Adiabatic passage in photon-echo quantum memories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demeter, Gabor

2013-11-01

Photon-echo-based quantum memories use inhomogeneously broadened, optically thick ensembles of absorbers to store a weak optical signal and employ various protocols to rephase the atomic coherences for information retrieval. We study the application of two consecutive, frequency-chirped control pulses for coherence rephasing in an ensemble with a “natural” inhomogeneous broadening. Although propagation effects distort the two control pulses differently, chirped pulses that drive adiabatic passage can rephase atomic coherences in an optically thick storage medium. Combined with spatial phase-mismatching techniques to prevent primary echo emission, coherences can be rephased around the ground state to achieve secondary echo emission with close to unit efficiency. Potential advantages over similar schemes working with π pulses include greater potential signal fidelity, reduced noise due to spontaneous emission, and better capability for the storage of multiple memory channels.

Comparison of clinical features and 3-month treatment response among three different choroidal thickness groups in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.

PubMed

Kong, Mingui; Kim, Sung Min; Ham, Don-Il

2017-01-01

Eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) were recently reported to have various choroidal thickness, and choroidal thickness might be associated with visual outcome in the treatment of many retinal disorders. The range of subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), clinical features, and 3-month treatment response among three groups having different range of SFCT were investigated in PCV eyes. In 78 treatment-naïve eyes with PCV, SFCT was measured using optical coherence tomography. Eyes were classified into thin, medium, and thick groups, using mean and one standard deviation of SFCT. Clinical features and imaging findings were compared among the three groups. Some eyes were treated with three consecutive monthly injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as an initial treatment. They were also classified into three thickness groups, and the short-term post-treatment improvement in visual acuity and central retinal thickness were compared among groups. The mean SFCT was 271.9 ± 135.6 μm. Twelve, 53, and 13 eyes were classified into thin (<136.3 μm), medium (136.3-407.5 μm), and thick (>407.5 μm) groups, respectively. The thin group showed older age, lower visual acuity, and a higher prevalence of fundus tessellation than the other two groups (P <0.05). In multiple linear regression analyses, baseline BCVA was correlated with baseline SFCT. Forty-six eyes completed three consecutive anti-VEGF treatments. The thin group showed no visual improvement after treatment (P = 0.141), unlike the other two groups showing visual improvement (P<0.05). Eyes with PCV have a broad range of SFCT, and PCV eyes with a thin choroid manifest worse visual function than eyes with a medium or thick choroid.

Spatial frequency domain spectroscopy of two layer media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yudovsky, Dmitry; Durkin, Anthony J.

2011-10-01

Monitoring of tissue blood volume and oxygen saturation using biomedical optics techniques has the potential to inform the assessment of tissue health, healing, and dysfunction. These quantities are typically estimated from the contribution of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin to the absorption spectrum of the dermis. However, estimation of blood related absorption in superficial tissue such as the skin can be confounded by the strong absorption of melanin in the epidermis. Furthermore, epidermal thickness and pigmentation varies with anatomic location, race, gender, and degree of disease progression. This study describes a technique for decoupling the effect of melanin absorption in the epidermis from blood absorption in the dermis for a large range of skin types and thicknesses. An artificial neural network was used to map input optical properties to spatial frequency domain diffuse reflectance of two layer media. Then, iterative fitting was used to determine the optical properties from simulated spatial frequency domain diffuse reflectance. Additionally, an artificial neural network was trained to directly map spatial frequency domain reflectance to sets of optical properties of a two layer medium, thus bypassing the need for iteration. In both cases, the optical thickness of the epidermis and absorption and reduced scattering coefficients of the dermis were determined independently. The accuracy and efficiency of the iterative fitting approach was compared with the direct neural network inversion.

Optically Immersed Bolometer IR Detectors Based on V2O5 Thin Films with Polyimide Thermal Impedance Control Layer for Space Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumesh, M. A.; Thomas, Beno; Vijesh, T. V.; Mohan Rao, G.; Viswanathan, M.; Karanth, S. P.

