Science beyond the Classroom: Hands-On Optics and the Boys and Girls Club

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dokter, Erin F.; Walker, C.; Peruta, C.; Ubach, C.; Sparks, R.; Pompea, S.

2006-12-01

In Summer and Fall 2006, the Hands-On Optics program of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) teamed up with two local Boys and Girls Clubs in the Tucson area to conduct informal education programs for elementary and middle school aged children. Hands-On Optics (HOO) is a collaborative program funded by NSF to create and sustain a unique, national, informal science education program to excite students about science by actively engaging them in optics activities. The program was designed especially to reach underserved students. In this talk, the successes and challenges of implementing these programs will be discussed, as well as the lessons learned in the process, which may be applied to other partnerships between EPO providers and informal learning venues.

Universal approach for appending double-negative materials to magneto-optics in multilayer structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamani, Mehdi; Eftekhari, Sepideh; Ghanaatshoar, Majid

2018-04-01

We express a general formalism to describe light propagation in multilayers including both left-handed and normal magnetic materials. In this order, we employ propagation and boundary matrices which are applicable to any configuration of media, incident angle of light and orientation of magnetization in each ferromagnetic layer. We calculate the Kerr and Faraday rotation in some given magneto-optical multilayers and show that this universal approach can thoroughly illustrate spectral broadening by the left-handed layers, even in presence of dispersion effect.

Basic optics of effect materials.

PubMed

Jones, Steven A

2010-01-01

Effect materials derive their color and effect primarily from thin-film interference. Effect materials have evolved over the decades from simple guanine crystals to the complex multilayer optical structures of today. The development of new complex effect materials requires an understanding of the optics of effect materials. Such an understanding would also benefit the cosmetic formulator as these new effect materials are introduced. The root of this understanding begins with basic optics. This paper covers the nature of light, interference of waves, thin-film interference, color from interference, and color travel.

Hand-held optical imager (Gen-2): improved instrumentation and target detectability

PubMed Central

Gonzalez, Jean; DeCerce, Joseph; Erickson, Sarah J.; Martinez, Sergio L.; Nunez, Annie; Roman, Manuela; Traub, Barbara; Flores, Cecilia A.; Roberts, Seigbeh M.; Hernandez, Estrella; Aguirre, Wenceslao; Kiszonas, Richard

2012-01-01

Abstract. Hand-held optical imagers are developed by various researchers towards reflectance-based spectroscopic imaging of breast cancer. Recently, a Gen-1 handheld optical imager was developed with capabilities to perform two-dimensional (2-D) spectroscopic as well as three-dimensional (3-D) tomographic imaging studies. However, the imager was bulky with poor surface contact (∼30%) along curved tissues, and limited sensitivity to detect targets consistently. Herein, a Gen-2 hand-held optical imager that overcame the above limitations of the Gen-1 imager has been developed and the instrumentation described. The Gen-2 hand-held imager is less bulky, portable, and has improved surface contact (∼86%) on curved tissues. Additionally, the forked probe head design is capable of simultaneous bilateral reflectance imaging of both breast tissues, and also transillumination imaging of a single breast tissue. Experimental studies were performed on tissue phantoms to demonstrate the improved sensitivity in detecting targets using the Gen-2 imager. The improved instrumentation of the Gen-2 imager allowed detection of targets independent of their location with respect to the illumination points, unlike in Gen-1 imager. The developed imager has potential for future clinical breast imaging with enhanced sensitivity, via both reflectance and transillumination imaging. PMID:23224163

Optical Head-Mounted Computer Display for Education, Research, and Documentation in Hand Surgery.

PubMed

Funk, Shawn; Lee, Donald H

2016-01-01

Intraoperative photography and capturing videos is important for the hand surgeon. Recently, optical head-mounted computer display has been introduced as a means of capturing photographs and videos. In this article, we discuss this new technology and review its potential use in hand surgery. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hybrid materials for optics and photonics.

PubMed

Lebeau, Benedicte; Innocenzi, Plinio

2011-02-01

The interest in organic-inorganic hybrids as materials for optics and photonics started more than 25 years ago and since then has known a continuous and strong growth. The high versatility of sol-gel processing offers a wide range of possibilities to design tailor-made materials in terms of structure, texture, functionality, properties and shape modelling. From the first hybrid material with optical functional properties that has been obtained by incorporation of an organic dye in a silica matrix, the research in the field has quickly evolved towards more sophisticated systems, such as multifunctional and/or multicomponent materials, nanoscale and self-assembled hybrids and devices for integrated optics. In the present critical review, we have focused our attention on three main research areas: passive and active optical hybrid sol-gel materials, and integrated optics. This is far from exhaustive but enough to give an overview of the huge potential of these materials in photonics and optics (254 references).

Using misconceptions research in the design of optics instructional materials and teacher professional development programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompea, Stephen M.; Dokter, Erin F.; Walker, Constance E.; Sparks, Robert T.

2007-06-01

To create the Hands-On Optics program and its associated instructional materials, we needed to understand a number of basic optics misconceptions held by children (and adults) and how to address them through a proper educational approach. The activities have been built with an understanding of the naïve concepts many people have about light, color, and optical phenomena in general. Our own experience is that the concepts that children and adults have of light are often not that different from each other. This paper explores the most common misconceptions about light and color, according to educational research, and describes how they can be addressed in optics education programs. This understanding of misconceptions was useful as well in the professional development component of the program where educators were trained on the Hands-On Optics modules. The professional development work for the optics industry volunteers who worked with the educators was also based on research on how an optics professional can work more effectively in multi-cultural settings-an area with great applicability to industry volunteers working in the very different culture of science centers or after-school programs.

Advanced industrial fluorescence metrology used for qualification of high quality optical materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engel, Axel; Becker, Hans-Juergen; Sohr, Oliver; Haspel, Rainer; Rupertus, Volker

2003-11-01

Schott Glas is developing and producing the optical material for various specialized applications in telecommunication, biomedical, optical, and micro lithography technology. The requirements on quality for optical materials are extremely high and still increasing. For example in micro lithography applications the impurities of the material are specified to be in the low ppb range. Usually the impurities in the lower ppb range are determined using analytical methods like LA ICP-MS and Neutron Activation Analysis. On the other hand absorption and laser resistivity of optical material is qualified with optical methods like precision spectral photometers and in-situ transmission measurements having UV lasers. Analytical methods have the drawback that they are time consuming and rather expensive, whereas the sensitivity for the absorption method will not be sufficient to characterize the future needs (coefficient much below 10-3 cm-1). In order to achieve the current and future quality requirements a Jobin Yvon FLUOROLOG 3.22 fluorescence spectrometer is employed to enable fast and precise qualification and analysis. The main advantage of this setup is the combination of highest sensitivity (more than one order of magnitude higher sensitivity that state of the art UV absorption spectroscopy) and fast measurement and evaluation cycles (several minutes compared to several hours necessary for chemical analytics). An overview is given for spectral characteristics and using specified standards. Moreover correlations to the material qualities are shown. In particular we have investigated the elementary fluorescence and absorption of rare earth element impurities as well as defects induced luminescence originated by impurities.

Watch-hand-like optical rogue waves in three-wave interactions.

PubMed

Chen, Shihua; Soto-Crespo, Jose M; Grelu, Philippe

2015-01-12

We investigate the resonant interaction of three optical pulses of different group velocity in quadratic media and report on the novel watch-hand-like super rogue wave patterns. In addition to having a giant wall-like hump, each rogue-wave hand involves a peak amplitude more than five times its background height. We attribute such peculiar structures to the nonlinear superposition of six Peregrine-type solitons. The robustness has been confirmed by numerical simulations. This stability along with the non-overlapping distribution property may facilitate the experimental diagnostics and observation of these super rogue waves.

Left-handed materials and negative refraction: Transfer matrix and FDTD calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soukoulis, Costas M.

2004-03-01

We will present transfer matrix calculations of metallic wires, split ring resonators (SRR) and left-handed materials (LHM). Our results [1] show that the transfer matrix method can capture all the details characteristics of the metamaterials. In particular the dependence of the resonance frequency and its width on the structural parameters of the SRR and the size of the unit cell is studied. Also the dependence of the imaginary part of effective permittivity of arrays of metallic wires is studied in detail. It is found [2,3] that the imaginary part of effective permittivity has small values even for wires as small as 20 micron in diameter. The transfer matrix is very useful in calculating both the amplitude and the phase of the transmission and reflection coefficient. These numerical data was used [4] in the determination of the effective parameters of the metamaterials. It was indeed found that the refractive index was unambiguously negative in the frequency region where both ɛ and μ were negative. Finally, we will show that SRR have a strong electric response, equivalent to that of cut wires [5], which dominates the response of LHM. A new criterion is introduced to clearly identify if an experimental expression peak is left- or right handed. Finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations will be presented for the transmission of the EM wave through the interface of the positive and negative refraction index. It is found [6] that the wave is trapped temporarily at the interface and after a long time the wave front moves eventually in the direction of negative refraction. The differences between negative refraction in photonic crystals and left-handed materials will be also discussed. Work supported by US-DOE, DARPA, NSF and EU (DALHM project). References: [1] P. Markos and C. M. Soukoulis, Phys. Rev. B 65, 033401 (2002); Phys. Rev. E 65, 036622 (2002). [2] P. Markos, I. Rousochatzakis and C. M. Soukoulis, Phys. Rev. B 66, 045601 (2002). [3] P. Markos and C. M

Neurosurgical hand-held optical coherence tomography (OCT) forward-viewing probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Cuiru; Lee, Kenneth K. C.; Vuong, Barry; Cusimano, Michael; Brukson, Alexander; Mariampillai, Adrian; Standish, Beau A.; Yang, Victor X. D.

2012-02-01

A prototype neurosurgical hand-held optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging probe has been developed to provide micron resolution cross-sectional images of subsurface tissue during open surgery. This new ergonomic hand-held probe has been designed based on our group's previous work on electrostatically driven optical fibers. It has been packaged into a catheter probe in the familiar form factor of the clinically accepted Bayonet shaped neurosurgical non-imaging Doppler ultrasound probes. The optical design was optimized using ZEMAX simulation. Optical properties of the probe were tested to yield an ~20 um spot size, 5 mm working distance and a 3.5 mm field of view. The scan frequency can be increased or decreased by changing the applied voltage. Typically a scan frequency of less than 60Hz is chosen to keep the applied voltage to less than 2000V. The axial resolution of the probe was ~15 um (in air) as determined by the OCT system. A custom-triggering methodology has been developed to provide continuous stable imaging, which is crucial for clinical utility. Feasibility of this probe, in combination with a 1310 nm swept source OCT system was tested and images are presented to highlight the usefulness of such a forward viewing handheld OCT imaging probe. Knowledge gained from this research will lay the foundation for developing new OCT technologies for endovascular management of cerebral aneurysms and transsphenoidal neuroendoscopic treatment of pituitary tumors.

Perspective and potential of smart optical materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Sang H.; Duzik, Adam J.; Kim, Hyun-Jung; Park, Yeonjoon; Kim, Jaehwan; Ko, Hyun-U.; Kim, Hyun-Chan; Yun, Sungryul; Kyung, Ki-Uk

2017-09-01

The increasing requirements of hyperspectral imaging optics, electro/photo-chromic materials, negative refractive index metamaterial optics, and miniaturized optical components from micro-scale to quantum-scale optics have all contributed to new features and advancements in optics technology. Development of multifunctional capable optics has pushed the boundaries of optics into new fields that require new disciplines and materials to maximize the potential benefits. The purpose of this study is to understand and show the fundamental materials and fabrication technology for field-controlled spectrally active optics (referred to as smart optics) that are essential for future industrial, scientific, military, and space applications, such as membrane optics, filters, windows for sensors and probes, telescopes, spectroscopes, cameras, light valves, light switches, and flat-panel displays. The proposed smart optics are based on the Stark and Zeeman effects in materials tailored with quantum dot arrays and thin films made from readily polarizable materials via ferroelectricity or ferromagnetism. Bound excitonic states of organic crystals are also capable of optical adaptability, tunability, and reconfigurability. To show the benefits of smart optics, this paper reviews spectral characteristics of smart optical materials and device technology. Experiments testing the quantum-confined Stark effect, arising from rare earth element doping effects in semiconductors, and applied electric field effects on spectral and refractive index are discussed. Other bulk and dopant materials were also discovered to have the same aspect of shifts in spectrum and refractive index. Other efforts focus on materials for creating field-controlled spectrally smart active optics on a selected spectral range. Surface plasmon polariton transmission of light through apertures is also discussed, along with potential applications. New breakthroughs in micro scale multiple zone plate optics as a micro

Hybrid sol-gel optical materials

DOEpatents

Zeigler, J.M.

1993-04-20

Hybrid sol-gel materials comprise silicate sols cross-linked with linear polysilane, polygermane, or poly(silane-germane). The sol-gel materials are useful as optical identifiers in tagging and verification applications and, in a different aspect, as stable, visible light transparent non-linear optical materials. Methyl or phenyl silicones, polyaryl sulfides, polyaryl ethers, and rubbery polysilanes may be used in addition to the linear polysilane. The linear polymers cross-link with the sol to form a matrix having high optical transparency, resistance to thermooxidative aging, adherence to a variety of substrates, brittleness, and a resistance to cracking during thermal cycling.

Hybrid sol-gel optical materials

DOEpatents

Zeigler, John M.

1993-01-01

Hybrid sol-gel materials comprise silicate sols cross-linked with linear polysilane, polygermane, or poly(silane-germane). The sol-gel materials are useful as optical identifiers in tagging and verification applications and, in a different aspect, as stable, visible light transparent non-linear optical materials. Methyl or phenyl silicones, polyaryl sulfides, polyaryl ethers, and rubbery polysilanes may be used in addition to the linear polysilane. The linear polymers cross-link with the sol to form a matrix having high optical transparency, resistance to thermooxidative aging, adherence to a variety of substrates, brittleness, and a resistance to cracking during thermal cycling.

Hybrid sol-gel optical materials

DOEpatents

Zeigler, John M.

1992-01-01

Hybrid sol-gel materials comprise silicate sols cross-linked with linear polysilane, polygermane, or poly(silane-germane). The sol-gel materials are useful as optical identifiers in tagging and verification applications and, in a different aspect, as stable, visible light transparent non-linear optical materials. Methyl or phenyl silicones, polyaryl sulfides, polyaryl ethers, and rubbery polysilanes may be used in addition to the linear polysilane. The linear polymers cross-link with the sol to form a matrix having high optical transparency, resistance to thermooxidative aging, adherence to a variety of substrates, brittleness, and a resistance to cracking during thermal cycling.

Hand motion modeling for psychology analysis in job interview using optical flow-history motion image: OF-HMI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalifa, Intissar; Ejbali, Ridha; Zaied, Mourad

2018-04-01

To survive the competition, companies always think about having the best employees. The selection is depended on the answers to the questions of the interviewer and the behavior of the candidate during the interview session. The study of this behavior is always based on a psychological analysis of the movements accompanying the answers and discussions. Few techniques are proposed until today to analyze automatically candidate's non verbal behavior. This paper is a part of a work psychology recognition system; it concentrates in spontaneous hand gesture which is very significant in interviews according to psychologists. We propose motion history representation of hand based on an hybrid approach that merges optical flow and history motion images. The optical flow technique is used firstly to detect hand motions in each frame of a video sequence. Secondly, we use the history motion images (HMI) to accumulate the output of the optical flow in order to have finally a good representation of the hand`s local movement in a global temporal template.

Nanophase and Composite Optical Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

This talk will focus on accomplishments, current developments, and future directions of our work on composite optical materials for microgravity science and space exploration. This research spans the order parameter from quasi-fractal structures such as sol-gels and other aggregated or porous media, to statistically random cluster media such as metal colloids, to highly ordered materials such as layered media and photonic bandgap materials. The common focus is on flexible materials that can be used to produce composite or artificial materials with superior optical properties that could not be achieved with homogeneous materials. Applications of this work to NASA exploration goals such as terraforming, biosensors, solar sails, solar cells, and vehicle health monitoring, will be discussed.

Optical trapping and optical force positioning of two-dimensional materials.

PubMed

Donato, M G; Messina, E; Foti, A; Smart, T J; Jones, P H; Iatì, M A; Saija, R; Gucciardi, P G; Maragò, O M

2018-01-18

In recent years, considerable effort has been devoted to the synthesis and characterization of two-dimensional materials. Liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) represents a simple, large-scale method to exfoliate layered materials down to mono- and few-layer flakes. In this context, the contactless trapping, characterization, and manipulation of individual nanosheets hold perspectives for increased accuracy in flake metrology and the assembly of novel functional materials. Here, we use optical forces for high-resolution structural characterization and precise mechanical positioning of nanosheets of hexagonal boron nitride, molybdenum disulfide, and tungsten disulfide obtained by LPE. Weakly optically absorbing nanosheets of boron nitride are trapped in optical tweezers. The analysis of the thermal fluctuations allows a direct measurement of optical forces and the mean flake size in a liquid environment. Measured optical trapping constants are compared with T-matrix light scattering calculations to show a quadratic size scaling for small size, as expected for a bidimensional system. In contrast, strongly absorbing nanosheets of molybdenum disulfide and tungsten disulfide are not stably trapped due to the dominance of radiation pressure over the optical trapping force. Thus, optical forces are used to pattern a substrate by selectively depositing nanosheets in short times (minutes) and without any preparation of the surface. This study will be useful for improving ink-jet printing and for a better engineering of optoelectronic devices based on two-dimensional materials.

Optics & Materials Science & Technology (OMST) Organization at LLNL

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Suratwala,; Tayyab,; Nguyen, Hoang

The Optics and Materials Science & Technology (OMST) organization at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) supplies optics, recycles optics, and performs the materials science and technology to advance optics and optical materials for high-power and high-energy lasers for a variety of missions. The organization is a core capability at LLNL. We have a strong partnership with many optical fabricators, universities and national laboratories to accomplish our goals. The organization has a long history of performing fundamental optical materials science, developing them into useful technologies, and transferring them into production both on-site and off-site. We are successfully continuing this same strategymore » today.« less

Optics & Materials Science & Technology (OMST) Organization at LLNL

ScienceCinema

Suratwala,; Tayyab,; Nguyen, Hoang; Bude, Jeff; Dylla-Spears, Rebecca

2018-06-13

The Optics and Materials Science & Technology (OMST) organization at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) supplies optics, recycles optics, and performs the materials science and technology to advance optics and optical materials for high-power and high-energy lasers for a variety of missions. The organization is a core capability at LLNL. We have a strong partnership with many optical fabricators, universities and national laboratories to accomplish our goals. The organization has a long history of performing fundamental optical materials science, developing them into useful technologies, and transferring them into production both on-site and off-site. We are successfully continuing this same strategy today.

Fluorescence metrology used for analytics of high-quality optical materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engel, Axel; Haspel, Rainer; Rupertus, Volker

2004-09-01

Optical, glass ceramics and crystals are used for various specialized applications in telecommunication, biomedical, optical, and micro lithography technology. In order to qualify and control the material quality during the research and production processes several specialized ultra trace analytisis methods have to be appliedcs Schott Glas is applied. One focus of our the activities is the determination of impurities ranging in the sub ppb-regime, because such kind of impurity level is required e.g. for pure materials used for microlithography for example. Common analytical techniques for these impurity levels areSuch impurities are determined using analytical methods like LA ICP-MS and or Neutron Activation Analysis for example. On the other hand direct and non-destructive optical analysistic becomes is attractive because it visualizes the requirement of the optical applications additionally. Typical eExamples are absorption and laser resistivity measurements of optical material with optical methods like precision spectral photometers and or in-situ transmission measurements by means ofusing lamps and or UV lasers. Analytical methods have the drawback that they are time consuming and rather expensive, whereas the sensitivity for the absorption method will not be sufficient to characterize the future needs (coefficient much below 10-3 cm-1). For a non-destructive qualification for the current and future quality requirements a Jobin Yvon FLUOROLOG 3.22 fluorescence spectrometery is employed to enable fast and precise qualification and analysis. The main advantage of this setup is the combination of highest sensitivity (more than one order of magnitude higher sensitivity than state of the art UV absorption spectroscopy), fast measurement and evaluation cycles (several minutes compared to several hours necessary for chemical analystics). An overview is given for spectral characteristics using specified standards, which are necessary to establish the analytical system

Nonlinear Optical Materials for the Smart Filtering of Optical Radiation.

PubMed

Dini, Danilo; Calvete, Mário J F; Hanack, Michael

2016-11-23

The control of luminous radiation has extremely important implications for modern and future technologies as well as in medicine. In this Review, we detail chemical structures and their relevant photophysical features for various groups of materials, including organic dyes such as metalloporphyrins and metallophthalocyanines (and derivatives), other common organic materials, mixed metal complexes and clusters, fullerenes, dendrimeric nanocomposites, polymeric materials (organic and/or inorganic), inorganic semiconductors, and other nanoscopic materials, utilized or potentially useful for the realization of devices able to filter in a smart way an external radiation. The concept of smart is referred to the characteristic of those materials that are capable to filter the radiation in a dynamic way without the need of an ancillary system for the activation of the required transmission change. In particular, this Review gives emphasis to the nonlinear optical properties of photoactive materials for the function of optical power limiting. All known mechanisms of optical limiting have been analyzed and discussed for the different types of materials.

Optical polarizer material

DOEpatents

Ebbers, C.A.

1999-08-31

Several crystals have been identified which can be grown using standard single crystals growth techniques and which have a high birefringence. The identified crystals include Li.sub.2 CO.sub.3, LiNaCO.sub.3, LiKCO.sub.3, LiRbCO.sub.3 and LiCsCO.sub.3. The condition of high birefringence leads to their application as optical polarizer materials. In one embodiment of the invention, the crystal has the chemical formula LiK.sub.(1-w-x-y) Na.sub.(1-w-x-z) Rb.sub.(1-w-y-z) Cs.sub.(1-x-y-z) CO.sub.3, where w+x+y+z=1. In another embodiment, the crystalline material may be selected from a an alkali metal carbonate and a double salt of alkali metal carbonates, where the polarizer has a Wollaston configuration, a Glan-Thompson configuration or a Glan-Taylor configuration. A method of making an LiNaCO.sub.3 optical polarizer is described. A similar method is shown for making an LiKCO.sub.3 optical polarizer.

Optical polarizer material

DOEpatents

Ebbers, Christopher A.

1999-01-01

Several crystals have been identified which can be grown using standard single crystals growth techniques and which have a high birefringence. The identified crystals include Li.sub.2 CO.sub.3, LiNaCO.sub.3, LiKCO.sub.3, LiRbCO.sub.3 and LiCsCO.sub.3. The condition of high birefringence leads to their application as optical polarizer materials. In one embodiment of the invention, the crystal has the chemical formula LiK.sub.(1-w-x-y) Na.sub.(1-w-x-z) Rb.sub.(1-w-y-z) Cs.sub.(1-x-y-z) CO.sub.3, where w+x+y+z=1. In another embodiment, the crystalline material may be selected from a an alkali metal carbonate and a double salt of alkali metal carbonates, where the polarizer has a Wollaston configuration, a Glan-Thompson configuration or a Glan-Taylor configuration. A method of making an LiNaCO.sub.3 optical polarizer is described. A similar method is shown for making an LiKCO.sub.3 optical polarizer.

Optical limiting materials

DOEpatents

McBranch, D.W.; Mattes, B.R.; Koskelo, A.C.; Heeger, A.J.; Robinson, J.M.; Smilowitz, L.B.; Klimov, V.I.; Cha, M.; Sariciftci, N.S.; Hummelen, J.C.

1998-04-21

Methanofullerenes, fulleroids and/or other fullerenes chemically altered for enhanced solubility, in liquid solution, and in solid blends with transparent glass (SiO{sub 2}) gels or polymers, or semiconducting (conjugated) polymers, are shown to be useful as optical limiters (optical surge protectors). The nonlinear absorption is tunable such that the energy transmitted through such blends saturates at high input energy per pulse over a wide range of wavelengths from 400--1,100 nm by selecting the host material for its absorption wavelength and ability to transfer the absorbed energy into the optical limiting composition dissolved therein. This phenomenon should be generalizable to other compositions than substituted fullerenes. 5 figs.

Materials for Digital Optical Design:. a Survey Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, Ayman Abdel Khader; Ismail, Imane Aly Saroit; Ahmed, S. H.

2010-04-01

In the last few years digital optical design had major attention in research fields. Many researches were published in the fields of optical materials, instruments, circuit design and devices. This is considered to be the most multidisciplinary field and requires for its success collaborative efforts of many disciplines, ranging from device and optical engineers to computer architects, chemists, material scientists, and optical physicists. In this study we will introduce a survey of the latest papers in the field of optical materials and its properties for light; this paper is organized in three major sections, optical glasses, compound materials and nonlinear absorption (multi photon absorption) and up-conversion.

Microwave experiments with left-handed materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shelby, Richard Allen

It has previously been predicted that materials that have a simultaneous negative permittivity and negative permeability, called left-handed materials (LHM), will possess very unusual properties, such as negative refraction, inverse Doppler effect, and reversed Cherenkov radiation. In this dissertation I present results from microwave experiments designed to confirm that LHMs will exhibit negative refraction. I also present a discussion about the LHM design, and numerical, electromagnetic simulations. The experiments presented here include transmission experiments, refraction experiments, and surface plasmon experiments. The refraction experiments in Chapter 4 directly observe negative refraction for the first time. The results from the other experiments are consistent with theoretical models and support the claim that negative refraction has been observed. The materials used in the experiments presented here are fabricated, structured materials that contain fiberglass and copper with unit cell parameters on the order of millimeters. Metamaterials have been defined as being composite materials whose bulk properties are different than those of the constituent materials. By this definition, the LHMs used here are metamaterials, so long as the wavelength of the electromagnetic waves being used to probe the LHM are longer than the unit cell parameter.

Recent progress in graphene-material-based optical sensors.

PubMed

Deng, Xianghua; Tang, Hao; Jiang, Jianhui

2014-11-01

Graphene material has been widely used for optical sensors owing to its excellent properties, including high-energy transfer efficiency, large surface area, and great biocompatibility. Different analytes such as nucleic acids, proteins, and small molecules can be detected by graphene-material-based optical sensors. This review provides a comprehensive discussion of graphene-material-based optical sensors focusing on detection mechanisms and biosensor designs. Challenges and future perspectives for graphene-material-based optical sensors are also presented.

Optical Characterization of Window Materials for Aerospace Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tedjojuwono, Ken K.; Clark, Natalie; Humphreys, William M., Jr.

2013-01-01

An optical metrology laboratory has been developed to characterize the optical properties of optical window materials to be used for aerospace applications. Several optical measurement systems have been selected and developed to measure spectral transmittance, haze, clarity, birefringence, striae, wavefront quality, and wedge. In addition to silica based glasses, several optical lightweight polymer materials and transparent ceramics have been investigated in the laboratory. The measurement systems and selected empirical results for non-silica materials are described. These measurements will be used to form the basis of acceptance criteria for selection of window materials for future aerospace vehicle and habitat designs.

The inhalation of radioactive materials as related to hand contamination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bailey, J.C.; Rohr, R.C.

1953-09-15

Tests performed to determine the hazard associated with the inhalation of radioactive materials as the result of smoking with contaminated hands indicate that for dry uranium compounds adhering to the palmar surfaces of the hands, approximately 1.0% of the material may be transferred to a cigarette, and that of this approximately 0.2% may appear in the smoke which is inhaled. Most of the contamination originally placed in a cigarette was found in the ash, and only 11% of the material was not recovered following burning; approximately half of this loss may be attributed to normal losses inherent in the analyticalmore » process, the recovery efficiency for which was found by supplementary experiments to be 95%.« less

Field-Sensitive Materials for Optical Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sang H.; Little, Mark

2002-01-01

The purpose of investigation is to develop the fundamental materials and fabrication technology for field-controlled spectrally active optics that are essential for industry, NASA, and DOD (Department of Defense) applications such as: membrane optics, filters for LIDARs (Light Detection and Ranging), windows for sensors and probes, telescopes, spectroscopes, cameras, light valves, light switches, flat-panel displays, etc. The proposed idea is based on the quantum-dots (QD) array or thin-film of field-sensitive Stark and Zeeman materials and the bound excitonic state of organic crystals that will offer optical adaptability and reconfigurability. Major tasks are the development of concept demonstration article and test data of field-controlled spectrally smart active optics (FCSAO) for optical multi-functional capabilities on a selected spectral range.

Nonlinear Optical Properties of Traditional and Novel Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krupa, Sean J.

Nonlinear optical processes are an excellent candidate to provide the heralded, indistinguishable, or entangled photons necessary for development of quantum mechanics based technology which currently lack bright sources of these photons. In order to support these technologies, and others, two classes of materials: traditional and novel, were investigated via optical characterization methods with goal of gaining insight into which materials and experimental conditions yield the greatest nonlinear optical effects. Optical characterization of periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) helped support the development of a simple, efficient photon pair source that could be easily integrated into optical networks. Additionally, an in-situ measurement of the 2nd order nonlinear optical coefficient was developed to aid in the characterization of PPLN pair sources. Lastly, an undergraduate demonstration of quantum key distribution was constructed such that students could see the primary application for PPLN photon pair sources in an affordable, approachable demonstration. A class of novel optical materials known as 2D materials has been identified as potential replacements to the traditional nonlinear optical materials discussed in Part I. Through optical characterization of second harmonic generation (SHG) the ideal conditions for spontaneous parametric downconversion were established as well as signal thresholds for successful detection. Attempts to observe SPDC produces hints that weak generate SPDC may be present in WS2 samples however this is incredibly difficult to confirm. As growth techniques of 2D materials improve, a photonic device constructed from these materials may be possible, however it will need some mechanism e.g. stacking, a cavity, etc. to help enhance the SPDC signal.

Optical and Casimir effects in topological materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Justin H.

Two major electromagnetic phenomena, magneto-optical effects and the Casimir effect, have seen much theoretical and experimental use for many years. On the other hand, recently there has been an explosion of theoretical and experimental work on so-called topological materials, and a natural question to ask is how such electromagnetic phenomena change with these novel materials. Specifically, we will consider are topological insulators and Weyl semimetals. When Dirac electrons on the surface of a topological insulator are gapped or Weyl fermions in the bulk of a Weyl semimetal appear due to time-reversal symmetry breaking, there is a resulting quantum anomalous Hall effect (2D in one case and bulk 3D in the other, respectively). For topological insulators, we investigate the role of localized in-gap states which can leave their own fingerprints on the magneto-optics and can therefore be probed. We have shown that these states resonantly contribute to the Hall conductivity and are magneto-optically active. For Weyl semimetals we investigate the Casimir force and show that with thickness, chemical potential, and magnetic field, a repulsive and tunable Casimir force can be obtained. Additionally, various values of the parameters can give various combinations of traps and antitraps. We additionally probe the topological transition called a Lifshitz transition in the band structure of a material and show that in a Casimir experiment, one can observe a non-analytic "kink'' in the Casimir force across such a transition. The material we propose is a spin-orbit coupled semiconductor with large g-factor that can be magnetically tuned through such a transition. Additionally, we propose an experiment with a two-dimensional metal where weak localization is tuned with an applied field in order to definitively test the effect of diffusive electrons on the Casimir force---an issue that is surprisingly unresolved to this day. Lastly, we show how the time-continuous coherent state

A Novel Hand-Held Optical Imager with Real-Time Coregistration Facilities Toward Diagnostic Mammography

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

Journal Publications (1) S.J. Erickson, S.L. Martinez, J. Gonzalez, L. Caldera , and A. Godavarty. “Improved detection limits using a hand-held...Erickson, S. Martinez, J. Gonzalez, L. Caldera , and A. Godavarty. “Non- invasive Diagnostic Breast Imaging using a Hand-held Optical Imager...Proceedings of the 14th World Multi-Conference on Systems, Cybernetics and Informatics, 2010. (4) S.J. Erickson, S. Martinez, L. Caldera , and A

Optical materials and films applied in industrial lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Peng; Liu, Shengyong

1999-09-01

Optical materials and films are often used in industrial lasers. Most of industrial lasers work at visible spectrum and near-infrared spectrum. Only CO2 laser works at far- infrared region (10.6 micrometers ). The optical materials and films are categorized in this article, and the properties of the materials and films are related. From visible to infrared spectrum, many optical materials can be used: K9 glass, fused silica, germanium, gallium arsenide, zinc selenide, silicon, copper, and so on. Optical films for lasers include reflection coating, antireflection coating, edge filter, VRM (variable reflectance mirror) coating and polarizer. The characteristic and application of them will be introduced.

Innovative materials tailored for advanced micro-optic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Himmelhuber, Roland; Fink, Marion; Pfeiffer, Karl; Ostrzinski, Ute; Klukowska, Anna; Gruetzner, Gabi; Houbertz, Ruth; Wolter, Herbert

2007-02-01

The handling of a continuously increasing amount of data leads to a strong need for high-speed short-range connections. Conventional Cu technology between chips on a board is limited. Optical interconnects will dominate the market, since they can overcome the limitations. One of the issues for materials used, e.g., for waveguides embedded in printed circuit boards (PCBs) is the compatibility with standard epoxies used for PCBs during the entire board fabrication process. Materials applied for optical interconnects should be mechanically and optically reliable, and also allow low-cost production. From the material production side, the process should be easy to up-scale. Therefore, anticipatory research strategy and suitable tailoring is asked for. The handling of light in the UV and visible range often requires the use of specially designed materials. Most polymer materials show an increased yellowing effect upon being exposed to shorter wavelength light. The major influence on the absorption in the UV and visible range of a UV curable material is related to the UV initiator, beside any other chromophores formed mainly during the exposure. Different material approaches will be presented which fulfil the requirements for highly sophisticated applications in optics / optical packaging technology. Firstly, an epoxy-based material system for optical chip-to-chip interconnection will be introduced. Secondly, the adaptation of a UV patternable inorganic-organic hybrid material (ORMOCER ®) originally developed for waveguide applications in the data and telecom regime, will be discussed with respect to applications in the visible regime. Spectroscopy and UV-DSC measurements were carried out to investigate the influence of standard photoinitiators on the optical properties for an ORMOCER ® system suitable for microoptic applications. The results show that the resulting material properties were significantly improved by exchange of the initiators compared to the originally

Polymeric Materials for Electro-Optic Testing.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-07-01

what Langmuir Blodgett films are, how they are grown and deposited on a material, and the electro - optic effects in Langmuir/Blodgett films. Stephen...Kowel has experimented with several different types of organic dyes mixed in the films to increase the electro - optic effect in the films. The bulk of his...test integrated circuits. Keywords: Langmuir Blodgett films, Electro - optic testing, Integrated circuits, Linear electro - optic effect.

Active material, optical mode and cavity impact on nanoscale electro-optic modulation performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amin, Rubab; Suer, Can; Ma, Zhizhen; Sarpkaya, Ibrahim; Khurgin, Jacob B.; Agarwal, Ritesh; Sorger, Volker J.

2017-10-01

Electro-optic modulation is a key function in optical data communication and possible future optical compute engines. The performance of modulators intricately depends on the interaction between the actively modulated material and the propagating waveguide mode. While a variety of high-performance modulators have been demonstrated, no comprehensive picture of what factors are most responsible for high performance has emerged so far. Here we report the first systematic and comprehensive analytical and computational investigation for high-performance compact on-chip electro-optic modulators by considering emerging active materials, model considerations and cavity feedback at the nanoscale. We discover that the delicate interplay between the material characteristics and the optical mode properties plays a key role in defining the modulator performance. Based on physical tradeoffs between index modulation, loss, optical confinement factors and slow-light effects, we find that there exist combinations of bias, material and optical mode that yield efficient phase or amplitude modulation with acceptable insertion loss. Furthermore, we show how material properties in the epsilon near zero regime enable reduction of length by as much as by 15 times. Lastly, we introduce and apply a cavity-based electro-optic modulator figure of merit, Δλ/Δα, relating obtainable resonance tuning via phase shifting relative to the incurred losses due to the fundamental Kramers-Kronig relations suggesting optimized device operating regions with optimized modulation-to-loss tradeoffs. This work paves the way for a holistic design rule of electro-optic modulators for high-density on-chip integration.

Materials Development for Next Generation Optical Fiber

PubMed Central

Ballato, John; Dragic, Peter

2014-01-01

Optical fibers, the enablers of the Internet, are being used in an ever more diverse array of applications. Many of the rapidly growing deployments of fibers are in high-power and, particularly, high power-per-unit-bandwidth systems where well-known optical nonlinearities have historically not been especially consequential in limiting overall performance. Today, however, nominally weak effects, most notably stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) and stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) are among the principal phenomena restricting continued scaling to higher optical power levels. In order to address these limitations, the optical fiber community has focused dominantly on geometry-related solutions such as large mode area (LMA) designs. Since such scattering, and all other linear and nonlinear optical phenomena including higher order mode instability (HOMI), are fundamentally materials-based in origin, this paper unapologetically advocates material solutions to present and future performance limitations. As such, this paper represents a ‘call to arms’ for material scientists and engineers to engage in this opportunity to drive the future development of optical fibers that address many of the grand engineering challenges of our day. PMID:28788683

Scientific Applications of Optical Instruments to Materials Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Witherow, William K.

1997-01-01

Microgravity is a unique environment for materials and biotechnology processing. Microgravity minimizes or eliminates some of the effects that occur in one g. This can lead to the production of new materials or crystal structures. It is important to understand the processes that create these new materials. Thus, experiments are designed so that optical data collection can take place during the formation of the material. This presentation will discuss scientific application of optical instruments at MSFC. These instruments include a near-field scanning optical microscope, a miniaturized holographic system, and a phase-shifting interferometer.

2D Materials for Optical Modulation: Challenges and Opportunities.

PubMed

Yu, Shaoliang; Wu, Xiaoqin; Wang, Yipei; Guo, Xin; Tong, Limin

2017-04-01

Owing to their atomic layer thickness, strong light-material interaction, high nonlinearity, broadband optical response, fast relaxation, controllable optoelectronic properties, and high compatibility with other photonic structures, 2D materials, including graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides and black phosphorus, have been attracting increasing attention for photonic applications. By tuning the carrier density via electrical or optical means that modifies their physical properties (e.g., Fermi level or nonlinear absorption), optical response of the 2D materials can be instantly changed, making them versatile nanostructures for optical modulation. Here, up-to-date 2D material-based optical modulation in three categories is reviewed: free-space, fiber-based, and on-chip configurations. By analysing cons and pros of different modulation approaches from material and mechanism aspects, the challenges faced by using these materials for device applications are presented. In addition, thermal effects (e.g., laser induced damage) in 2D materials, which are critical to practical applications, are also discussed. Finally, the outlook for future opportunities of these 2D materials for optical modulation is given. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effective optical constants of anisotropic materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aronson, J. R.; Emslie, A. G.

1980-01-01

The applicability of a technique for determining the optical constants of soil or aerosol components on the basis of measurements of the reflectance or transmittance of inhomogeneous samples of component material is investigated. Optical constants for a sample of very pure quartzite were obtained by a specular reflection technique and line parameters were calculated by classical dispersion theory. Predictions of the reflectance of powdered quartz were then derived from optical constants measured for the anisotropic quartz and for pure quartz crystals, and compared with experimental measurements. The calculated spectra are found to resemble each other moderately well in shape, however the reflectance level calculated from the psuedo-optical constants (quartzite) is consistently below that calculated from quartz values. The spectrum calculated from the quartz optical constants is also shown to represent the experimental nonrestrahlen features more accurately. It is thus concluded that although optical constants derived from inhomogeneous materials may represent the spectral features of a powdered sample qualitatively a quantitative fit to observed data is not likely.

Optical Spectroscopy of New Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Susan M.; Arnold, James O. (Technical Monitor)

1993-01-01

Composites are currently used for a rapidly expanding number of applications including aircraft structures, rocket nozzles, thermal protection of spacecraft, high performance ablative surfaces, sports equipment including skis, tennis rackets and bicycles, lightweight automobile components, cutting tools, and optical-grade mirrors. Composites are formed from two or more insoluble materials to produce a material with superior properties to either component. Composites range from dispersion-hardened alloys to advanced fiber-reinforced composites. UV/VIS and FTIR spectroscopy currently is used to evaluate the bonding between the matrix and the fibers, monitor the curing process of a polymer, measure surface contamination, characterize the interphase material, monitor anion transport in polymer phases, characterize the void formation (voids must be minimized because, like cracks in a bulk material, they lead to failure), characterize the surface of the fiber component, and measure the overall optical properties for energy balances.

Materials requirements for optical processing and computing devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tanguay, A. R., Jr.

1985-01-01

Devices for optical processing and computing systems are discussed, with emphasis on the materials requirements imposed by functional constraints. Generalized optical processing and computing systems are described in order to identify principal categories of requisite components for complete system implementation. Three principal device categories are selected for analysis in some detail: spatial light modulators, volume holographic optical elements, and bistable optical devices. The implications for optical processing and computing systems of the materials requirements identified for these device categories are described, and directions for future research are proposed.

NIF optical materials and fabrication technologies: an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, John H.; Hawley-Fedder, Ruth A.; Stolz, Christopher J.; Menapace, Joseph A.; Borden, Michael R.; Whitman, Pamela K.; Yu, June; Runkel, Michael J.; Riley, Michael O.; Feit, Michael D.; Hackel, Richard P.

2004-05-01

The high-energy/high-power section of the NIF laser system contains 7360 meter-scale optics. Advanced optical materials and fabrication technologies needed to manufacture the NIF optics have been developed and put into production at key vendor sites. Production rates are up to 20 times faster and per-optic costs 5 times lower than could be achieved prior to the NIF. In addition, the optics manufactured for NIF are better than specification giving laser performance better than the design. A suite of custom metrology tools have been designed, built and installed at the vendor sites to verify compliance with NIF optical specifications. A brief description of the NIF optical wavefront specifications for the glass and crystal optics is presented. The wavefront specifications span a continuous range of spatial scale-lengths from 10 μm to 0.5 m (full aperture). We have continued our multi-year research effort to improve the lifetime (i.e. damage resistance) of bulk optical materials, finished optical surfaces and multi-layer dielectric coatings. New methods for post-processing the completed optic to improve the damage resistance have been developed and made operational. This includes laser conditioning of coatings, glass surfaces and bulk KDP and DKDP and well as raster and full aperture defect mapping systems. Research on damage mechanisms continues to drive the development of even better optical materials.

Gen-2 hand-held optical imager towards cancer imaging: reflectance and transillumination phantom studies.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Jean; Roman, Manuela; Hall, Michael; Godavarty, Anuradha

2012-01-01

Hand-held near-infrared (NIR) optical imagers are developed by various researchers towards non-invasive clinical breast imaging. Unlike these existing imagers that can perform only reflectance imaging, a generation-2 (Gen-2) hand-held optical imager has been recently developed to perform both reflectance and transillumination imaging. The unique forked design of the hand-held probe head(s) allows for reflectance imaging (as in ultrasound) and transillumination or compressed imaging (as in X-ray mammography). Phantom studies were performed to demonstrate two-dimensional (2D) target detection via reflectance and transillumination imaging at various target depths (1-5 cm deep) and using simultaneous multiple point illumination approach. It was observed that 0.45 cc targets were detected up to 5 cm deep during transillumination, but limited to 2.5 cm deep during reflectance imaging. Additionally, implementing appropriate data post-processing techniques along with a polynomial fitting approach, to plot 2D surface contours of the detected signal, yields distinct target detectability and localization. The ability of the gen-2 imager to perform both reflectance and transillumination imaging allows its direct comparison to ultrasound and X-ray mammography results, respectively, in future clinical breast imaging studies.

Sol-Gel Material-Enabled Electro-Optic Polymer Modulators

PubMed Central

Himmelhuber, Roland; Norwood, Robert A.; Enami, Yasufumi; Peyghambarian, Nasser

2015-01-01

Sol-gels are an important material class, as they provide easy modification of material properties, good processability and are easy to synthesize. In general, an electro-optic (EO) modulator transforms an electrical signal into an optical signal. The incoming electrical signal is most commonly information encoded in a voltage change. This voltage change is then transformed into either a phase change or an intensity change in the light signal. The less voltage needed to drive the modulator and the lower the optical loss, the higher the link gain and, therefore, the better the performance of the modulator. In this review, we will show how sol-gels can be used to enhance the performance of electro-optic modulators by allowing for designs with low optical loss, increased poling efficiency and manipulation of the electric field used for driving the modulator. The optical loss is influenced by the propagation loss in the device, as well as the losses occurring during fiber coupling in and out of the device. In both cases, the use of sol-gel materials can be beneficial due to the wide range of available refractive indices and low optical attenuation. The influence of material properties and synthesis conditions on the device performance will be discussed. PMID:26225971

Optical and structural properties of Mo-doped NiTiO3 materials synthesized via modified Pechini methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, Thanh-Truc; Kang, Sung Gu; Shin, Eun Woo

2017-07-01

In this study, molybdenum (Mo)-doped nickel titanate (NiTiO3) materials were successfully synthesized as a function of Mo content through a modified Pechini method followed by a solvothermal treatment process. Various characterization methods were employed to investigate the optical and structural properties of the materials. XRD patterns clearly showed that the NiTiO3 structure maintained a single phase with no observed crystalline structure transformations, even after the addition of 10 wt.% Mo. In the Raman spectra and XRD patterns, peak positions shifted with a change in Mo content, confirming that the NiTiO3 lattice was doped with Mo. On the other hand, Mo doping of NiTiO3 materials changed their optical properties. DRS-UV demonstrated that the addition of Mo increased photon absorption within the UV region. Relaxation processes were inhibited by Mo doping, which was evident in the PL spectra. Structural properties of the prepared materials were studied via FE-SEM and HR-TEM. The measured surface area increased proportionally with Mo content due to a reduction in grain size of the materials.

Diffractive optical element in materials testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silvennoinen, Raimo V. J.; Peiponen, Kai-Erik

1998-09-01

The object of this paper is to present a sensor based on diffractive optics that can be applied for the materials testing. The present sensor, which is based on the use of a computer-generated hologram (CGH) exploits the holographic imagery. The CGH-sensor was introduced for inspection of surface roughness and flatness of metal surfaces. The results drawn out by the present sensor are observed to be in accordance with the experimental data. Together with the double exposure holographic interferometry (DEHI) and digital electronic speckle pattern interferometry (DSPI) in elasticity inspection, the sensor was applied for the investigations of surface quality of opaque fragile materials, which are pharmaceutical compacts. The optical surface quality was observed to be related to the porosity of the pharmaceutical tablets. The CGH-sensor was also applied for investigations of optical quality of thin films as PLZT ceramics and coating of pharmaceutical compacts. The surfaces of PLZT samples showed fluctuations in optical curvature, and wedgeness for all the cases studied. For pharmaceutical compacts, the optical signals were observed to depend to a great extent on the optical constants of the coatings and the substrates, and in addition to the surface porosity under the coating.

Optical properties of two-dimensional charge density wave materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sayers, Charles; Karbassi, Sara; Friedemann, Sven; da Como, Enrico

Titanium diselenide (TiSe2) is a member of the layered transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) materials. It exhibits unusual chiral charge ordering below 190 K after undergoing an initial phase transition to a commensurate (2 x 2 x 2) charge density wave (CDW) at 200 K which is enhanced further in the monolayer. Recently, the first evidence of chirality in a CDW system was discovered in this material by scanning tunneling microscopy and time-resolved reflectivity experiments, where separate left and right handed charge-ordered domains were found to exist within a single sample. We have prepared single crystals of 1T-TiSe2 using iodine vapour transport, and confirmed their quality by x-ray analysis and charge transport measurements. Using a combination of polarised optical spectroscopy techniques in the mid to far infrared (4 to 700 meV photon energy), we have measured an anisotropy relating to the CDW gap. We discuss the results on the basis of chiral domains with different handedness and the nature of the CDW transition.

