Optical testing of ultrasonic phase gratings using a Fresnel diffraction method

A simple optical method is proposed for studying the Raman-Nath parameter of plane, sinusoidal, ultrasonic beams. The Fresnel diffraction field of a continuous ultrasonic grating illuminated by a collimated laser beam is measured by a photodetector placed mid-way between the self-image planes of the grating. Measurement of the amplitude of the fundamental of the output signal enables the absolute determination of the depth of phase modulation. A comparison of the proposed method with the techniques discussed in the literature is presented.     

Interferometric phase microscopy using slightly-off-axis reflective point diffraction interferometer

An interferometric phase microscopy (IPM) is proposed using slightly-off-axis reflective point diffraction interferometry for quantitative phase imaging. A retro-reflector consisting two mirrors is used to generate an angle between the object beam and reference beam, and a 45° tilted polarizing beam splitter is used to split the horizontal and vertical components of the both beams. Two carrier interferograms with π/2 phase-shift can be acquired in one shot, and the phase distribution of a thin specimen can be retrieved using a fast reconstruction method. The new IPM without loss in the utilization of the input-plane field of view combines the real time and optimizing detector bandwidth measurement benefit associated with slightly-off-axis method, high stability associated with common path geometry, and simplicity in terms of procedure and setup. Experiments are carried out on both static and dynamic specimens to demonstrate the validity and stability of the proposed method.     

On the Fresnel diffraction pattern of phase holographic gratings

The Fresnel diffraction pattern of phase diffraction gratings is studied on the example of idealized sinusoidal relief-phase plane holographic thermoplastic gratings. It is shown that, in the region of low spatial frequencies, which are more than two times lower than the inverse wavelength of the reading coherent radiation, the intensities of the main diffraction maxima, the diffraction efficiency, and the light-scattering power are independent of the spatial frequency of the phase gratings under investigation, which are characterized by a sinusoidal law of modulation of the reading-radiation phase. It is established that the range of spatial frequencies at which a plateau is observed in these dependences increases with decreasing amplitude of the phase modulation of the reading light. These dependences are also observed to have similar character for the thermoplastic holographic gratings under study. Calculations were performed to analyze the influence of real profiles of thermoplastic strain on the diffraction efficiency and light-scattering power of such gratings. On the basis of analysis of the results obtained, recommendations on using holographic and raster techniques of recording data on phase carriers are given that make it possible to improve the quality of the restored optical image.     

Spinodal decomposition of off-critical quenches with a viscous phase using dissipative particle dynamics in two and three spatial dimensions

We investigate the domain growth and phase separation of hydrodynamically correct binary immiscible fluids of differing viscosity as a function of minority phase concentration in both two and three spatial dimensions using dissipative particle dynamics. We also examine the behavior of equal-viscosity fluids and compare our results to similar lattice-gas simulations in two dimensions.     

Fresnel diffraction in deuterium

In Glauber's theory of high energy scattering the wavefunction inside the nucleus is given by geometrical optics. The theory is extended to lower energies by incorporating the effects due to Fresnel diffraction, and applied to elastic and inelastic scattering off deuterium.     

Two-exposure quasi-common-path point diffraction interferometric phase microscopy using a four-step algorithm

A two-exposure nearly common-path point diffraction interferometric phase microscopy (IPM) is presented using polarization modulation and one-step grating shifting to implement quantitative phase imaging. The IPM is constructed by an improved Michelson configuration with a reflective grating, and its frequency spectrum generated by a circularly polarized object beam makes double copies through a beam splitter. One copy is low-pass filtered and reflected by a reflective pinhole mirror to create a reference beam, and the other copy is converted by a polarizer and then reflected by a reflective grating to achieve a 45° linearly polarized object beam. By the combination of a polarizing cube beam splitter with 45° tilted angle and a translation of the reflective grating with a π phase shift, four interferograms with π/2 phase shift can be obtained in two exposures. The standard four-step algorithm can then be used to reconstruct the phase of the specimen. The utility of the proposed method was demonstrated with measurements on a phase plate, cells and an oil drop.     

High precision refractometry based on Fresnel diffraction from phase plates

When a transparent plane-parallel plate is illuminated at a boundary region by a monochromatic parallel beam of light, Fresnel diffraction occurs because of the abrupt change in phase imposed by the finite change in refractive index at the plate boundary. The visibility of the diffraction fringes varies periodically with changes in incident angle. The visibility period depends on the plate thickness and the refractive indices of the plate and the surrounding medium. Plotting the phase change versus incident angle or counting the visibility repetition in an incident-angle interval provides, for a given plate thickness, the refractive index of the plate very accurately. It is shown here that the refractive index of a plate can be determined without knowing the plate thickness. Therefore, the technique can be utilized for measuring plate thickness with high precision. In addition, by installing a plate with known refractive index in a rectangular cell filled with a liquid and following the described procedures, the refractive index of the liquid is obtained. The technique is applied to measure the refractive indices of a glass slide, distilled water, and ethanol. The potential and merits of the technique are also discussed.     

