Measurement of linear birefringence using a rotating-wave-plate Stokes polarimeter

In this study, a compact polarimeter is developed to measure the linear birefringence property of optical materials. The principal axis angle and the retardance are obtained by a simple signal-processing algorithm, which is derived via Stokes parameters extractions when using an incident light linearly polarized at 45°. There exists an absolute error of 0.0296° on average in the principal axis angle measurement and a relative error of 2.54% in the retardance measurement of a quarter-wave-plate sample with its principal axis ranging from −40° to 40°. The standard deviations for the principal axis angle and retardance measurements are determined to be 0.015° and 0.018°, respectively, while one standard deviation to the average value of the principal axis angle and retardance, respectively, are just 0.066% and 0.020% with high repeatability, and corresponding dynamic ranges of −45° to 45° and −180° to 180°, respectively. Consequently, the developed polarimeter has a potential in linear birefringence measurement, especially in the retardance measurement.     

Simultaneous measurement of optical rotation angle and retardance

In this study, an optical scheme based on Stokes-Mueller Formalism and rotating wave-plate Stokes polarimeter is successfully developed to simultaneously measure optical rotation angle and retardance. The average relative errors in the measured rotation angle and retardance of a half-wave plate which are solved by nonlinear equations of detected Stokes parameters are determined to be just 0.74% (1.16% for a perfect half-wave plate with retardance of 180°) and 0.40% respectively. The average relative error in the measured rotation angles of glucose solutions with concentrations ranging from 0 to 1.2 g/dl is determined to be 4.53% (2.98% under calibration with sample cell). From the inspection of simultaneous measurement of rotation angle and retardance in a glucose solution followed by a half-wave plate, the average relative error in the measured rotation angles of glucose solutions is determined to be 4.23% (1.81% under calibration with sample cell). The correlation coefficient between the measured rotation angle and the glucose concentration is found to be 0.99966, while the standard deviation is just 0.00357°, and the average relative error in the measured retardance of a half-wave plate is determined to be just 0.47%. Consequently, the derived algorithm for simultaneously measuring rotation angle and retardance is feasible, and the developed system is evaluated with a precision of 10% approximately in rotation angle and a high precision of 0.0032% in retardance measurement.     

Measurement of optical rotation and phase retardance of optical samples with depolarization effects using linearly and circularly polarized probe lights

This paper presents an experimental technique for measuring the optical rotation, depolarization, and phase retardance of optical samples. In the proposed approach, the optical properties of the sample are derived using a Stokes–Mueller matrix formalism in conjunction with linearly and circularly polarized probe lights. For a compound sample comprising a half-wave plate positioned in front of glucose solutions with concentrations ranging from 0 to 1.2 g/dl, the average normalized error in the measured rotation angle is determined to be 3.11% when using a linearly polarized light. The average surviving linear and circular polarization fractions of the glucose solutions are determined to be 1.0252 and 0.9945. The average normalized error in the measured retardance of the half-wave plate is 3.45%. When measuring a compound sample comprising a half-wave plate positioned in front of the scattered glucose solutions with turbidities from 0% to 50% by the addition of milk, experimental results show that the induced rotation angle increased as the turbidity increased, whereas both surviving linear and circular polarization fractions decreased as the turbidity increased. The effect of the turbidity on rotation angle is more significant than that on both surviving linear and circular polarization fractions. The average normalized error in the measured retardance of the half-wave plate is 1.43%. Consequently, a simplified geometry of the polarimeter is proposed to independently estimate the rotation angle, surviving linear and circular polarization fractions, and retardance from the derived viable algorithm.     

A three-spectrum method for accurate calibration of bi-plate zero-order retarder

A new spectroscopic method is proposed for the characterization of optical zero-order retarders. It is demonstrated that the retardance as well as the variation of the effective fast axis of a bi-plate zero-order quarter retarder （633 nm） can be obtained with high accuracy in a broadband wavelength range by taking spectra at only three independent angular orientations of the retarder. The calibration results excellently agree with theoretical models, indicating the new method could be used as a simple and reliable way for efficient self-spectral-calibration of optical zero-order retarders.     