Surface polaritons in grating composed of left-handed materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiwari, D. C.; Premlal, P. L.; Chaturvedi, Vandana

2018-01-01

In this work, we developed a unique mathematical model to solve dispersion relation for surface polaritons (SPs) in artificial composite materials grating. Here, we have taken two types of materials for analysis. In the first case, the grating composed of epsilon-negative (ENG) material and air interface. In second case, grating composed of left-handed materials (LHMs) and ENG medium interface is considered. The dispersion curves of both p and s polarized SPs modes are obtained analytically. In the case of ENG grating and air interface, polaritons dispersion curves exist for p-polarization only, whereas for LHM grating and ENG medium interface, the polaritons dispersion curves for both p and s polarization are observed.

Inconsistent-handed advantage in episodic memory extends to paragraph-level materials.

PubMed

Prichard, Eric C; Christman, Stephen D

2017-09-01

Past research using handedness as a proxy for functional access to the right hemisphere demonstrates that individuals who are mixed/inconsistently handed outperform strong/consistently handed individuals when performing episodic recall tasks. However, research has generally been restricted to stimuli presented in a list format. In the present paper, we present two studies in which participants were presented with paragraph-level material and then asked to recall material from the passages. The first study was based on a classic study looking at retroactive interference with prose materials. The second was modelled on a classic experiment looking at perspective taking and the content of memory. In both studies, the classic effects were replicated and the general finding that mixed/inconsistent-handers outperform strong/consistent-handers was replicated. This suggests that considering degree of handedness may be an empirically useful means of reducing error variance in paradigms looking at memory for prose level material.

Shape Memory Polymers: A Joint Chemical and Materials Engineering Hands-On Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seif, Mujan; Beck, Matthew

2018-01-01

Hands-on experiences are excellent tools for increasing retention of first year engineering students. They also encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, a critical skill for modern engineers. In this paper, we describe and evaluate a joint Chemical and Materials Engineering hands-on lab that explores cross-linking and glass transition in…

Electro-optic studies of novel organic materials and devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jianjun

1997-11-01

Specific single crystal organic materials have high potential for use in high speed optical signal processing and various other electro-optic applications. In this project some of the most important organic crystal materials were studied regarding their detailed electro- optic properties and potential device applications. In particular, the electro-optic properties of N-(4- Nitrophenyl)-L-Prolinol (NPP) and 4'-N,N- dimethylamino-4-methylstilbazolium tosylate (DAST) both of which have extremely large second order susceptibilites were studied. The orientation of the thin film crystal with respect to the substrate surface was determined using-X-ray diffraction. The principal axes of the single crystal thin film were determined by polarization transmission microscopy. The elements of the electro-optic coefficient tensor were measured by field induced birefringence measurements. Detailed measurements for NPP thin films with different orientations of the external electric field with respect to the charge transfer axis were carried out at a wavelength of 1064nm. The wavelength dependence of the electro-optic effect for DAST single crystal thin films was measured using a Ti:Sapphire laser. Several device geometries involving organic single crystal thin film materials were studied. A new method for the fabrication of channel waveguides for organic materials was initiated. Channel waveguides for NPP and ABP were obtained using this methods. Optical modulation due to the electro-optic effect based on the organic channel waveguide for NPP single crystal was demonstrated. The electro-optic modulation using NPP single crystals thin film in a Fabry-Perot cavity was measured. A device using a optical fiber half coupler and organic electro-optic thin film material was constructed, and it has potential applications in optical signal processing.

Porous Materials with Ultralow Optical Constants for Integrated Optical Device Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hsuen-Li; Hsieh, Chung-I; Cheng, Chao-Chia; Chang, Chia-Pin; Hsu, Wen-Hau; Wang, Way-Seen; Liu, Po-Tsun

2005-07-01

Ultralow dielectric constant (<2.0) porous materials have received much attention as next-generation dielectric materials. In this study, optical properties of porous-methyl-silsesquioxane(MSQ)-like films (porous polysilazane, PPSZ) were characterized for optical waveguide devices applications. Measured results indicate that the refractive index is decreased to approximately 1.320 as the hydration time exceeds 24 h. The measured refractive index is about 1.163 at a wavelength of 1550 nm. PPSZ films have low absorption in the 500 to 2000 nm wavelength regime. Because of their relatively low refractive index and low absorption over a large spectral regime, PPSZ films can be good cladding materials for use in optically integrated devices with many high-refractive-index materials such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon, and polymers. We demonstrate two structures, ridge waveguides and large-angle Y-branch power splitters, composed of PPSZ and SU8 films to illustrate the use of low dielectric constant (K) cladding materials. The simulation results indicate that the PPSZ films provide better confinement of light. Experimentally, a large-angle Y-branch power splitter with PPSZ cladding can be used to guide waves with the large branching angle of 33.58°.

Motion-compensated hand-held common-path Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography probe for image-guided intervention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yong; Song, Cheol; Liu, Xuan; Kang, Jin U.

2013-03-01

A motion-compensated hand-held common-path Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography imaging probe has been developed for image guided intervention during microsurgery. A hand-held prototype instrument was designed and fabricated by integrating an imaging fiber probe inside a stainless steel needle which is attached to the ceramic shaft of a piezoelectric motor housed in an aluminum handle. The fiber probe obtains A-scan images. The distance information was extracted from the A-scans to track the sample surface distance and a fixed distance was maintained by a feedback motor control which effectively compensated hand tremor and target movements in the axial direction. Graphical user interface, real-time data processing, and visualization based on a CPU-GPU hybrid programming architecture were developed and used in the implantation of this system. To validate the system, free-hand optical coherence tomography images using various samples were obtained. The system can be easily integrated into microsurgical tools and robotics for a wide range of clinical applications. Such tools could offer physicians the freedom to easily image sites of interest with reduced risk and higher image quality.

Optical Material Characterization Using Microdisk Cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michael, Christopher P.

Since Jack Kilby recorded his "Monolithic Idea" for integrated circuits in 1958, microelectronics companies have invested billions of dollars in developing the silicon material system to increase performance and reduce cost. For decades, the industry has made Moore's Law, concerning cost and transistor density, a self-fulfilling prophecy by integrating technical and material requirements vertically down their supply chains and horizontally across competitors in the market. At recent technology nodes, the unacceptable scaling behavior of copper interconnects has become a major design constraint by increasing latency and power consumption---more than 50% of the power consumed by high speed processors is dissipated by intrachip communications. Optical networks at the chip scale are a potential low-power high-bandwidth replacement for conventional global interconnects, but the lack of efficient on-chip optical sources has remained an outstanding problem despite significant advances in silicon optoelectronics. Many material systems are being researched, but there is no ideal candidate even though the established infrastructure strongly favors a CMOS-compatible solution. This thesis focuses on assessing the optical properties of materials using microdisk cavities with the intention to advance processing techniques and materials relevant to silicon photonics. Low-loss microdisk resonators are chosen because of their simplicity and long optical path lengths. A localized photonic probe is developed and characterized that employs a tapered optical-fiber waveguide, and it is utilized in practical demonstrations to test tightly arranged devices and to help prototype new fabrication methods. A case study in AlxGa1-xAs illustrates how the optical scattering and absorption losses can be obtained from the cavity-waveguide transmission. Finally, single-crystal Er2O3 epitaxially grown on silicon is analyzed in detail as a potential CMOS-compatable gain medium due to its high Er3

Optical studies of dynamical processes in disordered materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yen, William M.

1990-12-01

The research continues to focus on the study of the structure and the dynamic behavior of insulating solids which can be activated optically. The physical processes which produce relaxation and energy transfer in the optical excited states were of particular interest. The studies were based principally on optical laser spectroscopic techniques which reveal a more detailed view of the materials of interest and which will ultimately lead to the development of more efficient optoelectronic materials.

The Optical Janus Effect: Asymmetric Structural Color Reflection Materials.

PubMed

England, Grant T; Russell, Calvin; Shirman, Elijah; Kay, Theresa; Vogel, Nicolas; Aizenberg, Joanna

2017-08-01

Structurally colored materials are often used for their resistance to photobleaching and their complex viewing-direction-dependent optical properties. Frequently, absorption has been added to these types of materials in order to improve the color saturation by mitigating the effects of nonspecific scattering that is present in most samples due to imperfect manufacturing procedures. The combination of absorbing elements and structural coloration often yields emergent optical properties. Here, a new hybrid architecture is introduced that leads to an interesting, highly directional optical effect. By localizing absorption in a thin layer within a transparent, structurally colored multilayer material, an optical Janus effect is created, wherein the observed reflected color is different on one side of the sample than on the other. A systematic characterization of the optical properties of these structures as a function of their geometry and composition is performed. The experimental studies are coupled with a theoretical analysis that enables a precise, rational design of various optical Janus structures with highly controlled color, pattern, and fabrication approaches. These asymmetrically colored materials will open applications in art, architecture, semitransparent solar cells, and security features in anticounterfeiting materials. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Characterization of temperature-dependent optical material properties of polymer powders

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Laumer, Tobias; SAOT Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies, 91052 Erlangen; CRC Collaborative Research Center 814 - Additive Manufacturing, 91052 Erlangen

2015-05-22

In former works, the optical material properties of different polymer powders used for Laser Beam Melting (LBM) at room temperature have been analyzed. With a measurement setup using two integration spheres, it was shown that the optical material properties of polymer powders differ significantly due to multiple reflections within the powder compared to solid bodies of the same material. Additionally, the absorption behavior of the single particles shows an important influence on the overall optical material properties, especially the reflectance of the powder bed. Now the setup is modified to allow measurements at higher temperatures. Because crystalline areas of semi-crystallinemore » thermoplastics are mainly responsible for the absorption of the laser radiation, the influence of the temperature increase on the overall optical material properties is analyzed. As material, conventional polyamide 12 and polypropylene as new polymer powder material, is used. By comparing results at room temperature and at higher temperatures towards the melting point, the temperature-dependent optical material properties and their influence on the beam-matter interaction during the process are discussed. It is shown that the phase transition during melting leads to significant changes of the optical material properties of the analyzed powders.« less

Ultrasonic grinding of optical materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahill, Michael; Bechtold, Michael; Fess, Edward; Stephan, Thomas; Bechtold, Rob

2017-10-01

Hard ceramic optical materials such as sapphire, ALON, Spinel, PCA, or Silicon Carbide can present a significant challenge in manufacturing precision optical components due to their tough mechanical properties. These are also the same mechanical properties that make them desirable materials when used in harsh environments. Slow processing speeds, premature tool wear, and poor surface quality are common results of the tough mechanical properties of these materials. Often, as a preparatory stage for polishing, the finish of the ground surface greatly influences the polishing process and the resulting finished product. To overcome these challenges, OptiPro Systems has developed an ultrasonic assisted grinding technology, OptiSonic, which has been designed for the precision optics and ceramics industry. OptiSonic utilizes a custom tool holder designed to produce oscillations, in microns of amplitude, in line with the rotating spindle. A software package, IntelliSonic, is integral to the function of this platform. IntelliSonic can automatically characterize tooling during setup to identify and select the ideal resonant peak which to operate at. Then, while grinding, IntelliSonic continuously adjusts the output frequency for optimal grinding efficiency while in contact with the part. This helps maintain a highly consistent process under changing load conditions for a more precise surface. Utilizing a variety of instruments, tests have proven to show a reduction in force between tool and part by up to 50%, while increasing the surface quality and reducing tool wear. This paper will present the challenges associated with these materials and solutions created to overcome them.

Laser-Induced Damage Threshold and Certification Procedures for Optical Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This document provides instructions for performing laser-induced-damage-threshold tests and pass-fail certification tests on optical materials used in pulsed-laser systems. The optical materials to which these procedures apply include coated and uncoated optical substrates, laser crystals, Q-switches, polarizers, and other optical components employed in pulsed-laser systems.

Stable phantom materials for ultrasound and optical imaging.

PubMed

Cabrelli, Luciana C; Pelissari, Pedro I B G B; Deana, Alessandro M; Carneiro, Antonio A O; Pavan, Theo Z

2017-01-21

Phantoms mimicking the specific properties of biological tissues are essential to fully characterize medical devices. Water-based materials are commonly used to manufacture phantoms for ultrasound and optical imaging techniques. However, these materials have disadvantages, such as easy degradation and low temporal stability. In this study, we propose an oil-based new tissue-mimicking material for ultrasound and optical imaging, with the advantage of presenting low temporal degradation. A styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS) copolymer in mineral oil samples was made varying the SEBS concentration between 5%-15%, and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) between 0%-9%. Acoustic properties, such as the speed of sound and the attenuation coefficient, were obtained using frequencies ranging from 1-10 MHz, and were consistent with that of soft tissues. These properties were controlled varying SEBS and LDPE concentration. To characterize the optical properties of the samples, the diffuse reflectance and transmittance were measured. Scattering and absorption coefficients ranging from 400 nm-1200 nm were calculated for each compound. SEBS gels are a translucent material presenting low optical absorption and scattering coefficients in the visible region of the spectrum, but the presence of LDPE increased the turbidity. Adding LDPE increased the absorption and scattering of the phantom materials. Ultrasound and photoacoustic images of a heterogeneous phantom made of LDPE/SEBS containing a spherical inclusion were obtained. Annatto dye was added to the inclusion to enhance the optical absorbance. The results suggest that copolymer gels are promising for ultrasound and optical imaging, making them also potentially useful for photoacoustic imaging.

Stable phantom materials for ultrasound and optical imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cabrelli, Luciana C.; Pelissari, Pedro I. B. G. B.; Deana, Alessandro M.; Carneiro, Antonio A. O.; Pavan, Theo Z.

2017-01-01

Phantoms mimicking the specific properties of biological tissues are essential to fully characterize medical devices. Water-based materials are commonly used to manufacture phantoms for ultrasound and optical imaging techniques. However, these materials have disadvantages, such as easy degradation and low temporal stability. In this study, we propose an oil-based new tissue-mimicking material for ultrasound and optical imaging, with the advantage of presenting low temporal degradation. A styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS) copolymer in mineral oil samples was made varying the SEBS concentration between 5%-15%, and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) between 0%-9%. Acoustic properties, such as the speed of sound and the attenuation coefficient, were obtained using frequencies ranging from 1-10 MHz, and were consistent with that of soft tissues. These properties were controlled varying SEBS and LDPE concentration. To characterize the optical properties of the samples, the diffuse reflectance and transmittance were measured. Scattering and absorption coefficients ranging from 400 nm-1200 nm were calculated for each compound. SEBS gels are a translucent material presenting low optical absorption and scattering coefficients in the visible region of the spectrum, but the presence of LDPE increased the turbidity. Adding LDPE increased the absorption and scattering of the phantom materials. Ultrasound and photoacoustic images of a heterogeneous phantom made of LDPE/SEBS containing a spherical inclusion were obtained. Annatto dye was added to the inclusion to enhance the optical absorbance. The results suggest that copolymer gels are promising for ultrasound and optical imaging, making them also potentially useful for photoacoustic imaging.

Symposium on New Materials for Nonlinear Optics

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

C. B. Aakeroy, N. Azoz, P. D. Calvert, M. Kadim, A. J. McCaffery, and K. R. Seddon 35 . Clathrasils: New Materials for Nonlinear Optical...of Quantum Confined Semiconductor Structures - D.S. Chemla 2: 35 Preparation and Characterization of Small Semiconductor Particulates - Norman Herron 3...presiding 2:00 Opening Remarks - John Sohn 2:05 Approaches for the Design of Materials for Nonlinear Optics - M. Lahav 2: 35 Control of Symmetry and Asymmetry

Readability of Patient Education Materials in Hand Surgery and Health Literacy Best Practices for Improvement.

PubMed

Hadden, Kristie; Prince, Latrina Y; Schnaekel, Asa; Couch, Cory G; Stephenson, John M; Wyrick, Theresa O

2016-08-01

This study aimed to update a portion of a 2008 study of patient education materials from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand Web site with new readability results, to compare the results to health literacy best practices, and to make recommendations to the field for improvement. A sample of 77 patient education documents were downloaded from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand Web site, handcare.org, and assessed for readability using 4 readability tools. Mean readability grade-level scores were derived. Best practices for plain language for written health materials were compiled from 3 government agency sources. The mean readability of the 77 patient education documents in the study was 9.3 grade level. This reading level is reduced from the previous study in 2008 in which the overall mean was 10.6; however, the current sample grade level still exceeds recommended readability according to best practices. Despite a small body of literature on the readability of patient education materials related to hand surgery and other orthopedic issues over the last 7 years, readability was not dramatically improved in our current sample. Using health literacy as a framework, improvements in hand surgery patient education may result in better understanding and better outcomes for patients seeing hand surgeons. Improved understanding of patient education materials related to hand surgery may improve preventable negative outcomes that are clinically significant as well as contribute to improved quality of life for patients. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Progress Towards Left-Handed Electromagnetic Waves in Rare-Earth Doped Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brewer, Nicholas Riley

In 1968 Victor Veselago determined that a material with both a negative permittivity and negative permeability would have some extraordinary properties. The index of refraction of this material would be negative and light propagating inside would be 'left-handed'. This research went relatively unnoticed until the year 2000 when John Pendry discovered that a lens with an index of refraction of n = -1 could, in principle, have infinite resolution. Since 2000, research into negative index materials has exploded. The challenging part of this research is to get a material to respond to magnetic fields at optical frequencies. Artificially created metamaterials are able to achieve this and have been the focus of most negative index research. The long term goal of our project is to produce left-handed light in an atomic system. In order to do this, an atomic transition needs to be utilized that is magnetic dipole in character. Pure magnetic dipole transitions in the optical regime are more rare and fundamentally much weaker than the electric dipole transitions typically used in atomic physics experiments. They can be found, however, in the complex atomic structure of rare-earth elements. The 7F0 → 5D 1 transition in europium doped yttrium orthosilicate (Eu3+:Y 2SiO5) has a wavelength of 527.5 nm and is a pure magnetic dipole transition. We measured its dipole moment to be (0.063 +/- 0.005)mu B via Rabi oscillations, inferring a magnetization on the order of 10 -2 A/m. Demonstrating this large magnetic response at an optical frequency is a major first step in realizing left-handed light in atomic systems.

Providing open-access online materials and hands-on sessions for GIS exercises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oguchi, T.; Yamauchi, H.; Hayakawa, Y. S.

2017-12-01

Researchers of GIS (Geographical Information Systems/Sciences) in Japan have collaborated to provide materials for GIS lecture classes in universities for the last 20 years. The major outcomes include 1) a GIS core curriculum, 2) a GIS "body of knowledge" explaining the details of the curriculum, 3) a series of PowerPoint presentations, and 4) a comprehensive GIS textbook. However, materials for GIS exercises at university classes using GIS software have been limited in Japan. Therefore, we launched a project to provide such materials which will be available online and accessible by anybody. The materials cover broad basic aspects of GIS including geoscientific applications such as terrain analysis using digital elevation models. The materials utilize public-domain and open-source software packages such as QGIS and GRASS. The data used are also freely available ones such as those from the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan. The use of the GitHub platform to distribute the materials allow easier online interactions by both material producers and users. Selected sets of the materials have been utilized for hands-on activities including both official university classes and public instructions. We have been updating the materials based on the opinions of people who took the hands-on courses for better GIS education. The current materials are in Japanese, but we plan to translate some of them into English.

Optical contrast for identifying the thickness of two-dimensional materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bing, Dan; Wang, Yingying; Bai, Jing; Du, Ruxia; Wu, Guoqing; Liu, Liyan

2018-01-01

One of the most intriguing properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials is their thickness dependent properties. A quick and precise technique to identify the layer number of 2D materials is therefore highly desirable. In this review, we will introduce the basic principle of using optical contrast to determine the thickness of 2D material and also its advantage as compared to other modern techniques. Different 2D materials, including graphene, graphene oxide, transitional metal dichalcogenides, black phosphorus, boron nitride, have been used as examples to demonstrate the capability of optical contrast methods. A simple and more efficient optical contrast image technique is also emphasized, which is suitable for quick and large-scale thickness identification. We have also discussed the factors that could affect the experimental results of optical contrast, including incident light angle, anisotropic nature of materials, and also the twisted angle between 2D layers. Finally, we give perspectives on future development of optical contrast methods for the study and application of 2D materials.

Optical identification using imperfections in 2D materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Yameng; Robson, Alexander J.; Alharbi, Abdullah; Roberts, Jonathan; Woodhead, Christopher S.; Noori, Yasir J.; Bernardo-Gavito, Ramón; Shahrjerdi, Davood; Roedig, Utz; Fal'ko, Vladimir I.; Young, Robert J.

2017-12-01

The ability to uniquely identify an object or device is important for authentication. Imperfections, locked into structures during fabrication, can be used to provide a fingerprint that is challenging to reproduce. In this paper, we propose a simple optical technique to read unique information from nanometer-scale defects in 2D materials. Imperfections created during crystal growth or fabrication lead to spatial variations in the bandgap of 2D materials that can be characterized through photoluminescence measurements. We show a simple setup involving an angle-adjustable transmission filter, simple optics and a CCD camera can capture spatially-dependent photoluminescence to produce complex maps of unique information from 2D monolayers. Atomic force microscopy is used to verify the origin of the optical signature measured, demonstrating that it results from nanometer-scale imperfections. This solution to optical identification with 2D materials could be employed as a robust security measure to prevent counterfeiting.

Optical Fibre Sensors Using Graphene-Based Materials: A Review

PubMed Central

Hernaez, Miguel; Zamarreño, Carlos R.; Melendi-Espina, Sonia; Bird, Liam R.; Mayes, Andrew G.; Arregui, Francisco J.

2017-01-01

Graphene and its derivatives have become the most explored materials since Novoselov and Geim (Nobel Prize winners for Physics in 2010) achieved its isolation in 2004. The exceptional properties of graphene have attracted the attention of the scientific community from different research fields, generating high impact not only in scientific journals, but also in general-interest newspapers. Optical fibre sensing is one of the many fields that can benefit from the use of these new materials, combining the amazing morphological, chemical, optical and electrical features of graphene with the advantages that optical fibre offers over other sensing strategies. In this document, a review of the current state of the art for optical fibre sensors based on graphene materials is presented. PMID:28098825

Optical Fibre Sensors Using Graphene-Based Materials: A Review.

PubMed

Hernaez, Miguel; Zamarreño, Carlos R; Melendi-Espina, Sonia; Bird, Liam R; Mayes, Andrew G; Arregui, Francisco J

2017-01-14

Graphene and its derivatives have become the most explored materials since Novoselov and Geim (Nobel Prize winners for Physics in 2010) achieved its isolation in 2004. The exceptional properties of graphene have attracted the attention of the scientific community from different research fields, generating high impact not only in scientific journals, but also in general-interest newspapers. Optical fibre sensing is one of the many fields that can benefit from the use of these new materials, combining the amazing morphological, chemical, optical and electrical features of graphene with the advantages that optical fibre offers over other sensing strategies. In this document, a review of the current state of the art for optical fibre sensors based on graphene materials is presented.

UV-cured polymer optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piñón, Victor; Santiago, Freddie; Vogelsberg, Ashten; Davenport, Amelia; Cramer, Neil

2017-10-01

Although many optical-quality glass materials are available for use in optical systems, the range of polymeric materials is limited. Polymeric materials have some advantages over glass when it comes to large-scale manufacturing and production. In smaller scale systems, they offer a reduction in weight when compared to glass counterparts. This is especially important when designing optical systems meant to be carried by hand. We aimed to expand the availability of polymeric materials by exploring both crown-like and flint-like polymers. In addition, rapid and facile production was also a goal. By using UV-cured thiolene-based polymers, we were able to produce optical materials within seconds. This enabled the rapid screening of a variety of polymers from which we down-selected to produce optical flats and lenses. We will discuss problems with production and mitigation strategies in using UV-cured polymers for optical components. Using UV-cured polymers present a different set of problems than traditional injection-molded polymers, and these issues are discussed in detail. Using these produced optics, we integrated them into a modified direct view optical system, with the end goal being the development of drop-in replacements for glass components. This optical production strategy shows promise for use in lab-scale systems, where low-cost methods and flexibility are of paramount importance.

Resolving the optical anisotropy of low-symmetry 2D materials.

PubMed

Shen, Wanfu; Hu, Chunguang; Tao, Jin; Liu, Jun; Fan, Shuangqing; Wei, Yaxu; An, Chunhua; Chen, Jiancui; Wu, Sen; Li, Yanning; Liu, Jing; Zhang, Daihua; Sun, Lidong; Hu, Xiaotang

2018-05-03

Optical anisotropy is one of the most fundamental physical characteristics of emerging low-symmetry two-dimensional (2D) materials. It provides abundant structural information and is crucial for creating diverse nanoscale devices. Here, we have proposed an azimuth-resolved microscopic approach to directly resolve the normalized optical difference along two orthogonal directions at normal incidence. The differential principle ensures that the approach is only sensitive to anisotropic samples and immune to isotropic materials. We studied the optical anisotropy of bare and encapsulated black phosphorus (BP) and unveiled the interference effect on optical anisotropy, which is critical for practical applications in optical and optoelectronic devices. A multi-phase model based on the scattering matrix method was developed to account for the interference effect and then the crystallographic directions were unambiguously determined. Our result also suggests that the optical anisotropy is a probe to measure the thickness with monolayer resolution. Furthermore, the optical anisotropy of rhenium disulfide (ReS2), another class of anisotropic 2D materials, with a 1T distorted crystal structure, was investigated, which demonstrates that our approach is suitable for other anisotropic 2D materials. This technique is ideal for optical anisotropy characterization and will inspire future efforts in BP and related anisotropic 2D nanomaterials for engineering new conceptual nanodevices.

A review of materials engineering in silicon-based optical fibres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Healy, Noel; Gibson, Ursula; Peacock, Anna C.

2018-02-01

Semiconductor optical fibre technologies have grown rapidly in the last decade and there are now a range of production and post-processing techniques that allow for a vast degree of control over the core material's optoelectronic properties. These methodologies and the unique optical fibre geometry provide an exciting platform for materials engineering and fibres can now be produced with single crystal cores, low optical losses, tunable strain, and inscribable phase composition. This review discusses the state-of-the-art regarding the production of silicon optical fibres in amorphous and crystalline form and then looks at the post-processing techniques and the improved material quality and new functionality that they afford.

Optically active single-walled carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Xiaobin; Komatsu, Naoki; Bhattacharya, Sumanta; Shimawaki, Takanori; Aonuma, Shuji; Kimura, Takahide; Osuka, Atsuhiro

2007-06-01

The optical, electrical and mechanical properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are largely determined by their structures, and bulk availability of uniform materials is vital for extending their technological applications. Since they were first prepared, much effort has been directed toward selective synthesis and separation of SWNTs with specific structures. As-prepared samples of chiral SWNTs contain equal amounts of left- and right-handed helical structures, but little attention has been paid to the separation of these non-superimposable mirror image forms, known as optical isomers. Here, we show that optically active SWNT samples can be obtained by preferentially extracting either right- or left-handed SWNTs from a commercial sample. Chiral `gable-type' diporphyrin molecules bind with different affinities to the left- and right-handed helical nanotube isomers to form complexes with unequal stabilities that can be readily separated. Significantly, the diporphyrins can be liberated from the complexes afterwards, to provide optically enriched SWNTs.

Composite material for optical oxygen sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antropov, A. P.; Ragutkin, A. V.; Melnikov, P. V.; Luchnikov, P. A.; Zaitsev, N. K.

2018-01-01

A new composite material for use in optical molecular oxygen sensors is proposed. The absence of pores on the surface of the material avoids microbiological fouling and concomitant deterioration of the characteristics with time, and the presence of the mesoporous phase results in a linear calibration and acceptable response times, even for layers that are significant in thickness.

Materials for Concentrator Photovoltaic Systems: Optical Properties and Solar Radiation Durability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

French, R. H.; Rodríguez-Parada, J. M.; Yang, M. K.; Lemon, M. F.; Romano, E. C.; Boydell, P.

2010-10-01

Concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) systems are designed to operate over a wide range of solar concentrations, from low concentrations of ˜1 to 12 Suns to medium concentrations in the range from 12 to 200 Suns, to high concentration CPV systems going up to 2000 Suns. Many transparent optical materials are used for a wide variety of functions ranging from refractive and reflective optics to homogenizers, encapsulants and even thermal management. The classes of materials used also span a wide spectrum from hydrocarbon polymers (HCP) and fluoropolymers (FP) to silicon containing polymers and polyimides (PI). The optical properties of these materials are essential to the optical behavior of the system. At the same time radiation durability of these materials under the extremely wide range of solar concentrations is a critical performance requirement for the required lifetime of a CPV system. As part of our research on materials for CPV we are evaluating the optical properties and solar radiation durability of various polymeric materials to define the optimum material combinations for various CPV systems.

Optical Limiting Materials Based on Gold Nanoparticles

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-30

of the electromagnetic spectrum. 2. Functionalization of the surface of the gold nanoparticles with selected organic and inorganic materials, with...F. A Review of Optical Limiting Mechanisms and Devices Using Organics, Fullerenes , Semiconductors and Other Materials. Prog. Quant. Electr. 1993

Hand-held spectrophotometer design for textile fabrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böcekçi, Veysel Gökhan; Yıldız, Kazım

2017-09-01

In this study, a hand-held spectrophotometer was designed by taking advantage of the developments in modern optoelectronic technology. Spectrophotometer devices are used to determine the color information from the optic properties of the materials. As an alternative to a desktop spectrophotometer device we have implemented, it is the first prototype, low cost and portable. The prototype model designed for the textile industry can detect the color tone of any fabric. The prototype model consists of optic sensor, processor, display floors. According to the color applied on the optic sensor, it produces special frequency information on its output at that color value. In Arduino type processor, the frequency information is evaluated by the program we have written and the color tone information between 0-255 ton is decided and displayed on the screen.

Analysis of Electro-Optic Materials Properties on Guided Wave Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-16

AD-A262 787 APPLIED RESEARCH, INC, ANALYSIS OF ELECTRO - OPTIC MATERIALS PROPERTIES ON GUIDED WAVE DEVICES FINAL REPORT DTI 6700 ODYSSEY DR HUNTSVILLE...ALABAMA 35814-1220 s IMAR1893 APPROVED FOR PUKIC RE’.EASE DISTRIBUTION UNLIMlITED Applied Research Inc. ARI/92iR-048Z ANALYSIS OF ELECTRO - OPTIC MATERIALS...uNiT ATTN: Dr. 2aul Ashley-AMSMI-RD-~WS--CM ELEMENT NO 4 NO IAr SSiON No t1I TI TLE iciup SeawIfy 0Mft*G’I Analysis of Electro - optic Materials

Nonlinear Optical Spectroscopy of Two-Dimensional Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Qiannan

Nonlinear optical properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), graphene, black phosphorus, and so on, play a key role of understanding nanoscale light-matter interactions, as well as developing nanophotonics applications from solar cells to quantum computation. With ultrafast lasers, we experimentally study nonlinear optical properties of 2D materials. Employing transient absorption microscopy, we study several members of 2D materials, such as WSe2, TiS3 and ReS2. The dynamical saturable absorption process of 2D excitons is spatiotemporally resolved. Intrinsic parameters of these 2D materials, such as exciton lifetime, exciton diffusion coefficient, and exciton mobility, are effectively measured. Especially, in-plane anisotropy of transient absorption and diffusive transport is observed for 2D excitons in monolayer ReS2, demonstrating the in-plane degree of freedom. Furthermore, with quantum interference and control nanoscopy, we all-optically inject, detect and manipulate nanoscale ballistic charge currents in a ReS2 thin film. By tuning the phase difference between one photon absorption and two photon absorption transition paths, sub-picosecond timescale of ballistic currents is coherently controlled for the first time in TMDs. In addition, the spatial resolution is two-order of magnitude smaller than optical diffraction limit. The second-order optical nonlinearity of 2D monolayers is resolved by second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy. We measure the second-order susceptibility of monolayer MoS 2. The angular dependence of SHG in monolayer MoS2 shows strong symmetry dependence on its crystal lattice structure. Hence, second harmonic generation microscopy can serve as a powerful tool to noninvasively determine the crystalline directions of 2D monolayers. The real and imaginary parts of third-order optical nonlinearity of 2D monolayers are resolved by third harmonic generation (THG) microscopy and two

A hand and a field effect in on-line motor control in unilateral optic ataxia.

PubMed

Blangero, Annabelle; Gaveau, Valérie; Luauté, Jacques; Rode, Gilles; Salemme, Romeo; Guinard, Marine; Boisson, Dominique; Rossetti, Yves; Pisella, Laure

2008-05-01

Patients with bilateral optic ataxia fail to show rapid perturbation-induced corrections during manual aiming movements. Based on this, it has been proposed that this pathology results from a disruption of processes of on-line motor control in the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). Here, we show that on-line motor control performance in a patient with unilateral optic ataxia is similar to that of pointing towards stationary targets in peripheral vision, showing the same combination of hand and field effects. We also show that in the patient, manual correction towards his ataxic field was possible only when a preceding saccade (100msec earlier) rapidly provides foveal information about the new target location. In control subjects, manual correction was often, but not necessarily preceded by a saccade. These results allow us to put forward a model of visuo-manual transformation, which involves updating of the reach plan based on the target-eye error, and rely upon two dissociated spatial representations (of the hand and of the target, respectively) within the PPC.

Float polishing of optical materials.

PubMed

Bennett, J M; Shaffer, J J; Shibano, Y; Namba, Y

1987-02-15

The float-polishing technique has been studied to determine its suitability for producing supersmooth surfaces on optical materials, yielding a roughness of <2 A rms. An attempt was made to polish six different materials including fused quartz, Zerodur, and sapphire. The low surface roughness was achieved on fused quartz, Zerodur, and Corning experimental glass-ceramic materials, and a surface roughness of <1 A rms was obtained on O-cut single-crystal sapphire. Presumably, similar surface finishes can also be obtained on CerVit and ULE quartz, which could not be polished satisfactorily in this set of experiments because of a mismatch between sample mounting and machine configuration.

The Hands-On Optics Project: a demonstration of module 3-magnificent magnifications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompea, Stephen M.; Sparks, Robert T.; Walker, Constance E.

2014-07-01

The Hands-On Optics project offers an example of a set of instructional modules that foster active prolonged engagement. Developed by SPIE, OSA, and NOAO through funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation, the modules were originally designed for afterschool settings and museums. However, because they were based on national standards in mathematics, science, and technology, they were easily adapted for use in classrooms. The philosophy and implementation strategies of the six modules will be described as well as lessons learned in training educators. The modules were implementing with the help of optics industry professionals who served as expert volunteers to assist educators. A key element of the modules was that they were developed around an understanding of optics misconceptions and used culminating activities in each module as a form of authentic assessment. Thus student achievement could be measured by evaluating the actual product created by each student in applying key concepts, tools, and applications together at the end of each module. The program used a progression of disciplinary core concepts to build an integrated sequence and crosscutting ideas and practices to infuse the principles of the modern electro-optical field into the modules. Whenever possible, students were encouraged to experiment and to create, and to pursue inquiry-based approaches. The result was a program that had high appeal to regular as well as gifted students.

Readability of the Most Commonly Accessed Online Patient Education Materials Pertaining to Pathology of the Hand.

PubMed

Akinleye, Sheriff D; Garofolo-Gonzalez, Garret; Montuori, Michael; Culbertson, Maya Deza; Hashem, Jennifer; Edelstein, David Marc

2017-08-01

The American Medical Association (AMA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend that patient education materials be written at no higher than a sixth-grade reading level. We examined 100 online educational materials for the 10 hand conditions most commonly treated by hand surgeons, as reported by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. The listed conditions were carpal tunnel syndrome, basal joint arthritis of the thumb, de Quervain syndrome, Dupuytren's contracture, ganglion cysts, hand fractures, trigger finger, extensor tendon injuries, flexor tendon injuries, and mallet finger. Following a Google search for each condition, we analyzed the 10 most visited websites for each disorder utilizing the Flesch-Kincaid formula. The average grade reading level of the 100 websites studied was 9.49 with a reading ease of 53.03 ("fairly difficult high school"). Only 29% of the websites were at or below the national average of an eighth-grade reading level. Carpal tunnel syndrome had the highest average grade reading level at 10.32 (standard deviation: 1.52), whereas hand fractures had the lowest at 8.14 (2.03). Every hand condition in this study had an average readability at or above the ninth-grade reading level. The most frequently accessed materials for common maladies of the hand exceed both the readability limits recommended by the AMA and NIH, and the average reading ability of most US adults. Therefore, the most commonly accessed websites pertaining to hand pathology may not be comprehended by the audience for which it is intended.

Sub-micron materials characterization using near-field optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blodgett, David Wesley

1998-12-01

High-resolution sub-surface materials characterization and inspection are critical in the microelectronics and thin films industries. To this end, a technique is described that couples the bulk property measurement capabilities of high-frequency ultrasound with the high-resolution surface imaging capabilities of the near-field optical microscope. Sensing bulk microstructure variations in the material, such as grain boundaries, requires a detection footprint smaller than the variation itself. The near-field optical microscope, with the ability to exceed the diffraction limit in optical resolution, meets this requirement. Two apertureless near-field optical microscopes, on-axis and off-axis illumination, have been designed and built. Near-field and far-field approach curves for both microscopes are presented. The sensitivity of the near-field approach curve was 8.3 muV/nm. Resolution studies for the near-field microscope indicate optical resolutions on the order of 50 nm, which exceeds the diffraction limit. The near-field microscope has been adapted to detect both contact-transducer-generated and laser-generated ultrasound. The successful detection of high-frequency ultrasound with the near-field optical microscope demonstrates the potential of this technique.

Computerized literature reference system: use of an optical scanner and optical character recognition software.

PubMed

Lossef, S V; Schwartz, L H

1990-09-01

A computerized reference system for radiology journal articles was developed by using an IBM-compatible personal computer with a hand-held optical scanner and optical character recognition software. This allows direct entry of scanned text from printed material into word processing or data-base files. Additionally, line diagrams and photographs of radiographs can be incorporated into these files. A text search and retrieval software program enables rapid searching for keywords in scanned documents. The hand scanner and software programs are commercially available, relatively inexpensive, and easily used. This permits construction of a personalized radiology literature file of readily accessible text and images requiring minimal typing or keystroke entry.

Laser And Nonlinear Optical Materials For Laser Remote Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnes, Norman P.

2005-01-01

NASA remote sensing missions involving laser systems and their economic impact are outlined. Potential remote sensing missions include: green house gasses, tropospheric winds, ozone, water vapor, and ice cap thickness. Systems to perform these measurements use lanthanide series lasers and nonlinear devices including second harmonic generators and parametric oscillators. Demands these missions place on the laser and nonlinear optical materials are discussed from a materials point of view. Methods of designing new laser and nonlinear optical materials to meet these demands are presented.

THz - ToF Optical Layer Analysis (OLA) to determine optical properties of dielectric materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spranger, Holger; Beckmann, Jörg

2017-02-01

Electromagnetic waves with frequencies between 0.1 and 10 THz are described as THz-radiation (T-ray). The ability to penetrate dielectric materials makes T-rays attractive to reveal discontinuities in polymer and ceramic materials. THz-Time Domain Spectroscopy Systems (THz-TDS) are available on the market today which operates with THz-pulses transmitted and received by optically pumped semiconductor antennas. In THz-TDS the travelling time (ToF) and shape of the pulse is changed if it interacts with the dielectric material and its inherent discontinuities. A tomogram of the object under the test can be reconstructed from time of flight diffraction (ToFD) scans if a synthetic focusing aperture (SAFT) algorithm is applied. The knowledge of the base materials shape and optical properties is essential for a proper reconstruction result. To obtain these properties a model is assumed which describes the device under the test as multilayer structure composed of thin layers with different dielectric characteristics. The Optical Layer Analysis (OLA) is able to fulfill these requirements. A short description why the optical properties are crucial for meaningful SAFT reconstruction results will be given first. Afterwards the OLA will be derived and applied on representative samples to discuss and evaluate its benefits and limits.

Optical substrate materials for synchrotron radiation beamlines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Howells, M.R.; Paquin, R.A.

1997-06-01

The authors consider the materials choices available for making optical substrates for synchrotron radiation beam lines. They find that currently the optical surfaces can only be polished to the required finish in fused silica and other glasses, silicon, CVD silicon carbide, electroless nickel and 17-4 PH stainless steel. Substrates must therefore be made of one of these materials or of a metal that can be coated with electroless nickel. In the context of material choices for mirrors they explore the issues of dimensional stability, polishing, bending, cooling, and manufacturing strategy. They conclude that metals are best from an engineering andmore » cost standpoint while the ceramics are best from a polishing standpoint. They then give discussions of specific materials as follows: silicon carbide, silicon, electroless nickel, Glidcop{trademark}, aluminum, precipitation-hardening stainless steel, mild steel, invar and superinvar. Finally they summarize conclusions and propose ideas for further research.« less

Structurally integrated fiber optic damage assessment system for composite materials.

PubMed

Measures, R M; Glossop, N D; Lymer, J; Leblanc, M; West, J; Dubois, S; Tsaw, W; Tennyson, R C

1989-07-01

Progress toward the development of a fiber optic damage assessment system for composite materials is reported. This system, based on the fracture of embedded optical fibers, has been characterized with respect to the orientation and location of the optical fibers in the composite. Together with a special treatment, these parameters have been tailored to yield a system capable of detecting the threshold of damage for various impacted Kevlar/epoxy panels. The technique has been extended to measure the growth of a damage region which could arise from either impact, manufacturing flaws, or static overloading. The mechanism of optical fiber fracture has also been investigated. In addition, the influence of embedded optical fibers on the tensile and compressive strength of the composite material has been studied. Image enhanced backlighting has been shown to be a powerful and convenient method of assessing internal damage to translucent composite materials.

Overlapping illusions by transformation optics without any negative refraction material.

PubMed

Sun, Fei; He, Sailing

2016-01-11

A novel method to achieve an overlapping illusion without any negative refraction index material is introduced with the help of the optic-null medium (ONM) designed by an extremely stretching spatial transformation. Unlike the previous methods to achieve such an optical illusion by transformation optics (TO), our method can achieve a power combination and reshape the radiation pattern at the same time. Unlike the overlapping illusion with some negative refraction index material, our method is not sensitive to the loss of the materials. Other advantages over existing methods are discussed. Numerical simulations are given to verify the performance of the proposed devices.

Material characterisation with methods of nonlinear optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prylepa, A.; Reitböck, C.; Cobet, M.; Jesacher, A.; Jin, X.; Adelung, R.; Schatzl-Linder, M.; Luckeneder, G.; Stellnberger, K.-H.; Steck, T.; Faderl, J.; Stehrer, T.; Stifter, D.

2018-01-01

In this review, we present nonlinear optical methods, based on the second and third order nonlinear polarization, especially in the context of material characterization tasks outside the area of life sciences—for which these techniques are mostly designed. An overview of application studies reported to date is given, together with a discussion on the advantages and limits of the individual methods. Furthermore, new ways of experimentally combining different optical concepts are introduced, and their potential for characterisation and inspection tasks is evaluated in the context of various case studies, including the investigation of semiconductor surfaces, metals and related corrosion products, as well as of organic materials.

Emerging Low-Dimensional Materials for Nonlinear Optics and Ultrafast Photonics.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaofeng; Guo, Qiangbing; Qiu, Jianrong

2017-04-01

Low-dimensional (LD) materials demonstrate intriguing optical properties, which lead to applications in diverse fields, such as photonics, biomedicine and energy. Due to modulation of electronic structure by the reduced structural dimensionality, LD versions of metal, semiconductor and topological insulators (TIs) at the same time bear distinct nonlinear optical (NLO) properties as compared with their bulk counterparts. Their interaction with short pulse laser excitation exhibits a strong nonlinear character manifested by NLO absorption, giving rise to optical limiting or saturated absorption associated with excited state absorption and Pauli blocking in different materials. In particular, the saturable absorption of these emerging LD materials including two-dimensional semiconductors as well as colloidal TI nanoparticles has recently been utilized for Q-switching and mode-locking ultra-short pulse generation across the visible, near infrared and middle infrared wavelength regions. Beside the large operation bandwidth, these ultrafast photonics applications are especially benefit from the high recovery rate as well as the facile processibility of these LD materials. The prominent NLO response of these LD materials have also provided new avenues for the development of novel NLO and photonics devices for all-optical control as well as optical circuits beyond ultrafast lasers. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Readability and comprehensibility of patient education material in hand-related web sites.

PubMed

Wang, Steve W; Capo, John T; Orillaza, Nathaniel

2009-09-01

As patients are more frequently referring to the Internet for information on their musculoskeletal problems, the readability and comprehensibility of these educational materials becomes increasingly more important to most of the lay public. In this study, we investigated the readability of the currently available web sites of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) that pertain to hand and wrist problems, to assess their usefulness as a source for patient information. We analyzed all articles available in 2008 from the AAOS web site within the Patient Education Library under the heading, "Hand & Wrist" and from the ASSH web site under the heading, "Hand Conditions." A total of 83 articles were identified for hand conditions. Each article was analyzed by the Flesch-Kincaid program available in Microsoft Office Word software and the Dale-Chall grade-level assessor. These program models analyze all words in the specified text and return a grade level that corresponds to the difficulty level of the text. The AAOS web sites contained 34 articles with a mean Flesch-Kincaid grade level of 8.5 and a mean Dale-Chall grade level of 8.8. The ASSH web site contained 49 articles showing a mean Flesch-Kincaid grade level of 10.4 and a mean Dale-Chall grade level of 10.8. Our results suggest that the patient education materials found on the AAOS and ASSH web sites have readability scores that are higher than the recommended reading levels and thus may be too difficult to be understood by a substantial portion of the U.S. population.

Highly birefringent polymer microstructured optical fibers embedded in composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesiak, P.; SzelÄ g, M.; Kuczkowski, M.; Domański, A. W.; Woliński, T. R.

2013-05-01

Composite structures are made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties and they remain separate and distinct in a macroscopic level within the finished structure. This feature allows for introducing highly birefringent polymer microstructured optical fibers into the composite material. These new fibers can consist of only two polymer materials (PMMA and PC) with similar value of the Young modulus as the composite material so any stresses induced in the composite material can be easily measured by the proposed embedded fiber optic sensors.

Ultralight Weight Optical Systems Using Nano-Layered Synthesized Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, Natalie; Breckinridge, James

2014-01-01

Optical imaging is important for many NASA science missions. Even though complex optical systems have advanced, the optics, based on conventional glass and mirrors, require components that are thick, heavy and expensive. As the need for higher performance expands, glass and mirrors are fast approaching the point where they will be too large, heavy and costly for spacecraft, especially small satellite systems. NASA Langley Research Center is developing a wide range of novel nano-layered synthesized materials that enable the development and fabrication of ultralight weight optical device systems that enable many NASA missions to collect science data imagery using small satellites. In addition to significantly reducing weight, the nano-layered synthesized materials offer advantages in performance, size, and cost.

A novel graphene oxide-polyimide as optical waveguide material: Synthesis and thermo-optic switch properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Tianlin; Zhao, Fanyu; Da, Zulin; Qiu, Fengxian; Yang, Dongya; Guan, Yijun; Cao, Guorong; Zhao, Zerun; Li, Jiaxin; Guo, Xiaotong

2016-10-01

In this work, a novel graphene oxide-polyimide (GOPI) as optical waveguide material was prepared. The structure, mechanical, thermal property and morphology of the GOPI was characterized by using fourier transform infrared, UV-visible spectroscopy, near-infrared spectrum, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscopy. The thermo-optic coefficients (dn/dT) are -9.16 × 10-4 (532 nm), -7.56 × 10-4 (650 nm) and -4.82 × 10-4 (850 nm) °C-1, respectively. Based on the thermo-optic effect of prepared GOPI as waveguide material, a Y-branch with branching angle of 0.143° and Mach-Zehnder thermo-optic switches were designed. Using finite difference beam propagation method (FD-BPM) method, the simulation results such as power consumptions and response times of two different thermo-optic switches were obtained.

Nonlinear optical and conductive polymeric material

DOEpatents

Barton, Thomas J.; Ijadi-Maghsoodi, Sina; Pang, Yi

1992-05-19

A polymeric material which exhibits nonlinear optical properties if undoped and conductive properties if doped. The polymer is prepared by polymerizing diethynylsilane compositions, the resulting polymeric material having a weight average molecular weight between about 20,000 and about 200,000 grams per mole. The polymer is prepared and catalytically polymerized by exposure to a catalyst, such as MoCl.sub.5 or W(CO).sub.6 /hv.