2018-01-01

Optically immersed bolometer IR detectors were fabricated using electron beam evaporated vanadium oxide as the sensing material. Spin-coated polyimide was used as medium to optically immerse the sensing element to the flat surface of a hemispherical germanium lens. This optical immersion layer also serves as the thermal impedance control layer and decides the performance of the devices in terms of responsivity and noise parameters. The devices were packaged in suitable electro-optical packages and the detector parameters were studied in detail. Thermal time constant varies from 0.57 to 6.0 ms and responsivity from 75 to 757 V W-1 corresponding to polyimide thickness in the range 2 to 70 μm for a detector bias of 9 V in the wavelength region of 14-16 μm. Highest D* obtained was 1.2×108 cmHz1/2 W-1. Noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) of 20 mK was achieved for devices with polyimide thickness more than 32 μm. The figure of merit, NETD × τ product which describes trade-off between thermal time constant and sensitivity is also extensively studied for devices having different thickness of thermal impedance layers.

General analysis of slab lasers using geometrical optics.

PubMed

Chung, Te-yuan; Bass, Michael

2007-02-01

A thorough and general geometrical optics analysis of a slab-shaped laser gain medium is presented. The length and thickness ratio is critical if one is to achieve the maximum utilization of absorbed pump power by the laser light in such a medium; e.g., the fill factor inside the slab is to be maximized. We point out that the conditions for a fill factor equal to 1, laser light entering and exiting parallel to the length of the slab, and Brewster angle incidence on the entrance and exit faces cannot all be satisfied at the same time. Deformed slabs are also studied. Deformation along the width direction of the largest surfaces is shown to significantly reduce the fill factor that is possible.

Emittance of a finite scattering medium with refractive index greater than unity

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

Crosbie, A.L.

1980-01-01

Refractive index and scattering can significantly influence the transfer of radiation in a semitransparent medium such as water, glass, plastics, or ceramics. In a recent article (1979), the author presented exact numerical results for the emittance of a semiinfinite scattering medium with a refractive index greater than unity. The present investigation extends the analysis to a finite medium. The physical situation consists of a finite planar layer. The isothermal layer emits, absorbs, and isotropically scatters thermal radiation. It is characterized by single scattering albedo, optical thickness, refractive index, and temperature. A formula for the directional emittance is derived, the directionalmore » emittance being the emittance of the medium multiplied by the interface transmittance. The ratio of hemispherical to normal emittance is tabulated and discussed.« less

Radiative entropy generation in a gray absorbing, emitting, and scattering planar medium at radiative equilibrium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadeghi, Pegah; Safavinejad, Ali

2017-11-01

Radiative entropy generation through a gray absorbing, emitting, and scattering planar medium at radiative equilibrium with diffuse-gray walls is investigated. The radiative transfer equation and radiative entropy generation equations are solved using discrete ordinates method. Components of the radiative entropy generation are considered for two different boundary conditions: two walls are at a prescribed temperature and mixed boundary conditions, which one wall is at a prescribed temperature and the other is at a prescribed heat flux. The effect of wall emissivities, optical thickness, single scattering albedo, and anisotropic-scattering factor on the entropy generation is attentively investigated. The results reveal that entropy generation in the system mainly arises from irreversible radiative transfer at wall with lower temperature. Total entropy generation rate for the system with prescribed temperature at walls remarkably increases as wall emissivity increases; conversely, for system with mixed boundary conditions, total entropy generation rate slightly decreases. Furthermore, as the optical thickness increases, total entropy generation rate remarkably decreases for the system with prescribed temperature at walls; nevertheless, for the system with mixed boundary conditions, total entropy generation rate increases. The variation of single scattering albedo does not considerably affect total entropy generation rate. This parametric analysis demonstrates that the optical thickness and wall emissivities have a significant effect on the entropy generation in the system at radiative equilibrium. Considering the parameters affecting radiative entropy generation significantly, provides an opportunity to optimally design or increase overall performance and efficiency by applying entropy minimization techniques for the systems at radiative equilibrium.

MIE Lidar proposed for the German Space Shuttle Mission D2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Renger, W.; Endemann, M.; Quenzel, H.; Werner, C.

1986-01-01

Firm plans for a second German Spacelab mission (D2-mission), originally scheduled for late 1988 is basically a zero-g mission, but will also include earth observation experiments. On board the D2-facility will allow performance of a number of different measurements with the goal to obtain performance data (cloud top heights, height of the planetary boundary layer, optical thickness, and cloud base height of thin and medium thick clouds, ice/water phase discriminatin for clouds, tropopause height, tropaspheric height, tropospheric aerosols, and stratospheric aerosols.