Optical refractometry based on Fresnel diffraction from a phase wedge

A method that utilizes the Fresnel diffraction of light from the phase step formed by a transparent wedge is introduced for measuring the refractive indices of transparent solids, liquids, and solutions. It is shown that, as a transparent wedge of small apex angle is illuminated perpendicular to its surface by a monochromatic parallel beam of light, the Fresnel fringes, caused by abrupt change in refractive index at the wedge lateral boundary, are formed on a screen held perpendicular to the beam propagation direction. The visibility of the fringes varies periodically between zero and 1 in the direction normal to the wedge apex. For a known or measured apex angle, the wedge refractive index is obtained by measuring the period length by a CCD. To measure the refractive index of a transparent liquid or solution, the wedge is installed in a transparent rectangle cell containing the sample. Then, the cell is illuminated perpendicularly and the visibility period is measured. By using modest optics, one can measure the refractive index at a relative uncertainty level of 10(-5). There is no limitation on the refractive index range. The method can be applied easily with no mechanical manipulation. The measuring apparatus can be very compact with low mechanical and optical noises.     

Confocal diffraction phase microscopy of live cells

We present a new quantitative phase microscopy technique, confocal diffraction phase microscopy, which provides quantitative phase measurements from localized sites on a sample with high sensitivity. The technique combines common-path interferometry with confocal microscopy in a transmission geometry. The capability of the technique for static imaging is demonstrated by imaging polystyrene microspheres and live HT29 cells, while dynamic imaging is demonstrated by quantifying the nanometer scale fluctuations of red blood cell membranes.     

Computer simulation of Fresnel diffraction from rectangular apertures and obstacles using the Fresnel integrals approach

In this paper, we describe a new computer simulation technique of generating Fresnel diffraction images from rectangular apertures of arbitrary dimensions by using Fresnel integrals instead of the more common fast Fourier transform methods. The simulation can be performed in almost any PC using the software MATLAB. Diffraction images can be generated for any wavelength of light and for any aperture–screen and aperture-source distances. Images for rectangular obstacles can also be simulated. Details of the algorithm and program are presented, as well as the interesting insights than can be gained from using the program. Finally, it is shown that the simulated images reduce to the simple Fraunhofer diffraction patterns for certain limiting situations.     

Intensity and phase distribution in deep Fresnel diffraction region generated by multi-pinhole aperture

The Kirchhoff diffraction theory is applied to the multi-pinhole aperture diffraction screens, and the intensity, the zero-contour of the real and imaginary parts of complex amplitude and the phase distribution in deep Fresnel diffraction region are simulated. It is found that the number of bright spots, the zero-contours of the real and imaginary parts of complex amplitude and the phase singularities are all related to number of pinholes in diffraction screens. The brightness of bright spots in center of each pattern would become larger with increasing number of pinholes. In addition, there are many lines, on which the intensity value is close to 0.     

相因子判断法分析菲涅耳波带片的衍射场

基于波前相因子判断法,并考虑到波带片孔径的影响,揭示了波带片的衍射场所含基元成分及各成分在衍射场的积分表达式,并导出了沿轴的衍射场振幅分布公式及沿轴的振幅分布曲线,得到多个实焦斑的横向半值线宽和轴向半值线宽公式.本研究为波带片作为一种光学元件提供了一理论基础.     

Enhanced harmonic generation efficiency using focussing devices based on Fresnel diffraction

We propose the use of focusing devices based on Fresnel diffraction (such as a Fresnel zoneplate) as a means to enhance the efficiency of nonlinear-optical processes starting from radiation in the ultraviolet region, where ordinary lenses cannot be used. We present experimental results of a proof-of-concept experiment involving the efficient generation of second-and third-harmonic laser radiation in the visible range. An enhancement of a factor 6 in the third-harmonic yield is obtained by simply limiting the laser beam with a circular aperture. Higher enhancement factors (up to 16) are obtained using a Fresnel zoneplate. The experimental findings are in good agreement with the results of a simple theoretical analysis.     

Confinement limit of a Dirac particle in two and three dimensions

Consider a particle that is in a stationary state described by the Dirac equation with a finite-range potential. In two and three dimensions the particle can be confined to an arbitrarily small spatial region. This is in contrast to the one-dimensional case in which the confinement region cannot be much narrower than the Compton wavelength.     

Absence of an equilibrium ferromagnetic spin-glass phase in three dimensions

Using ground state computations, we study the transition from a spin glass to a ferromagnet in 3D spin glasses when changing the mean value of the spin-spin interaction. We find good evidence for replica symmetry breaking up until the critical value where ferromagnetic ordering sets in, and no ferromagnetic spin glass phase. This phase diagram is in conflict with the droplet/scaling and mean field theories of spin glasses. We also find that the exponents of the second order ferromagnetic transition do not depend on the microscopic Hamiltonian, suggesting universality of this transition.     

Fresnel diffraction of solitons in the Synge model

The problem of Fresnel diffraction of complex scalar solitons by an infinite rectilinear slot in an absorbing screen is considered. The intensity of the scattered solitons is computed in a first approximation of perturbation theory, and the ratio between the characteristic dimension of the soliton and the slot width is taken as the smallness parameter.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 1, pp. 36–38, January, 1982.     

Wavelength-scale imaging of trapped ions using a phase Fresnel lens

A microfabricated phase Fresnel lens was used to image ytterbium ions trapped in a radio frequency Paul trap. The ions were laser cooled close to the Doppler limit on the 369.5 nm transition, reducing the ion motion so that each ion formed a near point source. By detecting the ion fluorescence on the same transition, near-diffraction-limited imaging with spot sizes of below 440 nm (FWHM) was achieved. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of wavelength-scale imaging of trapped ions and the highest imaging resolution ever achieved with atoms in free space.