Shape oscillations of a droplet in an Oldroyd-B fluid

We present a Navier-Stokes/Oldroyd-B immersed boundary algorithm that captures the interaction of a flexible structure with a viscoelastic fluid. In particular, we study the effects of bulk viscoelasticity on freely decaying shape oscillations of an Oldroyd-B fluid droplet suspended in an Oldroyd-B matrix. Our numerical data indicate that if the fluid viscosity is low, viscoelasticity plays a modulating role in the drop shape relaxation; specifically, it increases the oscillation frequency and decreases the decay rate when the fluid relaxation time is above a critical value. In the high viscosity limit, i.e., when a Newtonian droplet is expected to return to a spherical shape with an aperiodic decay, an increase in the relaxation time eventually results in the reappearance of the oscillations. Both these results are in line with the prediction of small deformation theory for viscoelastic droplet oscillations. The algorithm was also validated by direct comparison with linear asymptotics.     

Fast oscillations in an optical parametric oscillator

We report on the observation of fast oscillations at frequencies of a few MHz in a triply resonant optical parametric oscillator. These oscillations can appear alone, or superimposed on slow oscillations due to thermo-optical instabilities, and display a great variety of waveforms. The analysis of the regimes observed experimentally leads us to conjecture that the mechanism responsible for this instability is not the Hopf bifurcation of the single-mode mean-field model, but that it is based on the interaction of two signal fields oscillating in cavity modes with neighboring frequencies. This interpretation is supported by numerical simulations of the mean-field model with two coupled modes, which reproduce well the behaviors observed experimentally. We also find chaotic solutions of this model, which unveils another possible scenario leading to deterministic chaos in this system.     

Nanoscale resolution in the focal plane of an optical microscope

Utilizing single fluorescent molecules as probes, we prove the ability of a far-field microscope to attain spatial resolution down to 16 nm in the focal plane, corresponding to about 1/50 of the employed wavelength. The optical bandwidth expansion by nearly an order of magnitude is realized by a saturated depletion through stimulated emission of the molecular fluorescent state. We demonstrate that en route to the molecular scale, the resolving power increases with the square root of the saturation level, which constitutes a new law regarding the resolution of an emerging class of far-field light microscopes that are not limited by diffraction.     

Field-enhanced scanning optical microscope

We present experimental results of an imaging technique that uses as a local probe the optical field enhanced at the junction of a scanning tunneling microscope illuminated by a p-polarized laser beam. Images of highly oriented pyrolithic graphite, recorded at a constant height mode, show a lateral optical resolution of as much as 10 nm. Approach curves exhibit sensitivity on a subnanometer scale of the optical signal to the tip-sample distance, yielding the ultrahigh vertical resolution reached in the images.     

Compact fluorescence depletion microscope system using an integrated optical element

The performance of a fluorescence depletion microscope system depends critically on the precise alignment of both the pump and the erase beams with the axis of the focusing objective lens. In this article we propose a technique with which the need for separate alignment of the pump and erase beams is eliminated. Besides being insensitive to alignment errors, our technique is much more compact than present systems, and can serve as a basis for a commercial fluorescence depletion microscope.     

Shape oscillations and stability of charged microdroplets

Classical Rayleigh theory predicts an instability of a surface charged liquid sphere, when the Coulomb energy E(C) exceeds twice the surface energy E(S). Previously, electrified liquid droplets have been found to disintegrate at a fissility X=E(C)/2E(S) well below one, however. We determine the stability of charged droplets in an electrodynamic levitator by observing the amplitude and phase of their quadrupolar shape oscillations as a function of the fissility. With this novel approach, which does not rely on an independent determination of the charge and surface tension of the droplets, we are able to confirm for the first time the Rayleigh limit of stability at X=1 for micrometer sized droplets of ethylene glycol.     

Observation of subcellular structures of neurons by an illumination mode near-field optical microscope under an optical feedback control

We propose an illumination mode near-field optical microscope operated under an optical feedback for imaging biological specimens in their natural environment. For feedback control, rapidly varying evanescent signal has been generated over the sample surface. It has been found that evanescent signal can be profitably used as a control signal by utilizing its sample feature dependent discrimination sensitivity. Neurons have been successfully observed both in air and in liquid with a resolution well beyond the diffraction limit.     

Reverse orbiting of microparticles in optical vortices

We report the observation of particles trapped at an air-water surface orbiting in a reverse direction with respect to the orbital angular momentum of the light field. The effect is explained by a combination of asymmetric particle shape and confinement of the particle on the 2D air-water interface. The experiment highlights the strong influence of the particle shape on the momentum transfer, an effect that is often not considered in optical trapping experiments.     

