A comparative study of phase-shifting algorithms in digital speckle pattern interferometry

Digital speckle pattern interferometry (DSPI) is a tool for making qualitative as well as quantitative measurements of deformation of objects. Phase-shifting algorithms in DSPI are useful for extracting quantitative deformation data from the system. Comparative studies of the different phase-shifting algorithms in DSPI for object deformation measurement are presented. Static and quasi-dynamic deformation of the object can be measured using these algorithms. Error compensating five-step phase-shifting method is used for the algorithms.     

Curvature measurement using three-aperture digital shearography and fast Fourier transform

Curvature measurement using a three-aperture digital shearography (DS) system is reported in this paper. The outer apertures are covered with wedge plates for introducing shear. Four images by sequentially blocking the outer apertures are used for quantitative measurement. Fourier transform technique is used to determine two sheared slope phase maps from two images at a time representing initial and deformed states. Subtraction of these two-phase maps yields the curvature phase map. Experimental results are presented for a circular diaphragm clamped along the edges and loaded at the center.     

A New Structural Model for Lithium Niobate

A new model based on the crystal field theory is proposed for LiNbO₃. According to this the central position of the Nb ions in oxygen octahedra is energetically unstable leading to the splitting of the potential energy curve into the one having two equivalent off-centered minima. The phase transition temperature T_c is related to the average height of the barrier existing between these energy minima. The model explains satisfactorily some of the properties of LiNbO₃ in the paraelectric and ferroelectric phases, which were not fully understood by earlier models.     

Effect of Crucible Diameter and Sealing Pressure on Growth Features of As2Se3 Single Crystals

Crystals of arsenic triselenide were grown in tubes of diameter varying from 14 to 25 mm sealed under partial pressure of Ar in the range 60–660 Torr. The temperature range of the growth zone was independent of crucible diameter and ambient pressure under otherwise identical conditions. A particular range of ambient pressure was conducive for the growth of good quality crystals and whiskers, growth rate increasing with diameter of tube. Transition to growth stage from nucleation stage was not spontaneous in tubes of diameter ≦ 16 mm but required a temperature cycling. Results are explained qualitatively.     

A dual-function ESPI system for the measurement of out-of-plane displacement and slope

A dual-function ESPI system is developed for the measurement of out-of-plane displacement and its slope change. The proposed system is convenient and also efficient to switch over from an out-of-plane sensitive configuration to shearography. A difference-of-phase method with a five-step algorithm is used for speckle fringe analysis.     

Microscopic TV holography for MEMS deflection and 3-D surface profile characterization

Recent industrial demands for greater product quality in the fields of microelements and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) generate new challenges for metrology. The fast-growing MEMS industry requires a robust non-destructive quantitative measurement system for the characterization of their performance, reliability and integrity. A microscopic TV holographic system using a long working distance microscope with an extended zoom range has been developed for microelements and MEMS deformation and 3-D surface profile analysis. The system is capable of evaluating both rough and smooth surfaces. Noisy wrapped phase map is a usual problem in speckle interferometry. We have compared several phase-shifting algorithms for evaluation of speckle phase for their usefulness in generating less-noisy phase maps. The experimental results on a MEMS pressure sensor for out-of-plane deflection and 3-D surface profile analysis are presented.     

Study of structural modification of sodium aluminophosphate glasses with TiO2 addition through Raman and NMR spectroscopy

Structural modification of sodium aluminophosphate (NAP) glasses with TiO₂ addition has been investigated using Raman and MAS-NMR (³¹P and ²⁷Al) spectroscopy. TiO₂ incorporated NAP glasses having composition (mol%): 40Na₂O-10Al₂O₃-xTiO₂-(50−x)P₂O₅ (x=0-20), are prepared by conventional melt quench method. The low-frequency Raman spectrum suggests an increase in the average ionic character of phosphate glass network with addition of TiO₂. Raman and ³¹P MAS-NMR revealed that the glasses without TiO₂, consist mainly metaphosphate (Q²) structural units. These are gradually converted into pyrophosphate (Q¹) and orthophosphate (Q⁰) structural units along with the formation of P-O-Ti/P-O-Al linkages. ²⁷Al MAS-NMR revealed the change in coordination of Al from octahedral (AlO₆) to tetrahedral (AlO₄) for TiO₂ above 10 mol%. Raman spectra indicate that TiO₂ enters the network in the form of octahedral (TiO₆) and tetrahedral (TiO₄) structural units and at high concentration of TiO₂, tetrahedral structural units are more favourable. Various thermo-physical properties e.g. density (ρ), molar volume (V_m), glass transition temperature (T_g), microhardness (MH), and thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) have been measured as a function of TiO₂ content. Variations in the thermo-physical properties are correlated with these structural modifications in the phosphate structural units and consequently changes in the average ionic character of phosphate glass network.     

Two-wavelength micro-interferometry for 3-D surface profiling

Three-dimensional non-contact optical techniques for rapid and accurate mapping of micro-machined surfaces are important for the optoelectronic industry. Interferometry is a well-established technique for 3-D surface profiling. The conventional interferometric surface profilers using a single wavelength offer excellent vertical resolution, but a serious limitation to their use is that they can only handle smooth profiles and step heights less than half a wavelength. In this paper we describe a two-wavelength micro-interferometric setup for 3-D surface profile characterization of smooth as well as rough micro-specimens. The method removes ambiguity associated with the single-wavelength data and also extends the phase measurement range compared to the conventional single-wavelength interferometry. Seven-phase step algorithm is used for quantitative fringe analysis. The design of the system along with experimental results on smooth and rough micro-specimens is presented.     

Absorption and photoluminescence studies of the temperature dependence of exciton life time in lattice-matched and strained quantum well systems

We present systematic studies of the temperature dependence of linewidths and lifetimes of excitonic transitions in quantum wells grown by molecular beam epitaxy using both photoluminescence(PL) and optical absorption. The temperature ranged from 6K to room temperature. Samples under investigation were lattice-matched GaAs/AlGaAs and InGaAs/InAlAs, and strained InGaAs/GaAs and InGaAs/AlGaAs quantum wellssystems. In addition, the effects of well-size variations in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells were measured and analyzed. In all cases we were able to observe the excitonic transitions up to room temperature. By a careful fitting of the experimental data we separated the exciton transitions from band-to-band transitions. By deconvoluting the excitonic transitions we obtained the homogeneous and inhomogeneous linewidths. The homogeneous linewidths were used to calculate the exciton lifetimes as a function of temperature using the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. We found the lifetime decreases significantly with temperature and increases with increasing well size. These results are interpreted in terms of the exciton-phonon interaction and are expected to be very useful for the design of semiconductor optical devices operating at different temperatures.     

Morphological features of synthetic crystals of As2Se3

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies have been carried out on vapour grown arsenic triselenide platelet crystals and whiskers grown under argon and normal air ambients. The crystal morphology and microstructure were found similar in both types of crystals. While investigating the microstructure the layered structure of these crystals could be discerned under SEM. Layers with average thickness of 2–2.5 μm could be distinctly observed for the first time in As₂Se₃ crystals. This might be an important observation.