Optical interference probe of biofilm hydrology: label-free characterization of the dynamic hydration behavior of native biofilms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonough, Richard T.; Zheng, Hewen; Alila, Mercy A.; Goodisman, Jerry; Chaiken, Joseph

2017-03-01

Biofilm produced by Escherichia coli (E. coli) or Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) on quartz or polystyrene is removed from the culture medium and drained. Observed optical interference fringes indicate the presence of a layer of uniform thickness with refractive index different from air-dried biofilm. Fringe wavelengths indicate that layer optical thickness is <20 μm or 1 to 2 orders of magnitude thinner than the biofilm as measured by confocal Raman microscopy or fluorescence imaging of the bacteria. Raman shows that films have an alginate-like carbohydrate composition. Fringe amplitudes indicate that the refractive index of the interfering layer is higher than dry alginate. Drying and rehydration nondestructively thins and restores the interfering layer. The strength of the 1451-nm near infrared water absorption varies in unison with thickness. Absorption and layer thickness are proportional for films with different bacteria, substrates, and growth conditions. Formation of the interfering layer is general, possibly depending more on the chemical nature of alginate-like materials than bacterial processes. Films grown during the exponential growth phase produce no observable interference fringes, indicating requirements for layer formation are not met, possibly reflecting bacterial activities at that stage. The interfering layer might provide a protective environment for bacteria when water is scarce.

On the relationship between aerosol content and errors in telephotometer experiments.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, R. W. L.

1971-01-01

This paper presents an invariant imbedding theory of multiple scattering phenomena contributing to errors in telephotometer experiments. The theory indicates that there is a simple relationship between the magnitudes of the errors introduced by successive orders of scattering and it is shown that for all optical thicknesses each order can be represented by a coefficient which depends on the field of view of the telescope and the properties of the scattering medium. The verification of the theory and the derivation of the coefficients have been accomplished by a Monte Carlo program. Both monodisperse and polydisperse systems of Mie scatterers have been treated. The results demonstrate that for a given optical thickness the coefficients increase strongly with the mean particle size particularly for the smaller fields of view.

Optical imaging through dynamic turbid media using the Fourier-domain shower-curtain effect

PubMed Central

Edrei, Eitan; Scarcelli, Giuliano

2016-01-01

Several phenomena have been recently exploited to circumvent scattering and have succeeded in imaging or focusing light through turbid layers. However, the requirement for the turbid medium to be steady during the imaging process remains a fundamental limitation of these methods. Here we introduce an optical imaging modality that overcomes this challenge by taking advantage of the so-called shower-curtain effect, adapted to the spatial-frequency domain via speckle correlography. We present high resolution imaging of objects hidden behind millimeter-thick tissue or dense lens cataracts. We demonstrate our imaging technique to be insensitive to rapid medium movements (> 5 m/s) beyond any biologically-relevant motion. Furthermore, we show this method can be extended to several contrast mechanisms and imaging configurations. PMID:27347498

An estimate of biofilm properties using an acoustic microscope.

PubMed

Good, Morris S; Wend, Christopher F; Bond, Leonard J; Mclean, Jeffrey S; Panetta, Paul D; Ahmed, Salahuddin; Crawford, Susan L; Daly, Don S

2006-09-01

Noninvasive measurements over a biofilm, a three-dimensional (3-D) community of microorganisms immobilized at a substratum, were made using an acoustic microscope operating at frequencies up to 70 MHz. The microscope scanned a 2.5-mm by 2.5-mm region of a living biofilm having a nominal thickness of 100 microm. Spatial variation of surface heterogeneity, thickness, interior structure, and biomass were estimated. Thickness was estimated as the product of the speed of sound of the medium and the interim between the highest signal peak and that of the substratum plane without biofilm. The thickest portions of biofilm were 145 microm; however, slender structures attributed as streamers extended above, with one obtaining a 274-microm height above the substratum. Three-dimensional iso-contours of amplitude were used to estimate the internal structure of the biofilm. Backscatter amplitude was examined at five zones of increasing height from the substratum to examine biomass distribution. Ultrasound-based estimates of thickness were corroborated with optical microscopy. The experimental acoustic and optical systems, methods used to estimate biofilm properties, and potential applications for the resulting data are discussed.

Thick optical waveguides in lithium niobate induced by swift heavy ions (approximately 10 MeV/amu) at ultralow fluences.