基于人机工程学的光学显微镜机械结构设计

为研究出更合理的光学显微镜机械结构设计原理及相关规范,基于人机工程学的设计理念,参阅我国光学显微镜的相关规范,对金相显微镜的机械结构——载物台、调焦装置、物镜转换器等的设计进行了分析。从安全可靠和舒适经济的角度,提出了适合金相显微镜机械结构的人性化设计方法和原则。该设计原则和机械结构设计尺寸的计算公式具有普遍适用性。     

A plastic scintillator film for an electron beam-excitation assisted optical microscope

Optical Review - A plastic scintillator film for use in an electron beam excitation-assisted (EXA) optical microscope is characterized. The thin film scatters an incident electron beam weakly and...     

An optical near-field microscope based on optical dimensional resonances of interacting atoms

A concept was suggested for an optical near-field microscope based on optical dimensional resonances in the system of a needle tip atom + a sample atom. High sensitivity and spatial resolution of an order of 1 nm were shown to be characteristic of this microscope. Furthermore, the instrument is applicable to a wide range of studied samples.     

Map-free line-scanning tomographic optical microscope

Line-scanning tomographic optical microscopy (LSTOM) requires precise rotation of the scanning line. We demonstrate a method that applies translation-invariant optical elements (polarizer and birefringent plate) to minimize the rotation error. An astigmatic line produced by means of a focused beam through a birefringent plate is used as line illumination. A comparative theoretical and experimental study is presented using an LSTOM system.     

Three-dimensional optical trapping of partially silvered silica microparticles

We demonstrate three-dimensional trapping of micrometer-diameter silica particles, partially coated with silver, within conventional optical tweezers. Although metallic particles are usually repelled from the beam focus by the scattering force, we show that transparent spheres partially coated with silver can be trapped with efficiencies comparable with dielectric particles. The trapping characteristics of these particles are examined as a function of metallic coverage, and the application of these particles to surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering is investigated.     

基于辅助光学系统的KB显微镜瞄准方法

 研究了利用辅助可见光系统精确瞄准KB显微镜物点的方法。设计了工作能点8 keV的周期多层膜KB显微镜系统,通过光线追迹和X射线成像实验,得到5 μm空间分辨率所对应的视场和景深,进而计算出诊断实验对应的指向和景深要求。基于KB系统的物像关系和精度要求,设计了辅助的可见光成像系统,实现了可见光系统与X射线KB系统间的等效瞄准,利用耦合好的系统进行了瞄准和X射线成像实验。实验结果表明:辅助光路可以实现±20 μm的垂轴面和±300 μm的轴向定位精度,满足KB显微镜的瞄准要求。     

基于辅助光学系统的KB显微镜瞄准方法

研究了利用辅助可见光系统精确瞄准KB显微镜物点的方法。设计了工作能点8 keV的周期多层膜KB显微镜系统,通过光线追迹和X射线成像实验,得到5 μm空间分辨率所对应的视场和景深,进而计算出诊断实验对应的指向和景深要求。基于KB系统的物像关系和精度要求,设计了辅助的可见光成像系统,实现了可见光系统与X射线KB系统间的等效瞄准,利用耦合好的系统进行了瞄准和X射线成像实验。实验结果表明:辅助光路可以实现±20 μm的垂轴面和±300 μm的轴向定位精度,满足KB显微镜的瞄准要求。     

A circular system of coupled waveguides and an optical analogue of bloch oscillations

The process of light propagation in a nonuniform system of tunnel-coupled waveguides is studied. The nonuniform system of waveguides is realized by making a circular system of waveguides on the inner wall of a supporting tube with the help of the SPCVD technology, which is designed for the synthesis of preforms of optical fibers. It is shown that the waveguide light beam propagates in such a system along a wavelike trajectory and partially radiates outwards at the crests of this trajectory. The oscillation period of the trajectory is measured, and it is shown that it is possible to input radiation into the waveguide mode by the process that is inverse to the process of light emission from the structure.     

Excitation of an optical satellite by thermal electron oscillations of a lithium plasma

An optical satellite excited by thermal electron plasma oscillations is observed near the 2P–3P forbidden line of a dense lithium plasma. The observations are compared with predictions of second order time-dependent Stark theory.     

Dynamical oscillations in nonlinear optical media

The spatial dynamics of pulses in Kerr media with parabolic index profile are examined. It is found that when diffraction and graded-index have opposite signs propagating pulses exhibit an oscillatory pattern, similar to a breathing behavior. Furthermore, if the pulse and the index profile are not aligned the pulse oscillates around the index origin with frequency that depends on the values of the diffraction and index of refraction. These oscillations are not observed when diffraction and graded-index share the same sign.