visual quality of 3D images, we propose photon counting microscopy using maximum a posteriori with adaptive priori information. In addition, we consider a wavelength of each basic color channel to reconstruct 3D color images. To verify our proposed method, we carry out optical experiments.     

Discrimination of quantum states with linear optics and continuous photon counting

We investigate a systematic method of implementation of given measurements with linear optics and continuous measurement. We revisit the so-called Dolinar receiver, which is a quasi-physical model attaining the minimum error discrimination of binary coherent states, and show that it can be derived without heuristic assumptions. Our approach also can be applied to various kinds of measurements.     

Vernier型光子计数探测器阳极电容仿真与试验研究

根据Vernier型光子技术探测器的工作原理, 论述了电子云质心解码与阳极面板形成的微小极间电容和电路前端噪声有着密切的关系; 根据泊松方程, 建立了Vernier阳极的数学模型. 利用有限元软件ANSYS计算出同面多电极不规则图形的电容值与极间电容值, 解决了如何计算不规则形状电容值的问题; 利用皮秒激光器在镀有金膜的石英基底上刻蚀出与仿真参数一致的Vernier型阳极, 并测量其电容值. 将测量电容值与仿真值进行比较, 验证了建立模型的正确性, 优化了Vernier阳极的设计参数.     

Alternative procedure for LR 115 chemical etching and alpha tracks counting

An improved procedure for etching and analysis of alpha tracks induced in LR-115 detectors is proposed with the advantages of simplicity and its relatively low cost. A new type of detector holder was designed to etch and rinse efficiently up to 100 detectors. We develop a simple and reliable methodology with a semiautomatic track count using a Nikon digital camera coupled to a PC and employing software “SCION” freely available on the Internet. Track images are binarized prior the application of software “SCION” so that original track shapes are not distorted, space resolution is improved and track counting has low dependence on focus and illumination level. High discrimination for tracks is achieved when marks and rips perturb the detector surface. An image generator of nuclear tracks is included to study the effect of track overlapping effect on counting.     

Two photon absorption and coherent control with broadband down-converted light

We experimentally demonstrate two-photon absorption with broadband down-converted light (squeezed vacuum). Although incoherent and exhibiting the statistics of a thermal noise, broadband down-converted light can induce two-photon absorption with the same sharp temporal behavior as femtosecond pulses, while exhibiting the high spectral resolution of the narrow band pump laser. Using pulse-shaping methods, we coherently control two-photon absorption in rubidium, demonstrating spectral and temporal resolutions that are 3-5 orders of magnitude below the actual bandwidth and temporal duration of the light itself. Such properties can be exploited in various applications such as spread-spectrum optical communications, tomography, and nonlinear microscopy.     

Modeling the encoding structure and spatial resolution of photon counting imagers with Vernier anode readout

We present the spatial resolution estimation methods for a photon counting system with a Vernier anode.A limiting resolution model is provided according to discussions of surface encoding structure and quantized noise. The limiting resolution of a Vernier anode is revealed to be significantly higher than that of a microchannel plate. The relationship between the actual spatial resolution and equivalent noise charge of a detector is established by noise analysis and photon position reconstruction. The theoretical results are demonstrated to be in good agreement with the experimental results for a 1.2 mm pitch Vernier anode.     

An improved Schlieren method for the sensitive and spatially resolved measurement of the quality of optical crystals with small apertures

We present an improved Schlieren method to measure the optical quality of crystals, defined by it’s optical homogeneity and the surface roughness of it’s facets. The method is based on a combination of Schlieren, interferometric and tilting angle measurements. It is especially appropriate for the optical characterization of crystals with small clear apertures. The theory and an application of this improved technique on a BIBO crystal are given. Spatial resolution and sensitivity of the method are mainly defined by the Schlieren setup, which offers a spatial resolution as high as 27 μm and a minimum deflection angle as low as 2.3×10^-6. PACS 81.70.Fy; 78.20.Ci; 42.25.Hz     

Noise and nonlinear estimation with optimal schemes in DTI

In general, the estimation of the diffusion properties for diffusion tensor experiments (DTI) is accomplished via least squares estimation (LSE). The technique requires applying the logarithm to the measurements, which causes bad propagation of errors. Moreover, the way noise is injected to the equations invalidates the least squares estimate as the best linear unbiased estimate. Nonlinear estimation (NE), despite its longer computation time, does not possess any of these problems. However, all of the conditions and optimization methods developed in the past are based on the coefficient matrix obtained in a LSE setup. In this article, NE for DTI is analyzed to demonstrate that any result obtained relatively easily in a linear algebra setup about the coefficient matrix can be applied to the more complicated NE framework. The data, obtained using non-optimal and optimized diffusion gradient schemes, are processed with NE. In comparison with LSE, the results show significant improvements, especially for the optimization criterion. However, NE does not resolve the existing conflicts and ambiguities displayed with LSE methods.     