PubMed

Olivares, José; Crespillo, Miguel L; Caballero-Calero, Olga; Ynsa, María D; García-Cabañes, Angel; Toulemonde, Marcel; Trautmann, Christina; Agulló-López, Fernando

2009-12-21

Heavy mass ions, Kr and Xe, having energies in the approximately 10 MeV/amu range have been used to produce thick planar optical waveguides at the surface of lithium niobate (LiNbO3). The waveguides have a thickness of 40-50 micrometers, depending on ion energy and fluence, smooth profiles and refractive index jumps up to 0.04 (lambda = 633 nm). They propagate ordinary and extraordinary modes with low losses keeping a high nonlinear optical response (SHG) that makes them useful for many applications. Complementary RBS/C data provide consistent values for the partial amorphization and refractive index change at the surface. The proposed method is based on ion-induced damage caused by electronic excitation and essentially differs from the usual implantation technique using light ions (H and He) of MeV energies. It implies the generation of a buried low-index layer (acting as optical barrier), made up of amorphous nanotracks embedded into the crystalline lithium niobate crystal. An effective dielectric medium approach is developed to describe the index profiles of the waveguides. This first test demonstration could be extended to other crystalline materials and could be of great usefulness for mid-infrared applications.

Three-dimensional localization and optical imaging of objects in turbid media with independent component analysis.

PubMed

Xu, M; Alrubaiee, M; Gayen, S K; Alfano, R R

2005-04-01

A new approach for optical imaging and localization of objects in turbid media that makes use of the independent component analysis (ICA) from information theory is demonstrated. Experimental arrangement realizes a multisource illumination of a turbid medium with embedded objects and a multidetector acquisition of transmitted light on the medium boundary. The resulting spatial diversity and multiple angular observations provide robust data for three-dimensional localization and characterization of absorbing and scattering inhomogeneities embedded in a turbid medium. ICA of the perturbations in the spatial intensity distribution on the medium boundary sorts out the embedded objects, and their locations are obtained from Green's function analysis based on any appropriate light propagation model. Imaging experiments were carried out on two highly scattering samples of thickness approximately 50 times the transport mean-free path of the respective medium. One turbid medium had two embedded absorptive objects, and the other had four scattering objects. An independent component separation of the signal, in conjunction with diffusive photon migration theory, was used to locate the embedded inhomogeneities. In both cases, improved lateral and axial localizations of the objects over the result obtained by use of common photon migration reconstruction algorithms were achieved. The approach is applicable to different medium geometries, can be used with any suitable photon propagation model, and is amenable to near-real-time imaging applications.

Cloudy Sounding and Cloud-Top Height Retrieval From AIRS Alone Single Field-of-View Radiance Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisz, Elisabeth; Li, Jun; Li, Jinlong; Zhou, Daniel K.; Huang, Hung-Lung; Goldberg, Mitchell D.; Yang, Ping

2007-01-01

High-spectral resolution measurements from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) onboard the EOS (Earth Observing System) Aqua satellite provide unique information about atmospheric state, surface and cloud properties. This paper presents an AIRS alone single field-of-view (SFOV) retrieval algorithm to simultaneously retrieve temperature, humidity and ozone profiles under all weather conditions, as well as cloud top pressure (CTP) and cloud optical thickness (COT) under cloudy skies. For optically thick cloud conditions the above-cloud soundings are derived, whereas for clear skies and optically thin cloud conditions the profiles are retrieved from 0.005 hPa down to the earth's surface. Initial validation has been conducted by using the operational MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) product, ECMWF (European Center of Medium range Weather Forecasts) analysis fields and radiosonde observations (RAOBs). These inter-comparisons clearly demonstrate the potential of this algorithm to process data from 38 high-spectral infrared (IR) sounder instruments.

Neutral ISM, Lyα, and Lyman-continuum in the Nearby Starburst Haro11

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera-Thorsen, T. Emil; Östlin, Göran; Hayes, Matthew; Puschnig, Johannes