Nonlinear optical and conductive polymeric material

DOEpatents

Barton, T.J.; Ijadi-Maghsooodi, S; Yi Pang.

1993-10-19

A polymeric material is described which exhibits nonlinear optical properties if undoped and conductive properties if doped. The polymer is prepared by polymerizing diethynylsilane compositions, the resulting polymeric material having a weight average molecular weight between about 20,000 and about 200,000 grams per mole. The polymer is prepared and catalytically polymerized by exposure to a catalyst, such as MoCl[sub 5] or W(CO)[sub 6].

Nonlinear optical and conductive polymeric material

DOEpatents

Barton, T.J.; Ijadi-Maghsoodi, S.; Pang, Y.

1992-05-19

A polymeric material which exhibits nonlinear optical properties if undoped and conductive properties if doped. The polymer is prepared by polymerizing diethynylsilane compositions, the resulting polymeric material having a weight average molecular weight between about 20,000 and about 200,000 grams per mole. The polymer is prepared and catalytically polymerized by exposure to a catalyst, such as MoCl[sub 5] or W(CO)[sub 6]/hv.

Nonlinear optical and conductive polymeric material

DOEpatents

Barton, Thomas J.; Ijadi-Maghsoodi, Sina; Pang, Yi

1993-10-19

A polymeric material which exhibits nonlinear optical properties if undoped and conductive properties if doped. The polymer is prepared by polymerizing diethynylsilane compositions, the resulting polymeric material having a weight average molecular weight between about 20,000 and about 200,000 grams per mole. The polymer is prepared and catalytically polymerized by exposure to a catalyst, such as MoCl.sub.5 or W(CO).sub.6 /hv.

Development and Optical Testing of the Camera, Hand Lens, and Microscope Probe with Scannable Laser Spectroscopy (CHAMP-SLS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mungas, Greg S.; Gursel, Yekta; Sepulveda, Cesar A.; Anderson, Mark; La Baw, Clayton; Johnson, Kenneth R.; Deans, Matthew; Beegle, Luther; Boynton, John

2008-01-01

Conducting high resolution field microscopy with coupled laser spectroscopy that can be used to selectively analyze the surface chemistry of individual pixels in a scene is an enabling capability for next generation robotic and manned spaceflight missions, civil, and military applications. In the laboratory, we use a range of imaging and surface preparation tools that provide us with in-focus images, context imaging for identifying features that we want to investigate at high magnification, and surface-optical coupling that allows us to apply optical spectroscopic analysis techniques for analyzing surface chemistry particularly at high magnifications. The camera, hand lens, and microscope probe with scannable laser spectroscopy (CHAMP-SLS) is an imaging/spectroscopy instrument capable of imaging continuously from infinity down to high resolution microscopy (resolution of approx. 1 micron/pixel in a final camera format), the closer CHAMP-SLS is placed to a feature, the higher the resultant magnification. At hand lens to microscopic magnifications, the imaged scene can be selectively interrogated with point spectroscopic techniques such as Raman spectroscopy, microscopic Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (micro-LIBS), laser ablation mass-spectrometry, Fluorescence spectroscopy, and/or Reflectance spectroscopy. This paper summarizes the optical design, development, and testing of the CHAMP-SLS optics.

All optical controlled photonic integrated circuits using azo dye functionized sol-gel material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ke, Xianjun

The main focus of this dissertation is development and characterization of all-optical controllable azo dye functionized sol gel material, demonstrating a PIC fabrication technique on glass substrate using such material, and exploration and feasibility demonstration of three PIC functional devices namely optical variable attenuator, optical switches, and optical tunable filters using the material. The realization of all the devices in this dissertation are based on one material: dye functionalized sol-gel material. A photochromic sol-gel material functionalized with azo dye was synthesized and characterized. It possesses a photochromic characteristic under the control of green laser beam illumination. The material characteristics suggest the possibility of a new promising material platform candidate for the fabrication of alloptical controlled photonic integrated circuits. As the first potential application of the dye functionalized sol-gel material, an alloptical variable attenuator was designed and demonstrated. The optical variable attenuation is achieved in Mach-Zehnder interferometric configuration through all-optical modulation of sol-gel waveguide phase shifters. A 2 x 2 optical switch based on multimode interference (MMI) waveguide structure is proposed in the dissertation. The schematic configuration of the optical switch consists of a cascade of two identical MMIs with two all-optical controlled phase shifters realized by using the photochromic sol-gel material. The cross or bar switch state of the optical switch is determined by the phase difference between the two sol-gel waveguide phase shifters. An all-optical tunable filter is designed and its feasibility demonstrated by using the sol-gel photochromic material. Except for the phase change demonstrated on sol-gel waveguide phase shifters, dynamic gratings were observed on sol-gel film when exposed to two interference beams. This reveals the possibility of realizing Bragg grating-based tunable filters

Gold nanorods-silicone hybrid material films and their optical limiting property

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Chunfang; Qi, Yanhai; Hao, Xiongwen; Peng, Xue; Li, Dongxiang

2015-10-01

As a kind of new optical limiting materials, gold nanoparticles have optical limiting property owing to their optical nonlinearities induced by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Gold nanorods (GNRs) possess transversal SPR absorption and tunable longitudinal SPR absorption in the visible and near-infrared region, so they can be used as potential optical limiting materials against tunable laser pulses. In this letter, GNRs were prepared using seed-mediated growth method and surface-modified by silica coating to obtain good dispersion in polydimethylsiloxane prepolymers. Then the silicone rubber films doped with GNRs were prepared after vulcanization, whose optical limiting property and optical nonlinearity were investigated. The silicone rubber samples doped with more GNRs were found to exhibit better optical limiting performance.

Structural characterisation of advanced optical materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krsmanovic, Radenka

The rare earth systems discussed in this thesis belong to a class of new, advanced optical materials. Two different nanostuctured materials are studied: nanocrystalline oxide phosphors and glass ceramics containing luminescent nanocrystals. In both cases, the optical activity is based on the luminescence properties of rare earth dopants incorporated into the crystal structure of the insulator nanocrystals themselves. The structure, morphology and composition of these luminescent composite materials are investigated and used to demonstrate the benefits as well as the drawbacks of the synthesis and the processing techniques used, aiming to their improvement for possible industrial production. An investigation of the microstructure was done by XRD, TEM and HREM, while EDX, EELS and EFTEM spectroscopy techniques were used for the chemical identification. Our research clearly demonstrated that these techniques can be successfully applied, and in combination with optical spectroscopy can provide the complete characterization of nanostructured luminescent materials. Three different oxide phosphors in the form of nanocrystalline powders are obtained with the solution combustion technique: yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG), gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG) and scandium oxide, Sc2O 3. We found out that GGG and Sc2O3 samples have "perfect" nanocrystals, without defects or amorphous surface layer, and with uniform distribution of rare earth activators. Good crystal quality results in a long-lived phosphor and much stronger emission, which makes them promising candidate for display industry. Moreover, these luminescent nanocrystals are biocompatible and when functionalized with some molecules or biocompatible polymers can be used for bio-applications like "in vivo" markers in cell biology. For luminescence glass ceramics samples the ternary glass system Li 2O-Al2O3-SiO2 (LAS) is used as host matrix, and ZrO2 as nucleating agent for luminescent ions introduced as Eu2O3 or Er2O3. We

Developing improved silica materials and devices for integrated optics applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maker, Ashley Julia

Due to their favorable optical and material properties, silica-based materials and devices have found many important applications throughout science and engineering, especially in sensing, communications, lasers, and integrated optics. Often, silica's properties ultimately limit the performance of these applications. To address this limitation, this thesis investigates the development of improved silica materials and optical devices, including silica films, coatings, waveguides, resonators, lasers, and sensors. Using sol-gel chemistry and microfabrication procedures, custom silica materials and devices are developed to benefit many applications. In this thesis, it is first demonstrated how the low optical loss of silica enables fabrication of low loss integrated waveguides and toroidal resonators with ultra-high quality factors. Then, by adding various rare earth and metal dopants to sol-gel silica, hybrid silica materials and devices are made with custom properties such as high refractive index and lasing capabilities. Finally, several applications are demonstrated, including the use of high refractive index coatings to control the behavior of light, development of Raman and ultra-low threshold rare earth microlasers, and a heterodyned microlaser sensor with significantly improved sensing performance. Future applications and directions of this research are also discussed.

Evaluation of material dispersion using a nanosecond optical pulse radiator.

PubMed

Horiguchi, M; Ohmori, Y; Miya, T

1979-07-01

To study the material dispersion effects on graded-index fibers, a method for measuring the material dispersion in optical glass fibers has been developed. Nanosecond pulses in the 0.5-1.7-microm region are generated by a nanosecond optical pulse radiator and grating monochromator. These pulses are injected into a GeO(2)-P(2)0(5)-doped silica graded-index fiber. Relative time delay changes between different wavelengths are used to determine material dispersion, core glass refractive index, material group index, and optimum profile parameter of the graded-index fiber. From the measured data, the optimum profile parameter on the GeO(2)-P(2)O(5)-doped silica graded-index fiber could be estimated to be 1.88 at 1.27 microm of the material dispersion free wavelength region and 1.82 at 1.55 microm of the lowest-loss wavelength region in silica-based optical fiber waveguides.

Radiation effects in materials for optical interferometric devices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koumvakalis, N.; Jani, M.G.; Halliburton, L.E.

The effects of ionizing radiation have been investigated in a series of materials commonly used in optical interferometric devices. Included in the study were three glass-ceramics (Zerodur, Cer-Vit 101, and Cer-Vit 142) and one Faraday-rotator glass (SF-57). Each glass-ceramic was irradiated at room temperature with 1.5-MeV electrons from a Van De Graaff accelerator. Similar irradiations were done on the Faraday-rotator glass at room temperature and 77 K. Optical absorption and electron spin resonance measurements provided a monitor of the radiation-induced point defects in all cases. The spectral characteristics and the production and thermal annealing behavior of these defects are described,more » and their possible effect on the performance of optical devices which incorporate these materials is considered.« less

Optics and optronics in university courses for officers of the Federal Armed Forces - special curricula and hands-on lessons vs. academic requirements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hahlweg, Cornelius; Rothe, Hendrik

2016-09-01

For more than two decades lessons in optics, digital image processing and optronics are compulsory optional subjects and as such integral parts of the courses in mechanical engineering at the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Hamburg. They are provided by the Chair for Measurement and Information Technology. Historically, the curricula started as typical basic lessons in optics and digital image processing and related sensors. Practical sessions originally concentrated on image processing procedures in Pascal, C and later Matlab. They evolved into a broad portfolio of practical hands-on lessons in lab and field, including high-tech and especially military equipment, but also homemaker style primitive experiments, of which the paper will give a methodical overview. A special topic - as always with optics in education - is the introduction to the various levels of abstraction in conjunction with the highly complex and wide-ranging matter squeezed into only two trimesters - instead of semesters at civil universities - for an audience being subject to strains from both study and duty. The talk will be accompanied by striking multi-media material, which will be also part of the multi-media attachment of the paper.

Spacecraft materials guide. [including: encapsulants and conformal coatings; optical materials; lubrication; and, bonding and joining processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Staugaitis, C. L. (Editor)

1975-01-01

Materials which have demonstrated their suitability for space application are summarized. Common, recurring problems in encapsulants and conformal coatings, optical materials, lubrication, and bonding and joining are noted. The subjects discussed include: low density and syntactic foams, electrical encapsulants; optical glasses, interference filter, mirrors; oils, greases, lamillar lubricants; and, soldering and brazing processes.

Smart Optical Composite Materials: Dispersions of Metal-Organic Framework@Superparamagnetic Microrods for Switchable Isotropic-Anisotropic Optical Properties.

PubMed

Mandel, Karl; Granath, Tim; Wehner, Tobias; Rey, Marcel; Stracke, Werner; Vogel, Nicolas; Sextl, Gerhard; Müller-Buschbaum, Klaus

2017-01-24

A smart optical composite material with dynamic isotropic and anisotropic optical properties by combination of luminescence and high reflectivity was developed. This combination enables switching between luminescence and angle-dependent reflectivity by changing the applied wavelength of light. The composite is formed as anisotropic core/shell particles by coating superparamagnetic iron oxide-silica microrods with a layer of the luminescent metal-organic framework (MOF) 3 ∞ [Eu 2 (BDC) 3 ]·2DMF·2H 2 O (BDC 2- = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate). The composite particles can be rotated by an external magnet. Their anisotropic shape causes changes in the reflectivity and diffraction of light depending on the orientation of the composite particle. These rotation-dependent optical properties are complemented by an isotropic luminescence resulting from the MOF shell. If illuminated by UV light, the particles exhibit isotropic luminescence while the same sample shows anisotropic optical properties when illuminated with visible light. In addition to direct switching, the optical properties can be tailored continuously between isotropic red emission and anisotropic reflection of light if the illuminating light is tuned through fractions of both UV and visible light. The integration and control of light emission modes within a homogeneous particle dispersion marks a smart optical material, addressing fundamental directions for research on switchable multifunctional materials. The material can function as an optic compass or could be used as an optic shutter that can be switched by a magnetic field, e.g., for an intensity control for waveguides in the visible range.

An electromagnetically actuated fiber optic switch using magnetized ferromagnetic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandojirao-S, Praveen; Dhaubanjar, Naresh; Phuyal, Pratibha C.; Chiao, Mu; Chiao, J.-C.

2008-03-01

This paper presents the design, fabrication and testing of a fiber optic switch actuated electromagnetically. The ferromagnetic gel coated optical fiber is actuated using external electromagnetic fields. The ferromagnetic gel consists of ferromagnetic powders dispersed in epoxy. The fabrication utilizes a simple cost-effective coating setup. A direct fiberto-fiber alignment eliminates the need for complementary optical parts and the displacement of fiber switches the laser coupling. The magnetic characteristics of magnetized ferromagnetic materials are performed using alternating gradient magnetometer and the magnetic hysteresis curves are measured for different ferromagnetic materials including iron, cobalt, and nickel. Optical fiber switches with various fiber lengths are actuated and their static and dynamic responses for the same volume of ferromagnetic gel are summarized. The highest displacement is 1.345 mm with an input current of 260mA. In this paper, the performance of fiber switches with various coating materials is presented.

Hand-held optical fuel pin scanner

DOEpatents

Kirchner, T.L.; Powers, H.G.

1980-12-07

An optical scanner for indicia arranged in a focal plane perpendicular to an optical system including a rotatable dove prism. The dove prism transmits a rotating image to a stationary photodiode array.

Hand-held optical fuel pin scanner

DOEpatents

Kirchner, Tommy L.; Powers, Hurshal G.

1987-01-01

An optical scanner for indicia arranged in a focal plane perpendicular to an optical system including a rotatable dove prism. The dove prism transmits a rotating image to a stationary photodiode array.

Long-duration orbital effects on optical coating materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herzig, Howard; Toft, Albert R.; Fleetwood, Charles M., Jr.

1993-01-01

We flew specimens of eight different optical coating materials in low earth orbit as part of the Long Duration Exposure Facility manifest to determine their ability to withstand exposure to the residual atomic 0 and other environmental effects at those altitudes. We included samples of Al, Au, Ir, Os, Pt, Al + MgF2, Al + SiO(x), and chemical-vapor-deposited SiC, representing reflective optical applications from the vacuum ultraviolet through the visible portions of the spectrum. We found that the majority of the materials suffered sufficient reflectance degradation to warrant careful consideration in the design of future space-flight instrumentation.

Engineered materials for all-optical helicity-dependent magnetic switching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangin, S.; Gottwald, M.; Lambert, C.-H.; Steil, D.; Uhlíř, V.; Pang, L.; Hehn, M.; Alebrand, S.; Cinchetti, M.; Malinowski, G.; Fainman, Y.; Aeschlimann, M.; Fullerton, E. E.

2014-03-01

The possibility of manipulating magnetic systems without applied magnetic fields have attracted growing attention over the past fifteen years. The low-power manipulation of the magnetization, preferably at ultrashort timescales, has become a fundamental challenge with implications for future magnetic information memory and storage technologies. Here we explore the optical manipulation of the magnetization in engineered magnetic materials. We demonstrate that all-optical helicity-dependent switching (AO-HDS) can be observed not only in selected rare earth-transition metal (RE-TM) alloy films but also in a much broader variety of materials, including RE-TM alloys, multilayers and heterostructures. We further show that RE-free Co-Ir-based synthetic ferrimagnetic heterostructures designed to mimic the magnetic properties of RE-TM alloys also exhibit AO-HDS. These results challenge present theories of AO-HDS and provide a pathway to engineering materials for future applications based on all-optical control of magnetic order.

Cordless hand-held optical 3D sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munkelt, Christoph; Bräuer-Burchardt, Christian; Kühmstedt, Peter; Schmidt, Ingo; Notni, Gunther

2007-07-01

A new mobile optical 3D measurement system using phase correlation based fringe projection technique will be presented. The sensor consist of a digital projection unit and two cameras in a stereo arrangement, whereby both are battery powered. The data transfer to a base station will be done via WLAN. This gives the possibility to use the system in complicate, remote measurement situations, which are typical in archaeology and architecture. In the measurement procedure the sensor will be hand-held by the user, illuminating the object with a sequence of less than 10 fringe patterns, within a time below 200 ms. This short sequence duration was achieved by a new approach, which combines the epipolar constraint with robust phase correlation utilizing a pre-calibrated sensor head, containing two cameras and a digital fringe projector. Furthermore, the system can be utilized to acquire the all around shape of objects by using the phasogrammetric approach with virtual land marks introduced by the authors 1, 2. This way no matching procedures or markers are necessary for the registration of multiple views, which makes the system very flexible in accomplishing different measurement tasks. The realized measurement field is approx. 100 mm up to 400 mm in diameter. The mobile character makes the measurement system useful for a wide range of applications in arts, architecture, archaeology and criminology, which will be shown in the paper.

Designing Plasmonic Materials and Optical Metasurfaces for Light Manipulation and Optical Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wenxiang

Metamaterials are artificial materials designed to create optical properties that do not exist in nature. They are assemblies of subwavelength structures that are tailored in size, shape, composition, and orientation to realize the desired property. Metamaterials are promising for applications in diverse areas: optical filters, lenses, holography, sensors, photodetectors, photovoltaics, photocatalysts, medical devices, and many more, because of their excellent abilities in bending, absorbing, enhancing and blocking light. However, the practical use of metamaterials is challenged by the lack of plasmonic materials with proper permittivity for different applications and the slow and expensive fabrication methods available to pattern sub-wavelength structures. We have also only touched the surface in exploring the innovative uses of metamaterials to solve world problems. In this thesis, we study the fundamental optical properties of metamaterial building blocks by designing material permittivity. We continuously tune the interparticle distance in colloidal Au nanocrystal (NC) solids via the partial ligand exchange process. Then we combine top-down nanoimprint lithography with bottom-up assembly of colloidal NCs to develop a large-area, low-cost fabrication method for subwavelength nanostructures. Via this method, we fabricate and characterize nano-antenna arrays of different sizes and demonstrate metasurface quarter wave-plates of different bandwidth, and compare their performances with simulation results. We also integrate the metasurfaces with chemically- and mechanically-responsive polymers for strong-signal sensing. In the first design, we combine ultrathin plasmonic nanorods with hydrogel to fabricate optical moisture sensors for agricultural use. In the second application, we design mechanically tunable Au grating resonances on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate. The dimensions of Au grating are carefully engineered to achieve a hybridized, ultrasharp, and

Stable diffraction-management soliton in a periodic structure with alternating left-handed and right-handed media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jinggui

2017-09-01

In this paper, we first derive a modified two-dimensional non-linear Schrödinger equation including high-order diffraction (HOD) suitable for the propagation of optical beam near the low-diffraction regime in Kerr non-linear media with spatial dispersion. Then, we apply our derived physical model to a designed two-dimensional configuration filled with alternate layers of a left-handed material (LHM) and a right-handed media by employing the mean-field theory. It is found that the periodic structure including LHM may experience diminished, cancelled, and even reversed diffraction behaviours through engineering the relative thickness between both media. In particular, the variational method analytically predicts that close to the zero-diffraction regime, such periodic structure can support stable diffraction-management solitons whose beamwidth and peak amplitude evolve periodically with the help of HOD effect. Numerical simulation based on the split-step Fourier method confirms the analytical results.

Nondestructive surface analysis for material research using fiber optic vibrational spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afanasyeva, Natalia I.

2001-11-01

The advanced methods of fiber optical vibrational spectroscopy (FOVS) has been developed in conjunction with interferometer and low-loss, flexible, and nontoxic optical fibers, sensors, and probes. The combination of optical fibers and sensors with Fourier Transform (FT) spectrometer has been used in the range from 2.5 to 12micrometers . This technique serves as an ideal diagnostic tool for surface analysis of numerous and various diverse materials such as complex structured materials, fluids, coatings, implants, living cells, plants, and tissue. Such surfaces as well as living tissue or plants are very difficult to investigate in vivo by traditional FT infrared or Raman spectroscopy methods. The FOVS technique is nondestructive, noninvasive, fast (15 sec) and capable of operating in remote sampling regime (up to a fiber length of 3m). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman fiber optic spectroscopy operating with optical fibers has been suggested as a new powerful tool. These techniques are highly sensitive techniques for structural studies in material research and various applications during process analysis to determine molecular composition, chemical bonds, and molecular conformations. These techniques could be developed as a new tool for quality control of numerous materials as well as noninvasive biopsy.

Design considerations for multi component molecular-polymeric nonlinear optical materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singer, K. D.; Kuzyk, M. G.; Fang, T.; Holland, W. R.; Cahill, P. A.

1990-08-01

We review our work on multi component polymeric nonlinear optical materials. These materials consist of nonlinear optical molecules incorporated in a polymeric host. A cross-linked triazine polymer incorporating a dicyanovinyl terminated azo dye was found to be relatively stable at 85 deg and possess an electro-optic coefficient of 11pm/V. We have also observed the zero dispersion condition in a new anomalous dispersion dye for phase matched second harmonic generation, and expect efficient conversion to the blue. A squarylium dye, ISQ, has been found to possess a large third order nonlinearity, and may display two-level behavior.

Refractive-index profiling of embedded microstructures in optical materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dave, Digant P.; Milner, Thomas E.

2002-04-01

We describe use of a phase-sensitive low-coherence reflectometer to measure spatial variation of refractive index in optical materials. The described interferometric technique is demonstrated to be a valuable tool to profile the refractive index of optical elements such as integrated waveguides and photowritten optical microstructures. As an example, a refractive-index profile is mapped of a microstructure written in a microscope glass slide with an ultrashort-pulse laser.

Anomalous nonlinear absorption in epsilon-near-zero materials: optical limiting and all-optical control.

PubMed

Vincenti, M A; de Ceglia, D; Scalora, Michael

2016-08-01

We investigate nonlinear absorption in films of epsilon-near-zero materials. The combination of large local electric fields at the fundamental frequency and material losses at the harmonic frequencies induce unusual intensity-dependent phenomena. We predict that the second-order nonlinearity of a low-damping, epsilon-near-zero slab produces an optical limiting effect that mimics a two-photon absorption process. Anomalous absorption profiles that depend on low permittivity values at the pump frequency are also predicted for third-order nonlinearities. These findings suggest new opportunities for all-optical light control and novel ways to design reconfigurable and tunable nonlinear devices.

The hand-hold polarization-sensitive spectral domain optical coherence and its applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hao; Gao, Wanrong

2017-08-01

The polarization-sensitive spectral domain optical coherence tomography (PSOCT) has the advantages of being able to measure the polarization properties of samples, such as phase-retardation, diattenuation, depolarization, and optical axis orientation, providing a contrast to identify the diseased area and normal area in tissues in PSOCT images. Conventionally, the sample arm of PSOCT is fixed on the stage where biomedical tissues or models is placed, and the OCT images is acquired by scanning with a galvanometer-based mirror. To be applied in the practical diagnosis, a promising way is to design a hand-held device. To this end, it is required that probe is assembled with a small volume to allow for comprehensively imaging large tissues areas at a microscopic scale, and is available to move on different samples to be acquired quickly with negligible motion artifacts. Meanwhile, the probe should be manufactured wih well stability to avoid system jitter error while it is used to detect the biological tissues in vivo. In this work, a design of a hand-hold fiber-based PSOCT is described. The device is of the size of 10 cm (length) × 8 cm (width) × 6 cm (height). Both the axial resolution and the imaging depth of the system are measured and were approximately 7 μm and 2.5 mm in air, respectively, which are in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. The A-scan rate of the system is 70 kHz. The structure is compact and all the components are fixed on the shell to reduce the motion artifact, resulting in a great stability on measuring the tissues in vivo. The cross sectional images of ex vivo chicken breast, ex vivo pork cartilage and in vivo forearm skin of human wolunteer are presented to demonstrate the capability of the system.

Nonreciprocal optical properties based on magneto-optical materials: n-InAs, GaAs and HgCdTe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Han; Wu, Hao; Zhou, Jian-qiu

2018-02-01

Compared with reciprocal optical materials, nonreciprocal materials can break the time reversal and detailed balance due to special nonreciprocal effect, while how its characteristics performing on infrared wavelength have not been paid enough attention. In this paper, the optical properties of three magneto-optical materials was investigated in infrared band, that are n-InAs, GaAs, HgCdTe, based on Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method. The equations of dielectric constant tensor are present and the effect of magnetic field intensity and frequency has been studied in detail. Additionally, the effect of incidence angle at positive and negative directions to the nonreciprocal absorptivity is also investigated. It is found that the nonreciprocal effect is obvious in infrared wavelength, and the nonreciprocal effect could adjust the absorption characteristic, thus be able to tune the absorption for the specific frequency of incident light. In addition to modeling the directional radiative properties at various angles of incidence, the absorption peaks of three materials under different incident angles are also calculated to understand the light absorption and to facilitate the optimal design of high-performance photovoltaic and optical instrument.

Optical characterization of synthetic faceted gem materials grown from hydrothermal solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Taijin; Shigley, James E.

1998-10-01

Various non-destructive optical characterization techniques have been used to characterize and identify synthetic gem materials grown from hydrothermal solutions, to include ruby, sapphire, emerald, amethyst and ametrine (amethyst-citrine), from their natural counterparts. The ability to observe internal features, such as inclusions, dislocations, twins, color bands, and growth zoning in gem materials is strongly dependent on the observation techniques and conditions, since faceted gemstones have many polished surfaces which can reflect and scatter light in various directions which can make observation difficult. However, diagnostic gemological properties of these faceted synthetic gem materials can be obtained by choosing effective optical characterization methods, and by modifying optical instruments. Examples of some of the distinctive features of synthetic amethyst, ametrine, pink quartz, ruby and emerald are presented to illustrate means of optical characterization of gemstones. The ability to observe defects by light scattering techniques is discussed.

Optical Sensors for Biomolecules Using Nanoporous Sol-Gel Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fang, Jonathan; Zhou, Jing C.; Lan, Esther H.; Dunn, Bruce; Gillman, Patricia L.; Smith, Scott M.

2004-01-01

An important consideration for space missions to Mars is the ability to detect biosignatures. Solid-state sensing elements for optical detection of biological entities are possible using sol-gel based biologically active materials. We have used these materials as optical sensing elements in a variety of bioassays, including immunoassays and enzyme assays. By immobilizing an appropriate biomolecule in the sol-gel sensing element, we have successfully detected analytes such as amino acids and hormones. In the case of the amino acid glutamate, the enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase was the immobilized molecule, whereas in the case of the hormone cortisol, an anti-cortisol antibody was immobilized in the sensing element. In this previous work with immobilized enzymes and antibodies, excellent sensitivity and specificity were demonstrated in a variety of formats including bulk materials, thin films and fibers. We believe that the sol-gel approach is an attractive platform for bioastronautics sensing applications because of the ability to detect a wide range of entities such as amino acids, fatty acids, hopanes, porphyrins, etc. The sol-gel approach produces an optically transparent 3D silica matrix that forms around the biomolecule of interest, thus stabilizing its structure and functionality while allowing for optical detection. This encapsulation process protects the biomolecule and leads to a more "rugged" sensor. The nanoporous structure of the sol-gel matrix allows diffusion of small target molecules but keeps larger, biomolecules immobilized in the pores. We are currently developing these biologically active sol-gel materials into small portable devices for on-orbit cortisol detection

Highly Non-Linear Optical (NLO) organic crystals and films. Electrooptical organic materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcmanus, Samuel P.; Rosenberger, Franz; Matthews, John

1987-01-01

Devices employing nonlinear optics (NLO) hold great promise for important applications in integrated optics, optical information processing and telecommunications. Properly designed organics possess outstanding optical and electrooptical properties which will substantially advance many technologies including electrooptical switching, optical amplification for communications, and parallel processing for hybrid optical computers. A brief comparison of organic and inorganic materials is given.

Elastomeric optical fiber sensors and method for detecting and measuring events occurring in elastic materials

DOEpatents

Muhs, Jeffrey D.; Capps, Gary J.; Smith, David B.; White, Clifford P.

1994-01-01

Fiber optic sensing means for the detection and measurement of events such as dynamic loadings imposed upon elastic materials including cementitious materials, elastomers, and animal body components and/or the attrition of such elastic materials are provided. One or more optical fibers each having a deformable core and cladding formed of an elastomeric material such as silicone rubber are embedded in the elastic material. Changes in light transmission through any of the optical fibers due the deformation of the optical fiber by the application of dynamic loads such as compression, tension, or bending loadings imposed on the elastic material or by the attrition of the elastic material such as by cracking, deterioration, aggregate break-up, and muscle, tendon, or organ atrophy provide a measurement of the dynamic loadings and attrition. The fiber optic sensors can be embedded in elastomers subject to dynamic loadings and attrition such as commonly used automobiles and in shoes for determining the amount and frequency of the dynamic loadings and the extent of attrition. The fiber optic sensors are also useable in cementitious material for determining the maturation thereof.

Active polymer materials for optical fiber CO2 sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wysokiński, Karol; Filipowicz, Marta; Stańczyk, Tomasz; Lipiński, Stanisław; Napierała, Marek; Murawski, Michał; Nasiłowski, Tomasz

2017-04-01

CO2 optical fiber sensors based on polymer active materials are presented in this paper. Ethyl cellulose was proven to be a good candidate for a matrix material of the sensor, since it gives porous, thick and very sensitive layers. Low-cost sensors based on polymer optical fibers have been elaborated. Sensors have been examined for their sensitivity to CO2, temperature and humidity. Response time during cyclic exposures to CO2 have been also determined. Special layers exhibiting irreversible change of color during exposure to carbon dioxide have been developed. They have been verified for a possible use in smart food packaging.

[Design and Preparation of Plant Bionic Materials Based on Optical and Infrared Features Simulation].

PubMed

Jiang, Xiao-jun; Lu, Xu-liang; Pan, Jia-liang; Zhang, Shuan-qin

2015-07-01

Due to the life characteristics such as physiological structure and transpiration, plants have unique optical and infrared features. In the optical band, because of the common effects of chlorophyll and water, plant leafs show spectral reflectance characteristics change in 550, 680, 1400 and 1900 nm significantly. In the infrared wave band, driven by transpiration, plants could regulate temperature on their own initiative, which make the infrared characteristics of plants different from artificial materials. So palnt bionic materials were proposed to simulate optical and infrared characteristics of plants. By analyzing formation mechanism of optical and infrared features about green plants, the component design and heat-transfer process of plants bionic materials were studied, above these the heat-transfer control formulation was established. Based on water adsorption/release compound, optical pigments and other man-made materials, plant bionic materials preparation methods were designed which could simulate the optical and infrared features of green plants. By chemical casting methods plant bionic material films were prepared, which use polyvinyl alcohol as film forming and water adsorption/release compound, and use optical pigments like chrome green and macromolecule yellow as colouring materials. The research conclusions achieved by testings figured out: water adsorption/release testing showed that the plant bionic materials with a certain thickness could absorb 1.3 kg water per square meter, which could satisfy the water usage of transpiration simulation one day; the optical and infrared simulated effect tests indicated that the plant bionic materials could preferably simulate the spectral reflective performance of green plants in optical wave band (380-2500 nm, expecially in 1400 and 1900 nm which were water absorption wave band of plants), and also it had similar daily infrared radiation variations with green plants, daily average radiation temperature

2D materials in electro-optic modulation: energy efficiency, electrostatics, mode overlap, material transfer and integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Zhizhen; Hemnani, Rohit; Bartels, Ludwig; Agarwal, Ritesh; Sorger, Volker J.

2018-02-01

Here we discuss the physics of electro-optic modulators deploying 2D materials. We include a scaling laws analysis and show how energy-efficiency and speed change for three underlying cavity systems as a function of critical device length scaling. A key result is that the energy-per-bit of the modulator is proportional to the volume of the device, thus making the case for submicron-scale modulators possible deploying a plasmonic optical mode. We then show how Graphene's Pauli-blocking modulation mechanism is sensitive to the device operation temperature, whereby a reduction of the temperature enables a 10× reduction in modulator energy efficiency. Furthermore, we show how the high-index tunability of graphene is able to compensate for the small optical overlap factor of 2D-based material modulators, which is unlike classical silicon-based dispersion devices. Lastly, we demonstrate a novel method towards a 2D material printer suitable for cross-contamination free and on-demand printing. The latter paves the way to integrate 2D materials seamlessly into taped-out photonic chips.

Dielectric Characterization of a Nonlinear Optical Material

PubMed Central

Lunkenheimer, P.; Krohns, S.; Gemander, F.; Schmahl, W. W.; Loidl, A.

2014-01-01

Batisite was reported to be a nonlinear optical material showing second harmonic generation. Using dielectric spectroscopy and polarization measurements, we provide a thorough investigation of the dielectric and charge-transport properties of this material. Batisite shows the typical characteristics of a linear lossy dielectric. No evidence for ferro- or antiferroelectric polarization is found. As the second-harmonic generation observed in batisite points to a non-centrosymmetric structure, this material is piezoelectric, but most likely not ferroelectric. In addition, we found evidence for hopping charge transport of localized charge carriers and a relaxational process at low temperatures. PMID:25109553

Novel silica surface charge density mediated control of the optical properties of embedded optically active materials and its application for fiber optic pH sensing at elevated temperatures.

PubMed

Wang, Congjun; Ohodnicki, Paul R; Su, Xin; Keller, Murphy; Brown, Thomas D; Baltrus, John P

2015-02-14

Silica and silica incorporated nanocomposite materials have been extensively studied for a wide range of applications. Here we demonstrate an intriguing optical effect of silica that, depending on the solution pH, amplifies or attenuates the optical absorption of a variety of embedded optically active materials with very distinct properties, such as plasmonic Au nanoparticles, non-plasmonic Pt nanoparticles, and the organic dye rhodamine B (not a pH indicator), coated on an optical fiber. Interestingly, the observed optical response to varying pH appears to follow the surface charge density of the silica matrix for all the three different optically active materials. To the best of our knowledge, this optical effect has not been previously reported and it appears universal in that it is likely that any optically active material can be incorporated into the silica matrix to respond to solution pH or surface charge density variations. A direct application of this effect is for optical pH sensing which has very attractive features that can enable minimally invasive, remote, real time and continuous distributed pH monitoring. Particularly, as demonstrated here, using highly stable metal nanoparticles embedded in an inorganic silica matrix can significantly improve the capability of pH sensing in extremely harsh environments which is of increasing importance for applications in unconventional oil and gas resource recovery, carbon sequestration, water quality monitoring, etc. Our approach opens a pathway towards possible future development of robust optical pH sensors for the most demanding environmental conditions. The newly discovered optical effect of silica also offers the potential for control of the optical properties of optically active materials for a range of other potential applications such as electrochromic devices.

Nonlinear Optics with 2D Layered Materials.

PubMed

Autere, Anton; Jussila, Henri; Dai, Yunyun; Wang, Yadong; Lipsanen, Harri; Sun, Zhipei

2018-06-01

2D layered materials (2DLMs) are a subject of intense research for a wide variety of applications (e.g., electronics, photonics, and optoelectronics) due to their unique physical properties. Most recently, increasing research efforts on 2DLMs are projected toward the nonlinear optical properties of 2DLMs, which are not only fascinating from the fundamental science point of view but also intriguing for various potential applications. Here, the current state of the art in the field of nonlinear optics based on 2DLMs and their hybrid structures (e.g., mixed-dimensional heterostructures, plasmonic structures, and silicon/fiber integrated structures) is reviewed. Several potential perspectives and possible future research directions of these promising nanomaterials for nonlinear optics are also presented. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Crystal growth, thermal and optical studies of semiorganic nonlinear optical material: L-lysine hydrochloride dihydrate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kalaiselvi, D.; Mohan Kumar, R.; Jayavel, R.

2008-07-01

Single crystals of L-lysine hydrochloride dihydrate (LLHCD), a nonlinear optical material, have been grown by slow cooling technique from its aqueous solution. LLHCD was found to be highly soluble in water. The grown crystals have been subjected to single crystal X-ray diffraction to confirm the structure and to estimate the lattice parameters. The vibrational structure of the molecule is elucidated from FTIR spectra. Thermal analysis revealed the thermal stability of the grown crystals. The optical transmittance spectrum shows that the material possesses good optical transparency in the entire visible region with a UV cut-off wavelength at 228 nm. The mechanicalmore » properties of the grown crystal have been studied using Vicker's microhardness test. The laser damage threshold of 52.25 MW/cm{sup 2} has been measured by irradiating Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm)« less

An embedded fibre optic sensor for impact damage detection in composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glossop, Neil David William

1989-09-01

A structurally embedded fiber optic damage detection sensor for composite materials is described. The system is designed specifically for the detection of barely visible damage resulting from low velocity impacts in Kevlar-epoxy laminates. By monitoring the light transmission properties of optical fiber embedded in the composite, it was shown that the integrity of the material can be accurately determined. The effect of several parameters on the sensitivity of the system was investigated, including the effect of the optical fiber orientation and depth of embedding within the composite. A novel surface was also developed for the optical fibers to ensure they will fracture at the requisite damage level. The influence of the optical fiber sensors on the tensile and compressive material properties and on the impact resistance of the laminate was also studied. Extensive experimental results from impact tests are reported and a numerical model of the impact event is presented which is able to predict and model the damage mechanism and sensor system. A new and powerful method of nondestructive evaluation for translucent composite materials based on image enhanced backlighting is also described.

Diffused holographic information storage and retrieval using photorefractive optical materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMillen, Deanna Kay

Holography offers a tremendous opportunity for dense information storage, theoretically one bit per cubic wavelength of material volume, with rapid retrieval, of up to thousands of pages of information simultaneously. However, many factors prevent the theoretical storage limit from being reached, including dynamic range problems and imperfections in recording materials. This research explores new ways of moving closer to practical holographic information storage and retrieval by altering the recording materials, in this case, photorefractive crystals, and by increasing the current storage capacity while improving the information retrieved. As an experimental example of the techniques developed, the information retrieved is the correlation peak from an optical recognition architecture, but the materials and methods developed are applicable to many other holographic information storage systems. Optical correlators can potentially solve any signal or image recognition problem. Military surveillance, fingerprint identification for law enforcement or employee identification, and video games are but a few examples of applications. A major obstacle keeping optical correlators from being universally accepted is the lack of a high quality, thick (high capacity) holographic recording material that operates with red or infrared wavelengths which are available from inexpensive diode lasers. This research addresses the problems from two positions: find a better material for use with diode lasers, and reduce the requirements placed on the material while maintaining an efficient and effective system. This research found that the solutions are new dopants introduced into photorefractive lithium niobate to improve wavelength sensitivities and the use of a novel inexpensive diffuser that reduces the dynamic range and optical element quality requirements (which reduces the cost) while improving performance. A uniquely doped set of 12 lithium niobate crystals was specified and

Optical fiber sensors for materials and structures characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindner, D. K.; Claus, R. O.

1991-01-01

The final technical report on Optical Fiber Sensors for Materials and Structures Characterization, covering the period August 1990 through August 1991 is presented. Research programs in the following technical areas are described; sapphire optical fiber sensors; vibration analysis using two-mode elliptical core fibers and sensors; extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer development; and coatings for fluorescent-based sensor. Research progress in each of these areas was substantial, as evidenced by the technical publications which are included as appendices.

Optical Waveguide Solar Energy System for Lunar Materials Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakamura, T.; Case, J. A.; Senior, C. L.

1997-01-01

This paper discusses results of our work on development of the Optical Waveguide (OW) Solar Energy System for Lunar Materials Processing. In the OW system as shown, solar radiation is collected by the concentrator which transfers the concentrated solar radiation to the OW transmission line consisting of low-loss optical fibers. The OW line transmits the solar radiation to the thermal reactor of the lunar materials processing plant. The feature of the OW system are: (1) Highly concentrated solar radiation (up to 104 suns) can be transmitted via flexible OW lines directly into the thermal reactor for materials processing: (2) Solar radiation intensity or spectra can be tailored to specific materials processing steps; (3) Provide solar energy to locations or inside of enclosures that would not otherwise have an access to solar energy; and (4) The system can be modularized and can be easily transported to and deployed at the lunar base.

Utilizing strongly absorbing materials for low-loss surface-wave nonlinear optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grosse, Nicolai B.; Franz, Philipp; Heckmann, Jan; Pufahl, Karsten; Woggon, Ulrike

2018-04-01

Optical media endowed with large nonlinear susceptibilities are highly prized for their employment in frequency conversion and the generation of nonclassical states of light. Although the presence of an optical resonance can greatly increase the nonlinear response (e.g., in epsilon-near-zero materials), the non-negligible increase in linear absorption often precludes the application of such materials in nonlinear optics. Absorbing materials prepared as thin films, however, can support a low-loss surface wave: the long-range surface exciton polariton (LRSEP). Its propagation lifetime increases with greater intrinsic absorption and reduced film thickness, provided that the film is embedded in a transparent medium (symmetric cladding). We explore LRSEP propagation in a molybdenum film by way of a prism-coupling configuration. Our observations show that excitation of the LRSEP mode leads to a dramatic increase in the yield of second-harmonic generation. This implies that the LRSEP mode is an effective vehicle for utilizing the nonlinear response of absorbing materials.

Silicon waveguide optical switch with embedded phase change material.

PubMed

Miller, Kevin J; Hallman, Kent A; Haglund, Richard F; Weiss, Sharon M

2017-10-30

Phase-change materials (PCMs) have emerged as promising active elements in silicon (Si) photonic systems. In this work, we design, fabricate, and characterize a hybrid Si-PCM optical switch. By integrating vanadium dioxide (a PCM) within a Si photonic waveguide, in a non-resonant geometry, we achieve ~10 dB broadband optical contrast with a PCM length of 500 nm using thermal actuation.

Pure chiral optical fibres.

PubMed

Poladian, L; Straton, M; Docherty, A; Argyros, A

2011-01-17

We investigate the properties of optical fibres made from chiral materials, in which a contrast in optical activity forms the waveguide, rather than a contrast in the refractive index; we refer to such structures as pure chiral fibres. We present a mathematical formulation for solving the modes of circularly symmetric examples of such fibres and examine the guidance and polarisation properties of pure chiral step-index, Bragg and photonic crystal fibre designs. Their behaviour is shown to differ for left- and right-hand circular polarisation, allowing circular polarisations to be isolated and/or guided by different mechanisms, as well as differing from equivalent non-chiral fibres. The strength of optical activity required in each case is quantified.

The Marble-Hand Illusion

PubMed Central

Senna, Irene; Maravita, Angelo; Bolognini, Nadia; Parise, Cesare V.

2014-01-01

Our body is made of flesh and bones. We know it, and in our daily lives all the senses constantly provide converging information about this simple, factual truth. But is this always the case? Here we report a surprising bodily illusion demonstrating that humans rapidly update their assumptions about the material qualities of their body, based on their recent multisensory perceptual experience. To induce a misperception of the material properties of the hand, we repeatedly gently hit participants' hand with a small hammer, while progressively replacing the natural sound of the hammer against the skin with the sound of a hammer hitting a piece of marble. After five minutes, the hand started feeling stiffer, heavier, harder, less sensitive, unnatural, and showed enhanced Galvanic skin response (GSR) to threatening stimuli. Notably, such a change in skin conductivity positively correlated with changes in perceived hand stiffness. Conversely, when hammer hits and impact sounds were temporally uncorrelated, participants did not spontaneously report any changes in the perceived properties of the hand, nor did they show any modulation in GSR. In two further experiments, we ruled out that mere audio-tactile synchrony is the causal factor triggering the illusion, further demonstrating the key role of material information conveyed by impact sounds in modulating the perceived material properties of the hand. This novel bodily illusion, the ‘Marble-Hand Illusion', demonstrates that the perceived material of our body, surely the most stable attribute of our bodily self, can be quickly updated through multisensory integration. PMID:24621793

Photo-induced optical activity in phase-change memory materials.

PubMed

Borisenko, Konstantin B; Shanmugam, Janaki; Williams, Benjamin A O; Ewart, Paul; Gholipour, Behrad; Hewak, Daniel W; Hussain, Rohanah; Jávorfi, Tamás; Siligardi, Giuliano; Kirkland, Angus I

2015-03-05

We demonstrate that optical activity in amorphous isotropic thin films of pure Ge2Sb2Te5 and N-doped Ge2Sb2Te5N phase-change memory materials can be induced using rapid photo crystallisation with circularly polarised laser light. The new anisotropic phase transition has been confirmed by circular dichroism measurements. This opens up the possibility of controlled induction of optical activity at the nanosecond time scale for exploitation in a new generation of high-density optical memory, fast chiroptical switches and chiral metamaterials.

An Inexpensive Optical Absorption Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenslade, Thomas B.

2006-09-01

This optical absorption experiment can be put together in only a few minutes with materials found in most secondary or undergraduate stockrooms. The absorption material is the partly transparent flexible anti-static plastic material used to package solid-state devices. The detector is a hand-held photographic exposure meter of the type that was in common use before the advent of point-and-shoot cameras. A graph of the intensity of the transmitted light as a function of the number of sheets of the material is a decreasing exponential. The emphasis of the experiment is on the mathematical form.

Material removal in magnetorheological finishing of optics.

PubMed

Kordonski, William; Gorodkin, Sergei

2011-05-10

A concept of material removal based on the principle of conservation of particles momentum in a binary suspension is applied to analyze material removal in magnetorheological finishing and magnetorheological jet processes widely used in precision optics fabrication. According to this concept, a load for surface indentation by abrasive particles is provided at their interaction near the wall with heavier basic (magnetic) particles, which fluctuate (due to collision) in the shear flow of concentrated suspension. The model is in good qualitative and quantitative agreement with experimental results.

Analytical solution for wave propagation through a graded index interface between a right-handed and a left-handed material.

PubMed

Dalarsson, Mariana; Tassin, Philippe

2009-04-13

We have investigated the transmission and reflection properties of structures incorporating left-handed materials with graded index of refraction. We present an exact analytical solution to Helmholtz' equation for a graded index profile changing according to a hyperbolic tangent function along the propagation direction. We derive expressions for the field intensity along the graded index structure, and we show excellent agreement between the analytical solution and the corresponding results obtained by accurate numerical simulations. Our model straightforwardly allows for arbitrary spectral dispersion.

Study of PMMA materials for a digital optical module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spina, Roberto; Tricarico, Luigi; Berardi, Vincenzo; De Rosa, Gianfranca; Ruggeri, Alan C.; Mastrorilli, Piero

2018-05-01

This work illustrates the material characterization to realize of a prototypal polymeric cover of a Digital Optical Module for the Hyper-Kamiokande neutrino experiment. The cover was made of a high transmittance poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA), used as a glass substitute. The main objective of the present research is to investigate the structural and optical properties of PMMA, evaluating the respect of the project specification.

Self-Assembly of Reconfigurable By-Design Optical Materials with Molecular-Level Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-21

International Conference on Metamaterials, Photonic Crystals and Plasmonics, Singapore, May 20 - 23, 2014. Zhang, W. “Design, Synthesis, and Applications of...metal  nanoparticles  positioned  in  3D   crystal   lattices...materials such as photonic crystal and metamaterial hold high promise of providing a path to by-design optical materials with engineered optical

3D Printed Robotic Hand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pizarro, Yaritzmar Rosario; Schuler, Jason M.; Lippitt, Thomas C.

