Infrared detection of a planet next to a bright star

Humans have always dreamt about the possibility of existence of planets in solar systems other than our own. After flying by, dropping probes, and even landing devices on most planets within our own solar system, the search for extra-solar planet is included in every proposal to either build a larger and better earth-, space-, or moon-based telescope, or observatory facility. The preliminary analysis seems to indicate that wavelength band from 25 μm to 30 μm is most promising in solving this problem. A number of IR technological challenges are to be overcome before the actual detection system can even be considered in a detailed design. The significant technical challenges of finding a planet will be described. Then details are given on the feasibility of detecting a planet with an instrument concept designed specifically for this purpose, a space-based, rotating rotationally shearing interferometer.     

Optical vs. direct sorption and swelling measurements for the study of stiff-chain polymer-penetrant interactions

This work involves interferometric ‘optical thickness’ and refractive index measurements performed in an optical thickness meter (OTM), on supported cellulose acetate (CA) films equilibrated with various activities of methylene chloride (MC) vapor. The relevant equilibrium sorption and volume swelling isotherms were determined by application of the Claussius-Mossotti equation on the assumption that these films swell unidimensionally along the thickness direction, and were compared with corresponding direct equilibrium sorption (weight gain), elongation and thickness dilation measurements on similar free films performed in a vacuum sorption/swelling apparatus (VSA) and complemented with refractive index data. Combined elongation and thickness dilation data from the VSA showed that free glass-cast CA films exhibit pronounced swelling anisotropy. The said anisotropy, although it cannot be completely eliminated, by conditioning at high degrees of swelling, does not appear to affect the extent of volume swelling significantly, thus permitting quantitative comparison of sorption and swelling isotherms determined by the VSA and the OTM. Such comparison showed satisfactory agreement between these two sets of results up to an MC uptake of ca. 0.4 gMC/cm³ of dry CA corresponding to a degree of swelling of ca. 0.2. Increasing discrepancies are observed at higher MC concentrations, which are attributable to breakdown of the assumption used that the supported films swell unidimensionally along the thickness direction. The present CA-MC volume swelling data exhibit the negative deviation from volume additivity on mixing typical glassy polymers.     

Characteristic polynomial theory of two-stage phase shifting algorithms

Two-stage phase shifting algorithms make possible to directly recover the sum or the difference of the optical phase of two different fringe patterns. These algorithms can be built by combining the known phase shifting algorithms in a non-linear way. In this work, we associate a two-dimensional characteristic polynomial to each two-stage phase shifting algorithm. This enables us to qualitatively compare their behaviour against the main systematic error sources, by means of an analysis protocol like that used for phase shifting algorithms. We show that this tool allows to understand the propagation of properties from precursor phase shifting algorithms to new evaluation algorithms built from them. As an experimental application, a wavefront distortion evaluation in differential phase-shifting interferometry is presented.     

Influence of surroundings on photorefractive effect in lithium niobate crystals

In the paper results of the investigation of the influence of electric properties of the environment surrounding LiNbO₃ crystals on photorefractive effect induced in these crystals by Gaussian Ar⁺ laser beam with various intensities are presented. We show spatial and temporal dependences of changes of the refractive index obtained experimentally in LiNbO₃: Fe and LiNbO₃: Fe:Mn samples surrounded by media with different electric conductivities and different permittivities (water, air, water solution of CaCl₂). The space and time dependences of the refractive index changes induced by the Ar⁺ laser beam are observed by means of the Mach–Zehnder interferometer using light from HeNe laser. The experimentally obtained results are in a good agreement with those following from numerical calculations using the manifold mirroring method. The agreement between calculated and experimental results indicates that the polarization charge at the photorefractive crystal/surrounding medium boundary significantly influences the photorefractive process in the crystal. The experimentally observed slow spontaneous decrease of the refractive index change in a sample placed into a slightly conducting medium (air) after switching off the beam also indicates that the polarization charge in the sample's surroundings affects the photorefraction.     

Georges Sagnac: A life for optics

Georges Sagnac is mostly known for the optical effect in rotating frames that he demonstrated in 1913. His scientific interests were quite diverse: they included photography, optical illusions, X-ray physics, radioactivity, the blue of the sky, anomalous wave propagation, interferometry, strioscopy, and acoustics. An optical theme nonetheless pervaded his entire œuvre. Within optics, an original theory of the propagation of light motivated most of his investigations, from an ingenious explanation of the Fresnel drag, through the discovery of the Sagnac effect, to his quixotic defense of an alternative to relativity theory. Optical analogies efficiently guided his work in other domains. Optics indeed was his true passion. He saw himself as carrying the torch of the two great masters of French optics, Augustin Fresnel and Hippolyte Fizeau. In this mission he overcame his poor health and labored against the modernist tide, with much success originally and bitter isolation in the end.     

How a single photon can mediate entanglement between two others

We describe a novel quantum information protocol, which probabilistically entangles two distant photons that have never interacted. Different from the entanglement swapping protocol, which requires two pairs of maximally entangled photons as the input states, as well as a Bell-state measurement (BSM), the present scheme only requires three photons: two to be entangled and another to mediate the correlation, and no BSM, in a process that we call “entanglement mediation”. Furthermore, in analyzing the paths of the photons in our arrangement, we conclude that one of them, the mediator, exchanges information with the two others simultaneously, which seems to be a new quantum-mechanical feature.     

CCD对高空间分辨率波前干涉检测的影响

推导并用实验验证了光强与入射波前在单位像元面积里成近似线性关系,从而得到入射波前经CCD采样后的功率谱密度（PSD）公式.根据该公式,模拟分析了影响CCD采集系统的系统传递函数的各个因素：入射波前、CCD的填充因子及CCD的曝光时间,得出了他们与系统传递函数的定性关系,并且通过实验明确CCD曝光时间对高空间分辨率波前检测不确定度的影响,为高空间分辨率干涉设计提供了理论依据.     

大口径离轴凸非球面的加工和检测

将光学系统波像差检验技术与子孔径拼接测试技术相融合提出了凸非球面系统拼接检测方法,对该方法的原理和实现步骤进行了分析和研究,并建立了合理的子孔径拼接数学模型.依次利用计算机控制光学表面成形技术和磁流变抛光技术对一包含大口径凸非球面的离轴三反光学系统的各反射镜进行加工,并对整个系统进行装调和测试.测定光学系统各视场的波像差分布,通过综合优化子孔径拼接算法和全口径面形数据插值求解得到大口径凸非球面全口径的面形信息.结合工程实例,对一口径为292mm×183 mm的离轴非球面次镜进行了系统拼接测试和加工,其最终面形分布的均方根值为0.017λ(λ=632.8 nm).     

入射角和薄片表面特性对激光干涉测温的影响

以激光干涉为理论基础,采用具有不同表面光学特性的单晶硅片和K-8光学玻璃为样品,针对不同的测量条件,研究干涉条纹对比度变化对温度测量的影响.分析了薄片干涉条纹对比度与测量光束直径、入射角、样品表面粗糙度以及表面镀膜之间的相互关系,研究了薄片的横向温度梯度对干涉对比度的影响.实验结果表明,上述各因素对温度测量参量对比度产生的影响具有规律性,并在一定对比度阈值条件下,能够满足精确测温的条件要求.