Analysis of a method for the generation of light with sub-poissonian photon statistics

A preliminary theoretical analysis is presented of a method which we have proposed for the generation of light with sub-poissonian photon statistics.     

Solutions for the propagation of light in nonlinear optical media with spatially inhomogeneous nonlinearities

In this paper, we present solutions for the nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation with spatially inhomogeneous nonlinearities describing propagation of light in nonlinear media, under two sets of transverse modulation forms of inhomogeneous nonlinearity. The bright soliton solution and Gaussian solution have been obtained for one set of inhomogeneous nonlinearity modulation. For the other, bright soliton solution, black soliton solution and the train solution have been presented. Stability of the solutions has been determined by exact soliton solutions under certain conditions.     

Algorithm for optimal filtering of random Markov signals with pulse-disturbance-amplitude estimation

Optimal filtering problem of random Markov signals with simultaneous estimation of pulse disturbance amplitudes is considered. Linear models of stochastic difference equations in discrete time are used to describe signals, observed processes, and pulse disturbances. Pulse disturbances occur at random times with random amplitudes. A real-time calculation procedure is obtained for the joint a posteriori probability density function of random signals and pulse disturbance amplitudes. A quasioptimal filtering algorithm is derived in the case of scalar signals and scalar observed processes by a partition method. Computer simulation results are presented.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 496–513, April, 1996.     

On the accuracy of the approximate formulae for the photon counting statistics of mixed coherent and chaotic radiation

We compare the photon counting statistics for mixed coherent and chaotic radiation calculated with the help of approximate formulae and exact recurrence formulae recently obtained. We investigate Lorentzian, Gaussian and rectangular spectrum of chaotic radiation and show that the accuracy of the approximate formulae, which are relatively simple, is better than 1% if the signal-to-noise ratio is greater than 4 for arbitrary values of the other parameters. If the signal-to-noise ratio is less than one the agreement of the approximate and exact values is only fair. The simple closed-form approximate formulae may be useful particularly for systems employing laser radiation.     

Improving filtering and prediction of spatially extended turbulent systems with model errors through stochastic parameter estimation

The filtering and predictive skill for turbulent signals is often limited by the lack of information about the true dynamics of the system and by our inability to resolve the assumed dynamics with sufficiently high resolution using the current computing power. The standard approach is to use a simple yet rich family of constant parameters to account for model errors through parameterization. This approach can have significant skill by fitting the parameters to some statistical feature of the true signal; however in the context of real-time prediction, such a strategy performs poorly when intermittent transitions to instability occur. Alternatively, we need a set of dynamic parameters. One strategy for estimating parameters on the fly is a stochastic parameter estimation through partial observations of the true signal. In this paper, we extend our newly developed stochastic parameter estimation strategy, the Stochastic Parameterization Extended Kalman Filter (SPEKF), to filtering sparsely observed spatially extended turbulent systems which exhibit abrupt stability transition from time to time despite a stable average behavior. For our primary numerical example, we consider a turbulent system of externally forced barotropic Rossby waves with instability introduced through intermittent negative damping. We find high filtering skill of SPEKF applied to this toy model even in the case of very sparse observations (with only 15 out of the 105 grid points observed) and with unspecified external forcing and damping. Additive and multiplicative bias corrections are used to learn the unknown features of the true dynamics from observations. We also present a comprehensive study of predictive skill in the one-mode context including the robustness toward variation of stochastic parameters, imperfect initial conditions and finite ensemble effect. Furthermore, the proposed stochastic parameter estimation scheme applied to the same spatially extended Rossby wave system demonstrates high predictive skill, comparable with the skill of the perfect model for a duration of many eddy turnover times especially in the unstable regime.     

Estimation of the background noise level with a horizontal array against spatially uncorrelated and structural interferences

A method of estimating the isotropic sea noise level with a horizontal array in the presence of uncorrelated interference and interference with a complex spatial structure is proposed and experimentally tested. The algorithm is based on the approximation of the Capon spatial spectrum of the received signal using a model Capon spectrum for the sum of isotropic noise and uncorrelated interference. A numerical simulation is carried out to study the dependence of the accuracy of the proposed method on the interference intensity, the distance from the array to the sources of structural interference, and the number of structural interference sources. It is shown that the use of the Capon spectrum provides a strong suppression of an intense structural interference source positioned near the array. The efficiency of the proposed method is confirmed experimentally.