Measuring the longitudinal NMR relaxation rates of fast relaxing nuclei using a signal eliminating relaxation filter

A new experiment for selective determination of the relaxation rates of fast relaxing NMR signals is presented. The experiment is derived from the conventional inversion recovery experiment by substituting the 180 degrees inversion pulse of this experiment with a signal eliminating relaxation filter (SERF) consisting of three 180 degrees pulses separated by two variable delays, Delta1 and Delta2. The SERF experiment allows a selective suppression of signals with relaxation rates below a given limit while monitoring the relaxation of faster relaxing signals. The experiment was tested on a sample of 20% oxidized plastocyanin from Anabaena variabilis, where the fast exchange of an electron between the reduced (diamagnetic) and the oxidized (paramagnetic) form results in a series of average signals with widely different relaxation rates. To ensure an optimum extraction of information from the experimental data, the relaxation rates were obtained from the SERF experiment by a simultaneous analysis of all the FIDs of the experiment using a fast linear prediction model method developed previously. The reliability of the relaxation rates obtained from the SERF experiment was confirmed by a comparison of the rates with the corresponding rates obtained from a conventional inversion recovery experiment.     

Simultaneous measurement of retardation and fast axis angle of eighth-wave plate in real time

A simultaneous measurement method for the retardation and the fast axis angle of the eighth-wave plate in real time is proposed. The beam emitted from the laser passes through the circular polarizer and the eighth-wave plate to be measured successively, and then is split by the Dammann grating to form three sub-beams. They are analyzed by an analyzer array and detected by a detector array. Three detection signals are obtained simultaneously to calculate the retardation and the fast axis angle in real time. In experiments, a crystal quartz sample is measured at different fast axis angles. The average and standard deviation of its retardation respectively are 40.9°and 0.5°. The maximum measurement deviation of the fast axis angle is 2.1°. The usefulness of the method is verified.     

Concurrent measurement of linear birefringence and dichroism in ferrofluids using rotating-wave-plate Stokes polarimeter

In this study, an optical scheme based on Stokes–Mueller Formalism and rotating-wave-plate Stokes polarimeter is successfully developed for obtaining concurrent measurements of the linear birefringence and dichroism. For a quarter-wave plate sample, the measured values of the principal axis angle and retardance are found to have average absolute and normalized errors of 0.0859° and 0.76%, respectively, while the measured dichroism of the quarter-wave plate has an average value of 0.0203. When analyzing ferrofluid film samples with concentrations ranging from 2 to 6%, it was found that for a given concentration of ferrofluid, retardance increases with applied magnetic fields and tends to saturate at high levels. Additionally, under the condition of the same magnetic field, the experimental results show that retardance is proportional to the concentration; the higher concentration will result in more retardance and absorption. Consequently, the derived algorithm for concurrent measurements of the linear birefringence and dichroism is feasible, and the relation between the concentration and magneto-optical effect was successfully investigated.     

Mapping local retardance in birefringent samples using polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography

We proposed a method to extract depth-resolved local retardance in birefringent samples from conventional polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PSOCT) that uses one circularly polarized incident light. Despite the wide use of such PSOCT systems in characterizing birefringent samples, the measured cumulative retardance does not represent the true cumulative retardance when optical axis varies with depth. A Jones calculus based algorithm was designed to derive the local depth-resolved retardance from conventional cumulative PSOCT results. The algorithm was tested in samples with homogeneous optical axis as well as samples with depth-dependent optical axis.     

Theoretical analysis of the effect of coating polarization on the second harmonic generation of an Nd:YVO4/KTP laser

Jones calculus is used to analyze the effect of the polarization characteristics of the output mirror coating of a V-shaped Nd:YVO4/KTP laser on the second harmonic generation. The reflection-induced phase retardance (RIPR) of the coating can quench the second harmonic generation. When the optical axis of Nd:YVO4 makes a π/4 angle with the incident plane of the output mirror and the fast axis of KTP in the incident plane, the RIPR induced reduction of coupling factor of the second harmonic generation is less than 1% if the phase retardance is smaller than 25°. If the polarization direction of the fundamental wave coincides with the eigen-polarization directions of the incident plane, the effect of the reflection-induced phase retardance on the conversing efficiency can be avoided.     