2017-03-01

Star-forming galaxies are believed to be a major source of Lyman continuum (LyC) radiation responsible for reionizing the early universe. Direct observations of escaping ionizing radiation have however been sparse and with low escape fractions. In the local universe, only 10 emitters have been observed, with typical escape fractions of a few percent. The mechanisms regulating this escape need to be strongly evolving with redshift in order to account for the epoch of reionization. Gas content and star formation feedback are among the main suspects, known to both regulate neutral gas coverage and evolve with cosmic time. In this paper, we reanalyze Hubble Space Telescope (HST)-Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) spectrocopy of the first detected local LyC leaker, Haro 11. We examine the connection between LyC leakage and Lyα line shape, and feedback-influenced neutral interstellar medium (ISM) properties like kinematics and gas distribution. We discuss the two extremes of an optically thin, density bounded ISM and a riddled, optically thick, ionization bounded ISM, and how Haro 11 fits into theoretical predictions. We find that the most likely ISM model is a clumpy neutral medium embedded in a highly ionized medium with a combined covering fraction of unity and a residual neutral gas column density in the ionized medium high enough to be optically thick to Lyα, but low enough to be at least partly transparent to LyC and undetected in Si II. This suggests that star formation feedback and galaxy-scale interaction events play a major role in opening passageways for ionizing radiation through the neutral medium. Based on observations with HST-COS, program GO 13017, obtained from the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST). STScI is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555. Support for MAST for non-HST data is provided by the NASA Office of Space Science via grant NNX09AF08G and by other grants and contracts.

Coupling of light into the fundamental diffusion mode of a scattering medium (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ojambati, Oluwafemi S.; Yılmaz, Hasan; Lagendijk, Ad; Mosk, Allard P.; Vos, Willem L.

2016-03-01

Diffusion equation describes the energy density inside a scattering medium such as biological tissues and paint [1]. The solution of the diffusion equation is a sum over a complete set of eigensolutions that shows a characteristic linear decrease with depth in the medium. It is of particular interest if one could launch energy in the fundamental eigensolution, as this opens the opportunity to achieve a much greater internal energy density. For applications in optics, an enhanced energy density is vital for solid-state lighting, light harvesting in solar cells, low-threshold random lasers, and biomedical optics. Here we demonstrate the first ever selective coupling of optical energy into a diffusion eigensolution of a scattering medium of zinc oxide (ZnO) paint. To this end, we exploit wavefront shaping to selectively couple energy into the fundamental diffusion mode, employing fluorescence of nanoparticles randomly positioned inside the medium as a probe of the energy density. We observe an enhanced fluorescence in case of optimized incident wavefronts, and the enhancement increases with sample thickness, a typical mesoscopic control parameter. We interpret successfully our result by invoking the fundamental eigensolution of the diffusion equation, and we obtain excellent agreement with our observations, even in absence of adjustable parameters [2]. References [1] R. Pierrat, P. Ambichl, S. Gigan, A. Haber, R. Carminati, and R. Rotter, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 111, 17765 (2014). [2] O. S. Ojambati, H. Yilmaz, A. Lagendijk, A. P. Mosk, and W. L. Vos, arXiv:1505.08103.

Influence of enamel composite thickness on value, chroma and translucency of a high and a nonhigh refractive index resin composite.

PubMed

Ferraris, Federico; Diamantopoulou, Sofia; Acunzo, Raffaele; Alcidi, Renato

2014-01-01

To evaluate the influence of thickness on the optical properties of two enamel shade composites, one with a high refractive index and one traditional. A medium value enamel shade was selected from the resin composites Enamel Plus HRi (UE2) and Enamel Plus HFO (GE2). Enamel Plus HRi is a high refractive index composite. Samples were fabricated in five different thicknesses: 0.3, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mm. Three specimens per material and thickness were fabricated. Three measurements per sample, over white, black and dentin composite background were generated with a spectrophotometer (Spectroshade Micro, MHT). Value, chroma, translucency and color differences (ΔE) of the specimens were calculated. RESULTS were analyzed by the Pearson correlation test, ANOVA and a post-hoc Tukey test. Increasing the thickness of the enamel layers decreased the translucency and the chroma of the substrate for both materials tested. For HRi the increase of the thickness resulted in an increase of the value, whereas for HFO it resulted in a reduction of the value. The two composites showed a significant difference in value for each thickness, but not in translucency and chroma. Color difference between them was perceptible in layers equal or higher than 0.5 mm. The high refractive index enamel (HRi) composite exhibits different optical behavior compared to the traditional one (HFO). HRi enamel composite behaves more like natural enamel as by increasing the thickness of the enamel layer, the value also increases.

Asymptotic radiance and polarization in optically thick media: ocean and clouds.