2013-01-01

Dexterous robotic hands are changing the way robots and humans interact and use common tools. Unfortunately, the complexity of the joints and actuations drive up the manufacturing cost. Some cutting edge and commercially available rapid prototyping machines now have the ability to print multiple materials and even combine these materials in the same job. A 3D model of a robotic hand was designed using Creo Parametric 2.0. Combining "hard" and "soft" materials, the model was printed on the Object Connex350 3D printer with the purpose of resembling as much as possible the human appearance and mobility of a real hand while needing no assembly. After printing the prototype, strings where installed as actuators to test mobility. Based on printing materials, the manufacturing cost of the hand was $167, significantly lower than other robotic hands without the actuators since they have more complex assembly processes.

Materials for Nonlinear Optics Chemical Perspectives

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

formation of these polarized states has been referred to in terms of " viru transitions". The polarization behavior can be written in terms of the...MATERIALS FOR NONUNEAR OPTICS: CHEMICAL PERSPECTIVES also be corona -poled. Either way, the films are ideally suited for guided wave applications. With...electrodes, or a corona charging station, similar to that used in electrophotographic copiers, can be used to apply charged particles to the insulating

[Influence of promotional material on hand hygiene in the safety culture of a tertiary hospital].

PubMed

Molina-Cabrillana, J; Dorta-Hung, M E; Otero Sanz, L; Henández Vera, J R; Martín-Rodríguez, M M; García de Carlos, P

2016-06-01

In order to increase safety culture about hand hygiene by means of messages and reminders about its importance in preventing nosocomial infections, we developed a new set of materials in the Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil of Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, constitued by two centres with 450 beds each and acredited for medical internal residents training. We hired a well-known caricaturist, who adapted the messages to the local way of speaking, by using characters that used to appear in his artwork in the local newspaper. Also, we continued to work with other graphic design professionals. We monitored adherence and consumption of products for hand rubbing. We noted an increase in both indicators in the following months after the implementation of this strategy. Moreover, we revised the infrastructures for hand hygiene, and were able to demonstrate improvements in most of the patient care areas. The material was well accepted by professionals, patients and visitors. No other interventions were made, so we think improvements can be attributable to this strategy in our setting. Copyright © 2016 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Optical characteristics of novel bulk and nanoengineered laser host materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, Narasimha S.; Sova, Stacey; Kelly, Lisa; Bevan, Talon; Arnold, Bradley; Cooper, Christopher; Choa, Fow-Sen; Singh, N. B.

2018-02-01

The hexagonal apatite single crystals have been investigated for their applications as laser host materials. Czochralksi and flux growth methods have been utilized to obtain single crystals. For low temperature processing (<100 0C), several techniques for crystal growth have been developed. The hexagonal apatite structure (space group P63/m) is characteristic of several compounds, some of which have extremely interesting and useful properties as laser hosts and bone materials. Calcium lanthanum silicate (Nd-doped) and lanthanum aluminate material systems were studied in detail. Nanoengineered calcium and lanthanum based silicates were synthesized by a solution method and their optical and morphological characteristics were compared with Czochralski grown bulk hydroxyapatite single crystals. Materials were evaluated by absorbance, fluorescence and Raman characteristics. Neodymium, iron and chromium doped crystals grown by a solution method showed weak but similar optical properties to that of Czochralski grown single crystals.

Optical Microresonators for Sensing and Transduction: A Materials Perspective.

PubMed

Heylman, Kevin D; Knapper, Kassandra A; Horak, Erik H; Rea, Morgan T; Vanga, Sudheer K; Goldsmith, Randall H

2017-08-01

Optical microresonators confine light to a particular microscale trajectory, are exquisitely sensitive to their microenvironment, and offer convenient readout of their optical properties. Taken together, this is an immensely attractive combination that makes optical microresonators highly effective as sensors and transducers. Meanwhile, advances in material science, fabrication techniques, and photonic sensing strategies endow optical microresonators with new functionalities, unique transduction mechanisms, and in some cases, unparalleled sensitivities. In this progress report, the operating principles of these sensors are reviewed, and different methods of signal transduction are evaluated. Examples are shown of how choice of materials must be suited to the analyte, and how innovations in fabrication and sensing are coupled together in a mutually reinforcing cycle. A tremendously broad range of capabilities of microresonator sensors is described, from electric and magnetic field sensing to mechanical sensing, from single-molecule detection to imaging and spectroscopy, from operation at high vacuum to in live cells. Emerging sensing capabilities are highlighted and put into context in the field. Future directions are imagined, where the diverse capabilities laid out are combined and advances in scalability and integration are implemented, leading to the creation of a sensor unparalleled in sensitivity and information content. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Relevant optical properties for direct restorative materials.

PubMed

Pecho, Oscar E; Ghinea, Razvan; do Amaral, Erika A Navarro; Cardona, Juan C; Della Bona, Alvaro; Pérez, María M

2016-05-01

To evaluate relevant optical properties of esthetic direct restorative materials focusing on whitened and translucent shades. Enamel (E), body (B), dentin (D), translucent (T) and whitened (Wh) shades for E (WhE) and B (WhB) from a restorative system (Filtek Supreme XTE, 3M ESPE) were evaluated. Samples (1 mm thick) were prepared. Spectral reflectance (R%) and color coordinates (L*, a*, b*, C* and h°) were measured against black and white backgrounds, using a spectroradiometer, in a viewing booth, with CIE D65 illuminant and d/0° geometry. Scattering (S) and absorption (K) coefficients and transmittance (T%) were calculated using Kubelka-Munk's equations. Translucency (TP) and opalescence (OP) parameters and whiteness index (W*) were obtained from differences of CIELAB color coordinates. R%, S, K and T% curves from all shades were compared using VAF (Variance Accounting For) coefficient with Cauchy-Schwarz inequality. Color coordinates and optical parameters were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA, Tukey's test with Bonferroni correction (α=0.0007). Spectral behavior of R% and S were different for T shades. In addition, T shades showed the lowest R%, S and K values, as well as the highest T%, TP an OP values. In most cases, WhB shades showed different color and optical properties (including TP and W*) than their corresponding B shades. WhE shades showed similar mean W* values and higher mean T% and TP values than E shades. When using whitened or translucent composites, the final color is influenced not only by the intraoral background but also by the color and optical properties of multilayers used in the esthetic restoration. Copyright © 2016 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Theory of absorption integrated optical sensor of gaseous materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egorov, A. A.

2010-10-01

The eigen and noneigen (leaky) modes of a three-layer planar integrated optical waveguide are described. The dispersion relation of a three-layer planar waveguide and other dependences are derived, and the cutoff conditions are analyzed. The diagram of propagation constants of the guided and radiation modes of an irregular asymmetric three-layer waveguide and the dependence of the electric field amplitudes of radiation modes of substrate on vertical coordinate in a tantalum integrated optical waveguide are presented. The operating principles of an absorption integrated optical waveguide sensor are investigated. The dependences of sensitivity of an integrated optical waveguide sensor on the sensory cell length, the coupling efficiency of the laser radiation into the waveguide, the absorption cross-section of the studied material, and the level of additive statistical noise are investigated. Some of the prospective areas of application of integrated-optical waveguide sensors are outlined.

Characterization of contaminant removal by an optical strip material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamilton, James P.; Frigo, S. P.; Caroll, Brenden J.; Assoufidyen, L.; Lewis, Matthew S.; Cook, Russell E.; de Carlo, F.

2001-03-01

Department of Chemistry and Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Platteville, WI 53818 Advanced Photon Source, X-Ray Facilities Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Advanced Photon Source, User Program Division, Argonne National Laboratory, *Electron Microscopy Center, Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Ave., Argonne IL 60439-4856 USA A novel optical strip coating material, Opticlean, has been shown to safely remove fingerprints, particles and contamination from a variety of optical surfaces including coated glass, Si and first surface mirrors. Contaminant removal was monitored by Nomarski, Atomic Force and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Sub-micron features on diffraction gratings and silicon wafers were also cleaned without leaving light scattering particles on the surface. **This work was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy, Basic Energy Sciences-Materials Sciences, under contract no. W-31-109-ENG-38. The authors acknowledge the support and facilities provided by the Advanced Photon Source and the Electron Microscopy Center at Argonne National Laboratory.

Machining approach of freeform optics on infrared materials via ultra-precision turning.

PubMed

Li, Zexiao; Fang, Fengzhou; Chen, Jinjin; Zhang, Xiaodong

2017-02-06

Optical freeform surfaces are of great advantage in excellent optical performance and integrated alignment features. It has wide applications in illumination, imaging and non-imaging, etc. Machining freeform surfaces on infrared (IR) materials with ultra-precision finish is difficult due to its brittle nature. Fast tool servo (FTS) assisted diamond turning is a powerful technique for the realization of freeform optics on brittle materials due to its features of high spindle speed and high cutting speed. However it has difficulties with large slope angles and large rise-and-falls in the sagittal direction. In order to overcome this defect, the balance of the machining quality on the freeform surface and the brittle nature in IR materials should be realized. This paper presents the design of a near-rotational freeform surface (NRFS) with a low non-rotational degree (NRD) to constraint the variation of traditional freeform optics to solve this issue. In NRFS, the separation of the surface results in a rotational part and a residual part denoted as a non-rotational surface (NRS). Machining NRFS on germanium is operated by FTS diamond turning. Characteristics of the surface indicate that the optical finish of the freeform surface has been achieved. The modulation transfer function (MTF) of the freeform optics shows a good agreement to the design expectation. Images of the final optical system confirm that the fabricating strategy is of high efficiency and high quality. Challenges and prospects are discussed to provide guidance of future work.

Nonlinear Optical Properties of Organic and Polymeric Thin Film Materials of Potential for Microgravity Processing Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abdeldayem, Hossin; Frazier, Donald O.; Paley, Mark S.; Penn, Benjamin; Witherow, William K.; Bank, Curtis; Shields, Angela; Hicks, Rosline; Ashley, Paul R.

1996-01-01

In this paper, we will take a closer look at the state of the art of polydiacetylene, and metal-free phthalocyanine films, in view of the microgravity impact on their optical properties, their nonlinear optical properties and their potential advantages for integrated optics. These materials have many attractive features with regard to their use in integrated optical circuits and optical switching. Thin films of these materials processed in microgravity environment show enhanced optical quality and better molecular alignment than those processed in unit gravity. Our studies of these materials indicate that microgravity can play a major role in integrated optics technology. Polydiacetylene films are produced by UV irradiation of monomer solution through an optical window. This novel technique of forming polydiacetylene thin films has been modified for constructing sophisticated micro-structure integrated optical patterns using a pre-programmed UV-Laser beam. Wave guiding through these thin films by the prism coupler technique has been demonstrated. The third order nonlinear parameters of these films have been evaluated. Metal-free phthalocyanine films of good optical quality are processed in our laboratories by vapor deposition technique. Initial studies on these films indicate that they have excellent chemical, laser, and environmental stability. They have large nonlinear optical parameters and show intrinsic optical bistability. This bistability is essential for optical logic gates and optical switching applications. Waveguiding and device making investigations of these materials are underway.

Optical dynamic deformation measurements at translucent materials.

PubMed

Philipp, Katrin; Koukourakis, Nektarios; Kuschmierz, Robert; Leithold, Christoph; Fischer, Andreas; Czarske, Jürgen

2015-02-15

Due to their high stiffness-to-weight ratio, glass fiber-reinforced polymers are an attractive material for rotors, e.g., in the aerospace industry. A fundamental understanding of the material behavior requires non-contact, in-situ dynamic deformation measurements. The high surface speeds and particularly the translucence of the material limit the usability of conventional optical measurement techniques. We demonstrate that the laser Doppler distance sensor provides a powerful and reliable tool for monitoring radial expansion at fast rotating translucent materials. We find that backscattering in material volume does not lead to secondary signals as surface scattering results in degradation of the measurement volume inside the translucent medium. This ensures that the acquired signal contains information of the rotor surface only, as long as the sample surface is rough enough. Dynamic deformation measurements of fast-rotating fiber-reinforced polymer composite rotors with surface speeds of more than 300 m/s underline the potential of the laser Doppler sensor.

Use of electrochromic materials in adaptive optics.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kammler, Daniel R.; Sweatt, William C.; Verley, Jason C.

Electrochromic (EC) materials are used in 'smart' windows that can be darkened by applying a voltage across an EC stack on the window. The associated change in refractive index (n) in the EC materials might allow their use in tunable or temperature-insensitive Fabry-Perot filters and transmissive-spatial-light-modulators (SLMs). The authors are conducting a preliminary evaluation of these materials in many applications, including target-in-the-loop systems. Data on tungsten oxide, WO{sub 3}, the workhorse EC material, indicate that it's possible to achieve modest changes in n with only slight increases in absorption between the visible and {approx}10 {micro}m. This might enable construction ofmore » a tunable Fabry-Perot filter consisting of an active EC layer (e.g. WO{sub 3}) and a proton conductor (e.g.Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}) sandwiched between two gold electrodes. A SLM might be produced by replacing the gold with a transparent conductor (e.g. ITO). This SLM would allow broad-band operation like a micromirror array. Since it's a transmission element, simple optical designs like those in liquid-crystal systems would be possible. Our team has fabricated EC stacks and characterized their switching speed and optical properties (n, k). We plan to study the interplay between process parameters, film properties, and performance characteristics associated with the FP-filter and then extend what we learn to SLMs. Our goals are to understand whether the changes in absorption associated with changes in n are acceptable, and whether it's possible to design an EC-stack that's fast enough to be interesting. We'll present our preliminary findings regarding the potential viability of EC materials for target-in-the-loop applications.« less

A deterministic guide for material and mode dependence of on-chip electro-optic modulator performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amin, Rubab; Suer, Can; Ma, Zhizhen; Sarpkaya, Ibrahim; Khurgin, Jacob B.; Agarwal, Ritesh; Sorger, Volker J.

2017-10-01

Electro-optic modulation is a key function in optical data communication and possible future optical computing engines. The performance of modulators intricately depends on the interaction between the actively modulated material and the propagating waveguide mode. While high-performing modulators were demonstrated before, the approaches were taken as ad-hoc. Here we show the first systematic investigation to incorporate a holistic analysis for high-performance and ultra-compact electro-optic modulators on-chip. We show that intricate interplay between active modulation material and optical mode plays a key role in the device operation. Based on physical tradeoffs such as index modulation, loss, optical confinement factors and slow-light effects, we find that bias-material-mode regions exist where high phase modulation and high loss (absorption) modulation is found. This work paves the way for a holistic design rule of electro-optic modulators for on-chip integration.

Hands-on Science: Does It Matter What Students' Hands Are On?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Triona, Lara M.; Klahr, David

2007-01-01

Hands-on science typically uses physical materials to give students first-hand experience in scientific methodologies, but the recent availability of virtual laboratories raises an important question about whether what students' hands are on matters to their learning. The overall findings of two articles that employed simple comparisons of…

Oxidation processes in magneto-optic and related materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Paul A.; Armstrong, Neal R.; Danzinger, James L.; England, Craig D.

1992-01-01

The surface oxidation processes of thin films of magneto-optic materials, such as the rare-earth transition metal alloys have been studied, starting in ultrahigh vacuum environments, using surface analysis techniques, as a way of modeling the oxidation processes which occur at the base of a defect in an overcoated material, at the instant of exposure to ambient environments. Materials examined have included FeTbCo alloys, as well as those same materials with low percentages of added elements, such a Ta, and their reactivities to both O2 and H2O compared with materials such as thin Fe films coated with ultrathin adlayers of Ti. The surface oxidation pathways for these materials is reviewed, and XPS data presented which indicates the type of oxides formed, and a critical region of Ta concentration which provides optimum protection.

Pattern formation without diffraction matching in optical parametric oscillators with a metamaterial.

PubMed

Tassin, Philippe; Van der Sande, Guy; Veretennicoff, Irina; Kockaert, Pascal; Tlidi, Mustapha

2009-05-25

We consider a degenerate optical parametric oscillator containing a left-handed material. We show that the inclusion of a left-handed material layer allows for controlling the strength and sign of the diffraction coefficient at either the pump or the signal frequency. Subsequently, we demonstrate the existence of stable dissipative structures without diffraction matching, i.e., without the usual relationship between the diffraction coefficients of the signal and pump fields. Finally, we investigate the size scaling of these light structures with decreasing diffraction strength.

Subsurface damage in some single crystalline optical materials.

PubMed

Randi, Joseph A; Lambropoulos, John C; Jacobs, Stephen D

2005-04-20

We present a nondestructive method for estimating the depth of subsurface damage (SSD) in some single crystalline optical materials (silicon, lithium niobate, calcium fluoride, magnesium fluoride, and sapphire); the method is established by correlating surface microroughness measurements, specifically, the peak-to-valley (p-v) microroughness, to the depth of SSD found by a novel destructive method. Previous methods for directly determining the depth of SSD may be insufficient when applied to single crystals that are very soft or very hard. Our novel destructive technique uses magnetorheological finishing to polish spots onto a ground surface. We find that p-v surface microroughness, appropriately scaled, gives an upper bound to SSD. Our data suggest that SSD in the single crystalline optical materials included in our study (deterministically microground, lapped, and sawed) is always less than 1.4 times the p-v surface microroughness found by white-light interferometry. We also discuss another way of estimating SSD based on the abrasive size used.

Fiber optics in composite materials: materials with nerves of glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Measures, Raymond M.

1990-08-01

A Fiber Optic BasedSmart Structure wiipossess a structurally integrated optical microsensor system for determining its state. This built-in sensor system should, in real-time, be able to: evaluate the strain or deformation of a structure, monitor if its vibrating or subject to excessive loads, check its temperature and warn of the appearance of any hot spots. In addition a Smart Structure should maintain a vigilant survelliance over its structural integrity. The successful development of Smart StructureTechnolgy could lead to: aircraft that are safer, lighter, more efficient, easier to maintain and to service; pipelines, pressure vessels and storage tanks that constantly monitor their structuralintegrity and immediately issue an alert ifany problem is detected; space platforms that check forpressure leaks, unwanted vibration, excess thermal buildup, and deviation from some preassigned shape.This technology is particularly appropriate for composite materials where internal damage generated by: impacts, manufacturing flaws, excessive loading or fatigue could be detected and assessed. In service monitoring of structural loads, especially in regions like wing roots of aircraft, could be ofconsiderable benefit in helping to avoid structural overdesign and reduce weight. Structurally imbedded optical fibers sensors might also serve to monitor the cure state of composite thermosets during their fabrication and thereby contribute to improved quality control of these products.

Fiber-optic miniature sensor for in situ temperature monitoring of curing composite material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sampath, Umesh; Kim, Dae-gil; Kim, Hyunjin; Song, Minho

2018-04-01

This study proposes a fiber-optic temperature sensor with a single-mode fiber tip covered with a thermo-sensitive polymer resin. The temperature is sensed by measuring the Fresnel reflection from the optical fiber/polymer interface. Because the thermo-optic coefficients differ between the optical fiber and the polymer, the in situ temperature can be measured even in curing composite materials. In initial experiments, the proposed sensor successfully measured and recovered the temperature information. The measured sensor data were linearly correlated, with an R2 exceeding 0.99. The standard deviation in the long-term measurements of constant temperature was 2.6%. The durability and stability of the sensor head material in long-term operation was validated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. In further experiments, the suggested miniature temperature sensor obtained the internal temperatures of curing composite material over a wide range (30-110 °C).

Evaluation of Space Power Materials Flown on the Passive Optical Sample Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaworske, Donald A.; deGroh, Kim K.; Skowronski, Timothy J.; McCollum, Tim; Pippin, Gary; Bungay, Corey

1999-01-01

Evaluating the performance of materials on the exterior of spacecraft is of continuing interest, particularly in anticipation of those applications that will require a long duration in low Earth orbit. The Passive Optical Sample Assembly (POSA) experiment flown on the exterior of Mir as a risk mitigation experiment for the International Space Station was designed to better understand the interaction of materials with the low Earth orbit environment and to better understand the potential contamination threats that may be present in the vicinity of spacecraft. Deterioration in the optical performance of candidate space power materials due to the low Earth orbit environment, the contamination environment, or both, must be evaluated in order to propose measures to mitigate such deterioration. The thirty two samples of space power materials studied here include solar array blanket materials such as polyimide Kapton H and SiO(x) coated polyimide Kapton H, front surface aluminized sapphire, solar dynamic concentrator materials such as silver on spin coated polyimide and aluminum on spin coated polyimide, CV 1144 silicone, and the thermal control paint Z-93-P. The physical and optical properties that were evaluated prior to and after the POSA flight include mass, total, diffuse, and specular reflectance, solar absorptance, and infrared emittance. Additional post flight evaluation included scanning electron microscopy to observe surface features caused by the low Earth orbit environment and the contamination environment, and variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry to identify contaminant type and thickness. This paper summarizes the results of pre- and post-flight measurements, identifies the mechanisms responsible for optical properties deterioration, and suggests improvements for the durability of materials in future missions.

Engineered materials for all-optical helicity-dependent magnetic switching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fullerton, Eric

2014-03-01

The possibilities of manipulating magnetization without applied magnetic fields have attracted growing attention over the last fifteen years. The low-power manipulation of magnetization, preferably at ultra-short time scales, has become a fundamental challenge with implications for future magnetic information memory and storage technologies. Here we explore the optical manipulation of the magnetization of engineered materials and devices using 100 fs optical pulses. We demonstrate that all optical - helicity dependent switching (AO-HDS) can be observed not only in selected rare-earth transition-metal (RE-TM) alloy films but also in a much broader variety of materials, including alloys, multilayers, heterostructures and RE-free Co-Ir-based synthetic ferrimagnets. The discovery of AO-HDS in RE-free TM-based synthetic ferrimagnets can enable breakthroughs for numerous applications since it exploits materials that are currently used in magnetic data storage, memories and logic technologies. In addition, this materials study of AO-HDS offers valuable insight into the underlying mechanisms involved. Indeed the common denominator of the diverse structures showing AO-HDS in this study is that two ferromagnetic sub-lattices exhibit magnetization compensation (and therefore angular momentum compensation) at temperatures near or above room temperature. We are highlighting that compensation plays a major role and that this compensation can be established at the atomic level as in alloys but also over a larger nanometers scale as in the multilayers or in heterostructures. We will also discuss the potential to extend AO-HDS to new classes of magnetic materials. This work was done in collaboration with S. Mangin, M. Gottwald, C-H. Lambert, D. Steil, V. Uhlíř, L. Pang, M. Hehn, S. Alebrand, M. Cinchetti, G. Malinowski, Y. Fainman, and M. Aeschlimann. Supported by the ANR-10-BLANC-1005 ``Friends,'' a grant from the Advanced Storage Technology Consortium, Partner University Fund

CO2 laser myringotomy with a hand-held otoscope and fiber optic delivery system: animal experimentation and preclinical trials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeRowe, Ari; Ophir, Dov; Finkelstein, Y.; Katzir, Abraham

1993-07-01

CO2 laser myringotomy has previously been proven effective in patients with serous otitis media for short term aeration of the middle ear. However, the system based on a microscope and a coaxially aligned laser is cumbersome and expensive. Also, conventional optical fibers do not transmit CO2 laser energy ((lambda) equals 10.6 micrometers ). We have developed a silver halide optical fiber of diameter 0.9 mm and lengths of several meters, with high transmission at 10.6 micrometers . Using a hand held otoscope coupled to a fiberoptic delivery system CO2 laser myringotomies were performed first in guinea pigs and then in humans. In the animal model the feasibility of the procedure was proven. Different irradiation parameters were studied and a `dose dependent' relationship was found between the total energy used and the duration of a patent myringotomy. This system was used to perform CO2 laser myringotomies under local anesthesia in five patients with serous otitis media and conductive hearing loss. None of the patients complained of discomfort and no scarring was noted. All patients had subjective and audiometric documentation of hearing improvement. The average duration of a patent myringotomy was 21 days. In two patients the effusion recurred. CO2 laser myringotomy utilizing a hand held otoscope coupled to an optical fiber capable of transmitting CO2 laser energy may prove simple and effective in the treatment of serous otitis media.

All-optical technique for measuring thermal properties of materials at static high pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pangilinan, G. I.; Ladouceur, H. D.; Russell, T. P.

2000-10-01

The development and implementation of an all-optical technique for measuring thermal transport properties of materials at high pressure in a gem anvil cell are reported. Thermal transport properties are determined by propagating a thermal wave in a material subjected to high pressures, and measuring the temperature as a function of time using an optical sensor embedded downstream in the material. Optical beams are used to deposit energy and to measure the sensor temperature and replace the resistive heat source and the thermocouples of previous methods. This overcomes the problems introduced with pressure-induced resistance changes and the spatial limitations inherent in previous high-pressure experimentation. Consistent with the heat conduction equation, the material's specific heat, thermal conductivity, and thermal diffusivity (κ) determine the sensor's temperature rise and its temporal profile. The all-optical technique described focuses on room-temperature thermal properties but can easily be applied to a wide temperature range (77-600 K). Measurements of thermal transport properties at pressure up to 2.0 GPa are reported, although extension to much higher pressures are feasible. The thermal properties of NaCl, a commonly used material for high-pressure experiments are measured and shown to be consistent with those obtained using the traditional methods.

Mesomorphic glass nanocomposites made of metal alkanoates and nanoparticles as emerging nonlinear-optical materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garbovskiy, Y.; Klimusheva, G.; Mirnaya, T.

2016-09-01

Mesomorphic metal alkanoates is very promising yet overlooked class of nonlinear-optical materials. Metal alkanoates can exhibit a broad variety of condensed states of matter including solid crystals, plastic crystals, lyotropic and thermotropic ionic liquid crystals, liquids, mesomorphic glasses, and Langmuir-Blodgett films. Glass-forming properties of metal alkanoates combined with their use as nano-reactors and anisotropic host open up simple and efficient way to design various photonic nanomaterials. Despite very interesting physics, the experimental data on optical and nonlinearoptical properties of such materials are scarce. The goal of the present paper is to fill the gap by discussing recent advances in the field of photonic materials made of metal alkanoates, organic dyes, and nanoparticles. Optical and nonlinear-optical properties of the following materials are reviewed: (i) mesomorphic glass doped with organic dyes; (ii) smectic glass composed of cobalt alkanoates; (iii) semiconductor nanoparticles embedded in a glassy host; (iv) metal nanoparticles - glass (the cobalt octanoate) nanocomposites.

Optical Coherence Tomography Enabling Non Destructive Metrology of Layered Polymeric GRIN Material

PubMed Central

Meemon, Panomsak; Yao, Jianing; Lee, Kye-Sung; Thompson, Kevin P.; Ponting, Michael; Baer, Eric; Rolland, Jannick P.

2013-01-01

Gradient Refractive INdex (GRIN) optical components have historically fallen short of theoretical expectations. A recent breakthrough is the manufacturing of nanolayered spherical GRIN (S-GRIN) polymer optical elements, where the construction method yields refractive index gradients that exceed 0.08. Here we report on the application of optical coherence tomography (OCT), including micron-class axial and lateral resolution advances, as effective, innovative methods for performing nondestructive diagnostic metrology on S-GRIN. We show that OCT can be used to visualize and quantify characteristics of the material throughout the manufacturing process. Specifically, internal film structure may be revealed and data are processed to extract sub-surface profiles of each internal film of the material to quantify 3D film thickness and homogeneity. The technique provides direct feedback into the fabrication process directed at optimizing the quality of the nanolayered S-GRIN polymer optical components.

Computer Controlled Optical Surfacing With Orbital Tool Motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Robert A.

1985-10-01

Asymmetric aspheric optical surfaces are very difficult to fabricate using classical techniques and laps the same size as the workpiece. Opticians can produce such surfaces by grinding and polishing, using small laps with orbital tool motion. However, hand correction is a time consuming process unsuitable for large optical elements. Itek has developed Computer Controlled Optical Surfacing (CCOS) for fabricating such aspheric optics. Automated equipment moves a nonrotating orbiting tool slowly over the workpiece surface. The process corrects low frequency surface errors by figuring. The velocity of the tool assembly over the workpiece surface is purposely varied. Since the amount of material removal is proportional to the polishing or grinding time, accurate control over material removal is achieved. The removal of middle and high frequency surface errors is accomplished by pad smoothing. For a soft pad material, the pad will compress to fit the workpiece surface producing greater pressure and more removal at the surface high areas. A harder pad will ride on only the high regions resulting in removal only for those locations.

Temperature dependence of nonlinear optical properties in Li doped nano-carbon bowl material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wei-qi; Zhou, Xin; Chang, Ying; Quan Tian, Wei; Sun, Xiu-Dong

2013-04-01

The mechanism for change of nonlinear optical (NLO) properties with temperature is proposed for a nonlinear optical material, Li doped curved nano-carbon bowl. Four stable conformations of Li doped corannulene were located and their electronic properties were investigated in detail. The NLO response of those Li doped conformations varies with relative position of doping agent on the curved carbon surface of corannulene. Conversion among those Li doped conformations, which could be controlled by temperature, changes the NLO response of bulk material. Thus, conformation change of alkali metal doped carbon nano-material with temperature rationalizes the variation of NLO properties of those materials.

Inverse Algorithm Optimization for Determining Optical Properties of Biological Materials from Spatially-Resolved Diffuse Reflectance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Optical characterization of biological materials is useful in many scientific and industrial applications like biomedical diagnosis and nondestructive quality evaluation of food and agricultural products. However, accurate determination of the optical properties from intact biological materials base...

Fabrication and Characterization of Thin Film Ion Implanted Composite Materials for Integrated Nonlinear Optical Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarkisov, S.; Curley, M.; Williams, E. K.; Wilkosz, A.; Ila, D.; Poker, D. B.; Hensley, D. K.; Smith, C.; Banks, C.; Penn, B.;

Hand-Held Sunphotometers for High School Student Construction and Measuring Aerosol Optical Thickness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Almonor, Linda; Baldwin, C.; Craig, R.; Johnson, L. P.

2000-01-01

Science education is taking the teaching of science from a traditional (lecture) approach to a multidimensional sense-making approach which allows teachers to support students by providing exploratory experiences. Using projects is one way of providing students with opportunities to observe and participate in sense-making activity. We created a learning environment that fostered inquiry-based learning. Students were engaged in a variety of Inquiry activities that enabled them to work in cooperative planning teams where respect for each other was encouraged and their ability to grasp, transform and transfer information was enhanced. Summer, 1998: An air pollution workshop was conducted for high school students in the Medgar Evers College/Middle College High School Liberty Partnership Summer Program. Students learned the basics of meteorology: structure and composition of the atmosphere and the processes that cause weather. The highlight of this workshop was the building of hand-held sunphotometers, which measure the intensity of the sunlight striking the Earth. Summer, 1999: high school students conducted a research project which measured the mass and size of ambient particulates and enhanced our ability to observe through land based measurements changes in the optical depth of ambient aerosols over Brooklyn. Students used hand held Sunphotometers to collect data over a two week period and entered it into the NASA GISS database by way of the internet.

Examination of an optical transmittance test for photovoltaic encapsulation materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, David C.; Bengoechea, Jaione; Bokria, Jayesh G.

2013-09-24

The optical transmittance of encapsulation materials is a key characteristic for their use in photovoltaic (PV) modules. Changes in transmittance with time in the field affect module performance, which may impact product warranties. Transmittance is important in product development, module manufacturing, and field power production (both immediate and long-term). Therefore, an international standard (IEC 62788-1-4) has recently been proposed by the Encapsulation Task-Group within the Working Group 2 (WG2) of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Committee 82 (TC82) for the quantification of the optical performance of PV encapsulation materials. Existing standards, such as ASTM E903, are general and moremore » appropriately applied to concentrated solar power than to PV. Starting from the optical transmittance measurement, the solar-weighted transmittance of photon irradiance, yellowness index (which may be used in aging studies to assess durability), and ultraviolet (UV) cut-off wavelength may all be determined using the proposed standard. The details of the proposed test are described. The results of a round-robin experiment (for five materials) conducted at seven laboratories to validate the test procedure using representative materials are also presented. For example, the Encapsulation Group actively explored the measurement requirements (wavelength range and resolution), the requirements for the spectrophotometer (including the integrating sphere and instrument accessories, such as a depolarizer), specimen requirements (choice of glass-superstrate and -substrate), and data analysis (relative to the light that may be used in the PV application). The round-robin experiment identified both intra- and inter-laboratory instrument precision and bias for five encapsulation materials (encompassing a range of transmittance and haze-formation characteristics).« less

Phase Equilibrium and Crystal Growth Studies on AgGaSe2 and Related Nonlinear Optical Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

identify by block number) IELD GROUP SUB-GROUP - "°Silver selenogallate, AgGaSe2, nonlinear optical materials, infrared materials, optical defects 19...materials has unique nonlinear infrared optical properties( 1-4 ) including high nonlinear coefficients, and the ability to be phase matched through a...have a milky appearance in thin section or when viewed with a commercial infrared image converter. Microscopic examination of AgGaSe2 in both reflected

Mitigation of Laser Beam Scintillation in Free-Space Optical Communication Systems Through Coherence-Reducing Optical Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Renner, Christoffer J.

2005-01-01

Free-space optical communication systems (also known as lasercom systems) offer several performance advantages over traditional radio frequency communication systems. These advantages include increased data rates and reduced operating power and system weight. One serious limiting factor in a lasercom system is Optical turbulence in Earth's atmosphere. This turbulence breaks up the laser beam used to transmit the information into multiple segments that interfere with each other when the beam is focused onto the receiver. This interference pattern at the receiver changes with time causing fluctuations in the received optical intensity (scintillation). Scintillation leads to intermittent losses of the signal and an overall reduction in the lasercom system's performance. Since scintillation is a coherent effect, reducing the spatial and temporal coherence of the laser beam will reduce the scintillation. Transmitting a laser beam through certain materials is thought to reduce its coherence. Materials that were tested included: sapphire, BK7 glass, fused silica and others. The spatial and temporal coherence of the laser beam was determined by examining the interference patterns (fringes) it formed when interacting with various interferometers and etalons.

Optical characterization of semiconductor materials by using FTIR-PAS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arévalo, Fabiola; Saavedra, Renato; Paulraj, M.

2008-11-01

In this paper we discuss the procedures for photoacoustic measurements for semiconducting materials, including bulk samples like Gallium Antimonide (GaSb). The optical absorption at photon energies near the band gap was measured at room temperature using Fourier Transform Infrared Photoacoustic spectroscopy (FTIR-PAS). Measurements were performed using a NEXUS 670 FTIR-spectrometer (from Thermo Nicolet) with a MTEC model 300 PA cell (MTEC Photoacoustics, Inc.). Optical properties of the studied samples were determined from their room temperature PA spectra and band gaps were calculated directly from absorption spectra

All-optical materials design of chiral edge modes in transition-metal dichalcogenides

PubMed Central

Claassen, Martin; Jia, Chunjing; Moritz, Brian; Devereaux, Thomas P.

2016-01-01

Monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenides are novel materials which at low energies constitute a condensed-matter realization of massive relativistic fermions in two dimensions. Here, we show that this picture breaks for optical pumping—instead, the added complexity of a realistic materials description leads to a new mechanism to optically induce topologically protected chiral edge modes, facilitating optically switchable conduction channels that are insensitive to disorder. In contrast to graphene and previously discussed toy models, the underlying mechanism relies on the intrinsic three-band nature of transition-metal dichalcogenide monolayers near the band edges. Photo-induced band inversions scale linearly in applied pump field and exhibit transitions from one to two chiral edge modes on sweeping from red to blue detuning. We develop an ab initio strategy to understand non-equilibrium Floquet–Bloch bands and topological transitions, and illustrate for WS2 that control of chiral edge modes can be dictated solely from symmetry principles and is not qualitatively sensitive to microscopic materials details. PMID:27721504

Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Nonlinear Optical Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Cheryl Shuang

1992-01-01

Nonlinear optic materials are becoming increasingly important because of their many technological applications, such as second harmonic generation (SHG), optical switching, and waveguides for optical transmission. Currently, there is a demand for crystals transparent in the UV region, which would make the third and higher harmonic generations feasible. Compounds with the general stoichiometry ABCO _4 structural systems have shown to be promising candidates for frequency doubling into the UV region. The stuffed tridymite structure in which these ABCO_4 compounds crystallize is very tolerant to substitution, and over two hundred compounds have been synthesized up to date. While the presently available theories of optical nonlinearity have been applied to many inorganic solids, the threatened structure theory applied for ferroelectric properties can also be used to describe the structure/property relationship in the ABCO_4 structural family. Compounds synthesized for this study, ALiPO_4 (A = Sr, Ba, Pb) have shown that the SHG of these materials can be maximized by bringing each system close to its structural phase transition or by inducing stress in the pure phase structure. Studies have shown that the dielectric coefficients of KNbO_3 increase by more than tenfold with tantalum doping. This prompted the investigation of a mixed niobium/tantalum containing channelled tetrahedra/octahedra open framework, K_{2/3}Li _{1/3}Nb_ {rm 2-x}Ta_{ rm x}PO_8. These compounds are capable of ion exchange, where other cations are used to replace potassium. The cation-framework interaction mimics the guest-host relationship characteristic of many traditional zeolitic materials. This interaction also enables us to determine the role of the cation in framework polarizability, which can be measured by SHG intensities. Through ion exchange, many isostructural compounds can be made at low temperatures. A family of layered rubidium niobium/tantalum oxide compounds have been synthesized in

Time-domain separation of optical properties from structural transitions in resonantly bonded materials.

PubMed

Waldecker, Lutz; Miller, Timothy A; Rudé, Miquel; Bertoni, Roman; Osmond, Johann; Pruneri, Valerio; Simpson, Robert E; Ernstorfer, Ralph; Wall, Simon

2015-10-01

The extreme electro-optical contrast between crystalline and amorphous states in phase-change materials is routinely exploited in optical data storage and future applications include universal memories, flexible displays, reconfigurable optical circuits, and logic devices. Optical contrast is believed to arise owing to a change in crystallinity. Here we show that the connection between optical properties and structure can be broken. Using a combination of single-shot femtosecond electron diffraction and optical spectroscopy, we simultaneously follow the lattice dynamics and dielectric function in the phase-change material Ge2Sb2Te5 during an irreversible state transformation. The dielectric function changes by 30% within 100 fs owing to a rapid depletion of electrons from resonantly bonded states. This occurs without perturbing the crystallinity of the lattice, which heats with a 2-ps time constant. The optical changes are an order of magnitude larger than those achievable with silicon and present new routes to manipulate light on an ultrafast timescale without structural changes.

A Phase-Conjugate-Mirror Inspired Approach for Building Cloaking Structures with Left-handed Materials

PubMed Central

Zheng, Guoan; Heng, Xin; Yang, Changhuei

2009-01-01

A phase conjugate mirror (PCM) has a remarkable property of cancellation the back-scattering wave of the lossless scatterers. The similarity of a phase conjugate mirror to the interface of a matched RHM (right-handed material) and a LHM (left-handed material) prompts us to explore the potentials of using the RHM-LHM structure to achieve the anti-scattering property of the PCM. In this paper, we present two such structures. The first one is a RHM-LHM cloaking structure with a lossless arbitrary-shape scatterer imbedded in the RHM and its left-handed duplicate imbedded in the matched LHM. It is shown that such a structure is transparent to the incident electromagnetic (EM) field. As a special case of this structure, we proposed an EM tunnel that allows EM waves to spatially transport to another location in space without significant distortion and reflection. The second one is an RHM-PEC (perfect electric conductor)-LHM cloaking structure, which is composed of a symmetric conducting shell embedded in the interface junction of an RHM and the matched LHM layer. Such a structure presents an anomalously small scattering cross-section to an incident propagating EM field, and the interior of the shell can be used to shield small objects (size comparable to the wavelength) from interrogation. We report the results of 2D finite-element-method (FEM) simulations that were performed to verify our idea, and discuss the unique properties of the proposed structures as well as their limitations. PMID:20126415

Two-photon sensitized recording materials for multilayer optical disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akiba, M.; Goto-Takahashi, E.; Takizawa, H.; Sasaki, T.; Mochizuki, H.; Mikami, T.; Kitahara, T.

2010-06-01

Two types of novel two-photon sensitized recording material writable at 405 nm and 522nm were developed. The fluorescent dye generation type (F-type) material consists of at least two-photon absorption dye (TPAD) and fluorescent dye precursor (FDP), which is non-fluorescent before two-photon recording and fluorescent after two-photon recording due to fluorescent dye generation. The fluorescence quench type (Q-type) material, on the other hand, consists of at least TPAD, fluorescent dye (FD) and fluorescent quencher precursor (QP), which is fluorescent before two-photon recording and the fluorescence intensity is reduced after two-photon recording at the recorded spot due to fluorescent quencher generation. Both types of material showed quadratic dependency of recording light intensity at 522 and 405 nm. A twenty-layer two-photon recording media was fabricated with the Q-type material, and two-photon recording and onephoton fluorescent signal readout was successfully conducted.

Liquid crystal materials and tunable devices for optical communications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Fang

In this dissertation, liquid crystal materials and devices are investigated in meeting the challenges for photonics and communications applications. The first part deals with polymer-stabilized liquid crystal (PSLC) materials and devices. Three polymer-stabilized liquid crystal systems are developed for optical communications. The second part reports the experimental investigation of a novel liquid-crystal-infiltrated photonic crystal fiber (PCF) and explores its applications in fiber-optic communications. The curing temperature is found to have significant effects on the PSLC performance. The electro-optic properties of nematic polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC) at different curing temperatures are investigated experimentally. At high curing temperature, a high contrast, low drive voltage, and small hysteresis PNLC is obtained as a result of the formed large LC microdomains. With the help of curing temperature effect, it is able to develop PNLC based optical devices with highly desirable performances for optical communications. Such high performance is generally considered difficult to realize for a PNLC. In fact, the poor performance of PNLC, especially at long wavelengths, has hindered it from practical applications for optical communications for a long time. Therefore, the optimal curing temperature effect discovered in this thesis would enable PSLCs for practical industrial applications. Further more, high birefringence LCs play an important role for near infrared photonic devices. The isothiocyanato tolane liquid crystals exhibit a high birefringence and low viscosity. The high birefringence LC dramatically improves the PSLC contrast ratio while keeping a low drive voltage and fast response time. A free-space optical device by PNLC is experimentally demonstrated and its properties characterized. Most LC devices are polarization sensitive. To overcome this drawback, we have investigated the polymer-stabilized cholesteric LC (PSCLC). Combining the curing

Determination and interpretation of the optical constants for solar cell materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujiwara, Hiroyuki; Fujimoto, Shohei; Tamakoshi, Masato; Kato, Masato; Kadowaki, Hideyuki; Miyadera, Tetsuhiko; Tampo, Hitoshi; Chikamatsu, Masayuki; Shibata, Hajime

2017-11-01

Solar cell materials in thin film form often exhibit quite rough surface, which makes the accurate determination of the optical constants using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) quite difficult. In this study, we investigate the effect of the rough surface on the SE analysis and establish an analysis procedure, which is quite helpful for the correction of the underestimated roughness contribution. As examples, the roughness analyses for CuInSe2 and CH3NH3PbI3 hybrid-perovskite thin films are presented. Moreover, to interpret the dielectric functions of emerging solar cell materials, such as CH3NH3PbI3 and Cu2ZnSnSe4, the optical transition analyses are performed based on density functional theory (DFT). The excellent agreement observed between the experimental and DFT results allows the detailed assignment of the transition peaks, confirming the importance of DFT for revealing fundamental optical characteristics.

3D printing of optical materials: an investigation of the microscopic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Persano, Luana; Cardarelli, Francesco; Arinstein, Arkadii; Uttiya, Sureeporn; Zussman, Eyal; Pisignano, Dario; Camposeo, Andrea

2018-02-01

3D printing technologies are currently enabling the fabrication of objects with complex architectures and tailored properties. In such framework, the production of 3D optical structures, which are typically based on optical transparent matrices, optionally doped with active molecular compounds and nanoparticles, is still limited by the poor uniformity of the printed structures. Both bulk inhomogeneities and surface roughness of the printed structures can negatively affect the propagation of light in 3D printed optical components. Here we investigate photopolymerization-based printing processes by laser confocal microscopy. The experimental method we developed allows the printing process to be investigated in-situ, with microscale spatial resolution, and in real-time. The modelling of the photo-polymerization kinetics allows the different polymerization regimes to be investigated and the influence of process variables to be rationalized. In addition, the origin of the factors limiting light propagation in printed materials are rationalized, with the aim of envisaging effective experimental strategies to improve optical properties of printed materials.

A multifunctional material based on co-electrospinning for developing biosensors with optical oxygen transduction.

PubMed

Ramon-Marquez, Teresa; Medina-Castillo, Antonio L; Nagiah, Naveen; Fernandez-Gutierrez, Alberto; Fernandez-Sanchez, Jorge F

2018-07-26

A multifunctional material based on co-electrospinning has been developed as a basic material for the development of biosensors with optical oxygen transduction. It is based on coaxial nanofibres: inner fibres containing an oxygen sensitive dye and outer fibres containing aldehyde groups to allow the formation of Schiff bases with the amino groups of the enzyme. The resulting material preserves the oxygen sensing properties of the inner optical transducer as well as exhibits a high capacity for immobilizing molecules on its surface. Uricase has been selected as model enzyme and several parameters (temperature, pH, reaction time, buffer, and enzyme concentration) have been optimised to demonstrate the versatility of this novel multifunctional material in the development of biosensors with optical oxygen transduction for determining uric acid in serum samples. It suggests that the proposed multifunctional material can provide a promising multifunctional platform for biosensing applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Active 2D materials for on-chip nanophotonics and quantum optics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shiue, Ren-Jye; Efetov, Dmitri K.; Grosso, Gabriele

Abstract Two-dimensional materials have emerged as promising candidates to augment existing optical networks for metrology, sensing, and telecommunication, both in the classical and quantum mechanical regimes. Here, we review the development of several on-chip photonic components ranging from electro-optic modulators, photodetectors, bolometers, and light sources that are essential building blocks for a fully integrated nanophotonic and quantum photonic circuit.

Active 2D materials for on-chip nanophotonics and quantum optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiue, Ren-Jye; Efetov, Dmitri K.; Grosso, Gabriele; Peng, Cheng; Fong, Kin Chung; Englund, Dirk

2017-03-01

Two-dimensional materials have emerged as promising candidates to augment existing optical networks for metrology, sensing, and telecommunication, both in the classical and quantum mechanical regimes. Here, we review the development of several on-chip photonic components ranging from electro-optic modulators, photodetectors, bolometers, and light sources that are essential building blocks for a fully integrated nanophotonic and quantum photonic circuit.

Sensitivity of corneal biomechanical and optical behavior to material parameters using design of experiments method.

PubMed

Xu, Mengchen; Lerner, Amy L; Funkenbusch, Paul D; Richhariya, Ashutosh; Yoon, Geunyoung

2018-02-01

The optical performance of the human cornea under intraocular pressure (IOP) is the result of complex material properties and their interactions. The measurement of the numerous material parameters that define this material behavior may be key in the refinement of patient-specific models. The goal of this study was to investigate the relative contribution of these parameters to the biomechanical and optical responses of human cornea predicted by a widely accepted anisotropic hyperelastic finite element model, with regional variations in the alignment of fibers. Design of experiments methods were used to quantify the relative importance of material properties including matrix stiffness, fiber stiffness, fiber nonlinearity and fiber dispersion under physiological IOP. Our sensitivity results showed that corneal apical displacement was influenced nearly evenly by matrix stiffness, fiber stiffness and nonlinearity. However, the variations in corneal optical aberrations (refractive power and spherical aberration) were primarily dependent on the value of the matrix stiffness. The optical aberrations predicted by variations in this material parameter were sufficiently large to predict clinically important changes in retinal image quality. Therefore, well-characterized individual variations in matrix stiffness could be critical in cornea modeling in order to reliably predict optical behavior under different IOPs or after corneal surgery.

New materials for high-energy-resolution x-ray optics

DOE PAGES

Yavas, Hasan; Sutter, John P.; Gog, Thomas; ...