SAR reduced pulse sequences

Three techniques were considered for reducing the RF (radiofrequency) power deposition in the body while maintaining scan time efficiency: reducing the RF peak amplitude while increasing the pulse width, substituting gradient echoes for spin echoes, and reducing the flip angle of the phase reversal pulse. The use of gradient echoes was found to be the most efficient means to reduce the power delivered to the patient and to obtain rapid data acquisition. The effect upon SAR (specific absorption rate) and SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) was demonstrated on a phantom when the phase reversal pulse was reduced from the standard 180 degrees to 90 degrees. Data in the body indicated a fairly constant SNR down to a refocusing flip angle between 110 degrees and 135 degrees. An initial clinical evaluation was performed at three institutions using the method of reducing the flip angle of the phase reversal pulse. The scan with theta = 120 degrees was rated by readers in a blinded study as having acceptable diagnostic image quality while the 135 degrees scan had comparable image quality to a conventional 90 degrees - 180 degrees pulse sequence. The use of reduced phase reversal pulses was seen as an efficient protocol to obtain T1-weighted images at rapid data rates while reducing the power delivered to the body by about 40%.     

Temperature dependence of the 1H chemical shift of tetramethylsilane in chloroform, methanol, and dimethylsulfoxide

The chemical shift of tetramethylsilane (TMS) is usually taken to be zero. However, it does vary slightly with temperature, having obvious implications for studies of temperature effects on chemical shifts. In this work, we measure the variation in the chemical shift of TMS with temperature in three solvents, CDCl3, CD3OD, and DMSO-d6, relative to the resonant frequency of 3He gas, which can be reasonably assumed to be temperature independent. In all three solvents, the average temperature coefficient over a wide temperature range is about -6 x 10(-4) ppm/degrees C, a factor of five smaller than that previously reported in the literature. Data are included for 3He resonance frequencies over a temperature range of -110 to +180 degrees C, along with new measurements of volume magnetic susceptibilities of the three solvents and estimates of their temperature dependence. A novel method is used to provide temperature measurement via 2H resonances of methanol and ethylene glycol samples, which can concurrently be used for field/frequency locking.     

Full range complex ultrahigh sensitive optical microangiography

This Letter presents a useful method that combines the full range complex Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) with the ultrahigh sensitive optical microangiography (OMAG) to achieve full range complex imaging of blood flow within microcirculatory tissue beds in vivo. We propose to use the fast scanning axis to realize the full range complex imaging, while using the slow axis to achieve OMAG imaging of blood flow. We demonstrate the proposed method by using a high speed 1310?nm OCT/OMAG system running at 92?kHz line scan rate to image the flow phantoms in vitro, and the blood flows in tissue beds in vivo.     

Broadband phase modulators in integrated fin-line technique for millimeter-wave applications

Three structures of broadband reflection type phase modulators in unilateral fin-line are presented.The circuits have been analysed assuming ideal transmission line equivalent circuits for the fin-line sections, while the switching element, a pin-diode, is represented by a typical equivalent circuit at Ka-band.The insertion loss in all three cases is better than 1.5 dB and the phase error for a 180 degrees phase shift is less than 4 degrees over a 12% bandwidth, while a 16% bandwidth is achieved for a 90 degrees modulator at a phase error of 2 degrees.     

Spectral variation of the birefringence,group birefringence and retardance of a gypsum plate measured using the interference of polarized light

Polarized white light interferometry is used to characterize the wavelength dependence of the birefringence, group birefringence and retardance of a gypsum crystal. Two different calculation schemes are used to extract values of the birefringence across the whole visible spectrum. In the spectral range 435 nm–642 nm, the variation of the gypsum birefringence is fitted to the two terms Cauchy formula and to a fourth order dispersion function. The gypsum birefringence is found to be inversely proportional with wavelength. The experimental method used gives a relative error in finding the gypsum birefringence of an order of 6×10^?4. The wavelength dependence of gypsum group birefringence is also calculated with a relative error of order 5×10^?4. In the same spectral range, the retardance changes by 28π and the gypsum plate introduced halfwave retardance 15 times.     

一种提高1/4波片相移量测量精度的方法

提出了一种新颖的，在已知四分之一波片快轴方向的情况下，利用两个偏振片和一个三棱镜来提高波片相位延迟角测量精度的简便方法，给出了对该方法的理论分析与不确定度公式，并给出了应用实例.此方法的主要优点是可以提高测量精度，并且操作简单，容易实现.     