PubMed

Kattawar, G W; Plass, G N

1976-12-01

Deep in a homogeneous medium that both scatters and absorbs photons, such as a cloud, the ocean, or a thick planetary atmosphere, the radiance decreases exponentially with depth, while the angular dependence of the radiance and polarization is independent of depth. In this diffusion region, the asymptotic radiance and polarization are also independent of the incident distribution of radiation at the upper surface of the medium. An exact expression is derived for the asymptotic radiance and polarization for Rayleigh scattering. The approximate expression for the asymptotic radiance derived from the scalar theory is shown to be in error by as much as 16.4%. An exact expression is also derived for the relation between the diffusion exponent k and the single scattering albedo. A method is developed for the numerical calculation of the asymptotic radiance and polarization for any scattering matrix. Results are given for scattering from the haze L and cloud C3 distributions for a wide range of single scattering albedos. When the absorption is large, the polarization in the diffusion region approaches the values obtained for single scattered photons, while the radiance approaches the value calculated from the expression: phase function divided by (1 + kmicro), where micro is the cosine of the zenith angle. The asymptotic distribution of the radiation is of interest since it depends only on the inherent optical properties of the medium. It is, however, difficult to observe when the absorption is large because of the very low radiance values in the diffusion region.

Transmission versus reflectance spectroscopy for quantitation.

PubMed

Gardner, Craig M

2018-01-01

The objective of this work was to compare the accuracy of analyte concentration estimation when using transmission versus diffuse reflectance spectroscopy of a scattering medium. Monte Carlo ray tracing of light through the medium was used in conjunction with pure component absorption spectra and Beer-Lambert absorption along each ray's pathlength to generate matched sets of pseudoabsorbance spectra, containing water and six analytes present in skin. PLS regression models revealed an improvement in accuracy when using transmission compared to reflectance for a range of medium thicknesses and instrument noise levels. An analytical expression revealed the source of the accuracy degradation with reflectance was due both to the reduced collection efficiency for a fixed instrument etendue and to the broad pathlength distribution that detected light travels in the medium before exiting from the incident side. (2018) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

Plasmonic extinction in gold nanoparticle-polymer films as film thickness and nanoparticle separation decrease below resonant wavelength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunklin, Jeremy R.; Bodinger, Carter; Forcherio, Gregory T.; Keith Roper, D.

2017-01-01

Plasmonic nanoparticles embedded in polymer films enhance optoelectronic properties of photovoltaics, sensors, and interconnects. This work examined optical extinction of polymer films containing randomly dispersed gold nanoparticles (AuNP) with negligible Rayleigh scattering cross-sections at particle separations and film thicknesses less than (sub-) to greater than (super-) the localized surface plasmon resonant (LSPR) wavelength, λLSPR. Optical extinction followed opposite trends in sub- and superwavelength films on a per nanoparticle basis. In ˜70-nm-thick polyvinylpyrrolidone films containing 16 nm AuNP, measured resonant extinction per particle decreased as particle separation decreased from ˜130 to 76 nm, consistent with trends from Maxwell Garnett effective medium theory and coupled dipole approximation. In ˜1-mm-thick polydimethylsiloxane films containing 16-nm AuNP, resonant extinction per particle plateaued at particle separations ≥λLSPR, then increased as particle separation radius decreased from ˜514 to 408 nm. Contributions from isolated particles, interparticle interactions and heterogeneities in sub- and super-λLSPR films containing AuNP at sub-λLSPR separations were examined. Characterizing optoplasmonics of thin polymer films embedded with plasmonic NP supports rational development of optoelectronic, biomedical, and catalytic activity using these nanocomposites.

Corneal power, thickness, and stiffness: results of a prospective randomized controlled trial of PRK and LASIK for myopia.