2017-06-09

The use of crystals other than silicon for x-ray optics is becoming more common for many challenging experiments such as resonant inelastic x-ray scattering and nuclear resonant scattering. As more—and more specialized—spectrometers become available at many synchrotron radiation facilities, interest in pushing the limits of experimental energy resolution has increased. The potentially large improvements in resolution and efficiency that nonsilicon optics offer are beginning to be realized. Furthermore, this article covers the background and state of the art for nonsilicon crystal optics with a focus on a resolution of 10 meV or better, concentrating on compounds that form trigonal crystals,more » including sapphire, quartz, and lithium niobate, rather than the more conventional cubic materials, including silicon, diamond, and germanium.« less

Three-dimensional evaluation of effectiveness of hand and rotary instrumentation for retreatment of canals filled with different materials.

PubMed

Hammad, Mohammad; Qualtrough, Alison; Silikas, Nick

2008-11-01

The aim of this study was to measure the remaining filling volume of different obturation materials from root-filled extracted teeth by using 2 removal techniques. Eighty single-rooted teeth were collected and decoronated, and the root canal was prepared by using the ProTaper nickel-titanium rotary files. The teeth were randomly allocated into 4 groups, and each group was obturated by using a different material. Group 1 was filled with gutta-percha and TubliSeal sealer, group 2 was filled with EndoRez points and EndoRez sealer, group 3 was filled with RealSeal points and RealSeal sealer, and Group 4 was filled with a gutta-percha point and GuttaFlow sealer. Teeth were scanned with a micro-computed tomography scan, and then root fillings were removed by using ProTaper retreatment files or hand K-files. Teeth were scanned again, and volume measurements were carried out with micro-computed tomography software. Statistical analysis showed significant differences between the 2 removal techniques for gutta-percha and for both techniques between gutta-percha and the other groups. The present study showed that all tested filling materials were not completely removed during retreatment by using hand or rotary files. Gutta-percha was more efficiently removed by using hand K-files.

Comparison of a digital and an optical analogue hand-held refractometer for the measurement of canine urine specific gravity.

PubMed

Paris, J K; Bennett, A D; Dodkin, S J; Gunn-Moore, D A

2012-05-05

Urine specific gravity (USG) is used clinically as a measure of urine concentration, and is routinely assessed by refractometry. A comparison between optical analogue and digital refractometers for evaluation of canine urine has not been reported. The aim of this study was to compare a digital and an optical analogue hand-held refractometer for the measurement of canine USG, and to assess correlation with urine osmolality. Prospective study. Free-catch urine samples were collected from 285 hospitalised adult dogs, and paired USG readings were obtained with a digital and an optical analogue refractometer. In 50 dogs, urine osmolality was also measured using a freezing point depression osmometer. There was a small but statistically significant difference between the two refractometers (P<0.001), with the optical analogue refractometer reading higher than the digital refractometer (mean difference 0.0006, sd 0.0012). Paired refractometer measurements varied by <0.002 in 91.5 per cent of cases. The optical analogue and digital refractometer readings showed excellent correlation with osmolality (r=0.980 and r=0.977, respectively, P<0.001 in both cases). Despite statistical significance, the difference between the two refractometers is unlikely to be clinically significant. Both instruments provide an accurate assessment of USG in dogs.

Wavelength dependence of femtosecond laser-induced damage threshold of optical materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gallais, L., E-mail: laurent.gallais@fresnel.fr; Douti, D.-B.; Commandré, M.

2015-06-14

An experimental and numerical study of the laser-induced damage of the surface of optical material in the femtosecond regime is presented. The objective of this work is to investigate the different processes involved as a function of the ratio of photon to bandgap energies and compare the results to models based on nonlinear ionization processes. Experimentally, the laser-induced damage threshold of optical materials has been studied in a range of wavelengths from 1030 nm (1.2 eV) to 310 nm (4 eV) with pulse durations of 100 fs with the use of an optical parametric amplifier system. Semi-conductors and dielectrics materials, in bulk or thinmore » film forms, in a range of bandgap from 1 to 10 eV have been tested in order to investigate the scaling of the femtosecond laser damage threshold with the bandgap and photon energy. A model based on the Keldysh photo-ionization theory and the description of impact ionization by a multiple-rate-equation system is used to explain the dependence of laser-breakdown with the photon energy. The calculated damage fluence threshold is found to be consistent with experimental results. From these results, the relative importance of the ionization processes can be derived depending on material properties and irradiation conditions. Moreover, the observed damage morphologies can be described within the framework of the model by taking into account the dynamics of energy deposition with one dimensional propagation simulations in the excited material and thermodynamical considerations.« less

Topological nature of nonlinear optical effects in solids

PubMed Central

Morimoto, Takahiro; Nagaosa, Naoto

2016-01-01

There are a variety of nonlinear optical effects including higher harmonic generations, photovoltaic effects, and nonlinear Kerr rotations. They are realized by strong light irradiation to materials that results in nonlinear polarizations in the electric field. These are of great importance in studying the physics of excited states of the system as well as for applications to optical devices and solar cells. Nonlinear properties of materials are usually described by nonlinear susceptibilities, which have complex expressions including many matrix elements and energy denominators. On the other hand, a nonequilibrium steady state under an electric field periodic in time has a concise description in terms of the Floquet bands of electrons dressed by photons. We show theoretically, using the Floquet formalism, that various nonlinear optical effects, such as the shift current in noncentrosymmetric materials, photovoltaic Hall response, and photo-induced change of order parameters under the continuous irradiation of monochromatic light, can be described in a unified fashion by topological quantities involving the Berry connection and Berry curvature. We found that vector fields defined with the Berry connections in the space of momentum and/or parameters govern the nonlinear responses. This topological view offers a route to designing nonlinear optical materials. PMID:27386523

Topological nature of nonlinear optical effects in solids.

PubMed

Morimoto, Takahiro; Nagaosa, Naoto

2016-05-01

There are a variety of nonlinear optical effects including higher harmonic generations, photovoltaic effects, and nonlinear Kerr rotations. They are realized by strong light irradiation to materials that results in nonlinear polarizations in the electric field. These are of great importance in studying the physics of excited states of the system as well as for applications to optical devices and solar cells. Nonlinear properties of materials are usually described by nonlinear susceptibilities, which have complex expressions including many matrix elements and energy denominators. On the other hand, a nonequilibrium steady state under an electric field periodic in time has a concise description in terms of the Floquet bands of electrons dressed by photons. We show theoretically, using the Floquet formalism, that various nonlinear optical effects, such as the shift current in noncentrosymmetric materials, photovoltaic Hall response, and photo-induced change of order parameters under the continuous irradiation of monochromatic light, can be described in a unified fashion by topological quantities involving the Berry connection and Berry curvature. We found that vector fields defined with the Berry connections in the space of momentum and/or parameters govern the nonlinear responses. This topological view offers a route to designing nonlinear optical materials.

All-optical materials design of chiral edge modes in transition-metal dichalcogenides

DOE PAGES

Claassen, Martin; Jia, Chunjing; Moritz, Brian; ...

2016-10-10

Monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenides are novel materials which at low energies constitute a condensed-matter realization of massive relativistic fermions in two dimensions. Here, we show that this picture breaks for optical pumping—instead, the added complexity of a realistic materials description leads to a new mechanism to optically induce topologically protected chiral edge modes, facilitating optically switchable conduction channels that are insensitive to disorder. In contrast to graphene and previously discussed toy models, the underlying mechanism relies on the intrinsic three-band nature of transition-metal dichalcogenide monolayers near the band edges. Photo-induced band inversions scale linearly in applied pump field and exhibit transitionsmore » from one to two chiral edge modes on sweeping from red to blue detuning. As a result, we develop an ab initio strategy to understand non-equilibrium Floquet–Bloch bands and topological transitions, and illustrate for WS 2 that control of chiral edge modes can be dictated solely from symmetry principles and is not qualitatively sensitive to microscopic materials details.« less

Characterization of Material Response During Arc-Jet Testing with Optical Methods Status and Perspectives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winter, Michael

2012-01-01

The characterization of ablation and recession of heat shield materials during arc jet testing is an important step towards understanding the governing processes during these tests and therefore for a successful extrapolation of ground test data to flight. The behavior of ablative heat shield materials in a ground-based arc jet facility is usually monitored through measurement of temperature distributions (across the surface and in-depth), and through measurement of the final surface recession. These measurements are then used to calibrate/validate materials thermal response codes, which have mathematical models with reasonably good fidelity to the physics and chemistry of ablation, and codes thus calibrated are used for predicting material behavior in flight environments. However, these thermal measurements only indirectly characterize the pyrolysis processes within an ablative material pyrolysis is the main effect during ablation. Quantification of pyrolysis chemistry would therefore provide more definitive and useful data for validation of the material response codes. Information of the chemical products of ablation, to various levels of detail, can be obtained using optical methods. Suitable optical methods to measure the shape and composition of these layers (with emphasis on the blowing layer) during arc jet testing are: 1) optical emission spectroscopy (OES) 2) filtered imaging 3) laser induced fluorescence (LIF) and 4) absorption spectroscopy. Several attempts have been made to optically measure the material response of ablative materials during arc-jet testing. Most recently, NH and OH have been identified in the boundary layer of a PICA ablator. These species are suitable candidates for a detection through PLIF which would enable a spatially-resolved characterization of the blowing layer in terms of both its shape and composition. The recent emission spectroscopy data will be presented and future experiments for a qualitative and quantitative

Application of the Tauc-Lorentz formulation to the interband absorption of optical coating materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Blanckenhagen, Bernhard; Tonova, Diana; Ullmann, Jens

2002-06-01

Recent progress in ellipsometry instrumentation permits precise measurement and characterization of optical coating materials in the deep-UV wavelength range. Dielectric coating materials exhibit their first electronic interband transition in this spectral range. The Tauc-Lorentz model is a powerful tool with which to parameterize interband absorption above the band edge. The application of this model for the parameterization of the optical absorption of TiO2, Ta2O5, HfO2, Al2O3, and LaF3 thin-film materials is described.

Laser induced damage in optical materials: tenth ASTM symposium.

PubMed

Glass, A J; Guenther, A H

1979-07-01

The tenth annual Symposium on Optical Materials for High Power Lasers (Boulder Damage Symposium) was held at the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder, Colorado, 12-14 September 1978. The symposium was held under the auspices of ASTM Committee F-1, Subcommittee on Laser Standards, with the joint sponsorship of NBS, the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, the Department of Energy, and the Office of Naval Research. About 175 scientists attended, including representatives of the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Japan, West Germany, and the Soviet Union. The symposium was divided into sessions concerning the measurement of absorption characteristics, bulk material properties, mirrors and surfaces, thin film damage, coating materials and design, and breakdown phenomena. As in previous years, the emphasis of the papers presented was directed toward new frontiers and new developments. Particular emphasis was given to materials for use from 10.6 microm to the UV region. Highlights included surface characterization, thin film-substrate boundaries, and advances in fundamental laser-matter threshold interactions and mechanisms. The scaling of damage thresholds with pulse duration, focal area, and wavelength was also discussed. In commemoration of the tenth symposium in this series, a number of comprehensive review papers were presented to assess the state of the art in various facets of laser induced damage in optical materials. Alexander J. Glass of Lawrence Livermore Laboratory and Arthur H. Guenther of the Air Force Weapons Laboratory were co-chairpersons. The eleventh annual symposium is scheduled for 30-31 October 1979 at the National Bureau of Standards, Boulder, Colorado.

Femtosecond laser polishing of optical materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Lauren L.; Qiao, Jun; Qiao, Jie

2015-10-01

Technologies including magnetorheological finishing and CNC polishing are commonly used to finish optical elements, but these methods are often expensive, generate waste through the use of fluids or abrasives, and may not be suited for specific freeform substrates due to the size and shape of finishing tools. Pulsed laser polishing has been demonstrated as a technique capable of achieving nanoscale roughness while offering waste-free fabrication, material-specific processing through direct tuning of laser radiation, and access to freeform shapes using refined beam delivery and focusing techniques. Nanosecond and microsecond pulse duration radiation has been used to perform successful melting-based polishing of a variety of different materials, but this approach leads to extensive heat accumulation resulting in subsurface damage. We have experimentally investigated the ability of femtosecond laser radiation to ablate silicon carbide and silicon. By substituting ultrafast laser radiation, polishing can be performed by direct evaporation of unwanted surface asperities with minimal heating and melting, potentially offering damage-free finishing of materials. Under unoptimized laser processing conditions, thermal effects can occur leading to material oxidation. To investigate these thermal effects, simulation of the heat accumulation mechanism in ultrafast laser ablation was performed. Simulations have been extended to investigate the optimum scanning speed and pulse energy required for processing various substrates. Modeling methodologies and simulation results will be presented.

(Bio)hybrid materials based on optically active particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reitzig, Manuela; Härtling, Thomas; Opitz, Jörg

2014-03-01

In this contribution we provide an overview of current investigations on optically active particles (nanodiamonds, upconversion phospors) for biohybrid and sensing applications. Due to their outstanding properties nanodiamonds gain attention in various application elds such as microelectronics, optical monitoring, medicine, and biotechnology. Beyond the typical diamond properties such as high thermal conductivity and extreme hardness, the carbon surface and its various functional groups enable diverse chemical and biological surface functionalization. At Fraunhofer IKTS-MD we develop a customization of material surfaces via integration of chemically modi ed nanodiamonds at variable surfaces, e.g bone implants and pipelines. For the rst purpose, nanodiamonds are covalently modi ed at their surface with amino or phosphate functionalities that are known to increase adhesion to bone or titanium alloys. The second type of surface is approached via mechanical implementation into coatings. Besides nanodiamonds, we also investigate the properties of upconversion phosphors. In our contribution we show how upconversion phosphors are used to verify sterilization processes via a change of optical properties due to sterilizing electron beam exposure.

[Does the hand solely belong in the hands of a qualified hand surgeon?

PubMed

Güven, Asim; Kols, Kerstin; Fischer, Klaus; Schönberger, Michael; Allert, Sixtus

2017-09-01

Background In Germany, Hand Surgery is an additional qualification that can only be obtained by a three-year training after a completed residency in General Surgery, Plastic Surgery or Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery. Nevertheless, injuries and diseases of the hand are also treated by physicians without this particular qualification. It is questionable whether these treatments more often lead to medical malpractice. Material and Methods 376 charges of medical malpractice in surgical treatments of the hand and forearm that were closed in 2014 and 2015 were collected by the Arbitration Board for Medical Liability Issues of the Medical Association of North Germany.Cases with proven medical malpractice were classified by the qualification of the physician in charge and analysed. A statistical analysis was performed with the use of the program SPSS (IBM). Results Medical malpractice was proven in 42 of 113 cases with an attending physician who held the additional qualification for Hand Surgery (37.2 %). For physicians without this qualification, the figures were 79 out of 155 (51.0 %) in the group of trauma and orthopaedic surgeons and 54 out of 108 (50.0 %) in the group of general surgeons. The differences between the hand surgeons and the trauma and orthopaedic surgeons (p = 0.017) and between hand surgeons and general surgeons were significant (p = 0.037). Conclusions It was shown that physicians with an additional qualification in hand surgery had signifcantly fewer proven medical malpratice cases than physicians without this qualification. The following trends were observed in the cases of the physicians without the additional qualification in hand surgery: underestimation of the severity of trauma to soft tissues and infections of the hand, errors in the surgical examination of the hand, including functional tests of tendons and nerves, as well as in diagnostic findings after X-ray studies of the hand. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

An Innovative Context-Based Module to Introduce Students to the Optical Properties of Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Testa, I.; Lombardi, S.; Monroy, G.; Sassi, E.

2011-01-01

A context-based module to introduce secondary school students to the study of the optical properties of materials and geometric optics is presented. The module implements an innovative teaching approach in which the behaviour of the chosen application, in this article, the optical fibre, is iteratively explored and modelled by means of a…

Examination of an Optical Transmittance Test for Photovoltaic Encapsulation Materials (Presentation)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, D.; Bengoechea, J.; Bokria, J.

2013-09-01

The optical transmittance of encapsulation materials is a key characteristic for their use in photovoltaic (PV) modules. Changes in transmittance with time in the field affect module performance, which may impact product warranties. Transmittance is important in product development, module manufacturing, and field power production (both immediate and long-term). Therefore, an international standard (IEC 62788-1-4) has recently been proposed by the Encapsulation Task-Group within the Working Group 2 (WG2) of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Committee 82 (TC82) for the quantification of the optical performance of PV encapsulation materials. Existing standards, such as ASTM E903, are general and moremore » appropriately applied to concentrated solar power than to PV. Starting from the optical transmittance measurement, the solar-weighted transmittance of photon irradiance, yellowness index (which may be used in aging studies to assess durability), and ultraviolet (UV) cut-off wavelength may all be determined using the proposed standard. The details of the proposed test are described. The results of a round-robin experiment (for five materials) conducted at seven laboratories to validate the test procedure using representative materials are also presented. For example, the Encapsulation Group actively explored the measurement requirements (wavelength range and resolution), the requirements for the spectrophotometer (including the integrating sphere and instrument accessories, such as a depolarizer), specimen requirements (choice of glass-superstrate and -substrate), and data analysis (relative to the light that may be used in the PV application). The round-robin experiment identified both intra- and inter-laboratory instrument precision and bias for five encapsulation materials (encompassing a range of transmittance and haze-formation characteristics).« less

Diamond For Optical Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clay, Robert D.; Clay, John P.

1984-12-01

Clay Engineering Inc. currently has a proposal before DARPA to manufacture large optical quality diamond for use as optical material. The manufactured diamond will be approximately 100 mm in diameter by 100 mm long. The cost of producing the diamond is expected to be three dollars per carat. It is expected that total impurities of a few parts per billion can readily be obtained. A study of diamond is a study of the effects of impurities. The elements boron and nitrogen can replace carbon atoms in the lattice structure, making diamond a "P" or "N" type semiconductor. Diamonds which are not semiconductors are classified as type IIa. The presence of B or N in the lattice causes diamond to photoconduct in ultraviolet light. All type I and III) and most type IIa diamonds photoconduct. The manufactured diamond will not photoconduct and will have an electrical resistivity greater than 1018 ohm*m. All non-lattice impurities are in the form of inclusions which dramatically affect the mechanical properties of diamond. High purity diamond has a coefficient of absorption of order 10-3 cm-1 at wavelengths of 8 to 12 micro metres, which makes it useful for infrared applications. It also has a low coefficient of absorption at wavelengths greater than 12 micro metres. For missile and aircraft applications, diamond is relatively immune to erosion or pitting damage by sand and rain. Diamond will readily withstand the stagnation temperature of Mach 3 flight and will go to Mach 4.8 with an anti-reflective coating to protect it from oxygen attack. Diamond is highly resistant to thermal shock, which makes it valuable for high energy laser applications. Using R = St (1-)) k/Ea as a measure of thermal shock resistance, diamond is 107 w/m vs "sapphire" and Zerodur at 104 and fused quartz at 1.45x103. Diamond does not perform well in the 2.5-7.5 micro metres and less than 0.4 micro metres wavelengths. Intense beams of less than 0.4 micro metres energy can create color centers in diamond

A new miniature hand-held solar-blind reagentless standoff chemical, biological, and explosives (CBE) sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hug, W. F.; Reid, R. D.; Bhartia, R.; Lane, A. L.

2008-04-01

Improvised explosive devices (IEDs), vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs), and suicide bombers are a major threat to many countries and their citizenry. The ability to detect trace levels of these threats with a miniature, hand-held, reagentless, standoff sensor represents a major improvement in the state of the art of CBE surface sensors. Photon Systems, Inc., in collaboration with Jet Propulsion Laboratory, recently demonstrated a new technology hand-held sensor for reagentless, close-range, standoff detection and identification of trace levels CBE materials on surfaces. This targeted ultraviolet CBE (TUCBE) sensor is the result of an Army Phase I STTR program. The resulting 5lb, 5W, flashlight-sized sensor can discriminate CBE from background materials using a combination of deep UV excited resonance Raman (RR) and laser induced native fluorescence (LINF) emissions resulting from excitation by a new technology deep UV laser. Detection and identification is accomplished in less than 1ms. Standoff excitation of suspicious packages, vehicles, persons, and other objects that may contain hazardous materials is accomplished using wavelengths below 250nm where Raman and native fluorescence emissions occupy distinctly different wavelength regions. This enables simultaneous detection of RR and LINF emissions with no interferences. The sensor employs fused RR/LINF chemometric methods to extract the identity of targeted materials from background clutter. Photon Systems has demonstrated detection and identification of 100ng/cm2 of explosives materials at a distance of 1 meter using a sensor with 3.8 cm optical aperture. Expansion of the optical aperture to 38 cm in a lantern-sized sensor will enable similar detection and identification of CBE materials at standoff distances of 10 meters. As a result of excitation and detection in the deep UV and the use of a gated detection system, the sensor is solar blind and can operate in full daylight conditions.

Silver nanoprisms/silicone hybrid rubber materials and their optical limiting property to femtosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Chunfang; Liu, Miao; Jiang, Nengkai; Wang, Chunlei; Lin, Weihong; Li, Dongxiang

2017-08-01

Optical limiters against femtosecond laser are essential for eye and sensor protection in optical processing system with femtosecond laser as light source. Anisotropic Ag nanoparticles are expected to develop into optical limiting materials for femtosecond laser pulses. Herein, silver nanoprisms are prepared and coated by silica layer, which are then doped into silicone rubber to obtain hybrid rubber sheets. The silver nanoprisms/silicone hybrid rubber sheets exhibit good optical limiting property to femtosecond laser mainly due to nonlinear optical absorption.

Optical fiber sensors for damage analysis in aerospace materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schindler, Paul; May, Russell; Claus, Richard

1995-01-01

Under this grant, fiber optic sensors were investigated for use in the nondestructive evaluation of aging aircraft. Specifically, optical fiber sensors for detection and location of impacts on a surface, and for detection of corrosion in metals were developed. The use of neural networks was investigated for determining impact location by processing the output of a network of fiberoptic strain sensors distributed on a surface. This approach employs triangulation to determine location by comparing the arrival times at several sensors, of the acoustic signal generated by the impact. For this study, a neural network simulator running on a personal computer was used to train a network using a back-propagation algorithm. Fiber optic extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI) strain sensors are attached to or embedded in the surface, so that stress waves emanating from an impact can be detected. The ability of the network to determine impact location by time-or-arrival of acoustic signals was assessed by comparing network outputs with actual experimental results using impacts on a panel instrumented with optical fiber sensors. Using the neural network to process the sensor outputs, the impact location can be inferred to centimeter range accuracy directly from the arrival time data. In addition, the network can be trained to determine impact location, regardless of material anisotropy. Results demonstrate that a back-propagation network identifies impact location for an anisotropic graphite/bismaleimide plate with the same accuracy as that for an isotropic aluminum plate. Two different approaches were investigated for the development of fiber optic sensors for corrosion detection in metals, both utilizing optical fiber sensors with metal coatings. In the first approach, an extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric fiber optic strain sensor was placed under tensile stress, and while in the resulting strained position, a thick coating of metal was applied. Due to an increase in

Cutting of optical materials by using femtosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nolte, Stefan; Will, Matthias; Augustin, Markus; Triebel, Peter; Zoellner, Karsten; Tuennermann, Andreas

2001-11-01

In the past years, ultrashort pulse lasers have been established as precise and universal tools for the microstructuring of solid materials. Since thermal and mechanical influences are minimized, the application of this technology is also suitable for the structuring of optical materials and opens new possibilities. In this paper, the influence of pulse duration, pulse energy (fluence) and polarization on the cutting quality for glass and silicon will be discussed. As a concrete application, the cutting and micromarking of dielectric coated mirrors for high power fiber lasers will be highlighted.

SIC material and technology for space optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bougoin, Michel

2017-11-01

Taking benefit from its very high specific stiffness and its exclusive thermal stability, the SiCSPACE material is now used for the fabrication of scientific and commercial lightweight space telescopes. This paper gives a review of the characteristics of this sintered silicon carbide. The BOOSTEC facilities and the technology described here allow to manufacture large structural components or mirrors (up to several meters) at cost effective condition, from a single part to mass production. Several examples of SiC space optical components are presented.

Nonlinear optical properties of organic materials V; Proceedings of the 5th Meeting, San Diego, CA, July 22-24, 1992

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, David J.

The present volume on nonlinear optical properties of organic materials discusses organic nonlinear optics, polymers for nonlinear optics, characterization of nonlinear properties, photorefractive and second-order materials, harmonic generation in organic materials, and devices and applications. Particular attention is given to organic semiconductor-doped polymer glasses as novel nonlinear media, heterocyclic nonlinear optical materials, loss measurements in electrooptic polymer waveguides, the phase-matched second-harmonic generation in planar waveguides, electrooptic measurements in poled polymers, transient effects in spatial light modulation by nonlinearity-absorbing molecules, the electrooptic effects in organic single crystals, surface acoustic wave propagation in an organic nonlinear optical crystal, nonlinear optics of astaxanthin thin films; and advanced high-temperature polymers for integrated optical waveguides. (No individual items are abstracted in this volume)

PC-Based systems for experiments in optical characterization of materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Mora, C. C.; Trejo-Duran, M.; Alvarado-Méndez, E.; Rojas-Laguna, R.; Vargas-Rodríguez, E.; Estudillo-Ayala, J. M.; Mata-Chavez, R.; Sukhoivanov, I.; García-Pérez, A.; Ibarra-Manzano, O. G.; Andrade-Lucio, J. A.

2011-01-01

An automatic control for applications of optical characterization of materials using the optical Z-Scan technique is presented in this work. The emphasis is placed in the design of the graphical user interface (GUI) and the automation process. For this purpose, we use a USB data acquisition module with programmable I/O ports for control and signals acquisition for the complete system. The control software was developed using the graphical programming language LabVIEW® and compiled in order to obtain a portable system with the hardware used in this work.

Building world-class microlithographic lens systems: optical material requirements and qualification methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeStefano, Paul R.; Michaloski, Paul F.

1993-12-01

Building successive generations of state-of-the-art wide field, sub-micron microlithographic lens systems dictates ever-tightening material tolerances that challenge glass manufacturers. This paper discusses the optical material needs for microlithographic lens systems and Tropel's in-house material qualification program. Material qualification is divided into three successive stages: (1) fluorescence testing to qualitatively analyze color center characteristics of the material; (2) homogeneity testing to determine the relative volumetric variations in index; and (3) absolute index testing at multiple wavelengths to determine the material's dispersion characteristics.

3D Printing Optical Engine for Controlling Material Microstructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wei-Chin; Chang, Kuang-Po; Wu, Ping-Han; Wu, Chih-Hsien; Lin, Ching-Chih; Chuang, Chuan-Sheng; Lin, De-Yau; Liu, Sung-Ho; Horng, Ji-Bin; Tsau, Fang-Hei

Controlling the cooling rate of alloy during melting and resolidification is the most commonly used method for varying the material microstructure and consequently the resuling property. However, the cooling rate of a selective laser melting (SLM) production is restricted by a preset optimal parameter of a good dense product. The head room for locally manipulating material property in a process is marginal. In this study, we invent an Optical Engine for locally controlling material microstructure in a SLM process. It develops an invovative method to control and adjust thermal history of the solidification process to gain desired material microstucture and consequently drastically improving the quality. Process parameters selected locally for specific materials requirement according to designed characteristics by using thermal dynamic principles of solidification process. It utilize a technique of complex laser beam shape of adaptive irradiation profile to permit local control of material characteristics as desired. This technology could be useful for industrial application of medical implant, aerospace and automobile industries.

Plasmon modes supported by left-handed material slab waveguide with conducting interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taya, Sofyan A.

2018-07-01

Theoretical analysis of left-handed material core layer waveguide in the presence of interface free charge layers is presented. The thickness of the interface charge layer can be neglected compared with the incident wavelength. The tangential component of the magnetic field is no longer continuous due to the conducting interfaces. The non-homogeneous boundary conditions are solved and the corresponding dispersion relation is found. The dispersion properties are studied. The proposed structure is found to support even as well as odd plasmon modes. Moreover, the structure shows abnormal dispersion property of decreasing the effective index with the increase of the frequency which means negative group velocity.

Kuznetsov-Ma waves train generation in a left-handed material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atangana, Jacques; Giscard Onana Essama, Bedel; Biya-Motto, Frederick; Mokhtari, Bouchra; Cherkaoui Eddeqaqi, Noureddine; Crépin Kofane, Timoléon

2015-03-01

We analyze the behavior of an electromagnetic wave which propagates in a left-handed material. Second-order dispersion and cubic-quintic nonlinearities are considered. This behavior of an electromagnetic wave is modeled by a nonlinear Schrödinger equation which is solved by collective coordinates theory in order to characterize the light pulse intensity profile. More so, a specific frequency range has been outlined where electromagnetic wave behavior will be investigated. The perfect combination of second-order dispersion and cubic nonlinearity leads to a robust soliton. When the quintic nonlinearity comes into play, it provokes strong and long internal perturbations which lead to Benjamin-Feir instability. This phenomenon, also called modulational instability, induces appearance of a Kuznetsov-Ma waves train. We numerically verify the validity of Kuznetsov-Ma theory by presenting physical conditions which lead to Kuznetsov-Ma waves train generation. Thereafter, some properties of such waves train are also verified.

Enhanced transmission by a grating composed of left-handed materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Premlal, Prabhakaran Letha; Tiwari, Dinesh Chandra; Chaturvedi, Vandana

2018-04-01

We present a detailed theoretical analysis about the influence of surface polaritons on the transmission properties of electromagnetic waves at the periodically corrugated interface between the vacuum and left-handed material by using nonlinear boundary condition approach. The principle behind this approach is to match the wave fields across the grating interface by using a set of linear wave equation with nonlinear boundary conditions. The resonant transmission of the incident electromagnetic radiation in this structure is feasible within a certain frequency band, where there is a range of frequency over which both the electric permittivity and the magnetic permeability are simultaneously negative. The enhanced transmission is attributed to the coupling of the incident electromagnetic wave with the excited surface polaritons on grating interface. Finally, we present the numerical results illustrating the effect of the structural parameters and angle of incidence on the transmission spectra of a TM polarized electromagnetic wave.

Optical response of strongly absorbing inhomogeneous materials: Application to paper degradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Missori, M.; Pulci, O.; Teodonio, L.; Violante, C.; Kupchak, I.; Bagniuk, J.; Łojewska, J.; Conte, A. Mosca

2014-02-01

In this paper, we present a new noninvasive and nondestructive approach to recover scattering and absorption coefficients from reflectance measurements of highly absorbing and optically inhomogeneous media. Our approach is based on the Yang and Miklavcic theoretical model of light propagation through turbid media, which is a generalization of the Kubelka-Munk theory, extended to accommodate optically thick samples. We show its applications to paper, a material primarily composed of a web of fibers of cellulose, whose optical properties are strongly governed by light scattering effects. Samples studied were ancient and industrial paper sheets, aged in different conditions and highly absorbing in the ultraviolet region. The recovered experimental absorptions of cellulose fibers have been compared to theoretical ab initio quantum-mechanical computational simulations carried out within time-dependent density functional theory. In this way, for each sample, we evaluate the absolute concentration of different kinds of oxidized groups formed upon aging and acting as chromophores causing paper discoloration. We found that the relative concentration of different chromophores in cellulose fibers depends on the aging temperature endured by samples. This clearly indicates that the oxidation of cellulose follows temperature-dependent reaction pathways. Our approach has a wide range of applications for cellulose-based materials, like paper, textiles, and other manufactured products of great industrial and cultural interest, and can potentially be extended to other strongly absorbing inhomogeneous materials.

Synthesis, growth, structural and optical studies of organic nonlinear optical material--piperazine-1,4-diium bis 2,4,6-trinitrophenolate.

PubMed

Suguna, S; Anbuselvi, D; Jayaraman, D; Nagaraja, K S; Jeyaraj, B

2014-11-11

Piperazine-1,4-diium bis 2,4,6-trinitrophenolate is one of the useful organic materials with nonlinear optical (NLO) and pharmaceutical applications. The material was grown by slow evaporation solution growth method at room temperature. The crystal system and lattice parameters were identified by single crystal XRD analysis. The grown material crystallizes in monoclinic system with P21/n space group. The main functional groups NH2, NO2, CN, CC, and phenolic 'O' atom were identified using FTIR analysis. The protons and carbons of grown crystal with various chemical environments were studied by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy to confirm the molecular structure. The optical properties of the crystal were studied by UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy and the transmission 100% range starts from 532 nm onwards. The optical band gap was measured as 2.63 eV from the plot of (αhν)2 versus hν. The thermal stability was detected at 304.1°C using TG-DTA analysis. The dielectric studies of the sample were carried out at different temperatures in the frequency range from 50 Hz to 5 MHz to establish the dielectric nature of the crystal. Photoconductivity measurements were carried out on the grown crystal. The Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) of the crystal was tested to confirm the nonlinear optical property. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photopolymerizable nanocomposite photonic materials and their holographic applications in light and neutron optics

PubMed Central

Tomita, Yasuo; Hata, Eiji; Momose, Keisuke; Takayama, Shingo; Liu, Xiangming; Chikama, Katsumi; Klepp, Jürgen; Pruner, Christian; Fally, Martin

2016-01-01

We present an overview of recent investigations of photopolymerizable nanocomposite photonic materials in which, thanks to their high degree of material selectivity, recorded volume gratings possess high refractive index modulation amplitude and high mechanical/thermal stability at the same time, providing versatile applications in light and neutron optics. We discuss the mechanism of grating formation in holographically exposed nanocomposite materials, based on a model of the photopolymerization-driven mutual diffusion of monomer and nanoparticles. Experimental inspection of the recorded grating’s morphology by various physicochemical and optical methods is described. We then outline the holographic recording properties of volume gratings recorded in photopolymerizable nanocomposite materials consisting of inorganic/organic nanoparticles and monomers having various photopolymerization mechanisms. Finally, we show two examples of our holographic applications, holographic digital data storage and slow-neutron beam control. PMID:27594769

Ultraviolet and visible BRDF data on spacecraft thermal control and optical baffle materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Viehmann, W.; Predmore, R. E.

1987-01-01

Bidirectional scattering functions of numerous optical baffle materials and of spacecraft thermal control coatings and surfaces are presented. Measurements were made at 254 nm and at 633 nm. The coatings and surfaces include high-reflectance white paints, low-reflectance optical blacks, thermal control blankets, and various conversion coatings on aluminum.

Colour and Optical Properties of Materials: An Exploration of the Relationship Between Light, the Optical Properties of Materials and Colour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tilley, Richard J. D.

2003-05-01

Colour is an important and integral part of everyday life, and an understanding and knowledge of the scientific principles behind colour, with its many applications and uses, is becoming increasingly important to a wide range of academic disciplines, from physical, medical and biological sciences through to the arts. Colour and the Optical Properties of Materials carefully introduces the science behind the subject, along with many modern and cutting-edge applications, chose to appeal to today's students. For science students, it provides a broad introduction to the subject and the many applications of colour. To more applied students, such as engineering and arts students, it provides the essential scientific background to colour and the many applications. Features: * Introduces the science behind the subject whilst closely connecting it to modern applications, such as colour displays, optical amplifiers and colour centre lasers * Richly illustrated with full-colour plates * Includes many worked examples, along with problems and exercises at the end of each chapter and selected answers at the back of the book * A Web site, including additional problems and full solutions to all the problems, which may be accessed at: www.cardiff.ac.uk/uwcc/engin/staff/rdjt/colour Written for students taking an introductory course in colour in a wide range of disciplines such as physics, chemistry, engineering, materials science, computer science, design, photography, architecture and textiles.

Low losses left-handed materials with optimized electric and magnetic resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xin; Liu, Yahong; Zhao, Xiaopeng

2010-03-01

We propose that the losses in left-handed materials (LHMs) can be significantly affected by changing the coupling relationship between electric and magnetic resonance. A double bowknot shaped structure (DBS) is used to construct the LHMs. And the magnetic resonance of the DBS, which resonated in the case of lower and higher frequencies than the electric resonant dip, is studied in simulation and experiment by tailoring the structural parameters. The case of magnetic resonance located at low electric resonance frequencies band is confirmed to have relatively low losses. Using full wave simulation of prism shaped structure composed of DBS unit cells, we prove the negative refraction behavior in such a frame. This study can serve as a guide for designing other similar metal-dielectric-metal (MDM) in low losses at terahertz or higher frequencies.

A novel optical fibre doped with the nano-material as InP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xi; Lee, Ly Guat; Zhang, Ru

2007-11-01

As the key of these optical devices which are widely used in the communication system, high nonlinear optical fibre will play an important role in the future optical fibre communication. With recent growth of nano-technology, researchers are hoping to obtain some kinds of optical fibre by combining the optical fibre with the nanotechnology. According to this current situation, the optical fibre doped with nano-material as InP (indium phosphide) is manufactured by using the MCVD (modified chemical vapor deposition) technology after our comprehensive consideration of many relative factors. Proved by experiments, this novel optical fibre has an excellent waveguide characteristic. After a consideration of the model of this novel optical fibre, its propagation constant β has been simulated by using the FEM (finite element method), and the graphs of presentation of magnetic field of the core are also obtained. In accordance with the results, the effective refractive index n eff = 1.401 has be calculated. Both the calculated result and the simulated graphs are matching well with the test, and this result is a step-stone bridge for future research of nonlinear parameter on this novel optical fiber.

[Plastics on the eye - plastics in the eye. Human-optic materials].

PubMed

Geyer, Otto-Christian; Schwabe, Peter; Wingler, Frank

2002-01-01

Materials of identical or similiar chemical classes are used for contact optics as well as for implantable intraocular devices. All of them derive from the chemistry of industrial product developments. Materials used in and on the eye should behave indifferent. They should not provoke any reaction in the eye and not themselves be altered by the biological surroundings. For materials used in the eye an especially high purity of the polymers utilized as well as a long term light stability is to be demanded. Optical properties like transparency have to be stable over extended time periods under normal light influence. The long time stability of UV-absorbing additives in the materials used has to be verified. All materials used for IOL's - with the exception of the homopolymer of methylmethacrylate - consist of polymer mixtures forming socalled interpenetrating networks which appear as an uniform material. For the manufacturing of intraocular lense materials standardized or unanimous producer prescriptions are not existing. Based on the different polymer formulations different aging and fatigue properties are the outcome. In addition only inadequate knowledge about the long term light stability of the incorporated UV blockers is submitted. Polymeric materials used for IOL's should be subjected in addition to the test methods listed in EN-ISO 11 979/5 to chemical, polymeranalytic and mechanical substance examinations. As a standard in such examinations a polymethylmethacrylate, free of methylacrylate is proposed. Examinations of each lot should be compulsory. Identification of all ingredients of the intraocular materials should be prescribed and labeled in line with the revelations of common medical drugs prescriptions. The relevations commit the medical doctor to inform his patient about possible side effects of the intraocular implants.

Four dimensional hybrid ultrasound and optoacoustic imaging via passive element optical excitation in a hand-held probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fehm, Thomas Felix; Deán-Ben, Xosé Luís; Razansky, Daniel

2014-10-01

Ultrasonography and optoacoustic imaging share powerful advantages related to the natural aptitude for real-time image rendering with high resolution, the hand-held operation, and lack of ionizing radiation. The two methods also possess very different yet highly complementary advantages of the mechanical and optical contrast in living tissues. Nonetheless, efficient integration of these modalities remains challenging owing to the fundamental differences in the underlying physical contrast, optimal signal acquisition, and image reconstruction approaches. We report on a method for hybrid acquisition and reconstruction of three-dimensional pulse-echo ultrasound and optoacoustic images in real time based on passive ultrasound generation with an optical absorber, thus avoiding the hardware complexity of active ultrasound generation. In this way, complete hybrid datasets are generated with a single laser interrogation pulse, resulting in simultaneous rendering of ultrasound and optoacoustic images at an unprecedented rate of 10 volumetric frames per second. Performance is subsequently showcased in phantom experiments and in-vivo measurements from a healthy human volunteer, confirming general clinical applicability of the method.

Prediction of nonlinear optical properties of organic materials. General theoretical considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cardelino, B.; Moore, C.; Zutaut, S.

1993-01-01

The prediction of nonlinear optical properties of organic materials is geared to assist materials scientists in the selection of good candidate molecules. A brief summary of the quantum mechanical methods used for estimating hyperpolarizabilities will be presented. The advantages and limitations of each technique will be discussed. Particular attention will be given to the finite-field method for calculating first and second order hyperpolarizabilities, since this method is better suited for large molecules. Corrections for dynamic fields and bulk effects will be discussed in detail, focusing on solvent effects, conformational isomerization, core effects, dispersion, and hydrogen bonding. Several results will be compared with data obtained from third-harmonic-generation (THG) and dc-induced second harmonic generation (EFISH) measurements. These comparisons will demonstrate the qualitative ability of the method to predict the relative strengths of hyperpolarizabilities of a class of compounds. The future application of molecular mechanics, as well as other techniques, in the study of bulk properties and solid state defects will be addressed. The relationship between large values for nonlinear optical properties and large conjugation lengths is well known, and is particularly important for third-order processes. For this reason, the materials with the largest observed nonresonant third-order properties are conjugated polymers. An example of this type of polymer is polydiacetylene. One of the problems in dealing with polydiacetylene is that substituents which may enhance its nonlinear properties may ultimately prevent it from polymerizing. A model which attempts to predict the likelihood of solid-state polymerization is considered, along with the implications of the assumptions that are used. Calculations of the third-order optical properties and their relationship to first-order properties and energy gaps will be discussed. The relationship between monomeric and

New scheme for image edge detection using the switching mechanism of nonlinear optical material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pahari, Nirmalya; Mukhopadhyay, Sourangshu

2006-03-01

The limitations of electronics in conducting parallel arithmetic, algebraic, and logic processing are well known. Very high-speed (terahertz) performance cannot be expected in conventional electronic mechanisms. To achieve such performance we can introduce optics instead of electronics for information processing, computing, and data handling. Nonlinear optical material (NOM) is a successful candidate in this regard to play a major role in the domain of optically controlled switching systems. The character of some NOMs is such as to reflect the probe beam in the presence of two read beams (or pump beams) exciting the material from opposite directions, using the principle of four-wave mixing. In image processing, edge extraction from an image is an important and essential task. Several optical methods of digital image processing are used for properly evaluating the image edges. We propose here a new method of image edge detection, extraction, and enhancement by use of AND-based switching operations with NOM. In this process we have used the optically inverted image of a supplied image. This can be obtained by the EXOR switching operation of the NOM.

Athermal silicon optical add-drop multiplexers based on thermo-optic coefficient tuning of sol-gel material.

PubMed

Namnabat, Soha; Kim, Kyung-Jo; Jones, Adam; Himmelhuber, Roland; DeRose, Christopher T; Trotter, Douglas C; Starbuck, Andrew L; Pomerene, Andrew; Lentine, Anthony L; Norwood, Robert A

2017-09-04

Silicon photonics has gained interest for its potential to provide higher efficiency, bandwidth and reduced power consumption compared to electrical interconnects in datacenters and high performance computing environments. However, it is well known that silicon photonic devices suffer from temperature fluctuations due to silicon's high thermo-optic coefficient and therefore, temperature control in many applications is required. Here we present an athermal optical add-drop multiplexer fabricated from ring resonators. We used a sol-gel inorganic-organic hybrid material as an alternative to previously used materials such as polymers and titanium dioxide. In this work we studied the thermal curing parameters of the sol-gel and their effect on thermal wavelength shift of the rings. With this method, we were able to demonstrate a thermal shift down to -6.8 pm/°C for transverse electric (TE) polarization in ring resonators with waveguide widths of 325 nm when the sol-gel was cured at 130°C for 10.5 hours. We also achieved thermal shifts below 1 pm/°C for transverse magnetic (TM) polarization in the C band under different curing conditions. Curing time compared to curing temperature shows to be the most important factor to control sol-gel's thermo-optic value in order to obtain an athermal device in a wide temperature range.

Inkjet Printing of Functional Materials for Optical and Photonic Applications

PubMed Central

Alamán, Jorge; Alicante, Raquel; Peña, Jose Ignacio; Sánchez-Somolinos, Carlos

2016-01-01

Inkjet printing, traditionally used in graphics, has been widely investigated as a valuable tool in the preparation of functional surfaces and devices. This review focuses on the use of inkjet printing technology for the manufacturing of different optical elements and photonic devices. The presented overview mainly surveys work done in the fabrication of micro-optical components such as microlenses, waveguides and integrated lasers; the manufacturing of large area light emitting diodes displays, liquid crystal displays and solar cells; as well as the preparation of liquid crystal and colloidal crystal based photonic devices working as lasers or optical sensors. Special emphasis is placed on reviewing the materials employed as well as in the relevance of inkjet in the manufacturing of the different devices showing in each of the revised technologies, main achievements, applications and challenges. PMID:28774032

Self-assembly of colloid-cholesteric composites provides a possible route to switchable optical materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stratford, K.; Henrich, O.; Lintuvuori, J. S.; Cates, M. E.; Marenduzzo, D.

2014-06-01

Colloidal particles dispersed in liquid crystals can form new materials with tunable elastic and electro-optic properties. In a periodic ‘blue phase’ host, particles should template into colloidal crystals with potential uses in photonics, metamaterials and transformational optics. Here we show by computer simulation that colloid/cholesteric mixtures can give rise to regular crystals, glasses, percolating gels, isolated clusters, twisted rings and undulating colloidal ropes. This structure can be tuned via particle concentration, and by varying the surface interactions of the cholesteric host with both the particles and confining walls. Many of these new materials are metastable: two or more structures can arise under identical thermodynamic conditions. The observed structure depends not only on the formulation protocol but also on the history of an applied electric field. This new class of soft materials should thus be relevant to design of switchable, multistable devices for optical technologies such as smart glass and e-paper.

Optical properties of graphene-based materials in transparent polymer matrices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bayrak, Osman; Demirci, Emrah, E-mail: E.Demirci@lboro.ac.uk; Silberschmidt, Vadim V.

2016-08-22

Different aspects of graphene-based materials (GBMs) and GBM-nanocomposites have been investigated due to their intriguing features; one of these features is their transparency. Transparency of GBMs has been of an interest to scientists and engineers mainly with regard to electronic devices. In this study, optical transmittance of structural, purpose-made nanocomposites reinforced with GBMs was analyzed to lay a foundation for optical microstructural characterization of nanocomposites in future studies. Two main types of GBM reinforcements were studied, graphene oxide (GO) and graphite nanoplates (GNPs). The nanocomposites investigated are GO/poly(vinyl alcohol), GO/sodium alginate, and GNP/epoxy with different volume fractions of GBMs. Togethermore » with UV-visible spectrophotometry, image-processing-assisted micro and macro photography were used to assess the transparency of GBMs embedded in the matrices. The micro and macro photography methods developed were proven to be an alternative way of measuring light transmittance of semi-transparent materials. It was found that there existed a linear relationship between light absorbance and a volume fraction of GBMs embedded in the same type of polymer matrices, provided that the nanocomposites of interest had the same thicknesses. This suggests that the GBM dispersion characteristics in the same type of polymer are similar and any possible change in crystal structure of polymer due to different volumetric contents of GBM does not have an effect on light transmittance of the matrices. The study also showed that the same types of GBMs could display different optical properties in different matrix materials. The results of this study will help to develop practical microstructural characterization techniques for GBM-based nanocomposites.« less

Highly efficient all-dielectric optical tensor impedance metasurfaces for chiral polarization control.

PubMed

Kim, Minseok; Eleftheriades, George V

2016-10-15

We propose a highly efficient (nearly lossless and impedance-matched) all-dielectric optical tensor impedance metasurface that mimics chiral effects at optical wavelengths. By cascading an array of rotated crossed silicon nanoblocks, we realize chiral optical tensor impedance metasurfaces that operate as circular polarization selective surfaces. Their efficiencies are maximized through a nonlinear numerical optimization process in which the tensor impedance metasurfaces are modeled via multi-conductor transmission line theory. From rigorous full-wave simulations that include all material losses, we show field transmission efficiencies of 94% for right- and left-handed circular polarization selective surfaces at 800 nm.

New Optical Sensing Materials for Application in Marine Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borisov, S.; Klimant, I.

