Advantages of Adaptive Speckle Filtering Prior to Application of Iterative Deconvolution Methods for Optical Coherent Tomography Imaging

The axial resolution of optical coherence tomography (OCT) is closely related to the light source spectrum width. Unfortunately, most basic sources providing the required power for decent OCT image have narrow spectra, which generate a resolution loss. Assuming the OCT system is linear shift-invariant, we can consider the system output as the convolution of the theoretical signal with a system impulse response due to this spectrum narrowness. It becomes then possible to enhance this resolution through iterative deconvolution methods (IDM). However those methods have a significant drawback, as they usually significantly enhance speckle, which is another consequence of the source spectrum narrowness. To compensate this, we rely on preliminary speckle filtering, and especially the adaptative ones, which allow tackling the speckle without blurring the image. We first studied enhancement proposed by most popular IDMs on OCT images, and then the effect of preliminary adaptive speckle filtering (ASF) by different common adaptive methods. Then, among those methods, we combined Frost filter and Richardson-Lucy deconvolution in the appropriated way; this way we both enhanced resolution by 2 and reduced speckle (raising CNR from 0.7 to 1.3)     

Edge-soliton-mediated vortex-core reversal dynamics

We report an additional reversal mechanism of magnetic vortex cores in nanodot elements driven by currents flowing perpendicular to the sample plane, occurring via dynamic transformations between two coupled edge solitons and bulk vortex solitons. This mechanism differs completely from the well-known switching process mediated by the creation and annihilation of vortex-antivortex pairs in terms of the associated topological solitons, energies, and spin-wave emissions. Strongly localized out-of-plane gyrotropic fields induced by the fast motion of the coupled edge solitons enable a magnetization dip that plays a crucial role in the formation of the reversed core magnetization. This work provides a deeper physical insight into the dynamic transformations of magnetic topological solitons in nanoelements.     

Möbius and triangle semigroups

The purpose of this paper is to describe the structures of the Möbius semigroup induced by the Möbius transformation group (?, SL(2,?)). In particular, we study stabilizer subsemigoups of Möbius semigroup via the triangle semigroup. In this work, we obtained a geometric interpretation of the least contraction coefficient function of the Möbius semigroup via the triangle semigroup and investigated an extension of stabilizer subsemigoups of the Möbius semigroup. Finally, we obtained a factorization of our stabilizer subsemigoups of the Möbius semigroup.     

Hydrogen storage in sonicated carbon materials

The hydrogen storage in purified single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), graphite and diamond powder was investigated at room temperature and ambient pressure. The samples were sonicated in 5 M HNO₃ for various periods of time using an ultrasonic probe of the alloy Ti-6Al-4V. The goal of this treatment was to open the carbon nanotubes. The maximum value of overall hydrogen storage was found to be 1.5 wt %, as determined by thermal desorption spectroscopy. The storage capacity increases with sonication time. The sonication treatment introduces particles of the Ti alloy into the samples, as shown by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and chemical analysis. All of the hydrogen uptake can be explained by the assumption that the hydrogen is only stored in the Ti-alloy particles. The presence of Ti-alloy particles does not allow the determination of whether a small amount of hydrogen possibly is stored in the SWNTs themselves, and the fraction of nanotubes opened by the sonication treatment is unknown. Received: 18 December 2000 / Accepted: 18 December 2000 / Published online: 9 February 2001     

Ultrafast magnetization reversal dynamics investigated by time domain imaging

Spatiotemporal magnetization reversal dynamics in a Ni(80)Fe(20) microstructure is studied using ps time scale scanning Kerr microscopy. Time domain images reveal a striking change in the reversal associated with the reduction in switching time when a transverse bias field is applied. Magnetization oscillations subsequent to reversal are observed at two resonance frequencies, which sensitively depend on the bias field strength. The oscillation at f = 2 GHz is caused by the damped precession of M, while the lower frequency approximately 0.8 GHz mode is interpreted in terms of domain wall oscillation.     

Observation of large CP violation in the neutral B meson system

We present a measurement of the standard model CP violation parameter sin2 phi(1) based on a 29.1 fb(-1) data sample collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e(+)e(-) collider. One neutral B meson is fully reconstructed as a J/psi K(S), psi(2S)K(S), chi(c1)K(S), eta(c)K(S), J/psi K(L), or J/psi K(*0) decay and the flavor of the accompanying B meson is identified from its decay products. From the asymmetry in the distribution of the time intervals between the two B meson decay points, we determine sin2 phi(1) = 0.99+/-0.14(stat)+/-0.06(syst). We conclude that we have observed CP violation in the neutral B meson system.     

A Single-Ridged Coaxial Hybrid TE011 Coupler with High Mode Purity

We design a single-ridged coaxial hybrid coupler which excites a TE₀₁₁ mode of high mode content in a cylindrical cavity, resonating at 28.2GHz. The coupler consists of a WR-28 rectangular waveguide, a coaxial TE_n11 cavity, and a cylindrical TE₀₁₁ cavity. Both TE₃₁₁ coaxial cavity and TE₄₁₁ single-ridged coaxial cavity are analyzed to examine the TE₀₁₁ mode purity in the central cavity. Mode purity analysis is performed by a field expansion method using Fourier-Bessel orthonormal basis functions. Numerical calculations predict that the TE₄₁₁ single-ridged coaxial cavity excites the TE₀₁₁ mode with mode purity of 98.6%, which is improved by 3% higher compared with the TE₃₁₁ coaxial cavity. Measurements on the single-ridged coaxial coupler show a resonant frequency at 28.078GHz and ohmic and external Qs of 1560, 473 respectively, which are in good agreement with the simulated results of a 3-D finite element electromagnetic code.     

Two-machine flow shop scheduling problem with an outsourcing option

We consider a two-machine flow shop problem in which each job is processed through an in-house system or outsourced to a subcontractor. A schedule is established for the in-house jobs, and performance is measured by the makespan. Jobs processed by subcontractors require paying an outsourcing cost. The objective is to minimize the sum of the makespan and total outsourcing costs. We show that the problem is NP-hard in the ordinary sense. We consider a special case in which each job has a processing requirement, and each machine a characteristic value. In this case, the time a job occupies a machine is equal to the job’s processing requirement plus a setup time equal to the characteristic value of that machine. We introduce some optimality conditions and present a polynomial-time algorithm to solve the special case.     

Biochip fluorescence detection system with spatial and spectral separation

A novel optical arrangement for fluorescence detection that employs spatial separation as well as spectral filter to increase the signal to noise ratio is proposed. Using a prism and two mirrors, the elliptical laser beam of a laser diode, as an excitation light, is homogenized and the transmitted excitation light is separated from the fluorescence not to reach the collecting optics. Uncooled CCD can capture the fluorescence image of up to 40 fluorescently-labeled protein patterns without scanning or mechanical translation. This paper presents the simulation, construction and measurement results of the developed optical system. The measurements show that the combination of prism and mirrors converts the excitation light from the laser diode to uniform illumination on the specimen, and provides the separation between excitation and fluorescence light to give high signal to noise ratio. It is also possible to assay various protein concentrations ranging from 1000 to 10 ng/ml reliably. We believe that the proposed fluorescence detection system can be used to build a commercially valuable, low cost, hand-held or miniature fast detection device for point-of-care applications.