PubMed

Hjortdal, Jesper Ø; Møller-Pedersen, Torben; Ivarsen, Anders; Ehlers, Niels

2005-01-01

To compare the short-, medium-, and long-term changes in corneal optical power and corneal aberrations, central corneal thickness, and corneal "stiffness" assessed by pneumotonometry readings in patients having laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) or photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for myopia. Department of Ophthalmology, Arhus University Hospital, Arhus, Denmark. One eye of each of 45 patients with myopia ranging from -6.00 to -8.00 diopters (D) (spherical equivalent spectacle refraction [SER]) was randomized to LASIK (n=25; mean SER -7.12 D +/- 0.57 [SD]) or PRK (n=20; mean SER -6.91 +/- 0.57 D). Data were collected prospectively before and 1, 3, 6, 12, and 36 months after surgery. Measurements included corneal topography (TMS-1, Tomey), corneal thickness (ultrasound pachymetry), and apparent intraocular pressure (IOP) (pneumotonometry). Retreatments were not performed during the first year, and retreated eyes were excluded from the 3-year follow-up. Changes in corneal power and aberrations, thickness, and apparent IOP were calculated in a pair-wise manner for 3 time periods: short term (preoperative to 1 month after surgery), medium term (1 to 12 months after surgery), and long term (1 to 3 years after surgery). In the short term, corneal power decreased equally in LASIK and PRK eyes. Spherical aberrations and coma-like aberrations increased equally, while corneal thickness decreased significantly less in LASIK eyes than in PRK eyes. The apparent IOP decreased more in LASIK eyes than in PRK eyes. In the medium term, corneal power increased significantly in both groups. Spherical aberrations decreased significantly in PRK eyes but not in LASIK eyes. From 1 to 12 months, corneal thickness increased more in PRK eyes than in LASIK eyes. During this period, the apparent IOP increased significantly in LASIK eyes. In the long term, corneal power and corneal aberrations did not change significantly in either group. Corneal thickness increased slightly but significantly in both groups. The apparent IOP increased significantly more in PRK eyes. Differences between LASIK and PRK related to time-dependent events affecting corneal shape and structural integrity were present. Peripheral changes in flap hydration in LASIK eyes and epithelial and/or stromal thickening in PRK eyes appeared to be the most important factors in optical power changes in the first year after treatment. The changes in apparent IOP suggest that some interlamellar healing occurred during the first year after LASIK. After LASIK and PRK, corneal bending stiffness seemed permanently decreased, although some restiffening may occur in PRK eyes in the long term.

Multi-phase Turbulence Density Power Spectra in the Perseus Molecular Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pingel, N. M.; Lee, Min-Young; Burkhart, Blakesley; Stanimirović, Snežana

2018-04-01

We derive two-dimensional spatial power spectra of four distinct interstellar medium tracers, H I, 12CO(J = 1–0), 13CO(J = 1–0), and dust, in the Perseus molecular cloud, covering linear scales ranging from ∼0.1 pc to ∼90 pc. Among the four tracers, we find the steepest slopes of ‑3.23 ± 0.05 and ‑3.22 ± 0.05 for the uncorrected and opacity-corrected H I column density images. This result suggests that the H I in and around Perseus traces a non-gravitating, transonic medium on average, with a negligible effect from opacity. On the other hand, we measure the shallowest slope of ‑2.72 ± 0.12 for the 2MASS dust extinction data and interpret this as the signature of a self-gravitating, supersonic medium. Possible variations in the dust-to-gas ratio likely do not alter our conclusion. Finally, we derive slopes of ‑3.08 ± 0.08 and ‑2.88 ± 0.07 for the 12CO(1–0) and 13CO(1–0) integrated intensity images. Based on theoretical predictions for an optically thick medium, we interpret these slopes of roughly ‑3 as implying that both CO lines are susceptible to the opacity effect. While simple tests for the impact of CO formation and depletion indicate that the measured slopes of 12CO(1–0) and 13CO(1–0) are not likely affected by these chemical effects, our results generally suggest that chemically more complex and/or fully optically thick media may not be a reliable observational tracer for characterizing turbulence.

A fiber-optic ice detection system for large-scale wind turbine blades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-09-01

Icing causes substantial problems in the integrity of large-scale wind turbines. In this work, a fiber-optic sensor system for detection of icing with an arrayed waveguide grating is presented. The sensor system detects Fresnel reflections from the ends of the fibers. The transition in Fresnel reflection due to icing gives peculiar intensity variations, which categorizes the ice, the water, and the air medium on the wind turbine blades. From the experimental results, with the proposed sensor system, the formation of icing conditions and thickness of ice were identified successfully in real time.

Choroidal Thinning Associated With Hydroxychloroquine Retinopathy.