2012-04-01

Optical chemosensors are versatile analytical tools which find application in numerous fields of science and technology. They proved to be a promising alternative to electrochemical methods and are applied increasingly often in marine research. However, not all state-of-the- art optical chemosensors are suitable for these demanding applications since they do not fully fulfil the requirements of high luminescence brightness, high chemical- and photochemical stability or their spectral properties are not adequate. Therefore, development of new advanced sensing materials is still of utmost importance. Here we present a set of novel optical sensing materials recently developed in the Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Food Chemistry which are optimized for marine applications. Particularly, we present new NIR indicators and sensors for oxygen and pH which feature high brightness and low level of autofluorescence. The oxygen sensors rely on highly photostable metal complexes of benzoporphyrins and azabenzoporphyrins and enable several important applications such as simultaneous monitoring of oxygen and chlorophyll or ultra-fast oxygen monitoring (Eddy correlation). We also developed ulta-sensitive oxygen optodes which enable monitoring in nM range and are primary designed for investigation of oxygen minimum zones. The dynamic range of our new NIR pH indicators based on aza-BODIPY dyes is optimized for the marine environment. A highly sensitive NIR luminescent phosphor (chromium(III) doped yttrium aluminium borate) can be used for non-invasive temperature measurements. Notably, the oxygen, pH sensors and temperature sensors are fully compatible with the commercially available fiber-optic readers (Firesting from PyroScience). An optical CO2 sensor for marine applications employs novel diketopyrrolopyrrol indicators and enables ratiometric imaging using a CCD camera. Oxygen, pH and temperature sensors suitable for lifetime and ratiometric imaging of analytes

Computational Modeling of Ultrafast Pulse Propagation in Nonlinear Optical Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goorjian, Peter M.; Agrawal, Govind P.; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

There is an emerging technology of photonic (or optoelectronic) integrated circuits (PICs or OEICs). In PICs, optical and electronic components are grown together on the same chip. rib build such devices and subsystems, one needs to model the entire chip. Accurate computer modeling of electromagnetic wave propagation in semiconductors is necessary for the successful development of PICs. More specifically, these computer codes would enable the modeling of such devices, including their subsystems, such as semiconductor lasers and semiconductor amplifiers in which there is femtosecond pulse propagation. Here, the computer simulations are made by solving the full vector, nonlinear, Maxwell's equations, coupled with the semiconductor Bloch equations, without any approximations. The carrier is retained in the description of the optical pulse, (i.e. the envelope approximation is not made in the Maxwell's equations), and the rotating wave approximation is not made in the Bloch equations. These coupled equations are solved to simulate the propagation of femtosecond optical pulses in semiconductor materials. The simulations describe the dynamics of the optical pulses, as well as the interband and intraband.

Hands-on Science. Exploring Magnification.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kepler, Lynne

1993-01-01

Presents hands-on science activities using inexpensive, hand-held microscopes and slides made from simple, readily available materials. The article describes how to introduce students to microscopes and presents directions for using the microscopes and making slides. A student page investigates fingerprints with microscopes. (SM)

Electrical characterization of two-dimensional materials and their heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arora, H.; Schönherr, T.; Erbe, A.

2017-05-01

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have gained enormous attention in recent years owing to their huge potential in future electronics and optics. On the one hand, conventional 2D materials like graphene, MoS2, h-BN are being intensively studied, on the other hand, search for novel 2D materials is at a rapid pace. In this study, we have investigated electrical properties of 2D nanosheets of ultrathin Indium Selenide (InSe), a member of the III-VI chalcogenides’ family. The InSe layers were prepared via micromechanical cleavage of its bulk crystal and were integrated into a field-effect transistor (FET) device as the transport channel. On characterizing the InSe-based FETs, InSe showed n-type conductance with the mobility of 2.1×10-4 cm2V-1s-1.

A novel hand-type detection technique with fingerprint sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abe, Narishige; Shinzaki, Takashi

2013-05-01

In large-scale biometric authentication systems such as the US-Visit (USA), a 10-fingerprints scanner which simultaneously captures four fingerprints is used. In traditional systems, specific hand-types (left or right) are indicated, but it is difficult to detect hand-type due to the hand rotation and the opening and closing of fingers. In this paper, we evaluated features that were extracted from hand images (which were captured by a general optical scanner) that are considered to be effective for detecting hand-type. Furthermore, we extended the knowledge to real fingerprint images, and evaluated the accuracy with which it detects hand-type. We obtained an accuracy of about 80% with only three fingers (index, middle, ring finger).

Increasing Student Understanding of Microscope Optics by Building and Testing the Limits of Simple, Hand-Made Model Microscopes†

PubMed Central

Drace, Kevin; Couch, Brett; Keeling, Patrick J.

2012-01-01

The ability to effectively use a microscope to observe microorganisms is a crucial skill required for many disciplines within biology, especially general microbiology and cell biology. A basic understanding of the optical properties of light microscopes is required for students to use microscopes effectively, but this subject can also be a challenge to make personally interesting to students. To explore basic optical principles of magnification and resolving power in a more engaging and hands-on fashion, students constructed handmade lenses and microscopes based on Antony van Leeuwenhoek’s design using simple materials—paper, staples, glass, and adhesive putty. Students determined the power of their lenses using a green laser pointer to magnify a copper grid of known size, which also allowed students to examine variables affecting the power and resolution of a lens such as diameter, working distance, and wavelength of light. To assess the effectiveness of the laboratory’s learning objectives, four sections of a general microbiology course were given a brief pre-activity assessment quiz to determine their background knowledge on the subject. One week after the laboratory activity, students were given the same quiz (unannounced) under similar conditions. Students showed significant gains in their understanding of microscope optics. PMID:23653781

Nondestructive evaluation of composite materials by pulsed time domain methods in imbedded optical fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Claus, R. O.; Bennett, K. D.; Jackson, B. S.

1986-01-01

The application of fiber-optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) to nondestructive quantitative measurements of distributed internal strain in graphite-epoxy composites, using optical fiber waveguides imbedded between plies, is discussed. The basic OTDR measurement system is described, together with the methods used to imbed optical fibers within composites. Measurement results, system limitations, and the effect of the imbedded fiber on the integrity of the host composite material are considered.

Development and Characterization of Liquid Crystal-Gold Nanoparticle Hybrid Materials for Optical Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quint, Makiko T.

Hybrid material, mixtures of two or more materials with new properties, represents an exciting class of new materials for a variety of potential applications such as displays, optoelectronics, and sensors due to their unique physical and optical properties. The scope of this dissertation is to produce two new plasmonic applications by combining liquid crystals with gold nanoparticles. The first application is gold nanoparticle coated liquid crystal thin film. Most liquid crystal (LC) thin films require external voltage to reorient LC molecules. Recent advances in optical controlling technology of LC molecule behavior, resulting in the reduction of energy consumption, have stimulated research and development of new LC thin films. In order to re-orient LC molecules by just using light, the common approach is to include either a photo-responsive LC host, one that require high power light and severely narrows the range of usable materials, or add photo-active dye or polymer layer, photodegradation over time. Our work designing an all-optical method for LC re-orientation that overcomes all the limitations mentioned above. We have successfully both in- and out-of-plane spatial orientation of nematic liquid crystal (LC) molecules by leveraging the highly localized electric fields produced in the near-field regime of a gold nanoparticle (AuNP) layer. This re-orientation of LC molecules in thin LC-AuNP film is all-optical, driven by a small resonance excitation power with the localized surface plasmon absorption of the AuNPs at room temperature. The second application is LC mediated nano-assembled gold microcapsules. This application has a potential in controlled-release cargo-style delivery system. Targeted delivery systems with controlled release mechanisms have been the subject of extensive research more than fifty years. One is to control the release process remotely by using optical excitation. Optical actuation of delivery capsules, which plasmonic nanoparticle such

Electrochromic material and electro-optical device using same

DOEpatents

Cogan, Stuart F.; Rauh, R. David

1992-01-01

An oxidatively coloring electrochromic layer of composition M.sub.y CrO.sub.2+x (0.33.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.2.0 and x.ltoreq.2) where M=Li, Na or K with improved transmittance modulation, improved thermal and environmental stability, and improved resistance to degradation in organic liquid and polymeric electrolytes. The M.sub.y CrO.sub.2+x provides complementary optical modulation to cathodically coloring materials in thin-film electrochromic glazings and electrochromic devices employing polymeric Li.sup.+ ion conductors.

Absorbing Boundary Conditions For Optical Pulses In Dispersive, Nonlinear Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goorjian, Peter M.; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

This paper will present results in computational nonlinear optics. An algorithm will be described that provides absorbing boundary conditions for optical pulses in dispersive, nonlinear materials. A new numerical absorber at the boundaries has been developed that is responsive to the spectral content of the pulse. Also, results will be shown of calculations of 2-D electromagnetic nonlinear waves computed by directly integrating in time the nonlinear vector Maxwell's equations. The results will include simulations of "light bullet" like pulses. Here diffraction and dispersion will be counteracted by nonlinear effects. Comparisons will be shown of calculations that use the standard boundary conditions and the new ones.

MOEMS optical delay line for optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choudhary, Om P.; Chouksey, S.; Sen, P. K.; Sen, P.; Solanki, J.; Andrews, J. T.

2014-09-01

Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical optical coherence tomography, a lab-on-chip for biomedical applications is designed, studied, fabricated and characterized. To fabricate the device standard PolyMUMPS processes is adopted. We report the utilization of electro-optic modulator for a fast scanning optical delay line for time domain optical coherence tomography. Design optimization are performed using Tanner EDA while simulations are performed using COMSOL. The paper summarizes various results and fabrication methodology adopted. The success of the device promises a future hand-held or endoscopic optical coherence tomography for biomedical applications.

Diamondlike carbon as a moisture barrier and antireflecting coating on optical materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woollam, John A.; De, Bhola N.; Chen, L. Y.; Pouch, John J.; Alterovitz, Samuel A.

1990-01-01

Diamondlike carbon (DLC) is amorphous, hard, semitransparent, and is under consideration for use as a coating material for infrared optics. DLC is also designated as a-C:H to indicate its amorphous nature as well as to indicate the presence of large (20 to 55 percent) amounts of hydrogen in the film. Two important questions arise with respect to use of DLC in infrared optics. Will the lack of grain boundaries help to keep moisture from penetrating the film. Secondly, application as an antireflection coating places restrictions on the allowed values of the index of refraction of the film relative to the particular substrate material being used. Will DLC have the correct index range. These two questions are addressed in this paper.

Solitonic guides in photopolymerizable materials for optical devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorkenoo, Kokou D.; Cregut, Olivier; Fort, Alain

2003-11-01

These last twenty years, advanced studies in integrated optics have demonstrated the capacity to elaborate optical circuits in planar substrates. Most of the optical integrated devices are realized on glass substrate and the guide areas are usually obtained by photolithography techniques. We present here a new approach based on the use of compounds photopolymerizable in the visible range. The conditions of self written channel creation by solitonic propagation inside the bulk of the photopolymerizable formulation are analyzed. Waveguides can be self-written in photopolymerizable materials1,2 due to the dependence of their refractive index on intensity and duration of the active light. This process results from the competition between the diffraction of the incident Gaussian beam and the photopolymerization which tends to increase the refractive index where light intensity is the highest. By controlling the difference between the refractive index values of the polymerized and non polymerized zones, the beam can be self-trapped along the propagation axis giving rise to a waveguide over distances as large as 10 cm without any broadening. Such permanent waveguides can be structured by inscription of gratings and doped with a dye in a plastic cell leading to the elaboration of a completely plastic laser.

Teaching Diffraction with Hands-On Optical Spectrometry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Robert

2012-01-01

Although the observation of optical spectra is common practice in physics classes, students are usually limited to a passive, qualitative observation of nice colours. This paper discusses a diffraction-based spectrometer that allows students to take quantitative measurements of spectral bands. Students can build it within minutes from generic…

Optical waveguides with memory effect using photochromic material for neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanimoto, Keisuke; Amemiya, Yoshiteru; Yokoyama, Shin

2018-04-01

An optical neural network using a waveguide with a memory effect, a photodiode, CMOS circuits and LEDs was proposed. To realize the neural network, optical waveguides with a memory effect were fabricated using a cladding layer containing the photochromic material “diarylethene”. The transmittance of green light was decreased by UV light irradiation and recovered by the passage of green light through the waveguide. It was confirmed that the transmittance versus total energy of the green light that passed through the waveguide well fit the universal exponential curve.

Smart Optical Material Characterization System and Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sang Hyouk (Inventor); Park, Yeonjoon (Inventor)

2015-01-01

Disclosed is a system and method for characterizing optical materials, using steps and equipment for generating a coherent laser light, filtering the light to remove high order spatial components, collecting the filtered light and forming a parallel light beam, splitting the parallel beam into a first direction and a second direction wherein the parallel beam travelling in the second direction travels toward the material sample so that the parallel beam passes through the sample, applying various physical quantities to the sample, reflecting the beam travelling in the first direction to produce a first reflected beam, reflecting the beam that passes through the sample to produce a second reflected beam that travels back through the sample, combining the second reflected beam after it travels back though the sample with the first reflected beam, sensing the light beam produced by combining the first and second reflected beams, and processing the sensed beam to determine sample characteristics and properties.

Point defect formation in optical materials expos ed to the space environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, J. L.; Seifert, N.; Yao, Y.; Albridge, R. G.; Barnes, A. V.; Tolk, N. H.; Strauss, A. M.; Linton, Roger C.; Kamenetzky, R. R.; Vaughn, Jason A.

1995-02-01

Point defect formation associated with early stages of optical damage was observed unexpectedly in two, and possibly three, different optical materials subjected to short-duration space exposure. Three calcium fluoride, two lithium fluoride, and three magnesium fluoride samples were flown on Space Shuttle flight STS-46 as part of the Evaluation of Oxygen Interactions with Materials - Third Phase experiment. One each of the calcium and magnesium fluoride samples was held at a fixed temperature of 60 C during the space exposure, while the temperatures of the other samples were allowed to vary with the ambient temperature of the shuttle cargo bay. Pre-flight and post-flight optical absorption measurements were performed on all of the samples. With the possible exception of the magnesium fluoride samples, every sample clearly showed the formation of F-centers in that section of the sample that was exposed to the low earth orbit environment. Solar vacuum ultraviolet radiation is the most probable primary cause of the defect formation; however, the resulting surface metallization may be synergistically altered by the atomic oxygen environment.

Estimation of Hamaker constants of ceramic materials from optical data using Lifshitz theory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bergstroem, L.; Meurk, A.; Rowcliffe, D.J.

1996-02-01

The Hamaker constants of eight different ceramic materials, 6H-SiC, tetragonal, partially stabilized ZrO{sub 2} (3% Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}), {beta}-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}, sapphire (single-crystal {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}), MgO, MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}, and fused silica, across air, water, and n-dodecane at room temperature and across silica at 2,000 K have been calculated from optical data using the Lifshitz theory. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was used to measure the photon energy dependence of the refractive index, n, and the extinction coefficient, k, in the visible and near-UV range on several important ceramic materials. This relatively simple, nondestructive technique hasmore » proved to yield reliable optical data on sintered, polycrystalline materials such as Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, SiC, ZrO{sub 2}, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and ZnO. For the other materials, Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}, sapphire, MgO, MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4}, and fused silica, optical data from the literature were used to calculate the Hamaker constants. The calculated Hamaker constants were estimated to be accurate within {+-} 10%.« less

Optical-electronic system for express analysis of mineral raw materials dressability by color sorting method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alekhin, Artem A.; Gorbunova, Elena V.; Chertov, Aleksandr N.; Petuhova, Darya B.

2013-04-01

Due to the depletion of solid minerals ore reserves and the involvement in the production of the poor and refractory ores a process of continuous appreciation of minerals is going. In present time at the market of enrichment equipment are well represented optical sorters of various firms. All these sorters are essentially different from each other by parameters of productivity, classes of particles sizes for processed raw, nuances of decision algorithm, as well as by color model (RGB, YUV, HSB, etc.) chosen to describe the color of separating mineral samples. At the same time there is no dressability estimation method for mineral raw materials without direct semi-industrial test on the existing type of optical sorter, as well as there is no equipment realizing mentioned dressability estimation method. It should also be note the lack of criteria for choosing of one or another manufacturer (or type) of optical sorter. A direct consequence of this situation is the "opacity" of the color sorting method and the rejection of its potential customers. The proposed solution of mentioned problems is to develop the dressability estimation method, and to create an optical-electronic system for express analysis of mineral raw materials dressability by color sorting method. This paper has the description of structure organization and operating principles of experimental model optical-electronic system for express analysis of mineral raw material. Also in this work are represented comparison results of the proposed optical-electronic system and the real color sorter.

Optical determination of material abundances by using neural networks for the derivation of spectral filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krippner, Wolfgang; Wagner, Felix; Bauer, Sebastian; Puente León, Fernando

2017-06-01

Using appropriately designed spectral filters allows to optically determine material abundances. While an infinite number of possibilities exist for determining spectral filters, we take advantage of using neural networks to derive spectral filters leading to precise estimations. To overcome some drawbacks that regularly influence the determination of material abundances using hyperspectral data, we incorporate the spectral variability of the raw materials into the training of the considered neural networks. As a main result, we successfully classify quantized material abundances optically. Thus, the main part of the high computational load, which belongs to the use of neural networks, is avoided. In addition, the derived material abundances become invariant against spatially varying illumination intensity as a remarkable benefit in comparison with spectral filters based on the Moore-Penrose pseudoinverse, for instance.

[The neuroprotective effect of erigeron breviscapus (vant) hand-mazz on retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve crush injury].

PubMed

Jiang, Bing; Jiang, You-qin

2003-08-01

To investigate whether a Chinese herbal medicine, erigeron breviscapus (vant) hand-mazz (EBHM), can protect the retinal ganglion cells (RGC) damaged by calibrated optic nerve crush injury. Forty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups. Calibrated optic nerve crush injury model was induced in the right eyes by a special designed optic nerve clip. The left eyes served as a control. All 42 rats were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group A consisted of the rats with calibrated optic nerve crush injury and group B consisted of rats with calibrated optic nerve crush injury treated with EBHM. In group B, EBHM solution was given once after the crush injury. According to the time interval between the optic nerve crush and the sacrifice, both groups A and B were further divided into three subgroups (day 4, day 14 and day 21). Therefore, there were 7 rats in each subgroup. Three days before sacrifice, 3% fast blue was injected into superior colliculi bilaterally. The eyes were enucleated after the rat was sacrificed, and flat mounts of the retina from both eyes were prepared on a slide and observed under a fluorescence microscope. Four photos with 400 x magnification were taken from each of the four quadrants of the retina 1 mm away from the optic disc. The labeled RGC were counted by a computerized image analyzer. The labeled RGC rate was used for statistical analysis (the labeled RGC rate = number of RGC in injured eye/control eye x 100%). In group A, the labeled RGC rate was (77.79 +/- 7.11)%, (63.76 +/- 3.79)% and (54.66 +/- 4.75)% on day 4, day 14 and day 21, respectively. In group B, the labeled RGC rate was (80.13 +/- 12.03)%, (78.17 +/- 9.19)% and (83.59 +/- 12.61)% on day 4, day 14 and day 21, respectively. In group B, which was treated with EBHM after injury, the labeled RGC rate was significantly higher than that of group A on day 14 and day 21. In the experimental optic nerve crush model in rats, EBHM therapy can increase the survival rate of

Mechanical characterization of composite materials by optical techniques: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruno, Luigi

2018-05-01

The present review provides an overview of work published in recent years dealing with the mechanical characterization of composite materials performed by optical techniques. The paper emphasizes the strengths derived from the employment of full-field methods when the strain field of an anisotropic material must be evaluated. This is framed in contrast to the use of conventional measurement techniques, which provide single values of the measured quantities unable to offer thorough descriptions of deformation distribution. The review outlines the intensity and articulation of work in this research field to date and its ongoing importance not only in the academy, but also in industrial sectors where composite materials represent a strategic resource for development.

Opto-mechanical design for transmission optics in cryogenic space instrumentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kroes, Gabby; Venema, Lars; Navarro, Ramón

2017-11-01

NOVA is involved in the development and realization of various optical astronomical instruments for groundbased as well as space telescopes, with a focus on nearand mid-infrared instrumentation. NOVA has developed a suite of scientific instruments with cryogenic optics for the ESO VLT and VLTI instruments: VISIR, MIDI, the SPIFFI 2Kcamera for SINFONI, X-shooter and MATISSE. Other projects include the cryogenic optics for MIRI for the James Webb Space Telescope and several E-ELT instruments. Mounting optics is always a compromise between firmly fixing the optics and preventing stresses within the optics. The fixing should ensure mechanical stability and thus accurate positioning in various gravity orientations, temperature ranges, during launch, transport or earthquake. On the other hand, the fixings can induce deformations and sometimes birefringence in the optics and thus cause optical errors. Even cracking or breaking of the optics is a risk, especially when using brittle infrared optical materials at the cryogenic temperatures required in instruments for infrared astronomy, where differential expansion of various materials amounts easily to several millimeters per meter. Special kinematic mounts are therefore needed to ensure both accurate positioning and low stress. This paper concentrates on the opto-mechanical design of optics mountings, especially for large transmission optics in cryogenic circumstances in space instruments. It describes the development of temperature-invariant ("a-thermal") kinematic designs, their implementation in ground based instrumentation and ways to make them suitable for space instruments.

HoloHands: games console interface for controlling holographic optical manipulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, C.; McPherson, M.; McDougall, C.; McGloin, D.

2012-10-01

The increased application of holographic optical manipulation techniques within the life sciences has sparked the development of accessible interfaces for control of holographic optical tweezers. Of particular interest are those that employ familiar, commercially available technologies. Here we present the use of a low cost games console interface, the Microsoft Kinect for the control of holographic optical tweezers and a study into the effect of using such a system upon the quality of trap generated.

ICOM2012: 3rd International Conference on the Physics of Optical Materials and Devices (Belgrade, Serbia, 2-6 September 2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dramićanin, Miroslav D.; Antić, Željka; Viana, Bruno

2013-11-01

The 3rd International Conference on the Physics of Optical Materials and Devices (ICOM2012) was held in Belgrade (Serbia) from 2 to 6 September 2012 (figure 1). The conference was organized by the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade (Serbia) and the Laboratoire de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Paris (France), and supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia and Optical Society of America. ICOM2012 was a follow-up to the two previous, successful ICOM conferences held in Herceg Novi in 2006 and 2009. The conference aimed at providing a forum for scientists in optical materials to debate on: • Luminescent materials and nanomaterials • Hybrid optical materials (organic/inorganic) • Characterization techniques of optical materials • Luminescence mechanisms and energy transfers • Theory and modeling of optical processes • Ultrafast-laser processing of materials • Optical sensors • Medical imaging • Advanced optical materials in photovoltaics and biophotonics • Photothermal and photoacoustic spectroscopy and phenomena The conference stressed the value of a fundamental scientific understanding of optical materials. A particular accent was put on wide band-gap materials in crystalline, glass and nanocrystalline forms. The applications mainly involved lasers, scintillators and phosphors. Rare earth and transition metal ions introduced as dopants in various hosts were considered, and their impact on the optical properties were detailed in several presentations. This volume contains selected contributions of speakers and participants of the ICOM2012 conference. The conference provided a unique opportunity for about 200 scientists from 32 countries to discuss recent progress in the field of optical materials. During the three and half days, 21 invited talks and 52 contributed lectures were given, with a special event in memory of our dear colleague Professor Dr Tsoltan

{open_quotes}Quadrupoled{close_quotes} materials for second-order nonlinear optics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hubbard, S.F.; Petschek, R.G.; Singer, K.D.

1997-10-01

We describe a new approach to second-order nonlinear optical materials, namely quadrupoling. This approach is valid in the regime of Kleinman (full permutation) symmetry breaking, and thus requires a two- or three dimensional microscopic nonlinearity at wavelengths away from material resonances. This {open_quotes}quadrupolar{close_quotes} nonlinearity arises from the second rank pseudotensor of the rotationally invariant representation of the second-order nonlinear optical tensor. We have experimentally investigated candidate molecules comprised of chiral camphorquinone derivatives by measuring the scalar invariant associated with the rank two pseudotensor using hyper-Rayleigh scattering. We have found sizable scalar figures of merit for several compounds using light formore » which the second harmonic wavelengths are greater than 100 nm longer than the absorption peak location. At these wavelengths, the quadrupolar scalar is as large as the polar (EFISH) scalar of p-nitroaniline. Prospects for applications are discussed.« less

Fatal hand tool injuries in construction.

PubMed

Trent, R B; Wyant, W D

1990-08-01

Past research on occupational hand tool injuries has generally focused on nonfatal injuries. Most such injuries occur at the point where energy is transferred to the material being worked, eg, at the edge of a saw blade or the point of a drill. Assuming that hand tool injuries that are fatal will differ from nonfatal injuries, 62 Occupation Safety and Health Administration reports were analyzed. Four patterns emerged when the type of contact with energy was used to classify incidents. Fatal injuries occurred when (1) contact was made with energy that supplies power to the hand tool, (2) energy normally transferred to the material being worked is transferred to the worker, (3) workers or materials fall, and (4) potential energy is encountered in the work environment. Analysis showed that almost all such injuries could be prevented by application of existing safe work practices.

Analysis and Evaluation of Technical Data on the Photochromic and Non- Linear Optical Properties of Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-01

relatively small contractural effort is to provide technical assistance to Dr. Frank Patten (DARPA) in evaluating data on materials, especially... Musikant , S. (ed.), Advances in Materials for Active Optics, Proceedings of SPIE, Volume 567, SPIE:Washington, 1985. [22] Lewis, Aaron, Del Priore...polysilane," J. Appl. Phys. 60 (1986) 3040-3044. [146] Hache, F., Ricard, D., Flytzanis, C., "Optical nonlinearities of small metal particles: surface

Electrochromic material and electro-optical device using same

DOEpatents

Cogan, S.F.; Rauh, R.D.

1992-01-14

An oxidatively coloring electrochromic layer of composition M[sub y]CrO[sub 2+x] (0.33[le]y[le]2.0 and x[le]2) where M=Li, Na or K with improved transmittance modulation, improved thermal and environmental stability, and improved resistance to degradation in organic liquid and polymeric electrolytes. The M[sub y]CrO[sub 2+x] provides complementary optical modulation to cathodically coloring materials in thin-film electrochromic glazings and electrochromic devices employing polymeric Li[sup +] ion conductors. 12 figs.

Positive dwell time algorithm with minimum equal extra material removal in deterministic optical surfacing technology.

PubMed

Li, Longxiang; Xue, Donglin; Deng, Weijie; Wang, Xu; Bai, Yang; Zhang, Feng; Zhang, Xuejun

2017-11-10

In deterministic computer-controlled optical surfacing, accurate dwell time execution by computer numeric control machines is crucial in guaranteeing a high-convergence ratio for the optical surface error. It is necessary to consider the machine dynamics limitations in the numerical dwell time algorithms. In this paper, these constraints on dwell time distribution are analyzed, and a model of the equal extra material removal is established. A positive dwell time algorithm with minimum equal extra material removal is developed. Results of simulations based on deterministic magnetorheological finishing demonstrate the necessity of considering machine dynamics performance and illustrate the validity of the proposed algorithm. Indeed, the algorithm effectively facilitates the determinacy of sub-aperture optical surfacing processes.

Second NATO Workshop on Passive Infrared Optical Materials and Coatings

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

sponsor, NATO AC/243 ( Panel III tion is sprayed through a furnace at RSG 2). This is an abridged version of about 1000*C. A 7-hour operation yields the...strength, generate high-quality optical surfaces Cl, of the monocrystalline material is 4 162 MPa at a load increase rate of 18 MPa due to removal of water

49 CFR 176.320 - Use of hand flashlights.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Requirements for Class 3 (Flammable) and Combustible Liquid Materials § 176.320 Use of hand flashlights. Each hand flashlight used on deck near or in any hold or compartment containing a Class 3 (flammable) liquid... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY...

49 CFR 176.320 - Use of hand flashlights.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Requirements for Class 3 (Flammable) and Combustible Liquid Materials § 176.320 Use of hand flashlights. Each hand flashlight used on deck near or in any hold or compartment containing a Class 3 (flammable) liquid... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY...

49 CFR 176.320 - Use of hand flashlights.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Requirements for Class 3 (Flammable) and Combustible Liquid Materials § 176.320 Use of hand flashlights. Each hand flashlight used on deck near or in any hold or compartment containing a Class 3 (flammable) liquid... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY...

49 CFR 176.320 - Use of hand flashlights.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Requirements for Class 3 (Flammable) and Combustible Liquid Materials § 176.320 Use of hand flashlights. Each hand flashlight used on deck near or in any hold or compartment containing a Class 3 (flammable) liquid... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY...

49 CFR 176.320 - Use of hand flashlights.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Requirements for Class 3 (Flammable) and Combustible Liquid Materials § 176.320 Use of hand flashlights. Each hand flashlight used on deck near or in any hold or compartment containing a Class 3 (flammable) liquid... Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY...

A Study on the Applications of Quantum Optical Coherence to Nano-Optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakami, Jabir Wali

Optically controlled dipole-dipole interaction at submicrometers and subwavelength scales leads to many interesting phenomenon and remarkable potential applications in quantum optics, condensed matter physics, and today's micro-devices. In this dissertation, we study the applications of quantum optical coherence to nano-optics in the following systems and aspects. On the one hand, chiral metamaterials has been previously reported as excellent candidates to realize both attractive and repulsive Casimir forces, where the existence of a repulsive Casimir force depends upon the strength of the chirality. On the other hand, nanoscale integration of metal nanoparticles and semiconductors is particularly interesting because the strengths of both materials are combined in such a hybrid system. In the first part of this work, we proposed a technical scheme to coherently control of the Casimir interaction energy with two identical chirality mediums. We took explicit caution regarding the requirements of passivity and causal response of the materials, since these requirements are essential for the application of the Lifshitz formula. The rare-earth metals' atomic species, for instance, dysprosium, is proposed as an applicable medium for the forthcoming studies of possible experimental implementation of our technique. Secondly, we fully investigated the coherent control of the quantum optical properties of spontaneous emission spectra of a semiconductor quantum dot coupled to a metallic nanoparticle. The properties of the spontaneous emission spectra of such a system are studied in detail with and without involving the coherent field. The Rabi splitting effect in the spectrum emitted by the quantum dot under particular conditions is predicted for different sizes of the metal nanoparticles. We show that the spontaneous emission spectra of the transition coupled to surface plasmons may be further modified by adjusting the external coherent control on the adjacent transitions. In

Optical materials characterization final technical report february 1, 1978-september 30, 1978. Technical note

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feldman, A.; Horowitz, D.; Waxter, R.M.

1979-02-01

Data obtained as part of the Optical Materials Characterization Program are summarized in this report. Room temperature values of refractive index as a function of wavelength are presented for the following materials: commercially grown KCl, reactive atmosphere processed (RAP) KCl, KCl nominally doped with 1.5% KI, hot forged CaF2, fusion cast CaF2, CaF2 doped with Er (0.001% to 3% Er), SrF2, chemical vapor deposited (CVD) ZnSe (2 specimens), and ZnS (CVD, 2 specimens). Data for the thermo-optic constant (dn/dT) and the linear thermal expansion coefficient are given for the following materials over the temperature range -180 degrees C to 200more » degrees C: Al2O3, BaF2, CaF2, CdF2, KBr, KCl, LiF, MgF2, NaCl, NaF, SrF2, ZnS (CVD), and ZnSe (CVD). The piezo-optic constants of the following materials are presented: As2S3 glass, CaF2, BaF2, Ge, KCl, fused SiO2, SrF2, a chalcogenide glass (Ge 33%, As 12%, Se 55%) and ZnSe (CVD).« less

Optical Fiber Chemical Sensor with Sol-Gel Derived Refractive Material as Transducer for High Temperature Gas Sensing in Clean Coal Technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shiquan Tao

2006-12-31

The chemistry of sol-gel derived silica and refractive metal oxide has been systematically studied. Sol-gel processes have been developed for preparing porous silica and semiconductor metal oxide materials. Micelle/reversed micelle techniques have been developed for preparing nanometer sized semiconductor metal oxides and noble metal particles. Techniques for doping metal ions, metal oxides and nanosized metal particles into porous sol-gel material have also been developed. Optical properties of sol-gel derived materials in ambient and high temperature gases have been studied by using fiber optic spectroscopic techniques, such as fiber optic ultraviolet/visible absorption spectrometry, fiber optic near infrared absorption spectrometry and fibermore » optic fluorescence spectrometry. Fiber optic spectrometric techniques have been developed for investigating the optical properties of these sol-gel derived materials prepared as porous optical fibers or as coatings on the surface of silica optical fibers. Optical and electron microscopic techniques have been used to observe the microstructure, such as pore size, pore shape, sensing agent distribution, of sol-gel derived material, as well as the size and morphology of nanometer metal particle doped in sol-gel derived porous silica, the nature of coating of sol-gel derived materials on silica optical fiber surface. In addition, the chemical reactions of metal ion, nanostructured semiconductor metal oxides and nanometer sized metal particles with gas components at room temperature and high temperatures have also been investigated with fiber optic spectrometric methods. Three classes of fiber optic sensors have been developed based on the thorough investigation of sol-gel chemistry and sol-gel derived materials. The first group of fiber optic sensors uses porous silica optical fibers doped with metal ions or metal oxide as transducers for sensing trace NH{sub 3} and H{sub 2}S in high temperature gas samples. The second

Laser induced damage in optical materials: eleventh ASTM symposium.

PubMed

Bennett, H E; Glass, A J; Guenther, A H; Newnam, B

1980-07-15

The eleventh Symposium on Optical Materials for High-Power Lasers (Boulder Damage Symposium) was held at the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder, Colorado, 30-31 October 1979. The symposium was held under the auspices of ASTM Committee F-1, Subcommittee on Laser Standards, with the joint sponsorship of NBS, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Department of Energy, and the Office of Naval Research. About 150 scientists attended the symposium, including representatives of the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Japan, West Germany, and Denmark. The symposium was divided into sessions concerning transparent optical materials and the measurement of their properties, mirrors and surfaces, thin film characteristics, thin film damage, considerations for high-power systems, and finally theory and breakdown. As in previous years, the emphasis of the papers presented at the symposium was directed toward new frontiers and new developments. Particular emphasis was given to materials for high-power apparatus. The wavelength range of prime interest was from 10.6 microm to the UV region. Highlights included surface characterization, thin film-substrate boundaries, and advances in fundamental laser-matter threshold interactions and mechanisms. The scaling of damage thresholds with pulse duration, focal area, and wavelength was discussed in detail. Harold E. Bennett of the Naval Weapons Center, Alexander J. Glass of the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Arthur H. Guenther of the Air Force Weapons Laboratory, and Brian E. Newnam of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory were cochairpersons. The twelfth annual symposium is scheduled for 30 September-1 October 1980 at the National Bureau of Standards, Boulder, Colorado.

Laser induced damage in optical materials: 8th ASTM symposium.

PubMed

Glass, A J; Guenther, A H

1977-05-01

The Eighth Annual Symposium on Optical Materials for High Power Lasers (Boulder Damage Symposium) was hosted by the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder, Colorado, from 13 to 15 July 1976. The Symposium was held under the auspices of ASTM Committee F-1, Subcommittee on Laser Standards, with the joint sponsorship of NBS, the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, the Energy Research and Development Administration, and the Office of Naval Research. About 160 scientists attended the Symposium, including representatives of the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and Brazil. The Symposium was divided into five half-day sessions concerning Bulk Material Properties and Thermal Behavior, Mirrors and Surfaces, Thin Film Properties, Thin Film Damage, and Scaling Laws and Fundamental Mechanisms. As in previous years, the emphasis of the papers presented at the Symposium was directed toward new frontiers and new developments. Particular emphasis was given to new materials for use at 10.6 microm in mirror substrates, windo s, and coatings. New techniques in film deposition and advances in diamond-turning of optics were described. The scaling of damage thresholds with pulse duration, focal area, and wavelength were discussed. Alexander J. Glass of Lawrence Livermore Laboratory and Arthur H. Guenther of the Air Force Weapons Laboratory were co-chairpersons of the Symposium. The Ninth Annual Symposium is scheduled for 4-6 October 1977 at the National Bureau of Standards, Boulder, Colorado.

Advantages and pitfalls of using free-hand sections of frozen needles for three-dimensional analysis of mesophyll by stereology and confocal microscopy

PubMed Central

LHOTÁKOVÁ, Z; ALBRECHTOVÁ, J; JANÁČEK, J; KUBÍNOVÁ, L

2008-01-01

The anatomical structure of mesophyll tissue in the leaf is tightly connected with many physiological processes in plants. One of the most important mesophyll parameters related to photosynthesis is the internal leaf surface area, i.e. the surface area of mesophyll cell walls exposed to intercellular spaces. An efficient design-based stereological method can be applied for estimation of this parameter, using software-randomized virtual fakir test probes in stacks of optical sections acquired by a confocal microscope within thick physical free-hand sections (i.e. acquired using a hand microtome), as we have shown in the case of fresh Norway spruce needles recently. However, for wider practical use in plant ecophysiology, a suitable form of sample storage and other possible technical constraints of this methodology need to be checked. We tested the effect of freezing conifer needles on their anatomical structure as well as the effect of possible deformations due to the cutting of unembedded material by a hand microtome, which can result in distortions of cutting surfaces. In the present study we found a higher proportion of intercellular spaces in mesophyll in regions near to the surface of a physical section, which means that the measurements should be restricted only to the middle region of the optical section series. On the other hand, the proportion of intercellular spaces in mesophyll as well as the internal needle surface density in mesophyll did not show significant difference between fresh and frozen needles; therefore, we conclude that freezing represents a suitable form of storage of sampled material for proposed stereological evaluation. PMID:19017201

Advantages and pitfalls of using free-hand sections of frozen needles for three-dimensional analysis of mesophyll by stereology and confocal microscopy.

PubMed

Lhotáková, Z; Albrechtová, J; Janácek, J; Kubínová, L

2008-10-01

The anatomical structure of mesophyll tissue in the leaf is tightly connected with many physiological processes in plants. One of the most important mesophyll parameters related to photosynthesis is the internal leaf surface area, i.e. the surface area of mesophyll cell walls exposed to intercellular spaces. An efficient design-based stereological method can be applied for estimation of this parameter, using software-randomized virtual fakir test probes in stacks of optical sections acquired by a confocal microscope within thick physical free-hand sections (i.e. acquired using a hand microtome), as we have shown in the case of fresh Norway spruce needles recently. However, for wider practical use in plant ecophysiology, a suitable form of sample storage and other possible technical constraints of this methodology need to be checked. We tested the effect of freezing conifer needles on their anatomical structure as well as the effect of possible deformations due to the cutting of unembedded material by a hand microtome, which can result in distortions of cutting surfaces. In the present study we found a higher proportion of intercellular spaces in mesophyll in regions near to the surface of a physical section, which means that the measurements should be restricted only to the middle region of the optical section series. On the other hand, the proportion of intercellular spaces in mesophyll as well as the internal needle surface density in mesophyll did not show significant difference between fresh and frozen needles; therefore, we conclude that freezing represents a suitable form of storage of sampled material for proposed stereological evaluation.

Graphene and graphene-like 2D materials for optical biosensing and bioimaging: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Chengzhou; Du, Dan; Lin, Yuehe

2015-09-01

The increasing demands of bioassay and biomedical applications have significantly promoted the rational design and fabrication of a wide range of functional nanomaterials. Coupling these advanced nanomaterials with biomolecule recognition events leads to novel sensing and diagnostic platforms. Because of their unique structures and multifunctionalities, two-dimensional nanomaterials, such as graphene and graphene-like materials (e.g., graphitic carbon nitride, transition metal dichalcogenides, boron nitride, and transition metal oxides), have stimulated great interest in the field of optical biosensors and imaging because of their innovative mechanical, physicochemical and optical properties. Depending on the different applications, the graphene and graphene-like nanomaterials can be tailored to form either fluorescent emitters or efficient fluorescence quenchers, making them powerful platforms for fabricating a series of optical biosensors to sensitively detect various targets including ions, small biomolecules, DNA/RNA and proteins. This review highlights the recent progress in optical biosensors based on graphene and graphene-like 2D materials and their imaging applications. Finally, the opportunities and some critical challenges in this field are also addressed.

Growth, crystalline perfection, spectral and optical characterization of a novel optical material: l-tryptophan p-nitrophenol trisolvate single crystal.

PubMed

Sivakumar, N; Srividya, J; Mohana, J; Anbalagan, G

2015-03-15

l-tryptophan p-nitrophenol trisolvate (LTPN), an organic nonlinear optical material was synthesized using ethanol-water mixed solvent and the crystals were grown by a slow solvent evaporation method. The crystal structure and morphology were studied by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystalline perfection of the LTPN crystal was analyzed by high-resolution X-ray diffraction study. The molecular structure of the crystal was confirmed by observing the various characteristic functional groups of the material using vibrational spectroscopy. The cut-off wavelength, optical transmission, refractive index and band gap energy were determined using UV-visible data. The variation of refractive index with wavelength shows the normal behavior. The second harmonic generation of the crystal was confirmed and the efficiency was measured using Kurtz Perry powder method. Single and multiple shot methods were employed to measure surface laser damage of the crystal. The photoluminescence spectral study revealed that the emission may be associated with the radiative recombination of trapped electrons and holes. Microhardness measurements revealed that LTPN belongs to a soft material category. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Solution Growth of a Novel Nonlinear Optical Material: L-Histidine Tetrafluoroborate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aggarwal, M. D.; Choi, J.; Wang, W. S.; Bhat, K.; Lal, R. B.; Shields, Angela D.; Penn, Benjamin G.; Frazier, Donald O.

1998-01-01

Single crystals of L-Histidine tetrafluoroborate (L-HFB), a semiorganic nonlinear optical (NLO) material have been successfully grown by the temperature lowering and evaporation methods in our laboratory. Solubility curves of L-HFB have been determined in different solvents, such as water, ethanol and acetone. The solubility of L-HFB is very low in acetone, and ethanol, therefore, it is not feasible to grow L-HFB single crystals using these solvents. Good quality single crystals of a novel nonlinear optical material L-HFB have been grown from aqueous solution. Effects of seed orientation on morphologies of L-HFB crystals were studied. The advantages and disadvantage of both the evaporation and the temperature lowering techniques are compared. The single crystals in size 20 x 20 x 10 cubic mm were grown with deionized water as solvent in two weeks with an approximate growth rate of 1.4mm/day. The transmission range for these crystals has been found to be from 250 nm to 1500 nm.

Purification of organic nonlinear optical materials for bulk crystal growth from melt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gebre, Tesfaye; Bhat, Kamala N.; Batra, Ashok K.; Lal, Ravindra B.; Aggarwal, Mohan D.; Penn, Benjamin G.; Frazier, Donald O.

2002-10-01

The techniques developed for purification of nonlinear optical organic materials, such as benzil, 2-methyl-4-nitroaniline (MNA), Dicyanovinyl anisole (DIVA) and its derivatives, nitrophenyl prolinol (NPP) and other Schiff's base compounds, include Kugelrohy method, physical vapor transport, zone refining and recrystallization from the solvent are described. Purity of the materials is tested using differential thermal analysis, gas chromatograph/Mass detector, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy and melting point measurements. The purified materials were later used in the growth of single crystal by Bridgman-Stockbarger and Czochralski techniques.

Full-duplex optical communication system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shay, Thomas M. (Inventor); Hazzard, David A. (Inventor); Horan, Stephen (Inventor); Payne, Jason A. (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A method of full-duplex electromagnetic communication wherein a pair of data modulation formats are selected for the forward and return data links respectively such that the forward data electro-magnetic beam serves as a carrier for the return data. A method of encoding optical information is used wherein right-hand and left-hand circular polarizations are assigned to optical information to represent binary states. An application for an earth to low earth orbit optical communications system is presented which implements the full-duplex communication and circular polarization keying modulation format.

Emergency Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dosimetry Using Different Materials.

PubMed

Sholom, S; Dewitt, R; Simon, Sl; Bouville, A; McKeever, Sws

2011-12-01

Several materials were tested as possible individual emergency dosimeters using Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) as means to assess the exposure. Materials investigated included human nails, business cards and plastic buttons. The OSL properties of these materials were studied in comparison with those of teeth. Most samples revealed OSL signals only after exposure to ionizing radiation; some samples of business cards, however, displayed a strong initial "native" signal (i.e. existing in the samples prior to irradiation). The sensitivity (minimum measurable dose) of the samples was found to vary significantly from sample to sample of the same material and was in the range from several tens of mGy to a few dozens of Gy. The dose response curves were linear for doses below 10 Gy. Fading of the OSL signals was estimated for different lenghts of times and found to be ~95%, 45%, 30% and 15% for samples of teeth, business cards, buttons and nails, respectively, following storage at room temperature in the dark for a period of 3 weeks after exposure. For samples stored under routine laboratory light, fading was much faster and the radiation-induced signals almost disappeared after a few hours of such illumination. It was concluded that the tested materials could be used in triage situations to detect and estimate the possible overexposure of individuals if the measurements can be performed soon enough after exposure.

Diverse Electron-Induced Optical Emissions from Space Observatory Materials at Low Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dennison, J.R.; Jensen, Amberly Evans; Wilson, Gregory; Dekany, Justin; Bowers, Charles W.; Meloy, Robert

2013-01-01

Electron irradiation experiments have investigated the diverse electron-induced optical and electrical signatures observed in ground-based tests of various space observatory materials at low temperature. Three types of light emission were observed: (i); long-duration cathodoluminescence which persisted as long as the electron beam was on (ii) short-duration (<1 s) arcing, resulting from electrostatic discharge; and (iii) intermediate-duration (100 s) glow-termed "flares". We discuss how the electron currents and arcing-as well as light emission absolute intensity and frequency-depend on electron beam energy, power, and flux and the temperature and thickness of different bulk (polyimides, epoxy resins, and silica glasses) and composite dielectric materials (disordered SiO2 thin films, carbon- and fiberglass-epoxy composites, and macroscopically-conductive carbon-loaded polyimides). We conclude that electron-induced optical emissions resulting from interactions between observatory materials and the space environment electron flux can, in specific circumstances, make significant contributions to the stray light background that could possibly adversely affect the performance of space-based observatories.

Monitoring Composite Material Pressure Vessels with a Fiber-Optic/Microelectronic Sensor System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klimcak, C.; Jaduszliwer, B.

1995-01-01

We discuss the concept of an integrated, fiber-optic/microelectronic distributed sensor system that can monitor composite material pressure vessels for Air Force space systems to provide assessments of the overall health and integrity of the vessel throughout its entire operating history from birth to end of life. The fiber optic component would include either a semiconductor light emitting diode or diode laser and a multiplexed fiber optic sensing network incorporating Bragg grating sensors capable of detecting internal temperature and strain. The microelectronic components include a power source, a pulsed laser driver, time domain data acquisition hardware, a microprocessor, a data storage device, and a communication interface. The sensing system would be incorporated within the composite during its manufacture. The microelectronic data acquisition and logging system would record the environmental conditions to which the vessel has been subjected to during its storage and transit, e.g., the history of thermal excursions, pressure loading data, the occurrence of mechanical impacts, the presence of changing internal strain due to aging, delamination, material decomposition, etc. Data would be maintained din non-volatile memory for subsequent readout through a microcomputer interface.

Hands-on Herps.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Science Activities, 1987

1987-01-01

Presents a hands-on activity to help primary, intermediate, and advanced students learn about and compare the general characteristics of reptiles and amphibians. Suggests "herp stations" to provide experiences. Details materials, background and procedures necessary for using this activity. (CW)

Raman, mid-infrared, near-infrared and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy of PDMS silicone rubber for characterization of polymer optical waveguide materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Dengke; Neyer, Andreas; Kuckuk, Rüdiger; Heise, H. Michael

2010-07-01

Special siloxane polymers have been produced via an addition reaction from commercially available two-component addition materials by thermal curing. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based polymers have already been used in the optical communication field, where passive polymer multimode waveguides are required for short-distance datacom optical applications. For such purpose, materials with low intrinsic absorption losses within the spectral region of 600-900 nm wavelengths are essential. For vibrational absorption band assignments, especially in the visible and short-wave near-infrared region, the mid-infrared and Raman spectra were investigated for fundamental vibrations of the siloxane materials, shedding light onto the chemistry before and after material polymerization. Within the near-infrared and long-wave visible spectral range, vibrational C sbnd H stretching overtone and combination bands dominate the spectra, rendering an optical characterization of core and clad materials. Such knowledge also provides information for the synthesis and optical characterization, e.g., of deuterated derivatives with less intrinsic absorption losses from molecular vibrations compared to the siloxane materials studied.

