Propagation of a phase-locked circular dark hollow beams array in a turbulent atmosphere

The propagation of phase-locked circular dark hollow beams array in a turbulent atmosphere is studied. An analytical expression for the average intensity distribution at the receiving plane is obtained based on the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle. The effects of turbulence, dark parameter and beam order of the beams array on the intensity pattern are studied and analyzed. It is found that the intensity pattern of the phase-locked circular dark hollow beams array will evolve from a multiple-spot-pattern into a Gaussian beam spot under the isotropic influence of the turbulence. The intensity pattern of beam array with a larger dark parameter and beam order evolves into the Gaussian-shape faster with increasing propagation distance.     

Spectral beam combining of a broad-stripe diode laser array in an external cavity

The outputs from an 11-element, linear diode laser array with broad stripes have been beam combined into a single beam with a beam quality of ~20x diffraction limited in the plane of the junction. This beam combining was achieved by use of a common external cavity containing a grating, which simultaneously forces each array element to operate at a different, but controlled, wavelength and forces the beams from all the elements to overlap and propagate in the same direction. The power in the combined beam was 50% of the output from the bare laser array.     

Formation of a narrow sound beam in the underwater sound channel by a vertical array

The possibility of using a vertical array for the generation of a narrow wave beam that propagates in the underwater sound channel along a given reference ray is discussed. The variational problem of choosing the initial field at the array aperture to provide the minimal possible average beam width along the propagation path of a fixed length is solved.     

Propagation dynamics and optical trapping of a radial Airy array beam

Analytical propagation expression of a radial Airy array beam in coherent and incoherent combination passing through paraxial ABCD system is derived, and used to investigate the effect of combination scheme, array orientation and initial phase of Airy beamlet on propagation dynamics of the resulting beam in free space, where optical spot array and vortex array with different shapes are also found, respectively. And then taking four-beamlet Airy array beam in same array orientation as an example, square optical spot array obtained in focal field can be used for simultaneous trapping multiple Rayleigh particles with relative refractive index larger than 1. The transverse gradient forces serving as restore forces tend to push particles at different initial positions to their individual optical spot center. The analysis of trapping stability indicates that larger input peak intensity of Airy beamlet and smaller particle size are benefit to trapping particle owing to many deeper potential wells. Vortex array produced by coherent combined Airy array beam in this paper is expected to be useful for simultaneous trapping microparticles with relative refractive index smaller than 1.     

Optimization of transmitting beam patterns of a conformal transducer array

A method is presented to calculate the driving-voltage weighting vector of a conformal array of underwater acoustic transmitting transducers to obtain a low-sidelobe beam pattern based on the measured receiving array manifold. The relationship among three quantities is given, which are, respectively, the radiated acoustic field, the measured receiving array manifold matrix and the driving-voltage weighting vector of the transducer array. Then, the driving-voltage weighting vector of the array is calculated using the optimization method to obtain a low-sidelobe transmitting beam pattern. At the frequency of 12.5 kHz, the receiving array manifold matrix of a 27-element conformal array is measured in an anechoic water tank. The driving-voltage weighting vector of the array is calculated using the proposed method. In addition, the computer simulation and experiments are carried out. The results agree well and show that the proposed method can obtain a low-sidelobe transmitting beam pattern and at the same time provide the largest amplitude of pressure in the axial direction when the maximum amplitude of the driving voltages of the array elements keeps unchanged.     

Diffractive coherent combining of a 2.5 kW fiber laser array into a 1.9 kW Gaussian beam

Five 500 W fiber amplifiers were coherently combined using a diffractive optical element combiner, generating a 1.93 kW beam whose M(2)=1.1 beam quality exceeded that of the inputs. Combining efficiency near 90% at low powers degraded to 79% at full power owing to thermal expansion of the fiber tip array.     

The feasibility of constructing a cylindrical array with a plane rotating beam for interstitial thermal surgery

Thermal surgery has been shown to be a useful therapeutic option when external ultrasound applicators cannot be used as their beam will not reach the target site. If plane transducers are used, the ultrasound beam has to be rotated in order to generate a sufficiently large volume of necrosis. However, rotating deep-seated interstitial applicators and controlling their shooting direction presents major technical problems. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of constructing a cylindrical array with a plane rotating beam for ablating esophageal tumors by interstitial hyperthermia. The feasibility of such an array has been initially evaluated using a plane array (which is easier to make from a technical point of view). This array was made with a new piezoelectric material because its mechanical properties make it ideal for the construction of a cylindrical array in the future. We showed that the beam of each array element is sufficiently divergent and that cross-coupling is small enough to generate a plane wave from a cylindrical array. In addition, power tests and electro-acoustic efficiency measurements demonstrated that the output was sufficient to induce tissue necrosis in the relevant conditions.     