用于光声层析成像的虚拟阵列探测及逆拉东变换

提出用固定孔径的换能器虚拟阵列探测器进行数据采集,该换能器只需对样品进行180扫描。实验中,使用调Q Nd: YAG激光器作为光源,激光器输出激光波长为532 nm,重复频率为10 Hz,脉宽为7 ns;使用非聚焦换能器进行光声信号探测,其接收面直径为6 mm,中心频率为2.25 MHz,接收到光声信号用逆拉东变换进行图像重建。以小白鼠的离体爪子作为成像对象,换能器由旋转电机控制并以2作为旋转步长进行180旋转扫描获取实验数据,运用逆拉东变换进行了图像重建。所重建的图像比较清晰地反映了爪子内部的骨骼分布。由此表明,逆拉东变换可以用于光声成像,并且实现了有限角度的光声成像。     

平台间光束耦合传输与控制技术研究

介绍了平台间光路耦合传输系统的构成及光轴稳定控制的实现方法,开展了耦合校正系统和探测控制系统的设计,对校正系统进行了动态范围和模态仿真,优化设计后研制出光束耦合传输与控制系统。在对快反镜性能参数测试之后,开展了平台间光束耦合传输与控制实验,当振动台加载0 db振动谱且控制系统开环时,光轴X轴抖动10.9″@RSM,Y轴抖动102.3″@RSM,闭环时,光轴X轴抖动0.75″@RSM,Y轴抖动1.11″@RSM,通过频谱分析发现,快反镜光轴耦合系统闭环时对28 Hz以内光轴抖动具有较好地抑制作用,在系统开环残差较大的频率段2～6 Hz的抑制比为?40～?30 dB。实验结果表明,该光轴耦合控制系统对平台间光束传输过程中光束抖动具有较好地抑制和稳定效果。     

Magnetization recovery for signal enhancement: a fast imaging DEFT-based technique

This paper describes the development and application of a new fast MRI technique based on the DEFT principle. The sequence named MAgnetization RecoverY for Signal Enhancement (MARYSE) is composed of two completely symmetric gradient echoes separated by a 180 degrees refocusing pulse. The RF pulse scheme, 90 degrees x-180 degrees y-90 degrees -x enables restoration of the transverse magnetization along the longitudinal axis, and consequently artificially increases R1 relaxation rate. In this sequence, the period between the excitation pulse and the restoring pulse (Tem: transverse magnetization evolution time) is very short (< 10 ms). This makes possible a significant increase in signal-to-noise ratio, even with a relatively short repetition time (20 ms). Simulations were performed for different values of Tem and TR at definite T1 and T2 and for different values of T1 and T2 at constant Tem and TR. Relevant signal enhancement for species with long relaxation time constants as compared to classical gradient echo and fast spin-echo imaging was expected. In vitro studies on a fat/water phantom confirmed this simulation. Application of MARYSE to mouse brain imaging permitted to visualize almost completely cerebrospinal fluid of the ventricles, a signal usually partially saturated in fast gradient echo imaging.     

A new electro-optic modulated circular heterodyne interferometer for measuring the rotation angle in a chiral medium

A new optical polarimeter capable of measuring the rotation angle in a chiral medium is developed successfully, and is an extension of previously developed simultaneous or sequential measurement system of the principal axis and retardance in linearly birefringent materials. The polarimeter for measuring the rotation angle is based on an electro-optic modulated circular heterodyne interferometer and using phase-lock technique to measure the rotation angle directly and precisely. The validity of the proposed design is demonstrated by the measurement of rotation angle in a half-wave plate and the glucose sample. The average relative error in rotation angle level of 0.00284° has been obtained for a half-wave plate. A correlation coefficient value of 0.9999975 is determined; it indicates a highly linear relationship between the reference values and the measured rotation angles. Moreover, a standard deviation in rotation angle level of 0.005275° has been obtained for glucose solutions with concentrations ranging from 0 to 1.2 g/dl in 0.2 g/dl increments, with a correlation coefficient value of 0.99915 between the reference and the measured values. This setup is compact in configuration, and is easy in calibration. The linearity and resolution characteristics of this system are comparable to those previous studies adopting phase-sensitive techniques.     

水中油浓度快速测量方法研究

以三维荧光光谱技术结合PARAFAC算法研究了水中油浓度的快速测量方法,重点分析了水中溶解有机物对油浓度测量的影响。以0#柴油、腐殖酸为测量样本,通过改变腐殖酸浓度来模拟自然水体中溶解有机物含量,研究了腐殖酸中0#柴油特征荧光光谱的快速分离方法,实现了不同腐殖酸浓度下相同浓度0#柴油含量的测量,测量平均误差为1.67%,相对标准偏差小于1.29%。结果表明,以三维荧光光谱技术结合PARAFAC算法能够实现水中大量溶解有机物存在下油浓度的快速测量。