TRANSVERSE MODE ELECTRO-OPTIC MATERIALS.

DTIC Science & Technology

electro - optic modulators presently used are crystals such as KDP which exhibit a longitudinal electro - optic effect. It has been demonstrated that a more efficient modulator can be produced when a crystal having a transverse electro - optic effect is employed. Generally these crystals are produced either from the melt or from fluxes. Since melt grown crystals must be cooled through several hundred degrees and often must undergo phase transitions, these crystals are generally highly strained. Flux grown crystals are also

Material removal rate fiber optic corrosion sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trego, Angela; Haugse, Eric D.; Udd, Eric

1998-09-01

Fiber Bragg grating sensors generally consist of a single grating written in a low-birefringent optical fiber. The wavelength shift of the peak in the reflected spectrum from these sensors can be used to measure a single component of strain or a change in temperature [Lawrence, 1997]. Fibers are also available with a significant enough birefringence to maintain the polarization state along great lengths and through many turns. This 'polarization maintaining' fiber is commercially available through several companies and in several configurations (including different cladding material and wavelength shift). The grating usually extends approximately 3 mm - 5 m in length. Udd gives a detailed explanation of fiber optics, Bragg gratings and birefringence [Udd, 1991]. As light from an LED is passed through the fiber, only the wavelength consistent with the grating period will be reflected back towards the source. All other wavelengths will pass through. The reflected spectrum will shift as the fiber is strained along its axis at the grating location. Strain or temperature changes at any other location have negligible effect on the wavelength encoded data output. When the Fiber Bragg grating single-axis sensor (termed fiber hereafter) is strained transversely the wavelength will separate into two distinct peaks according to a mathematical relationship defined by Lawrence and Nelson [Lawrence, Nelson et al. 96]. Using these Fiber Bragg grating fibers a corrosion sensor which measures the rate of material was developed. The principle behind this newly developed corrosion sensor is to pre-stress the fiber with a known load. The load is applied by inducing a uniform hoop stress through pressure fitted cylinders around the fiber. This induced stress creates a broadening of the reflected spectrum until the bifurcation of the reflected intensity peaks is distinguishable. As the material from the outer cylinder corrodes away the applied stress will be relieved. Finally, when no

Super-resolution nanofabrication with metal-ion doped hybrid material through an optical dual-beam approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cao, Yaoyu; Li, Xiangping; Gu, Min, E-mail: mgu@swin.edu.au

2014-12-29

We apply an optical dual-beam approach to a metal-ion doped hybrid material to achieve nanofeatures beyond the optical diffraction limit. By spatially inhibiting the photoreduction and the photopolymerization, we realize a nano-line, consisting of polymer matrix and in-situ generated gold nanoparticles, with a lateral size of sub 100 nm, corresponding to a factor of 7 improvement compared to the diffraction limit. With the existence of gold nanoparticles, a plasmon enhanced super-resolution fabrication mechanism in the hybrid material is observed, which benefits in a further reduction in size of the fabricated feature. The demonstrated nanofeature in hybrid materials paves the way formore » realizing functional nanostructures.« less

The Role of the Caudal Superior Parietal Lobule in Updating Hand Location in Peripheral Vision: Further Evidence from Optic Ataxia

PubMed Central

Granek, Joshua A.; Pisella, Laure; Blangero, Annabelle; Rossetti, Yves; Sergio, Lauren E.

2012-01-01

Patients with optic ataxia (OA), who are missing the caudal portion of their superior parietal lobule (SPL), have difficulty performing visually-guided reaches towards extra-foveal targets. Such gaze and hand decoupling also occurs in commonly performed non-standard visuomotor transformations such as the use of a computer mouse. In this study, we test two unilateral OA patients in conditions of 1) a change in the physical location of the visual stimulus relative to the plane of the limb movement, 2) a cue that signals a required limb movement 180° opposite to the cued visual target location, or 3) both of these situations combined. In these non-standard visuomotor transformations, the OA deficit is not observed as the well-documented field-dependent misreach. Instead, OA patients make additional eye movements to update hand and goal location during motor execution in order to complete these slow movements. Overall, the OA patients struggled when having to guide centrifugal movements in peripheral vision, even when they were instructed from visual stimuli that could be foveated. We propose that an intact caudal SPL is crucial for any visuomotor control that involves updating ongoing hand location in space without foveating it, i.e. from peripheral vision, proprioceptive or predictive information. PMID:23071599

Constructive spin-orbital angular momentum coupling can twist materials to create spiral structures in optical vortex illumination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barada, Daisuke; Center for Optical Research and Education; Juman, Guzhaliayi

It was discovered that optical vortices twist isotropic and homogenous materials, e.g., azo-polymer films to form spiral structures on a nano- or micro-scale. However, the formation mechanism has not yet been established theoretically. To understand the mechanism of the spiral surface relief formation in the azo-polymer film, we theoretically investigate the optical radiation force induced in an isotropic and homogeneous material under irradiation using a continuous-wave optical vortex with arbitrary topological charge and polarization. It is revealed that the spiral surface relief formation in azo-polymer films requires the irradiation of optical vortices with a positive (negative) spin angular momentum andmore » a positive (negative) orbital angular momentum (constructive spin-orbital angular momentum coupling), i.e., the degeneracy among the optical vortices with the same total angular momentum is resolved.« less

Phase change material based tunable reflectarray for free-space optical inter/intra chip interconnects.

PubMed

Zou, Longfang; Cryan, Martin; Klemm, Maciej

2014-10-06

The concept of phase change material (PCM) based optical antennas and antenna arrays is proposed for dynamic beam shaping and steering utilized in free-space optical inter/intra chip interconnects. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that the behaviour of PCM based optical antennas will change due to the different optical properties of the amorphous and crystalline state of the PCM. By engineering optical antennas or antenna arrays, it is feasible to design dynamic optical links in a desired manner. In order to illustrate this concept, a PCM based tunable reflectarray is proposed for a scenario of a dynamic optical link between a source and two receivers. The designed reflectarray is able to switch the optical link between two receivers by switching the two states of the PCM. Two types of antennas are employed in the proposed tunable reflectarray to achieve full control of the wavefront of the reflected beam. Numerical studies show the expected binary beam steering at the optical communication wavelength of 1.55 μm. This study suggests a new research area of PCM based optical antennas and antenna arrays for dynamic optical switching and routing.

Excitonic instability in optically pumped three-dimensional Dirac materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pertsova, Anna; Balatsky, Alexander V.

2018-02-01

Recently it was suggested that transient excitonic instability can be realized in optically pumped two-dimensional (2D) Dirac materials (DMs), such as graphene and topological insulator surface states. Here we discuss the possibility of achieving a transient excitonic condensate in optically pumped three-dimensional (3D) DMs, such as Dirac and Weyl semimetals, described by nonequilibrium chemical potentials for photoexcited electrons and holes. Similar to the equilibrium case with long-range interactions, we find that for pumped 3D DMs with screened Coulomb potential two possible excitonic phases exist, an excitonic insulator phase and the charge density wave phase originating from intranodal and internodal interactions, respectively. In the pumped case, the critical coupling for excitonic instability vanishes; therefore the two phases coexist for arbitrarily weak coupling strengths. The excitonic gap in the charge density wave phase is always the largest one. The competition between screening effects and the increase of the density of states with optical pumping results in a rich phase diagram for the transient excitonic condensate. Based on the static theory of screening, we find that under certain conditions the value of the dimensionless coupling constant screening in 3D DMs can be weaker than in 2D DMs. Furthermore, we identify the signatures of the transient excitonic condensate that could be probed by scanning tunneling spectroscopy, photoemission, and optical conductivity measurements. Finally, we provide estimates of critical temperatures and excitonic gaps for existing and hypothetical 3D DMs.

Broadband nonlinear optical response in multi-layer black phosphorus: an emerging infrared and mid-infrared optical material.

PubMed

Lu, S B; Miao, L L; Guo, Z N; Qi, X; Zhao, C J; Zhang, H; Wen, S C; Tang, D Y; Fan, D Y

2015-05-04

Black phosphorous (BP), the most thermodynamically stable allotrope of phosphorus, is a high-mobility layered semiconductor with direct band-gap determined by the number of layers from 0.3 eV (bulk) to 2.0 eV (single layer). Therefore, BP is considered as a natural candidate for broadband optical applications, particularly in the infrared (IR) and mid-IR part of the spectrum. The strong light-matter interaction, narrow direct band-gap, and wide range of tunable optical response make BP as a promising nonlinear optical material, particularly with great potentials for infrared and mid-infrared opto-electronics. Herein, we experimentally verified its broadband and enhanced saturable absorption of multi-layer BP (with a thickness of ~10 nm) by wide-band Z-scan measurement technique, and anticipated that multi-layer BPs could be developed as another new type of two-dimensional saturable absorber with operation bandwidth ranging from the visible (400 nm) towards mid-IR (at least 1930 nm). Our results might suggest that ultra-thin multi-layer BP films could be potentially developed as broadband ultra-fast photonics devices, such as passive Q-switcher, mode-locker, optical switcher etc.

Ethanol catalytic optical driven deposition for 1D and 2D materials with ultra-low power threshold of 0 dBm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hao; Chen, Bohua; Xiao, Xu; Guo, Chaoshi; Zhang, Xiaoyan; Wang, Jun; Jiang, Meng; Wu, Kan; Chen, Jianping

2018-01-01

We have demonstrated a generalized optical driven deposition method, ethanol catalytic deposition (ECD) method, which is widely applicable to the deposition of a broad range of one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) materials with common deposition parameters. Using ECD method, deposition of 1D material carbon nanotubes and 2D materials MoS2, MoSe2, WS2 and WSe2 on tapered fiber has been demonstrated with the threshold power as low as 0 dBm. To our knowledge, this is the lowest threshold power ever reported in optical driven deposition, noting that the conventional optical driven deposition has a threshold typically near 15 dBm. It means ECD method can significantly reduce the power requirement and simplify the setup of the optical driven deposition as well as its wide applicability to different materials, which benefits the research on optical nonlinearity and ultrafast photonics of 1D and 2D materials.

Analysis of interferograms of refractive index inhomogeneities produced in optical materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarjányi, N.

2014-12-01

Optical homogeneity of materials intended for optical applications is one of the criterions which decide on an appropriate application method for the material. The existence of a refractive index inhomogeneity inside a material may disqualify it from utilization or by contrary, provide an advantage. For observation of a refractive index inhomogeneity, even a weak one, it is convenient to use any of interferometric methods. They are very sensitive and provide information on spatial distribution of the refractive index, immediately. One can use them also in case when the inhomogeneity evolves in time, usually due to action of some external fields. Then, the stream of interferograms provides a dynamic evolution of a spatial distribution of the inhomogeneity. In the contribution, there are presented results of the analysis of interferograms obtained by observing the creation of a refractive index inhomogeneity due to illumination of thin layers of a polyvinyl-alcohol/acrylamide photopolymer and a plate of photorefractive crystal, lithium niobate, by light and a refractive index inhomogeneity originated at the boundary of two layers of polydimethylsiloxane. The obtained dependences can be used for studying of the mechanisms responsible for the inhomogeneity creation, designing various technical applications or for diagnostics of fabricated components.

Fiber optic sensor for continuous health monitoring in CFRP composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rippert, Laurent; Papy, Jean-Michel; Wevers, Martine; Van Huffel, Sabine

2002-07-01

An intensity modulated sensor, based on the microbending concept, has been incorporated in laminates produced from a C/epoxy prepreg. Pencil lead break tests (Hsu-Neilsen sources) and tensile tests have been performed on this material. In this research study, fibre optic sensors will be proven to offer an alternative for the robust piezoelectric transducers used for Acoustic Emission (AE) monitoring. The main emphasis has been put on the use of advanced signal processing techniques based on time-frequency analysis. The signal Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT) has been computed and several robust noise reduction algorithms, such as Wiener adaptive filtering, improved spectral subtraction filtering, and Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) -based filtering, have been applied. An energy and frequency -based detection criterion is put forward to detect transient signals that can be correlated with Modal Acoustic Emission (MAE) results and thus damage in the composite material. There is a strong indication that time-frequency analysis and the Hankel Total Least Squares (HTLS) method can also be used for damage characterization. This study shows that the signal from a quite simple microbend optical sensor contains information on the elastic energy released whenever damage is being introduced in the host material by mechanical loading. Robust algorithms can be used to retrieve and analyze this information.

Innovative hybrid optics: combining the thermal stability of glass with low manufacturing cost of polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doushkina, Valentina

2010-08-01

Innovative hybrid glass-polymer optical solutions on a component, module, or system level offer thermal stability of glass with low manufacturing cost of polymers reducing component weight, enhancing the safety and appeal of the products. Narrow choice of polymer materials is compensated by utilizing sophisticated optical surfaces such as refractive, reflective, and diffractive substrates with spherical, aspherical, cylindrical, and freeform prescriptions. Current advancements in polymer technology and injection molding capabilities placed polymer optics in the heart of many high tech devices and applications including Automotive Industry, Defense & Aerospace; Medical/Bio Science; Projection Displays, Sensors, Information Technology, Commercial and Industrial. This paper is about integration of polymer and glass optics for enhanced optical performance with reduced number of components, thermal stability, and low manufacturing cost. The listed advantages are not achievable when polymers or glass optics are used as stand-alone. The author demonstrates that integration of polymer and glass on component or optical system level on one hand offers high resolution and diffraction limited image quality, similar to the glass optics with stable refractive index and stable thermal performance when design is athermalized within the temperature range. On the other hand, the integrated hybrid solution significantly reduces cost, weight, and complexity, just like the polymer optics. The author will describe the design and analyzes process of combining glass and polymer optics for variety of challenging applications such as fast optics with low F/#, wide field of view lenses or systems, free form optics, etc.

Acousto-Optic and Linear Electro-Optic Properties of Organic Polymeric Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-04-27

Naval Research Laboratory Washington, DC 20375-5000 NRL Memorandum Report 6454 od I3 Acousto - Optic and Linear Electro-Optic Properties of Organic...PROGRAM P1RC;EC7 ASK Arlington, VA 22217-5000 ELEMENT NO NO1 I1I TITLE (Include Security Classification) Acousto - Optic and Linear Electro-Optic...briefly discussing the important molecular properties for enhanced acousto ~ optic and electro-Ooptic ef fects and then relating these to "current

Unsymmetrical squaraines for nonlinear optical materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marder, Seth R. (Inventor); Chen, Chin-Ti (Inventor); Cheng, Lap-Tak (Inventor)

1996-01-01

Compositions for use in non-linear optical devices. The compositions have first molecular electronic hyperpolarizability (.beta.) either positive or negative in sign and therefore display second order non-linear optical properties when incorporated into non-linear optical devices.

Optimization of spatial frequency domain imaging technique for estimating optical properties of food and biological materials

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Spatial frequency domain imaging technique has recently been developed for determination of the optical properties of food and biological materials. However, accurate estimation of the optical property parameters by the technique is challenging due to measurement errors associated with signal acquis...

The hand of Homo naledi

PubMed Central

Kivell, Tracy L.; Deane, Andrew S.; Tocheri, Matthew W.; Orr, Caley M.; Schmid, Peter; Hawks, John; Berger, Lee R.; Churchill, Steven E.

2015-01-01

A nearly complete right hand of an adult hominin was recovered from the Rising Star cave system, South Africa. Based on associated hominin material, the bones of this hand are attributed to Homo naledi. This hand reveals a long, robust thumb and derived wrist morphology that is shared with Neandertals and modern humans, and considered adaptive for intensified manual manipulation. However, the finger bones are longer and more curved than in most australopiths, indicating frequent use of the hand during life for strong grasping during locomotor climbing and suspension. These markedly curved digits in combination with an otherwise human-like wrist and palm indicate a significant degree of climbing, despite the derived nature of many aspects of the hand and other regions of the postcranial skeleton in H. naledi. PMID:26441219

The hand of Homo naledi.

PubMed

Kivell, Tracy L; Deane, Andrew S; Tocheri, Matthew W; Orr, Caley M; Schmid, Peter; Hawks, John; Berger, Lee R; Churchill, Steven E

2015-10-06

A nearly complete right hand of an adult hominin was recovered from the Rising Star cave system, South Africa. Based on associated hominin material, the bones of this hand are attributed to Homo naledi. This hand reveals a long, robust thumb and derived wrist morphology that is shared with Neandertals and modern humans, and considered adaptive for intensified manual manipulation. However, the finger bones are longer and more curved than in most australopiths, indicating frequent use of the hand during life for strong grasping during locomotor climbing and suspension. These markedly curved digits in combination with an otherwise human-like wrist and palm indicate a significant degree of climbing, despite the derived nature of many aspects of the hand and other regions of the postcranial skeleton in H. naledi.

An approach to control tuning range and speed in 1D ternary photonic band gap material nano-layered optical filter structures electro-optically

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zia, Shahneel; Banerjee, Anirudh

2016-05-01

This paper demonstrates a way to control spectrum tuning capability in one-dimensional (1D) ternary photonic band gap (PBG) material nano-layered structures electro-optically. It is shown that not only tuning range, but also tuning speed of tunable optical filters based on 1D ternary PBG structures can be controlled Electro-optically. This approach finds application in tuning range enhancement of 1D Ternary PBG structures and compensating temperature sensitive transmission spectrum shift in 1D Ternary PBG structures.

An approach to control tuning range and speed in 1D ternary photonic band gap material nano-layered optical filter structures electro-optically

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zia, Shahneel, E-mail: shahneelzia@gmail.com; Banerjee, Anirudh, E-mail: abanerjee@amity.edu

2016-05-06

This paper demonstrates a way to control spectrum tuning capability in one-dimensional (1D) ternary photonic band gap (PBG) material nano-layered structures electro-optically. It is shown that not only tuning range, but also tuning speed of tunable optical filters based on 1D ternary PBG structures can be controlled Electro-optically. This approach finds application in tuning range enhancement of 1D Ternary PBG structures and compensating temperature sensitive transmission spectrum shift in 1D Ternary PBG structures.

In Situ Identification of Mineral Resources with an X-Ray-Optical "Hands-Lens" Instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, J.; Koppel, L.; Bratton, C.; Metzger, E.; Hecht, M.

1999-01-01

The recognition of material resources on a planetary surface requires exploration strategies not dissimilar to those employed by early field geologists who searched for ore deposits primarily from surface clues. In order to determine the location of mineral ores or other materials, it will be necessary to characterize host terranes at regional or subregional scales. This requires geographically broad surveys in which statistically significant numbers of samples are rapidly scanned from a roving platform. To enable broad-scale, yet power-conservative planetary-surface exploration, we are developing an instrument that combines x-ray diffractometry (XRD), x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), and optical capabilities; the instrument can be deployed at the end of a rover's robotic arm, without the need for sample capture or preparation. The instrument provides XRD data for identification of mineral species and lithological types; diffractometry of minerals is conducted by ascertaining the characteristic lattice parameters or "d-spacings" of mineral compounds. D-spacings of 1.4 to 25 angstroms can be determined to include the large molecular structures of hydrated minerals such as clays. The XRF data will identify elements ranging from carbon (Atomic Number = 6) to elements as heavy as barium (Atomic Number = 56). While a sample is being x-rayed, the instrument simultaneously acquires an optical image of the sample surface at magnifications from lx to at least 50x (200x being feasible, depending on the sample surface). We believe that imaging the sample is extremely important as corroborative sample-identification data (the need for this capability having been illustrated by the experience of the Pathfinder rover). Very few geologists would rely on instrument data for sample identification without having seen the sample. Visual inspection provides critical recognition data such as texture, crystallinity, granularity, porosity, vesicularity, color, lustre, opacity, and

In Situ Identification of Mineral Resources with an X-Ray-Optical "Hands-Lens" Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, J.; Koppel, L.; Bratton, C.; Metzger, E.; Hecht, M.

1999-09-01

The recognition of material resources on a planetary surface requires exploration strategies not dissimilar to those employed by early field geologists who searched for ore deposits primarily from surface clues. In order to determine the location of mineral ores or other materials, it will be necessary to characterize host terranes at regional or subregional scales. This requires geographically broad surveys in which statistically significant numbers of samples are rapidly scanned from a roving platform. To enable broad-scale, yet power-conservative planetary-surface exploration, we are developing an instrument that combines x-ray diffractometry (XRD), x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), and optical capabilities; the instrument can be deployed at the end of a rover's robotic arm, without the need for sample capture or preparation. The instrument provides XRD data for identification of mineral species and lithological types; diffractometry of minerals is conducted by ascertaining the characteristic lattice parameters or "d-spacings" of mineral compounds. D-spacings of 1.4 to 25 angstroms can be determined to include the large molecular structures of hydrated minerals such as clays. The XRF data will identify elements ranging from carbon (Atomic Number = 6) to elements as heavy as barium (Atomic Number = 56). While a sample is being x-rayed, the instrument simultaneously acquires an optical image of the sample surface at magnifications from lx to at least 50x (200x being feasible, depending on the sample surface). We believe that imaging the sample is extremely important as corroborative sample-identification data (the need for this capability having been illustrated by the experience of the Pathfinder rover). Very few geologists would rely on instrument data for sample identification without having seen the sample. Visual inspection provides critical recognition data such as texture, crystallinity, granularity, porosity, vesicularity, color, lustre, opacity, and

Honeywell optical investigations on FLASH program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Rourke, Ken; Peterson, Eric; Yount, Larry

1995-05-01

The increasing performance and reduction of life cycle cost requirements placed on commercial and military transport aircraft are resulting in more complex, highly integrated aircraft control and management systems. The use of fiber optic data transmission media can make significant contributions in achieving these performance and cost goals. The Honeywell portion of Task 2A on the Fly-by-Light Advanced System Hardware (FLASH) program is evaluating a Primary Flight Control System (PFCS) using pilot and copilot inputs from Active Hand Controllers (AHC) which are optically linked to the primary flight Control Computers (PFCC). Customer involvement is an important element of the Task 2A activity. Establishing customer requirements and perspectives on productization of systems developed under FLASH are key to future product success. The Honeywell elements of the PFCS demonstrator provide a command path that is optically interfaced from crew inputs to commands of distributed, smart actuation subsystems commands. Optical communication architectures are implemented using several protocols including the new AS-1773A 20 Mbps data bus standard. The interconnecting fiber optic cable plant is provided by our Task 1A teammate McDonnell Douglas Aerospace (West). Fiber optic cable plant fabrication uses processed, tools and materials reflecting necessary advances in manufacturing required to make fly-by-light avionics systems marketable.

Emergency Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dosimetry Using Different Materials

PubMed Central

Sholom, S; DeWitt, R; Simon, SL; Bouville, A; McKeever, SWS

2011-01-01

Several materials were tested as possible individual emergency dosimeters using Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) as means to assess the exposure. Materials investigated included human nails, business cards and plastic buttons. The OSL properties of these materials were studied in comparison with those of teeth. Most samples revealed OSL signals only after exposure to ionizing radiation; some samples of business cards, however, displayed a strong initial “native” signal (i.e. existing in the samples prior to irradiation). The sensitivity (minimum measurable dose) of the samples was found to vary significantly from sample to sample of the same material and was in the range from several tens of mGy to a few dozens of Gy. The dose response curves were linear for doses below 10 Gy. Fading of the OSL signals was estimated for different lenghts of times and found to be ~95%, 45%, 30% and 15% for samples of teeth, business cards, buttons and nails, respectively, following storage at room temperature in the dark for a period of 3 weeks after exposure. For samples stored under routine laboratory light, fading was much faster and the radiation-induced signals almost disappeared after a few hours of such illumination. It was concluded that the tested materials could be used in triage situations to detect and estimate the possible overexposure of individuals if the measurements can be performed soon enough after exposure. PMID:22125409

Challenges in mold manufacturing for high precision molded diffractive optical elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pongs, Guido; Bresseler, Bernd; Schweizer, Klaus; Bergs, Thomas

2016-09-01

Isothermal precision glass molding of imaging optics is the key technology for mass production of precise optical elements. Especially for numerous consumer applications (e.g. digital cameras, smart phones, …), high precision glass molding is applied for the manufacturing of aspherical lenses. The usage of diffractive optical elements (DOEs) can help to further reduce the number of lenses in the optical systems which will lead to a reduced weight of hand-held optical devices. But today the application of molded glass DOEs is limited due to the technological challenges in structuring the mold surfaces. Depending on the application submicrometer structures are required on the mold surface. Furthermore these structures have to be replicated very precisely to the glass lens surface. Especially the micro structuring of hard and brittle mold materials such as Tungsten Carbide is very difficult and not established. Thus a multitude of innovative approaches using diffractive optical elements cannot be realized. Aixtooling has investigated in different mold materials and different suitable machining technologies for the micro- and sub-micrometer structuring of mold surfaces. The focus of the work lays on ultra-precision grinding to generate the diffractive pattern on the mold surfaces. This paper presents the latest achievements in diffractive structuring of Tungsten Carbide mold surfaces by ultra-precision grinding.

Crystal growth, structural, optical, spectral and thermal studies of tris( L-phenylalanine) L-phenylalaninium nitrate: A new organic nonlinear optical material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prakash, M.; Geetha, D.; Lydia Caroline, M.

2011-10-01

Tris( L-phenylalanine) L-phenylalaninium nitrate, C 9H 12NO 2+·NO 3-·3C 9H 11NO 2 (TPLPN), a new organic nonlinear optical material was grown from aqueous solution by slow evaporation solution growth at room temperature. The grown crystals were subjected to powder X-ray diffraction and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies to confirm the crystalline nature and crystal structure. The modes of vibration of different molecular groups present in TPLPN have been identified by FTIR spectral analysis. The presence of hydrogen and carbon in the grown crystal were confirmed by using proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral analyses. The optical transmission spectral study establishes good transmitting ability of the crystal in the entire visible region. The thermogravimetric (TG) and differential thermal analyses (DTA) were carried out to understand the thermal stability of the sample. The nonlinear optical property of the compound observed using Kurtz powder second harmonic generation test assets the suitability of the grown material for the frequency conversion of laser radiation of Nd:YAG.

Optical method for determining the mechanical properties of a material

DOEpatents

Maris, Humphrey J.; Stoner, Robert J.

1998-01-01

Disclosed is a method for characterizing a sample, comprising the steps of: (a) acquiring data from the sample using at least one probe beam wavelength to measure, for times less than a few nanoseconds, a change in the reflectivity of the sample induced by a pump beam; (b) analyzing the data to determine at least one material property by comparing a background signal component of the data with data obtained for a similar delay time range from one or more samples prepared under conditions known to give rise to certain physical and chemical material properties; and (c) analyzing a component of the measured time dependent reflectivity caused by ultrasonic waves generated by the pump beam using the at least one determined material property. The first step of analyzing may include a step of interpolating between reference samples to obtain an intermediate set of material properties. The material properties may include sound velocity, density, and optical constants. In one embodiment, only a correlation is made with the background signal, and at least one of the structural phase, grain orientation, and stoichiometry is determined.

Exotic Optical Fibers and Glasses: Innovative Material Processing Opportunities in Earth's Orbit.

PubMed

Cozmuta, Ioana; Rasky, Daniel J

2017-09-01

Exotic optical fibers and glasses are the platform material for photonics applications, primarily due to their superior signal transmission (speed, low attenuation), with extending bandwidth deep into the infrared, exceeding that of silica fibers. Gravitational effects (convection sedimentation) have a direct impact on the phase diagram of these materials and influence melting properties, crystallization temperatures, and viscosity of the elemental mix during the manufacturing process. Such factors constitute limits to the yield, transmission quality, and strength and value of these fibers; they also constrain the range of applications. Manufacturing in a gravity-free environment such as the Earth's Orbit also helps with other aspects of the fabrication process (i.e., improved form factor of the manufacturing unit, sustainability). In this article, revolutionary developments in the field of photonics over the past decade merge with the paradigm shift in the privatization of government-owned capabilities supporting a more diverse infrastructure (parabolic, suborbital, orbital), reduced price, and increased frequency to access space and the microgravity environment. With the increased dependence on data (demand, bandwidth, efficiency), space and the microgravity environment provide opportunities for optimized performance of these exotic optical fibers and glasses underlying the development of enabling technologies to meet future data demand. Existing terrestrial markets (Internet, telecommunications, market transactions) and emerging space markets (on-orbit satellite servicing, space manufacturing, space resources, space communications, etc.) seem to converge, and this innovative material processing opportunity of exotic optical fibers and glasses might just be that "killer app": technologically competitive, economically viable, and with the ability to close the business case.

Exotic Optical Fibers and Glasses: Innovative Material Processing Opportunities in Earth's Orbit

PubMed Central

Rasky, Daniel J.

2017-01-01

Abstract Exotic optical fibers and glasses are the platform material for photonics applications, primarily due to their superior signal transmission (speed, low attenuation), with extending bandwidth deep into the infrared, exceeding that of silica fibers. Gravitational effects (convection sedimentation) have a direct impact on the phase diagram of these materials and influence melting properties, crystallization temperatures, and viscosity of the elemental mix during the manufacturing process. Such factors constitute limits to the yield, transmission quality, and strength and value of these fibers; they also constrain the range of applications. Manufacturing in a gravity-free environment such as the Earth's Orbit also helps with other aspects of the fabrication process (i.e., improved form factor of the manufacturing unit, sustainability). In this article, revolutionary developments in the field of photonics over the past decade merge with the paradigm shift in the privatization of government-owned capabilities supporting a more diverse infrastructure (parabolic, suborbital, orbital), reduced price, and increased frequency to access space and the microgravity environment. With the increased dependence on data (demand, bandwidth, efficiency), space and the microgravity environment provide opportunities for optimized performance of these exotic optical fibers and glasses underlying the development of enabling technologies to meet future data demand. Existing terrestrial markets (Internet, telecommunications, market transactions) and emerging space markets (on-orbit satellite servicing, space manufacturing, space resources, space communications, etc.) seem to converge, and this innovative material processing opportunity of exotic optical fibers and glasses might just be that “killer app”: technologically competitive, economically viable, and with the ability to close the business case. PMID:29375939

Professional development in optics and photonics education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donnelly, Judith F.; Hanes, Fenna; Massa, Nicholas J.; Washburn, Barbara R.

2002-05-01

In recent years, several New England projects have promoted professional development and curriculum design in optics and photonics. Funded in part by the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program of the National Science Foundation (NSF), these projects have prepared middle and high school teachers, college faculty and career counselors from more than 100 New England institutions to introduce fiber optics, telecommunications and photonics technology education. Four of these projects will be discussed here: (1) The New England Board of Higher Education's (NEBHE) Fiber Optics Technology Education Project, (FOTEP) was designed to teach fiber optics theory and to provide laboratory experiences at the secondary and postsecondary levels. (2) Springfield Technical Community College's Northeast Center for Telecommunications Technologies (NCTT) is developing curricula and instructional materials in lightwave, networking and wireless telecommunications technologies. (3) The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics project ComTech developed a 12-week, hands-on curriculum and teaching strategies for middle and high school science and technology teachers in telecommunications and focused on optical communication (fiber optics). (4) NEBHE's project PHOTON is preparing middle, secondary and postsecondary instructors to introduce theory and laboratory experiences in photonics, including geometric and wave optics as well as principles of lasers and photonics applications.

Passive-quadrature demodulated localized-Michelson fiber-optic strain sensor embedded in composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valis, Tomas; Tapanes, Edward; Liu, Kexing; Measures, Raymond M.

1991-04-01

A strain sensor embedded in composite materials that is intrinsic, all fiber, local, and phase demodulated is described. It is the combination of these necessary elements that represents an advance in the state of the art. Sensor localization is achieved by using a pair of mirror-ended optical fibers of different lengths that are mechanically coupled up until the desired gauge length for common-mode suppression has been reached. This fiber-optic sensor has been embedded in both thermoset (Kevlar/epoxy and graphite/epoxy) and thermoplastic (graphite/PEEK) composite materials in order to make local strain measurements at the lamina level. The all-fiber system uses a 3 x 3 coupler for phase demodulation. Parameters such as strain sensitivity, transverse strain sensitivity, failure strain, and frequency response are discussed, along with applications.

Triboluminescent Materials for Smart Optical Damage Sensors for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aggarwal, M. D.; Penn, B. G.; Miller, J.; Sadate, S.; Batra, A. K.

2008-01-01

There is a need to develop a new technique of damage detection for composites, which could detect cracking or delamination from any desired location within a material structure in real time. Recently, triboluminescent materials have been proposed as smart sensors of structural damage. To sense the damage, these materials can be epoxy bonded, coated in a polymer matrix, or embedded in a composite host structure. When the damage or fracture takes place in the host structure, the resultant fracture of triboluminescent crystals creates a light emission. This will warn in real time that structural damage has occurred. The triboluminescent emission of the candidate phosphor has to be bright enough that the light reaching from the point of fracture to the detector through a fiber optic cable is detectable. There are a large number of triboluminescent materials, but few satisfy the above criterion. The authors have synthesized an organic material known as Europium tetrakis (dibenzoylmethide) triethylammonium (EuD4TEA), which is a potential candidate for application as a damage sensor and could be made into a wireless sensor with the addition of microchip, antenna, and electronics. Preliminary results on the synthesis and characterization of this material are presented.

Application of optical limiting materials in laser seeker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Yan-xiong; Wu, Dong-sheng; Zhang, Peng; Duan, Xiao-feng

2005-01-01

Seeker is the key component in the laser guided weapons. Although the seeker has many anti-jamming measures such as the narrowband filter in the front of the seeker and the tracking gate processing circuit in signal processing part, and these anti-jamming measures are always effective for the low power jamming laser. As far as the high power laser which can pass though the filter is concerned, it is easy to make the detector saturate, which will lead the seeker into losing the capturing and tracking capability for the target. In the past ten years, the applied research of organic nonlinear materials which is according to the optical limiting effect has had great development in the laser technology field. And some of these materials have been put into practicability phase. This kind of materials is characterized by its wide absorption spectrum, obvious nonlinear effect and quick response speed, all of which excel the mineral. If this kind of materials can be applied into the laser seeker, it will remedy the laser seeker's defect that its protective capability is weak for the high power jamming laser. The whole applied scheme is present in this paper. And the anti-jamming capability of seeker is analysed constructively before and after the organic matter is applied in the laser seeker. The result indicates that this kind of method is viable in theory.

Ink-jet printed fluorescent materials as light sources for planar optical waveguides on polymer foils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bollgruen, Patrick; Gleissner, Uwe; Wolfer, Tim; Megnin, Christof; Mager, Dario; Overmeyer, Ludger; Korvink, Jan G.; Hanemann, Thomas

2016-10-01

Polymer-based optical sensor networks on foils (planar optronic systems) are a promising research field, but it can be challenging to supply them with light. We present a solvent-free, ink-jet printable material system with optically active substances to create planar light sources for these networks. The ink is based on a UV-curable monomer, the fluorescent agents are EuDBMPhen or 9,10-diphenylantracene, which fluoresce at 612 or 430 nm, respectively. We demonstrate the application as light source by printing a small area of fluorescent material on an optical waveguide fabricated by flexographic printing on PMMA foil, resulting in a simple polymer-optical device fabricated entirely by additive deposition techniques. When excited by a 405-nm laser of 10 mW, the emitted light couples into the waveguide and appears at the end of the waveguide. In comparison to conventional light sources, the intensity is weak but could be detected with a photodiode power sensor. In return, the concept has the advantage of being completely independent of any electrical elements or external cable connections.

Integrated optical isolators using magnetic surface plasmon (Presentation Recording)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimizu, Hiromasa; Kaihara, Terunori; Umetsu, Saori; Hosoda, Masashi

2015-09-01

Optical isolators are one of the essential components to protect semiconductor laser diodes (LDs) from backward reflected light in integrated optics. In order to realize optical isolators, nonreciprocal propagation of light is necessary, which can be realized by magnetic materials. Semiconductor optical isolators have been strongly desired on Si and III/V waveguides. We have developed semiconductor optical isolators based on nonreciprocal loss owing to transverse magneto-optic Kerr effect, where the ferromagnetic metals are deposited on semiconductor optical waveguides1). Use of surface plasmon polariton at the interface of ferromagnetic metal and insulator leads to stronger optical confinement and magneto-optic effect. It is possible to modulate the optical confinement by changing the magnetic field direction, thus optical isolator operation is proposed2, 3). We have investigated surface plasmons at the interfaces between ferrimagnetic garnet/gold film, and applications to waveguide optical isolators. We assumed waveguides composed of Au/Si(38.63nm)/Ce:YIG(1700nm)/Si(220nm)/Si , and calculated the coupling lengths between Au/Si(38.63nm)/Ce:YIG plasmonic waveguide and Ce:YIG/Si(220nm)/Si waveguide for transversely magnetized Ce:YIG with forward and backward directions. The coupling length was calculated to 232.1um for backward propagating light. On the other hand, the coupling was not complete, and the length was calculated to 175.5um. The optical isolation by using the nonreciprocal coupling and propagation loss was calculated to be 43.7dB when the length of plasmonic waveguide is 700um. 1) H. Shimizu et al., J. Lightwave Technol. 24, 38 (2006). 2) V. Zayets et al., Materials, 5, 857-871 (2012). 3) J. Montoya, et al, J. Appl. Phys. 106, 023108, (2009).

Fabrication, sensation and control of fluidic elastomer actuators and their application towards hand orthotics and prosthetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Huichan

Due to their continuous and natural motion, fluidic elastomer actuators (FEAs) have shown potential in a range of robotic applications including prosthetics and orthotics. Despite their advantages and rapid developments, robots using these actuators still have several challenging issues to be addressed. First, the reliable production of low cost and complex actuators that can apply high forces is necessary, yet none of existing fabrication methods are both easy to implement and of high force output. Next, compliant or stretchable sensors that can be embedded into their bodies for sophisticated functions are required, however, many of these sensors suffer from hysteresis, fabrication complexity, chemical safety and environmental instability, and material incompatibility with soft actuators. Finally, feedback control for FEAs is necessary to achieve better performance, but most soft robots are still "open-loop". In this dissertation, I intend to help solve the above issues and drive the applications of soft robotics towards hand orthotics and prosthetics. First, I adapt rotational casting as a new manufacturing method for soft actuators. I present a cuboid soft actuator that can generate a force of >25 N at its tip, a near ten-fold increase over similar actuators previously reported. Next, I propose a soft orthotic finger with position control enabled via embedded optical fiber. I monitor both the static and dynamic states via the optical sensor and achieve the prescribed curvatures accurately and with stability by a gain-scheduled proportional-integral-derivative controller. Then I develop the soft orthotic fingers into a low-cost, closed-loop controlled, soft orthotic glove that can be worn by a typical human hand and helpful for grasping light objects, while also providing finger position control. I achieve motion control with inexpensive, binary pneumatic switches controlled by a simple finite-state-machine. Finally, I report the first use of stretchable optical

Optically reconfigurable metasurfaces and photonic devices based on phase change materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qian; Rogers, Edward T. F.; Gholipour, Behrad; Wang, Chih-Ming; Yuan, Guanghui; Teng, Jinghua; Zheludev, Nikolay I.

2016-01-01

Photonic components with adjustable parameters, such as variable-focal-length lenses or spectral filters, which can change functionality upon optical stimulation, could offer numerous useful applications. Tuning of such components is conventionally achieved by either micro- or nanomechanical actuation of their constituent parts, by stretching or by heating. Here, we report a novel approach for making reconfigurable optical components that are created with light in a non-volatile and reversible fashion. Such components are written, erased and rewritten as two-dimensional binary or greyscale patterns into a nanoscale film of phase-change material by inducing a refractive-index-changing phase transition with tailored trains of femtosecond pulses. We combine germanium-antimony-tellurium-based films with a diffraction-limited resolution optical writing process to demonstrate a variety of devices: visible-range reconfigurable bichromatic and multi-focus Fresnel zone plates, a super-oscillatory lens with subwavelength focus, a greyscale hologram, and a dielectric metamaterial with on-demand reflection and transmission resonances.

Microstructured Optical Fiber Sensors Embedded in a Laminate Composite for Smart Material Applications

PubMed Central

Sonnenfeld, Camille; Sulejmani, Sanne; Geernaert, Thomas; Eve, Sophie; Lammens, Nicolas; Luyckx, Geert; Voet, Eli; Degrieck, Joris; Urbanczyk, Waclaw; Mergo, Pawel; Becker, Martin; Bartelt, Hartmut; Berghmans, Francis; Thienpont, Hugo

2011-01-01

Fiber Bragg gratings written in highly birefringent microstructured optical fiber with a dedicated design are embedded in a composite fiber-reinforced polymer. The Bragg peak wavelength shifts are measured under controlled axial and transversal strain and during thermal cycling of the composite sample. We obtain a sensitivity to transversal strain that exceeds values reported earlier in literature by one order of magnitude. Our results evidence the relevance of using microstructured optical fibers for structural integrity monitoring of composite material structures. PMID:22163755

Development of Pupils' Transfer Skills by Means of Hands On Activities with Artisan Materials in Natural Sciences Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciascai, Liliana; Chicinas, Luminita

2008-01-01

Hands on activities with artisan materials used in order to realize different practical devices helpful in learning process are one of the most frequently used activity in science classes. Usually, the main strength of these activities are: a deeper learning, an increased motivation of pupils for actively learning and development of practical…

Hand osteoarthritis: an epidemiological perspective.

PubMed

Kalichman, Leonid; Hernández-Molina, Gabriela

2010-06-01

Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent condition with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations. We review herein the prevalence, impact on hand function, and various risk factors related to hand OA. PubMed and MEDLINE databases (1950-2009) were searched for the keywords: "hand," "hand osteoarthritis," "distal interphalangeal," "proximal interphalangeal," "metacarpophalangeal," and "carpometacarpal." Published material emphasizing cohort, cross-sectional, and case-control studies regarding epidemiology, clinical features, functional impairment, and associated risk factors of hand OA were included. Hand OA is a heterogeneous, age- and gender-dependent disorder, occurring more frequently in women over 50 years of age. In the elderly population, the prevalence of radiographic hand OA can reach 80%. OA has a strong genetic predisposition, apparently gender- and phenotype-specific. A history of heavy manual labor or a repetitive use of the hand also has been linked to OA. Other variables such as weight, smoking, joint hyperlaxity, age of menarche, bone and cartilage mineralization factors, grip strength, and handedness may play a role. Symptomatic hand OA may cause functional impairment due to loss of strength, thus limiting the individual's ability to perform daily tasks. Several risk factors for hand OA have been identified; however, their interrelationship is not clearly understood. The development of preventive strategies and future research goals is needed. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fiber-optic proximity sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bejczy, A. K.; Hermann, W. A.; Primus, H. C.

1980-01-01

Proximity sensor for mechanical hand of remote manipulator incorporates fiber optics to conduct signals between light source and light detector. Fiber optics are not prone to noise from electromagnetic interference and radio-frequency interference as are sensors using long electrical cables.

Chiral optical response of planar and symmetric nanotrimers enabled by heteromaterial selection.

PubMed

Banzer, Peter; Woźniak, Paweł; Mick, Uwe; De Leon, Israel; Boyd, Robert W

2016-10-13

Chirality is an intriguing property of certain molecules, materials or artificial nanostructures, which allows them to interact with the spin angular momentum of the impinging light field. Due to their chiral geometry, they can distinguish between left- and right-hand circular polarization states or convert them into each other. Here we introduce an approach towards optical chirality, which is observed in individual two-dimensional and geometrically mirror-symmetric nanostructures. In this scheme, the chiral optical response is induced by the chosen heterogeneous material composition of a particle assembly and the corresponding resonance behaviour of the constituents it is built from, which breaks the symmetry of the system. As a proof of principle, we investigate such a structure composed of individual silicon and gold nanoparticles both experimentally, as well as numerically. Our proposed concept constitutes an approach for designing two-dimensional chiral media tailored at the nanoscale, allowing for high tunability of their optical response.

Chiral optical response of planar and symmetric nanotrimers enabled by heteromaterial selection

PubMed Central

Banzer, Peter; Woźniak, Paweł; Mick, Uwe; De Leon, Israel; Boyd, Robert W.

2016-01-01

Chirality is an intriguing property of certain molecules, materials or artificial nanostructures, which allows them to interact with the spin angular momentum of the impinging light field. Due to their chiral geometry, they can distinguish between left- and right-hand circular polarization states or convert them into each other. Here we introduce an approach towards optical chirality, which is observed in individual two-dimensional and geometrically mirror-symmetric nanostructures. In this scheme, the chiral optical response is induced by the chosen heterogeneous material composition of a particle assembly and the corresponding resonance behaviour of the constituents it is built from, which breaks the symmetry of the system. As a proof of principle, we investigate such a structure composed of individual silicon and gold nanoparticles both experimentally, as well as numerically. Our proposed concept constitutes an approach for designing two-dimensional chiral media tailored at the nanoscale, allowing for high tunability of their optical response. PMID:27734960

Sensor materials for an intravascular fiber optic nitric oxide sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soller, Babs R.; Parikh, Bhairavi R.; Stahl, Russell F.

1996-04-01

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important regulatory molecule in physiological processes including neurotransmission and the control of blood pressure. It is produced in excess during septic shock, the profound hypotensive state which accompanies severe infections. In-vivo measurement of NO would enhance the understanding of its varied biological roles. Our goal is the development of an intravascular fiber-optic sensor for the continuous measurement of NO. This study evaluated nitric oxide sensitive compounds as potential sensing materials in the presence and absence of oxygen. Using absorption spectroscopy we studied both the Fe II and Fe III forms of three biologically active hemes known to rapidly react with NO: hemoglobin, myoglobin, and cytochrome-c. The Fe II forms of hemoglobin and myoglobin and the Fe III form of cytochrome-c were found to have the highest sensitivity to NO. Cytochrome c (Fe III) is selective for NO even at high oxygen levels, while myoglobin is selective only under normal oxygen levels. NO concentrations as low as 1 (mu) M can be detected with our fiber-optic spectrometer using cytochrome c, and as low as 300 nM using myoglobin. Either of these materials would be adequate to monitor the increase in nitric oxide production during the onset of septic shock.

Nano-composite magnetic material embedded on TiO2 pillars to realize magneto-optical resonant guided mode gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varghese, B.; Gamet, E.; Jamon, D.; Neveu, S.; Berthod, L.; Shavdina, O.; Reynaud, S.; Verrier, I.; Veillas, C.; Royer, F.

2016-02-01

Periodic structuration of magnetic material is a way to enhance the magneto-optical behavior of optical devices like isolators. It is useful to reduce the footprint of such integrated devices or to improve their features. However, the structuration and/or integration of efficient magnetic materials on photonic platforms is still a difficult problem, because classical magneto-optical materials require an annealing temperature as high as 700°C. A novel wafer-scale approach is to incorporate that material into an already structured template through a single step deposition at low temperature. Using the dip-coating method, a magneto-optical thin film (~300nm) of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles in silica matrix prepared by sol-gel technique was coated on a 1D and 2D TiO2 subwavelength gratings. Such gratings were realized by the patterning of TiO2 films obtained by a sol-gel process. It was confirmed by Scanning Electron Microscope images that the magneto-optical composite completely occupies the voids of the 2D structuration showing a good compatibility between both materials. This composite shows a specific Faraday rotation of about 200°cm-1 at 1,5μm for 1% of volume fraction of nanoparticles. Spectral studies of the transmission and the reflection of a 1D TiO2 grating filled with the MO composite have evidenced the presence of a guided-mode optical resonance at 1,55μm. The position of this resonance was confirmed by numerical simulations, as well as its quite low efficiency. Based on simulations results, one can conclude that an increase of the grating depth is required to improve the efficiency of the resonance.