Focusing of a wave beam in an underwater sound channel

The use of a vertical radiating antenna array for generation of a wave beam propagating in an underwater sound channel along the reference ray trajectory is discussed. The method for selecting the starting field in the antenna aperture for maximum compression of a beam in the specified vicinity of the reference ray is proposed. The estimates showing up to what distances a beam can propagate while remaining narrow as compared to the range of depths between the rotation horizons have been obtained. The problem concerning the distances from the antenna array at which a beam can still be effectively focused in the vicinity of the selected reference ray point is investigated.     

Slanted hole array beam profiler (SHArP)-a high-resolution portable beam profiler based on a linear aperture array

We demonstrate a novel high-resolution portable beam profiler based on a slanted linear array of small apertures, termed a slanted hole array beam profiler (SHArP). The apertures are directly fabricated on a metal-coated CMOS imaging sensor. With a single linear scan, the aperture array can establish a virtual grid of sampling points for beam profiling. With our prototype, we demonstrate beam profiling of Gaussian beams over an area of 66.5 microm x 66.5 microm with a resolution of 0.8 microm (compare with the CMOS pixel size of 10 microm). The resolution can be improved into the range of submicrometers by fabricating smaller apertures. The good correspondence between the measured and calculated beam profiles proves the fidelity of our new beam profiling scheme.     

双基地多输入多输出虚拟阵列的稳健低旁瓣波束优化技术

双基地多输入多输出(MIMO)系统需要对目标的波达角和波离角进行二维估计,针对高分辨算法中阵列协方差矩阵处理运算量大以及估计性能对阵列流形失配敏感的缺陷,提出了一种基于二阶锥规划的抗阵列流形失配的双基地MIMO虚拟阵列波束优化算法.该方法利用MIMO的波形分集技术与双基地的目标定位解算,通过波达角和波离角在双基地定位椭圆上的对应关系,将双基地MIMO的二维合成方向矢量转化为一维的虚拟阵列流形,并证明了双基地MIMO虚拟阵列的波束图等效为发射波束图在接收阵角度域上的响应和接收波束图的合成.在优化波束图旁瓣的同时,该算法兼顾了固定方向上的相干干扰抑制,并提高了双基地MIMO虚拟阵列波束优化抗阵列流形失配的能力.通过波束图和方位谱优化的仿真分析和水池试验,验证了算法的有效性.     

Transmission beam pattern and echolocation signals of a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

The transmission beam pattern of an echolocating harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) was measured in both the vertical and horizontal planes. An array of seven Brüel and Kjaer 8103 hydrophones connected to an amplifier-line driver module was used to measure the beam patterns. The porpoise was trained to station in a hoop and echolocate a cylindrical target located at a range between 7 and 9 m while the array was located 2 m in front of the hoop. The 3-dB beamwidth in both the vertical and horizontal planes was the same at approximately 16 degrees and the beam was pointed toward the forward direction. The individual hydrophones in both the vertical and horizontal arrays measured signal waveforms that were similar throughout the 40-degree span of the array. The porpoise emitted signals with intervals that were 20 to 35 ms longer than the round trip travel time between the animal and the target. The average source level, peak frequency, and bandwidth were 157 dB, 128 kHz, and 16 kHz, respectively.     

Range of turbulence-negligible propagation of Gaussian Schell-model array beams

For linear Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) array beams, the range of turbulence-negligible propagation, in which all of the spatial and angular spreading and the beam propagation factor increasing due to turbulence can be neglected, has been investigated in detail. It is shown that this range of GSM array beams increases with decreasing turbulent parameter and coherent parameter, and depends on the beam number, the waist width, and the relative beam separation distance. This range of a GSM array beam is larger than that of a coherent Gaussian array beam, and this range of a GSM array beam with a large relative beam separation distance is larger than that of a single GSM beam, implying that a GSM array beam may be more appropriate to be used in atmospheric optical communication links than a coherent Gaussian array beam or a GSM beam.     

双光栅实现半导体激光阵列波长组束

在波长光束组合基础上,用一个光栅和一个准直透镜代替传输透镜,可以有效地减小单个发光单元光束质量的退化,明显地克服相邻发光单元的反馈串扰,实现了较窄线宽的光谱组束输出。采用标准的半导体激光阵列,连续输出激光功率44.8 W,电光转换效率最高38.9%,光谱线宽为4.1nm。光束慢轴方向光束质量因子为11.7,快轴方向光束质量因子为1.37,快慢轴两个方向都接近单个发光单元光束质量。     

Off-axis Gaussian Schell-model beam and partially coherent laser array beam in a turbulent atmosphere

The propagation of an off-axis Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) beam in a turbulent atmosphere is investigated based on the extended Huygens-Fresnel integral formula. Analytical formulae for the cross-spectral density and corresponding partially coherent complex curvature tensor of an off-axis GSM beam propagating in a turbulent atmosphere are derived. Based on these formulae, the propagation properties of such kind of beam in a turbulent atmosphere are investigated in detail. Furthermore, the methods are extended to investigate the propagation properties of a partially coherent laser array beam in a turbulent atmosphere. The properties of an off-axis GSM beam and a partially coherent laser array beam in a turbulent atmosphere are closely related with the beam parameters and the structure constant of the turbulent atmosphere.     