Generalized Oseen transformation for and enhancement of Bragg characteristics of electro-optic structurally chiral materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakhtakia, Akhlesh

2006-05-01

The Oseen transformation is generalized to define a non-electro-optic structurally chiral material, wherein propagation along the axis of chirality is equivalent to that in an electro-optic SCM with local 4¯2m point group symmetry. This generalization shows that the exploitation of the Pockels effect amounts to an enhancement of the effective local birefringence, which in turn can enhance the characteristics of the circular Bragg phenomenon. Electro-optic SCMs can therefore serve as efficient and electrically controllable circular- and elliptical-polarization rejection filters.

Combined effects of nonparaxiality, optical activity, and walk-off on rogue wave propagation in optical fibers filled with chiral materials.

PubMed

Temgoua, D D Estelle; Tchokonte, M B Tchoula; Kofane, T C

2018-04-01

The generalized nonparaxial nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation in optical fibers filled with chiral materials is reduced to the higher-order integrable Hirota equation. Based on the modified Darboux transformation method, the nonparaxial chiral optical rogue waves are constructed from the scalar model with modulated coefficients. We show that the parameters of nonparaxiality, third-order dispersion, and differential gain or loss term are the main keys to control the amplitude, linear, and nonlinear effects in the model. Moreover, the influence of nonparaxiality, optical activity, and walk-off effect are also evidenced under the defocusing and focusing regimes of the vector nonparaxial NLS equations with constant and modulated coefficients. Through an algorithm scheme of wider applicability on nonparaxial beam propagation methods, the most influential effect and the simultaneous controllability of combined effects are underlined, showing their properties and their potential applications in optical fibers and in a variety of complex dynamical systems.

Combined effects of nonparaxiality, optical activity, and walk-off on rogue wave propagation in optical fibers filled with chiral materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Temgoua, D. D. Estelle; Tchokonte, M. B. Tchoula; Kofane, T. C.

2018-04-01

The generalized nonparaxial nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation in optical fibers filled with chiral materials is reduced to the higher-order integrable Hirota equation. Based on the modified Darboux transformation method, the nonparaxial chiral optical rogue waves are constructed from the scalar model with modulated coefficients. We show that the parameters of nonparaxiality, third-order dispersion, and differential gain or loss term are the main keys to control the amplitude, linear, and nonlinear effects in the model. Moreover, the influence of nonparaxiality, optical activity, and walk-off effect are also evidenced under the defocusing and focusing regimes of the vector nonparaxial NLS equations with constant and modulated coefficients. Through an algorithm scheme of wider applicability on nonparaxial beam propagation methods, the most influential effect and the simultaneous controllability of combined effects are underlined, showing their properties and their potential applications in optical fibers and in a variety of complex dynamical systems.

International Collaboration Program in Innovative Chemical Processing of Superior Electronic and Optical Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-06-01

Peyghambarian for X(3) measurements. 3. Research on Nonlinear Optical Materials based on Ultrafine Metal Clusters in ORMOSILS Another family of ultrafine ... particles which, when dispersed in a glassy matrix, has been show to have high X(3) involves metal clusters. Because of the importance of obtaining...NSG Workshop on: Science and Application of Photonic Materials II, Osaka, Japan, November (1992). Haixing, Z., and Mackenzie, J.D., " Ultrafine

Handbook of the optical, thermal and mechanical properties of six polycrystalline dielectric materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dewitt, D. P.

1972-01-01

The design data for six polycrystalline dielectric materials are presented to describe the optical, thermal, and mechanical properties. The materials are aluminum oxide, calcium fluoride, magnesium fluoride, magnesium oxide, silicon dioxide, and titanium dioxide. The primary interest is in the polycrystalline state, although single crystal data are included when appropriate. The temperature range is room temperature to melting point. The wavelength range is from near ultraviolet to near infrared.

Coherent Magnetic Response at Optical Frequencies Using Atomic Transitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brewer, Nicholas R.; Buckholtz, Zachary N.; Simmons, Zachary J.; Mueller, Eli A.; Yavuz, Deniz D.

2017-01-01

In optics, the interaction of atoms with the magnetic field of light is almost always ignored since its strength is many orders of magnitude weaker compared to the interaction with the electric field. In this article, by using a magnetic-dipole transition within the 4 f shell of europium ions, we show a strong interaction between a green laser and an ensemble of atomic ions. The electrons move coherently between the ground and excited ionic levels (Rabi flopping) by interacting with the magnetic field of the laser. By measuring the Rabi flopping frequency as the laser intensity is varied, we report the first direct measurement of a magnetic-dipole matrix element in the optical region of the spectrum. Using density-matrix simulations of the ensemble, we infer the generation of coherent magnetization with magnitude 5.5 ×10-3 A /m , which is capable of generating left-handed electromagnetic waves of intensity 1 nW /cm2 . These results open up the prospect of constructing left-handed materials using sharp transitions of atoms.

FOREX-A Fiber Optics Diagnostic System For Study Of Materials At High Temperatures And Pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, D. E.; Roeske, F.

1983-03-01

We have successfully fielded a Fiber Optics Radiation EXperiment system (FOREX) designed for measuring material properties at high temperatures and pressures on an underground nuclear test. The system collects light from radiating materials and transmits it through several hundred meters of optical fibers to a recording station consisting of a streak camera with film readout. The use of fiber optics provides a faster time response than can presently be obtained with equalized coaxial cables over comparable distances. Fibers also have significant cost and physical size advantages over coax cables. The streak camera achieves a much higher information density than an equivalent oscilloscope system, and it also serves as the light detector. The result is a wide bandwidth high capacity system that can be fielded at a relatively low cost in manpower, space, and materials. For this experiment, the streak camera had a 120 ns time window with a 1.2 ns time resolution. Dynamic range for the system was about 1000. Beam current statistical limitations were approximately 8% for a 0.3 ns wide data point at one decade above the threshold recording intensity.

Cooperative enhancement of the nonlinear optical response in conjugated energetic materials: A TD-DFT study

DOE PAGES

Sifain, Andrew E.; Tadesse, Loza F.; Bjorgaard, Josiah August; ...

2017-03-21

Conjugated energetic molecules (CEMs) are a class of explosives with high nitrogen content that posses both enhanced safety and energetic performance properties and are ideal for direct optical initiation. As isolated molecules, they absorb within the range of conventional lasers. Crystalline CEMs are used in practice, however, and their properties can differ due to intermolecular interaction. Herein, time-dependent density functional theory was used to investigate one-photon absorption (OPA) and two-photon absorption (TPA) of monomers and dimers obtained from experimentally determined crystal structures of CEMs. OPA scales linearly with the number of chromophore units, while TPA scales nonlinearly, where a moremore » than 3-fold enhancement in peak intensity, per chromophore unit, is calculated. Cooperative enhancement depends on electronic delocalization spanning both chromophore units. An increase in sensitivity to nonlinear laser initiation makes these materials suitable for practical use. This is the first study predicting a cooperative enhancement of the nonlinear optical response in energetic materials composed of relatively small molecules. Finally, the proposed model quantum chemistry is validated by comparison to crystal structure geometries and the optical absorption of these materials dissolved in solution.« less

Transmittance of optical materials from 0.17 micro to 3.0 micro.

PubMed

McCarthy, D E

1967-11-01

The transmittance of thirty-one optical materials is given from 0.17, micro to 3.0 micro. Included are NaCl, KBr, CsBr, CsI, CaF(2), BaF(2), NaF, TlBr, TICL, KRS-5, KRS-6, T-12, KC, CuC, T O(2), ADP, KDP, SrTiO(3), GaP, CaCO(3), CdSe, As(2)S(3), ruby, Al(2)O(3), Irtran 1-6, and quartz. All are synthetic with the exception of CaCO(3). In many cases, the short wavelength cutoff of the synthetic materials is less than that which has been reported for naturally occurring materials.

Hand-Clap Songs across the Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batchelor, Katherine E.; Bintz, William P.

2012-01-01

This teaching tip focuses on using hand-clapping to teach content area material across the curriculum. We begin with a brief history of hand-clap songs, followed by a rationale for using them in content area literacy. Then, we describe the instructional lesson, share samples that resulted, and discuss lesson extensions. Our goal is to have…

Overview of Fiber Optic Sensor Technologies for Strain/Temperature Sensing Applications in Composite Materials

PubMed Central

Ramakrishnan, Manjusha; Rajan, Ginu; Semenova, Yuliya; Farrell, Gerald

2016-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the different types of fiber optic sensors (FOS) that can be used with composite materials and also their compatibility with and suitability for embedding inside a composite material. An overview of the different types of FOS used for strain/temperature sensing in composite materials is presented. Recent trends, and future challenges for FOS technology for condition monitoring in smart composite materials are also discussed. This comprehensive review provides essential information for the smart materials industry in selecting of appropriate types of FOS in accordance with end-user requirements. PMID:26784192

Crystal growth, structural, optical, spectral and thermal studies of tris(L-phenylalanine)L-phenylalaninium nitrate: a new organic nonlinear optical material.

PubMed

Prakash, M; Geetha, D; Lydia Caroline, M

2011-10-15

Tris(L-phenylalanine)L-phenylalaninium nitrate, C(9)H(12)NO(2)(+)·NO(3)(-)·3C(9)H(11)NO(2) (TPLPN), a new organic nonlinear optical material was grown from aqueous solution by slow evaporation solution growth at room temperature. The grown crystals were subjected to powder X-ray diffraction and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies to confirm the crystalline nature and crystal structure. The modes of vibration of different molecular groups present in TPLPN have been identified by FTIR spectral analysis. The presence of hydrogen and carbon in the grown crystal were confirmed by using proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral analyses. The optical transmission spectral study establishes good transmitting ability of the crystal in the entire visible region. The thermogravimetric (TG) and differential thermal analyses (DTA) were carried out to understand the thermal stability of the sample. The nonlinear optical property of the compound observed using Kurtz powder second harmonic generation test assets the suitability of the grown material for the frequency conversion of laser radiation of Nd:YAG. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical method for determining the mechanical properties of a material

DOEpatents

Maris, H.J.; Stoner, R.J.

1998-12-01

Disclosed is a method for characterizing a sample, comprising the steps of: (a) acquiring data from the sample using at least one probe beam wavelength to measure, for times less than a few nanoseconds, a change in the reflectivity of the sample induced by a pump beam; (b) analyzing the data to determine at least one material property by comparing a background signal component of the data with data obtained for a similar delay time range from one or more samples prepared under conditions known to give rise to certain physical and chemical material properties; and (c) analyzing a component of the measured time dependent reflectivity caused by ultrasonic waves generated by the pump beam using the at least one determined material property. The first step of analyzing may include a step of interpolating between reference samples to obtain an intermediate set of material properties. The material properties may include sound velocity, density, and optical constants. In one embodiment, only a correlation is made with the background signal, and at least one of the structural phase, grain orientation, and stoichiometry is determined. 14 figs.

Roles of epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) and mu-near-zero (MNZ) materials in optical metatronic circuit networks.

PubMed

Abbasi, Fereshteh; Engheta, Nader

2014-10-20

The concept of metamaterial-inspired nanocircuits, dubbed metatronics, was introduced in [Science 317, 1698 (2007); Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 095504 (2005)]. It was suggested how optical lumped elements (nanoelements) can be made using subwavelength plasmonic or non-plasmonic particles. As a result, the optical metatronic equivalents of a number of electronic circuits, such as frequency mixers and filters, were suggested. In this work we further expand the concept of electronic lumped element networks into optical metatronic circuits and suggest a conceptual model applicable to various metatronic passive networks. In particular, we differentiate between the series and parallel networks using epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) and mu-near-zero (MNZ) materials. We employ layered structures with subwavelength thicknesses for the nanoelements as the building blocks of collections of metatronic networks. Furthermore, we explore how by choosing the non-zero constitutive parameters of the materials with specific dispersions, either Drude or Lorentzian dispersion with suitable parameters, capacitive and inductive responses can be achieved in both series and parallel networks. Next, we proceed with the one-to-one analogy between electronic circuits and optical metatronic filter layered networks and justify our analogies by comparing the frequency response of the two paradigms. Finally, we examine the material dispersion of near-zero relative permittivity as well as other physically important material considerations such as losses.

Amorphous and crystalline optical materials used as instruments for high gamma radiation doses estimations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ioan, M.-R.

2016-06-01

Nuclear radiation induce some changes to the structure of exposed materials. The main effect of ionizing radiation when interacting with optical materials is the occurrence of color centers, which are quantitatively proportional to the up-taken doses. In this paper, a relation between browning effect magnitude and dose values was found. Using this relation, the estimation of a gamma radiation dose can be done. By using two types of laser wavelengths (532 nm and 633 nm), the optical powers transmitted thru glass samples irradiated to different doses between 0 and 59.1 kGy, were measured and the associated optical browning densities were determined. The use of laser light gives the opportunity of using its particularities: monochromaticity, directionality and coherence. Polarized light was also used for enhancing measurements quality. These preliminary results bring the opportunity of using glasses as detectors for the estimation of the dose in a certain point in space and for certain energy, especially in particles accelerators experiments, where the occurred nuclear reactions are involving the presence of high gamma rays fields.

Reversible optical switching of highly confined phonon-polaritons with an ultrathin phase-change material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Peining; Yang, Xiaosheng; Maß, Tobias W. W.; Hanss, Julian; Lewin, Martin; Michel, Ann-Katrin U.; Wuttig, Matthias; Taubner, Thomas

2016-08-01

Surface phonon-polaritons (SPhPs), collective excitations of photons coupled with phonons in polar crystals, enable strong light-matter interaction and numerous infrared nanophotonic applications. However, as the lattice vibrations are determined by the crystal structure, the dynamical control of SPhPs remains challenging. Here, we realize the all-optical, non-volatile, and reversible switching of SPhPs by controlling the structural phase of a phase-change material (PCM) employed as a switchable dielectric environment. We experimentally demonstrate optical switching of an ultrathin PCM film (down to 7 nm, <λ/1,200) with single laser pulses and detect ultra-confined SPhPs (polariton wavevector kp > 70k0, k0 = 2π/λ) in quartz. Our proof of concept allows the preparation of all-dielectric, rewritable SPhP resonators without the need for complex fabrication methods. With optimized materials and parallelized optical addressing we foresee application potential for switchable infrared nanophotonic elements, for example, imaging elements such as superlenses and hyperlenses, as well as reconfigurable metasurfaces and sensors.

Effect of substrate material selection on polychromatic integral diffraction efficiency for multilayer diffractive optics in oblique incident situation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Bo; Cui, Qingfeng; Piao, Mingxu

2018-05-01

The effect of substrate material selection for multilayer diffractive optical elements (MLDOEs) on polychromatic integral diffraction efficiency (PIDE) is studied in the oblique incident situation. A mathematical model of substrate material selection is proposed to obtain the high PIDE with large incident angle. The extended expression of the microstructure heights with consideration of incident angle is deduced to calculate the PIDE difference Δ η bar(λ) for different substrate material combinations. The smaller value of Δ η bar(λ) indicates the more optimal substrate material combination in a wide incident angle range. Based on the deduced mathematical model, different MLDOEs are analyzed in visible and infrared wavebands. The results show that the three-layer DOEs can be applied in larger incident angle situation than the double-layer DOEs in visible waveband. When the two substrate materials are the same, polycarbonate (PC) is more reasonable than poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as the middle filling optical material for the three-layer DOEs. In the infrared waveband, the PIDE decreases in the LWIR are obviously smaller than that in the MWIR for the same substrate material combination, and the PIDE cannot be calculated when the incident angle larger than critical angle. The analysis results can be used to guide the hybrid optical system design with MLDOEs.

Organic-inorganic hybrid material SUNCONNECT® for photonic integrated circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nawata, Hideyuki; Oshima, Juro; Kashino, Tsubasa

2018-02-01

In this paper, we report the feature and properties about organic-inorganic hybrid material, "SUNCONNECT®" for photonic integrated circuit. "SUNCONNECT®" materials have low propagation loss at 1310nm (0.29dB/cm) and 1550nm (0.45dB/cm) respectively. In addition, the material has high thermal resistance both high temperature annealing test at 300°C and also 260°C solder heat resistance test. For actual device application, high reliability is required. 85°C /85% test was examined by using multi-mode waveguide. As a result, it indicated that variation of insertion loss property was not changed significantly after high temperature / high humidity test. For the application to photonic integrated circuit, it was demonstrated to fabricate polymer optical waveguide by using three different methods. Single-micron core pattern can be fabricated on cladding layer by using UV lithography with proximity gap exposure. Also, single-mode waveguide can be also fabricated with over cladding. On the other hands, "Mosquito method" and imprint method can be applied to fabricate polymer optical waveguide. Remarkably, these two methods can fabricate gradedindex type optical waveguide without using photo mask. In order to evaluate the optical performance, NFP's observation, measurement of insertion loss and propagation loss by cut-back methods were carried out by using each waveguide sample.

Fiber optic connector

DOEpatents

Rajic, Slobodan; Muhs, Jeffrey D.

1996-01-01

A fiber optic connector and method for connecting composite materials within which optical fibers are imbedded. The fiber optic connector includes a capillary tube for receiving optical fibers at opposing ends. The method involves inserting a first optical fiber into the capillary tube and imbedding the unit in the end of a softened composite material. The capillary tube is injected with a coupling medium which subsequently solidifies. The composite material is machined to a desired configuration. An external optical fiber is then inserted into the capillary tube after fluidizing the coupling medium, whereby the optical fibers are coupled.

Fiber optic connector

DOEpatents

Rajic, S.; Muhs, J.D.

1996-10-22

A fiber optic connector and method for connecting composite materials within which optical fibers are imbedded are disclosed. The fiber optic connector includes a capillary tube for receiving optical fibers at opposing ends. The method involves inserting a first optical fiber into the capillary tube and imbedding the unit in the end of a softened composite material. The capillary tube is injected with a coupling medium which subsequently solidifies. The composite material is machined to a desired configuration. An external optical fiber is then inserted into the capillary tube after fluidizing the coupling medium, whereby the optical fibers are coupled. 3 figs.

Optical filter based on Fabry-Perot structure using a suspension of goethite nanoparticles as electro-optic material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbas, Samir; Dupont, Laurent; Dozov, Ivan; Davidson, Patrick; Chanéac, Corinne

2018-02-01

We have investigated the feasibility of optical tunable filters based on a Fabry-Perot etalon that uses a suspension of goethite (α-FeOOH) nanorods as electro-optic material for application in optical telecommunications in the near IR range. These synthetic nanoparticles have a high optical anisotropy that give rise to a very strong Kerr effect in their colloidal suspensions. Currently, these particles are dispersed in aqueous solvent, with pH2 to ensure the colloidal electrostatic stability. However, the high conductivity of these suspensions requires using high-frequency electric fields (f > 1 MHz), which brings about a high power consumption of the driver. To decrease the field frequency, we have changed the solvent to ethylene glycol which has a lower electrical conductivity than the aqueous solvent. We have built a Fabry-Perot cell, filled with this colloidal suspension in the isotropic phase, and showed that a phase shift of 14 nm can be obtained in a field of 3V/μm. Therefore, the device can operate as a tunable filter. A key advantage of this filter is that it is, by principle, completely insensitive to the polarization of the input light. However, several technological issues still need to be solved, such as ionic contamination of the suspension from the blocking layers, and dielectrophoretic and thermal effects.

Quasi-optic millimeter-wave device application of liquid crystal material by using porous PMMA matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nose, T.; Watanabe, Y.; Kon, A.; Ito, R.; Honma, M.

2018-02-01

Recently, millimeter-waves (MMWs) have become indispensable for application in next-generation high-speed wireless communication i.e., 5G, in addition to conventional applications such as in automobile collision avoidance radars and airport security inspection systems. Some manageable devices to control MMW propagation will be necessary with the development of this new technology field. We believe that liquid crystal (LC) devices are one of the major candidates for such applications because it is known that LC materials are excellent electro-optic materials. However, as the wavelength of MMWs is extremely longer than the optics region, extremely thick LC layers are necessary if we choose the quasioptic approach to attain LC MMW control devices. Therefore, we adopt a PDLC structure to attain the extremely thick LC layers by using porous (polymethyl methacrylate) PMMA materials, which can be easily obtained using a solvent consisting of a mixture of ethanol/water and a little heating. In this work, we focus on Fresnel lens, which is an important quasi-optic device for MMW application, to introduce a tunable property by using LC materials. Here, we adopt the thin film deposition method to obtain a porous PMMA matrix with the aim of obtaining final composite structure based on the Fresnel substrate. First, the fundamental material properties of porous PMMA are investigated to control the microscopic porous structure. Then, the LC-MMW Fresnel lens substrate is prepared using a 3D printer, and the fundamental MMW focusing properties of the prototype composite Fresnel structure are investigated.

Modified Powder-in-Tube Technique Based on the Consolidation Processing of Powder Materials for Fabricating Specialty Optical Fibers

PubMed Central

Auguste, Jean-Louis; Humbert, Georges; Leparmentier, Stéphanie; Kudinova, Maryna; Martin, Pierre-Olivier; Delaizir, Gaëlle; Schuster, Kay; Litzkendorf, Doris

2014-01-01

The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the interest of a consolidation process associated with the powder-in-tube technique in order to fabricate a long length of specialty optical fibers. This so-called Modified Powder-in-Tube (MPIT) process is very flexible and paves the way to multimaterial optical fiber fabrications with different core and cladding glassy materials. Another feature of this technique lies in the sintering of the preform under reducing or oxidizing atmosphere. The fabrication of such optical fibers implies different constraints that we have to deal with, namely chemical species diffusion or mechanical stress due to the mismatches between thermal expansion coefficients and working temperatures of the fiber materials. This paper focuses on preliminary results obtained with a lanthano-aluminosilicate glass used as the core material for the fabrication of all-glass fibers or specialty Photonic Crystal Fibers (PCFs). To complete the panel of original microstructures now available by the MPIT technique, we also present several optical fibers in which metallic particles or microwires are included into a silica-based matrix. PMID:28788176

Comparison of optical localization techniques for optical coherence tomography of the hand for multi-fraction orthovoltage radiotherapy or photodynamic therapy: white light vs. optical surface imaging (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakubovic, Raphael; Bains, Amitpal; Ramjist, Joel; Babic, Steve; Chin, Lee; Barnes, Elizabeth; Yang, Victor X. D.

2017-02-01

Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is considered the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States and Canada. Treatment options include radiotherapy, surgical excision, radiotherapy, topical therapies, electrocautery, and cryotherapy. For patients undergoing fractionated orthovoltage radiation therapy or photodynamic therapy (PDT), the lesions are typically delineated by clinical markup prior to treatment without providing any information about the underlying tissue thus increasing the risk of geographic miss. The development of biomarkers for response in NMSC is imperative considering the current treatment paradigm is based on clinical examination and biopsy confirmation. Therefore, a non-invasive image-based evaluation of skin structure would allow for faster and potentially more comprehensive microscopic evaluation of the treated region at the point of care. To address this, our group is investigating the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for pre- and post- treatment evaluation of NMSC lesions during radiation therapy and PDT. Localization of the OCT probe for follow-up is complex, especially in the context of treatment response where the lesion is not present, precluding accurate delineation of the planning treatment area. Further, comparison to standard white light pre-treatment images is limited by the scale of the OCT probe (6 mm X 6 mm) relative to target region. In this study we compare the set-up accuracy of a typical OCT probe to detect a theoretical lesion on a patient's hand. White light images, optical surface imaging (OSI) and OCT will be obtained at baseline and used for probe set up on subsequent scans. Set-up error will be quantified using advanced image processing techniques.

Defect center characteristics of silica optical fiber material by gamma ray radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Wenyun; Xiao, Zhongyin; Wen, Jianxiang; Yin, Jianchong; Chen, Zhenyi; Wang, Zihua; Wang, Tingyun

2011-12-01

Defect centers play a major role in the radiation-induced transmission loss for silica optical fibers. We have investigated characteristics of the best known defect centers E' in silica optical fiber material irradiated with γ ray at room temperature, and measured by using electron spin resonance (ESR) and spectrophotometer. The results show that the defect concentrations increase linearly with radiation doses from 1kGy to 50kGy. We have established the mechanism models of radiation induced defect centers' formation. We have also studied the influences of thermal annealing on defect centers. The radiation induced defect centers can be efficiently decreased by thermal annealing. Particularly, the defect concentration is less than the initial one when the temperature of thermal annealing is over 500°C for our silica samples. These phenomena can also be explained by the optical absorption spectra we have obtained.

Sub-250nm room temperature optical gain from AlGaN materials with strong compositional fluctuations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pecora, Emanuele; Zhang, Wei; Sun, Haiding; Nikiforov, A.; Yin, Jian; Paiella, Roberto; Moustakas, Theodore; Dal Negro, Luca

2013-03-01

Compact and portable deep-UV LEDs and laser sources are needed for a number of engineering applications including optical communications, gas sensing, biochemical agent detection, disinfection, biotechnology and medical diagnostics. We investigate the deep-UV optical emission and gain properties of AlxGa1-xN/AlyGa1-yN multiple quantum wells structure. These structures were grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on 6H-SiC substrates resulting in either homogeneous wells or various degrees of band-structure compositional fluctuations in the form of cluster-like features within the wells. We measured the TE-polarized amplified spontaneous emission in the sample with cluster-like features and quantified the optical absorption/gain coefficients and gain spectra by the Variable Stripe Length (VSL) technique under ultrafast optical pumping. We report blue-shift and narrowing of the emission, VSL traces, gain spectra, polarization studies, and the validity of the Schalow-Townes relation to demonstrate a maximum net modal gain of 120 cm-1 at 250 nm in the sample with strong compositional fluctuations. Moreover, we measure a very low gain threshold (15 μJ/cm2) . On the other hand, we found that samples with homogeneous quantum wells lead to absorption only. In addition, we report gain measurements in graded-index-separate-confined heterostructure (GRINSCH) designed to increase the device optical confinement factor.

Understanding of Prospective Physics Teachers Students Toward Pedagogical Content Knowledge on Optical Geometry Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erwin, E.; Rustaman, N. Y.

2017-09-01

This article discusses about Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) profile of prospective physics teachers on optical geometry materials. Data collected using interview and questionnaire, and the data were analyzed descriptively. The results showed that PCK is an unfamiliar term to students. The extreme findings in this study is the lack of understanding of PCK by prospective physics teachers relating to the importance of recognizing the characteristics of students and how to manage questions from students, which teacher has to directly answer questions from students, and how to respond to the students’ incorrect answer, mostly prospective physics teachers assume that in case of the students answer incorrectly, the students should be directly blamed. Prospective physics teachers have not yet integrated the pedagogical knowledge with the content knowledge in their possess learning it he optical geometry material.

High sensitivity spectroscopic and thermal characterization of cooling efficiency for optical refrigeration materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melgaard, Seth D.; Seletskiy, Denis V.; Di Lieto, Alberto; Tonelli, Mauro; Sheik-Bahae, Mansoor

2012-03-01

Since recent demonstration of cryogenic optical refrigeration, a need for reliable characterization tools of cooling performance of different materials is in high demand. We present our experimental apparatus that allows for temperature and wavelength dependent characterization of the materials' cooling efficiency and is based on highly sensitive spectral differencing technique or two-band differential spectral metrology (2B-DSM). First characterization of a 5% w.t. ytterbium-doped YLF crystal showed quantitative agreement with the current laser cooling model, as well as measured a minimum achievable temperature (MAT) at 110 K. Other materials and ion concentrations are also investigated and reported here.

Polymeric variable optical attenuators based on magnetic sensitive stimuli materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Pedro, S.; Cadarso, V. J.; Ackermann, T. N.; Muñoz-Berbel, X.; Plaza, J. A.; Brugger, J.; Büttgenbach, S.; Llobera, A.

2014-12-01

Magnetically-actuable, polymer-based variable optical attenuators (VOA) are presented in this paper. The design comprises a cantilever which also plays the role of a waveguide and the input/output alignment elements for simple alignment, yet still rendering an efficient coupling. Magnetic properties have been conferred to these micro-opto-electromechanical systems (MOEMS) by implementing two different strategies: in the first case, a magnetic sensitive stimuli material (M-SSM) is obtained by a combination of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and ferrofluid (FF) in ratios between 14.9 wt % and 29.9 wt %. An M-SSM strip under the waveguide-cantilever, defined with soft lithography (SLT), provides the required actuation capability. In the second case, specific volumes of FF are dispensed at the end of the cantilever tip (outside the waveguide) by means of inkjet printing (IJP), obtaining the required magnetic response while holding the optical transparency of the waveguide-cantilever. In the absence of a magnetic field, the waveguide-cantilever is aligned with the output fiber optics and thus the intrinsic optical losses can be obtained. Numerical simulations, validated experimentally, have shown that, for any cantilever length, the VOAs defined by IJP present lower intrinsic optical losses than their SLT counterparts. Under an applied magnetic field (Bapp), both VOA configurations experience a misalignment between the waveguide-cantilever and the output fiber optics. Thus, the proposed VOAs modulate the output power as a function of the cantilever displacement, which is proportional to Bapp. The experimental results for the three different waveguide-cantilever lengths and six different FF concentrations (three per technology) show maximum deflections of 220 µm at 29.9 wt % of FF for VOASLT and 250 µm at 22.3 wt % FF for VOAIJP, at 0.57 kG for both. These deflections provide maximum actuation losses of 16.1 dB and 18.9 dB for the VOASLT and VOAIJP

Measurement of the effect of playground surface materials on hand impact forces during upper limb fall arrests.

PubMed

Choi, Woochol J; Kaur, Harjinder; Robinovitch, Stephen N

2014-04-01

Distal radius fractures are common on playgrounds. Yet current guidelines for the selection of playground surface materials are based only on protection against fall-related head injuries. We conducted "torso release" experiments to determine how common playground surface materials affect impact force applied to the hand during upper limb fall arrests. Trials were acquired for falls onto a rigid surface, and onto five common playground surface materials: engineered wood fiber, gravel, mulch, rubber tile, and sand. Measures were acquired for arm angles of 20 and 40 degrees from the vertical. Playground surface materials influenced the peak resultant and vertical force (P<.001), but not the peak horizontal force (P=.159). When compared with the rigid condition, peak resultant force was reduced 17% by sand (from 1039 to 864 N), 16% by gravel, 7% by mulch, 5% by engineered wood fiber, and 2% by rubber tile. The best performing surface provided only a 17% reduction in peak resultant force. These results help to explain the lack of convincing evidence from clinical studies on the effectiveness of playground surface materials in preventing distal radius fractures during playground falls, and highlight the need to develop playground surface materials that provide improved protection against these injuries.

Self-Cleaning Coatings and Materials for Decontaminating Field-Deployable Land and Water-Based Optical Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryan, Robert; Underwood, Lauren; Holekamp, Kara; May, George; Spiering, Bruce; Davis, Bruce

2011-01-01

This technology exploits the organic decomposition capability and hydrophilic properties of the photocatalytic material titanium dioxide (TiO2), a nontoxic and non-hazardous substance, to address contamination and biofouling issues in field-deployed optical sensor systems. Specifically, this technology incorporates TiO2 coatings and materials applied to, or integrated as a part of, the optical surfaces of sensors and calibration sources, including lenses, windows, and mirrors that are used in remote, unattended, ground-based (land or maritime) optical sensor systems. Current methods used to address contamination or biofouling of these optical surfaces in deployed systems are costly, toxic, labor intensive, and non-preventative. By implementing this novel technology, many of these negative aspects can be reduced. The functionality of this innovative self-cleaning solution to address the problem of contamination or biofouling depends on the availability of a sufficient light source with the appropriate spectral properties, which can be attained naturally via sunlight or supplemented using artificial illumination such as UV LEDs (light emitting diodes). In land-based or above-water systems, the TiO2 optical surface is exposed to sunlight, which catalyzes the photocatalytic reaction, facilitating both the decomposition of inorganic and organic compounds, and the activation of superhydrophilic properties. Since underwater optical surfaces are submerged and have limited sunlight exposure, supplementary UV light sources would be required to activate the TiO2 on these optical surfaces. Nighttime operation of land-based or above-water systems would require this addition as well. For most superhydrophilic self-cleaning purposes, a rainwater wash will suffice; however, for some applications an attached rainwater collector/ dispenser or other fresh water dispensing system may be required to wash the optical surface and initiate the removal of contaminates. Deployment of this

Electronic and optical properties of strained graphene and other strained 2D materials: a review.

PubMed

Naumis, Gerardo G; Barraza-Lopez, Salvador; Oliva-Leyva, Maurice; Terrones, Humberto

2017-09-01

This review presents the state of the art in strain and ripple-induced effects on the electronic and optical properties of graphene. It starts by providing the crystallographic description of mechanical deformations, as well as the diffraction pattern for different kinds of representative deformation fields. Then, the focus turns to the unique elastic properties of graphene, and to how strain is produced. Thereafter, various theoretical approaches used to study the electronic properties of strained graphene are examined, discussing the advantages of each. These approaches provide a platform to describe exotic properties, such as a fractal spectrum related with quasicrystals, a mixed Dirac-Schrödinger behavior, emergent gravity, topological insulator states, in molecular graphene and other 2D discrete lattices. The physical consequences of strain on the optical properties are reviewed next, with a focus on the Raman spectrum. At the same time, recent advances to tune the optical conductivity of graphene by strain engineering are given, which open new paths in device applications. Finally, a brief review of strain effects in multilayered graphene and other promising 2D materials like silicene and materials based on other group-IV elements, phosphorene, dichalcogenide- and monochalcogenide-monolayers is presented, with a brief discussion of interplays among strain, thermal effects, and illumination in the latter material family.

Hand held phase-shifting diffraction Moire interferometer

DOEpatents

Deason, V.A.; Ward, M.B.

1994-09-20

An interferometer is described in which a coherent beam of light is generated within a remote case and transmitted to a hand held unit tethered to said remote case, said hand held unit having optical elements for directing a pair of mutually coherent collimated laser beams at a diffraction grating. Data from the secondary or diffracted beams are then transmitted to a separate video and data acquisition system for recording and analysis for load induced deformation or for identification purposes. Means are also provided for shifting the phase of one incident beam relative to the other incident beam and being controlled from within said remote case. 4 figs.

Hand held phase-shifting diffraction moire interferometer

DOEpatents

Deason, Vance A.; Ward, Michael B.

1994-01-01

An interferometer in which a coherent beam of light is generated within a remote case and transmitted to a hand held unit tethered to said remote case, said hand held unit having optical elements for directing a pair of mutually coherent collimated laser beams at a diffraction grating. Data from the secondary or diffracted beams are then transmitted to a separate video and data acquisition system for recording and analysis for load induced deformation or for identification purposes. Means are also provided for shifting the phase of one incident beam relative to the other incident beam and being controlled from within said remote case.

Electro-optic and acousto-optic scanning and deflection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gottlieb, M.; Ireland, C. L. M.; Ley, J. M.

This book attempts to cover sufficient electro- and acousto-optic theory for the reader to understand and appreciate the design and application of solid state optical deflectors. It is also hoped that for the more experienced engineer the book will serve as a useful reference book covering the most important work in this field of engineering. The theory of the electro-optic effect is considered along with the properties and selection of electro-optic materials, the principles of electro-optic deflectors, electro-optic deflector designs, and applications for electro-optic deflectors. Attention is given to EM wave propagation in a crystal, the linear electro-optic effect, the quadratic electro-optic effect in crystals and in liquids, electro-optic ceramics in the (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 system, and digital and analog light deflectors. Aspects related to acousto-optic deflectors are discussed, taking into account acousto-optic interactions, materials for acousto-optic scanning, acoustic techniques, scanning systems, and acousto-optic light diffraction in thin films.

Hands on what? The relative effectiveness of physical versus virtual materials in an engineering design project by middle school children

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klahr, David; Triona, Lara M.; Williams, Cameron

2007-01-01

Hands-on activities play an important, but controversial, role in early science education. In this study we attempt to clarify some of the issues surrounding the controversy by calling attention to distinctions between: (a) type of instruction (direct or discovery); (b) type of knowledge to be acquired (domain-general or domain-specific); and (c) type of materials that are used (physical or virtual). We then describe an empirical study that investigates the relative effectiveness of the physical-virtual dimension. In the present study, seventh and eighth grade students assembled and tested mousetrap cars with the goal of designing a car that would go the farthest. Children were assigned to four different conditions, depending on whether they manipulated physical or virtual materials, and whether they had a fixed number of cars they could construct or a fixed amount of time in which to construct them. All four conditions were equally effective in producing significant gains in learners' knowledge about causal factors, in their ability to design optimal cars, and in their confidence in their knowledge. Girls' performance, knowledge, and effort were equal to boys' in all conditions, but girls' confidence remained below boys' throughout. Given the fact that, on several different measures, children were able to learn as well with virtual as with physical materials, the inherent pragmatic advantages of virtual materials in science may make them the preferred instructional medium in many hands-on contexts.

Validation of an automated tractography method for the optic radiations as a biomarker of visual acuity in neurofibromatosis-associated optic pathway glioma.

PubMed

de Blank, Peter; Fisher, Michael J; Gittleman, Haley; Barnholtz-Sloan, Jill S; Badve, Chaitra; Berman, Jeffrey I

2018-01-01

Fractional anisotropy (FA) of the optic radiations has been associated with vision deficit in multiple intrinsic brain pathologies including NF1 associated optic pathway glioma, but hand-drawn regions of interest used in previous tractography methods limit consistency of this potential biomarker. We created an automated method to identify white matter tracts in the optic radiations and compared this method to previously reported hand-drawn tractography. Automated tractography of the optic radiation using probabilistic streamline fiber tracking between the lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus and the occipital cortex was compared to the hand-drawn method between regions of interest posterior to Meyer's loop and anterior to tract branching near the calcarine cortex. Reliability was assessed by two independent raters in a sample of 20 healthy child controls. Among 50 children with NF1-associated optic pathway glioma, the association of FA and visual acuity deficit was compared for both tractography methods. Hand-drawn tractography methods required 2.6±0.9min/participant; automated methods were performed in <1min of operator time for all participants. Cronbach's alpha was 0.83 between two independent raters for FA in hand-drawn tractography, but repeated automated tractography resulted in identical FA values (Cronbach's alpha=1). On univariate and multivariate analyses, FA was similarly associated with visual acuity loss using both methods. Receiver operator characteristic curves of both multivariate models demonstrated that both automated and hand-drawn tractography methods were equally able to distinguish normal from abnormal visual acuity. Automated tractography of the optic radiations offers a fast, reliable and consistent method of tract identification that is not reliant on operator time or expertise. This method of tract identification may be useful as DTI is developed as a potential biomarker for visual acuity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights

CT-Guided Interventions Using a Free-Hand, Optical Tracking System: Initial Clinical Experience

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schubert, Tilman, E-mail: TSchubert@uhbs.ch; Jacob, Augustinus L.; Pansini, Michele

2013-08-01

PurposeThe present study was designed to evaluate the geometrical accuracy and clinical applicability of a new, free-hand, CT-guided, optical navigation system.MethodsFifteen procedures in 14 consecutive patients were retrospectively analyzed. The navigation system was applied for interventional procedures on small target lesions, in cases with long needle paths, narrow access windows, or when an out-of-plane access was expected. Mean lesion volume was 27.9 ml, and mean distance to target measured was 107.5 mm. Eleven of 15 needle trajectories were planned as out-of-plane approaches regarding the axial CT plane.ResultsNinety-one percent of the biopsies were diagnostic. All therapeutic interventions were technically successful. Targetingmore » precision was high with a mean distance of the needle tip from planned target of 1.98 mm. Mean intervention time was 1:12 h. A statistically significant correlation between angular needle deviation and intervention time (p = 0.007), respiratory movement of the target (p = 0.008), and body mass index (p = 0.02) was detected. None of the evaluated parameters correlated significantly with the distance from the needle tip to the planned target.ConclusionsThe application of a navigation system for complex CT-guided procedures provided safe and effective targeting within a reasonable intervention time in our series.« less

Hand dismantling and shredding of Japanese automobiles to determine material contents and metal recoveries. Report of investigations/1984

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sterner, J.W.; Steele, D.K.; Shirts, M.B.

The Bureau of Mines conducted studies on four makes of Japanese automobiles, three 1981 and one 1982 model years, received from three manufacturers to determine if their materials composition would present problems to the current technology used to process junk automobiles for metal recovery. One of each make of automobile was hand-dismantled to determine the materials composition. In addition, two nearly identical automobiles of each make were shredded at a commercial operation where all metal products and rejects were collected for analysis to determine metal and nonmetal distribution. The average weight of the four automobiles to be dismantled, less batteries,more » tools, and fluids, was 1,938.3 lb. There were no materials used in the manufacture of the late model Japanese automobiles that should present handling or processing problems to the steelmaking or secondary metal recyclers.« less

An ultra-fast optical shutter exploiting total light absorption in a phase change material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jafari, Mohsen; Guo, L. Jay; Rais-Zadeh, Mina

2017-02-01

In this paper, we present an ultra-fast and high-contrast optical shutter with applications in atomic clock assemblies, integrated photonic systems, communication hardware, etc. The shutter design exploits the total light absorption phenomenon in a thin phase change (PC) material placed over a metal layer. The shutter switches between ON and OFF states by changing PC material phase and thus its refractive index. The PC material used in this work is Germanium Telluride (GeTe), a group IV-VI chalcogenide compound, which exhibits good optical contrast when switching from amorphous to crystalline state and vice versa. The stable phase changing behavior and reliability of GeTe and GeSbTe (GST) have been verified in optical memories and RF switches. Here, GeTe is used as it has a lower extinction coefficient in near-IR regions compared to GST. GeTe can be thermally transitioned between two phases by applying electrical pulses to an integrated heater. The memory behavior of GeTe results in zero static power consumption which is useful in applications requiring long time periods between switching activities. We previously demonstrated a meta-surface employing GeTe in sub-wavelength slits with >14 dB isolation at 1.5 μm by exciting the surface plasmon polariton and localized slit resonances. In this work, strong interference effects in a thin layer of GeTe over a gold mirror result in near total light absorption of up to 40 dB (21 dB measured) in the amorphous phase of the shutter at 780 nm with much less fabrication complexity. The optical loss at the shutter ON state is less than 1.5 dB. A nickel chrome (NiCr) heater provides the Joule heating energy required to achieve the crystallographic phase change. The measured switching speed is 2 μs.

Hand portable thin-layer chromatography system

DOEpatents

Haas, Jeffrey S.; Kelly, Fredrick R.; Bushman, John F.; Wiefel, Michael H.; Jensen, Wayne A.

2000-01-01

A hand portable, field-deployable thin-layer chromatography (TLC) unit and a hand portable, battery-operated unit for development, illumination, and data acquisition of the TLC plates contain many miniaturized features that permit a large number of samples to be processed efficiently. The TLC unit includes a solvent tank, a holder for TLC plates, and a variety of tool chambers for storing TLC plates, solvent, and pipettes. After processing in the TLC unit, a TLC plate is positioned in a collapsible illumination box, where the box and a CCD camera are optically aligned for optimal pixel resolution of the CCD images of the TLC plate. The TLC system includes an improved development chamber for chemical development of TLC plates that prevents solvent overflow.

Rare-earth-doped materials with application to optical signal processing, quantum information science, and medical imaging technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cone, R. L.; Thiel, C. W.; Sun, Y.; Böttger, Thomas; Macfarlane, R. M.

2012-02-01

Unique spectroscopic properties of isolated rare earth ions in solids offer optical linewidths rivaling those of trapped single atoms and enable a variety of recent applications. We design rare-earth-doped crystals, ceramics, and fibers with persistent or transient "spectral hole" recording properties for applications including high-bandwidth optical signal processing where light and our solids replace the high-bandwidth portion of the electronics; quantum cryptography and information science including the goal of storage and recall of single photons; and medical imaging technology for the 700-900 nm therapeutic window. Ease of optically manipulating rare-earth ions in solids enables capturing complex spectral information in 105 to 108 frequency bins. Combining spatial holography and spectral hole burning provides a capability for processing high-bandwidth RF and optical signals with sub-MHz spectral resolution and bandwidths of tens to hundreds of GHz for applications including range-Doppler radar and high bandwidth RF spectral analysis. Simply stated, one can think of these crystals as holographic recording media capable of distinguishing up to 108 different colors. Ultra-narrow spectral holes also serve as a vibration-insensitive sub-kHz frequency reference for laser frequency stabilization to a part in 1013 over tens of milliseconds. The unusual properties and applications of spectral hole burning of rare earth ions in optical materials are reviewed. Experimental results on the promising Tm3+:LiNbO3 material system are presented and discussed for medical imaging applications. Finally, a new application of these materials as dynamic optical filters for laser noise suppression is discussed along with experimental demonstrations and theoretical modeling of the process.

Integrated optics technology study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, B.; Findakly, T.; Innarella, R.

1982-01-01

The status and near term potential of materials and processes available for the fabrication of single mode integrated electro-optical components are discussed. Issues discussed are host material and orientation, waveguide formation, optical loss mechanisms, wavelength selection, polarization effects and control, laser to integrated optics coupling fiber optic waveguides to integrated optics coupling, sources, and detectors. Recommendations of the best materials, technology, and processes for fabrication of integrated optical components for communications and fiber gyro applications are given.

Optical amplifier operating at 1.3 microns useful for telecommunications and based on dysprosium-doped metal chloride host materials

DOEpatents

Page, R.H.; Schaffers, K.I.; Payne, S.A.; Krupke, W.F.; Beach, R.J.

1997-12-02

Dysprosium-doped metal chloride materials offer laser properties advantageous for use as optical amplifiers in the 1.3 {micro}m telecommunications fiber optic network. The upper laser level is characterized by a millisecond lifetime, the host material possesses a moderately low refractive index, and the gain peak occurs near 1.31 {micro}m. Related halide materials, including bromides and iodides, are also useful. The Dy{sup 3+}-doped metal chlorides can be pumped with laser diodes and yield 1.3 {micro}m signal gain levels significantly beyond those currently available. 9 figs.

Optical amplifier operating at 1.3 microns useful for telecommunications and based on dysprosium-doped metal chloride host materials

DOEpatents

Page, Ralph H.; Schaffers, Kathleen I.; Payne, Stephen A.; Krupke, William F.; Beach, Raymond J.

1997-01-01

Dysprosium-doped metal chloride materials offer laser properties advantageous for use as optical amplifiers in the 1.3 .mu.m telecommunications fiber optic network. The upper laser level is characterized by a millisecond lifetime, the host material possesses a moderately low refractive index, and the gain peak occurs near 1.31 .mu.m. Related halide materials, including bromides and iodides, are also useful. The Dy.sup.3+ -doped metal chlorides can be pumped with laser diodes and yield 1.3 .mu.m signal gain levels significantly beyond those currently available.

Eye-hand laterality and right thoracic idiopathic scoliosis.

PubMed

Catanzariti, Jean-François; Guyot, Marc-Alexandre; Agnani, Olivier; Demaille, Samantha; Kolanowski, Elisabeth; Donze, Cécile

2014-06-01

The adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) pathogenesis remains unknown. Certain studies have shown that there is a correlation between manual laterality and scoliotic deviation. A full study of manual laterality needs to be paired with one for visual dominance. With the aim of physiopathological research, we have evaluated the manual and visual laterality in AIS. A retrospective study from prospective data collection is used to evaluate the distribution of eye-hand laterality (homogeneous or crossed) of 65 right thoracic AIS (mean age 14.8 ± 1.8 years; mean Cobb angle: 32.8°) and a control group of 65 sex and age-matched (mean age 14.6 ± 1.8 years). The manual laterality was defined by the modified Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. The evaluation of the visual laterality is done using three tests (kaleidoscope test, hole-in-the-card test, distance-hole-in-the-card test). The group of right thoracic AIS presents a significantly higher frequency of crossed eye-hand laterality (63 %) than the control group (63 vs. 29.2 %; p < 0.001). In the AIS group, the most frequent association, within crossed laterality is "right hand dominant-left eye dominant" (82.9 %). There is no relationship with the Cobb angle. Those with right thoracic AIS show a higher occurrence of crossed eye-hand laterality. This could point physiopathological research of AIS towards functional abnormality of the optic chiasma through underuse of cross visual pathways, and in particular accessory optic pathways. It would be useful to explore this by carrying out research on AISs through neuroimaging and neurofunctional exploration.