Feasibility of a phased acoustic array for monitoring acoustic signatures from meshing gear teeth

This paper investigates the feasibility of sensing damage emanating from rotating drivetrain elements such as bearings, gear teeth, and drive shafts via airborne paths. A planar phased acoustic array is evaluated as a potential fault detection scheme for detecting spatially filtered acoustic signatures radiating from gearbox components. Specifically, the use of beam focusing and steering to monitor individual tooth mesh dynamics is analyzed taking into consideration the constraints of the array/gearbox geometry and the spectral content of typical gear noise. Experimental results for a linear array are presented to illustrate the concepts of adaptive beam steering and spatial acoustic filtering. This feasibility study indicates that the planar array can be used to track the acoustic signatures at higher harmonics of the gear mesh frequency.     

Design and experiment of a large aperture digital beam deflector based on electro-optic crystal switch array

A large aperture two-dimensional (2D) digital beam deflector based on electro-optic (EO) crystal switch array has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The deflector employs cascaded beams splitting units, which consist of LiNbO₃ EO switches and polarizing beam splitters, and a deflecting prism array to produce a 2D array of beam positions with a wide field of view. Design, construction, and performance of a 3×3 rectangle scanning array with a clear aperture of 6.5 mm are described in detail. Transmission efficiency, half-wave voltage, and scanning speed are measured to describe the performance of the EO switches. The effect of deviation of the input light from the optical axis is analyzed and a technique to diminish this effect is also proposed.     

Creating a collimated ultrasound beam in highly attenuating fluids

We have devised a method, based on a parametric array concept, to create a low-frequency (300-500 kHz) collimated ultrasound beam in fluids highly attenuating to sound. This collimated beam serves as the basis for designing an ultrasound visualization system that can be used in the oil exploration industry for down-hole imaging in drilling fluids. We present the results of two different approaches to generating a collimated beam in three types of highly attenuating drilling mud. In the first approach, the drilling mud itself was used as a nonlinear mixing medium to create a parametric array. However, the short absorption length in mud limits the mixing length and, consequently, the resulting beam is weak and broad. In the second improved approach, the beam generation process was confined to a separate “frequency mixing tube” that contained an acoustically non-linear, low attenuation medium (e.g., water) that allowed establishing a usable parametric array in the mixing tube. A low-frequency collimated beam was thus created prior to its propagation into the drilling fluid. Using the latter technique, the penetration depth of the low frequency ultrasound beam in the drilling fluid was significantly extended. We also present measurements of acoustic nonlinearity in various types of drilling mud.     

The use of antiphased zones in an acoustic Fresnel lens for a scanning sonar transmitter

A simple acoustic Fresnel lens is described, which, when used with a plane array of sonar transducer elements, produces a wide beam in azimuth. Test results are compared to computed beam plots and good agreement between theory and measurement was found when all the array elements were in phase. When alternate zones are 180° out of phase, the lens can be reduced in thickness as the step height is halved; however, more careful placing of the transducer elements is required. Such a reduction in lens thickness could be desirable at low operating frequencies, or if a very wide sound beam is desired.     

Acoustic radiation analysis and experimental verification of a broadband dense plane array

The sound field distribution of a broadband array is calculated using the acoustics FEM and BEM.The FEM-BEM model is established for a nine-element plane array and its numerical method of calculating mutual radiation impedance among the transducers is given. The changing law of mutual radiation impedance influencing acoustics performances is analyzed. The directivity and beam width of the plane array are calculated at three resonance frequencies.A broadband dense plane array with nine elements is developed using triply resonant transducers.The input impedance and directivity of the plane array are measured in anechoic water tank.Results show that it is reasonable to design the array according to the half wavelengh of the first resonance frequency of the array element.The numerical solution agrees with the measuring results well,which indicates the FEM-BEM method is feasible to calculate sound field distribution and analyze mutual impedances.     

Experimental verification of subwavelength acoustic focusing using a near-field array of closely spaced elements

A linear array of closely spaced sound transducers is presented that can produce a subwavelength-focused intensity profile at a distance of a quarter wavelength. This work is related to research on super-resolution using metamaterials in both the acoustic and optical domains. It is designed using the principle of shifted beams, a near-field antenna array theory developed for the subwavelength focusing of electromagnetic waves. Once the spatial sound pattern is characterized for each source, the optimal weights for a minimum beam width can be calculated. An experiment operating at 4 kHz was able to successfully construct a super-focused beam.