PubMed

Ahn, Seong Joon; Ryu, So Jung; Joung, Joo Young; Lee, Byung Ro

2017-11-01

To investigate choroidal thickness in patients using hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and compare choroidal thickness between eyes with and without HCQ retinopathy. Retrospective case series. Setting: Institutional. We included 124 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis who were treated with HCQ. The patients were divided into an HCQ retinopathy group and a control group, according to the presence or absence of HCQ retinopathy. Total choroidal thickness and choriocapillaris-equivalent thickness were measured manually by 2 independent investigators using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT; DRI-OCT, Topcon Inc, Tokyo, Japan). These measurements were made at the fovea and at nasal and temporal locations 0.5, 1.5, and 3 mm from the fovea. Medium-to-large vessel layer thickness was calculated accordingly. The thicknesses were compared between the HCQ retinopathy and control groups. We performed correlation analyses between choroidal thicknesses and details regarding HCQ use. Total choroidal thickness and choriocapillaris-equivalent thickness. Choroidal thicknesses were significantly decreased (P < .05) in the HCQ retinopathy group compared to the control group, except at the temporal choroid 1.5 mm from the fovea. Choriocapillaris-equivalent thicknesses were significantly different in all choroidal locations between the groups. In contrast, the medium-to-large vessel layer thickness was only significantly different at a few locations. The cumulative dose/body weight was significantly correlated with subfoveal choroidal and choriocapillaris-equivalent thicknesses (both P = .001). The association between presence of HCQ retinopathy and choroidal thicknesses was also statistically significant after adjusting for age, diagnosis for HCQ use, refractive errors, and duration of HCQ use (P = .001 and P = .003 for subfoveal choroidal and choriocapillaris-equivalent thickness, respectively). These results all suggest that HCQ retinopathy is associated with choroidal thinning, especially in the choriocapillaris. Our results may suggest choroidal involvement of HCQ toxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Designing optimal nanofocusing with a gradient hyperlens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Lian; Prokopeva, Ludmila J.; Chen, Hongsheng; Kildishev, Alexander V.

2017-11-01

We report the design of a high-throughput gradient hyperbolic lenslet built with real-life materials and capable of focusing a beam into a deep sub-wavelength spot of λ/23. This efficient design is achieved through high-order transformation optics and circular effective-medium theory (CEMT), which are used to engineer the radially varying anisotropic artificial material based on the thin alternating cylindrical metal and dielectric layers. The radial gradient of the effective anisotropic optical constants allows for matching the impedances at the input and output interfaces, drastically improving the throughput of the lenslet. However, it is the use of the zeroth-order CEMT that enables the practical realization of a gradient hyperlens with realistic materials. To illustrate the importance of using the CEMT versus the conventional planar effective-medium theory (PEMT) for cylindrical anisotropic systems, such as our hyperlens, both the CEMT and PEMT are adopted to design gradient hyperlenses with the same materials and order of elemental layers. The CEMT- and PEMT-based designs show similar performance if the number of metal-dielectric binary layers is sufficiently large (9+ pairs) and if the layers are sufficiently thin. However, for the manufacturable lenses with realistic numbers of layers (e.g. five pairs) and thicknesses, the performance of the CEMT design continues to be practical, whereas the PEMT-based design stops working altogether. The accurate design of transformation optics-based layered cylindrical devices enabled by CEMT allow for a new class of robustly manufacturable nanophotonic systems, even with relatively thick layers of real-life materials.

A fiber-optic sensor for accurately monitoring biofilm growth in a hydrogen production photobioreactor.

PubMed

Zhong, Nianbing; Liao, Qiang; Zhu, Xun; Chen, Rong

2014-04-15

A new simple fiber-optic evanescent wave sensor was created to accurately monitor the growth and hydrogen production performance of biofilms. The proposed sensor consists of two probes (i.e., a sensor and reference probe), using the etched fibers with an appropriate surface roughness to improve its sensitivity. The sensor probe measures the biofilm growth and change of liquid-phase concentration inside the biofilm. The reference probe is coated with a hydrophilic polytetrafluoroethylene membrane to separate the liquids from photosynthetic bacteria Rhodopseudomonas palustris CQK 01 and to measure the liquid concentration. We also developed a model to demonstrate the accuracy of the measurement. The biofilm measurement was calibrated using an Olympus microscope. A linear relationship was obtained for the biofilm thickness range from 0 to 120 μm with a synthetic medium under continuous supply to the bioreactor. The highest level of hydrogen production rate occurred at a thickness of 115 μm.

Surface plasmon polariton laser based on a metallic trench Fabry-Perot resonator

PubMed Central

Zhu, Wenqi; Xu, Ting; Wang, Haozhu; Zhang, Cheng; Deotare, Parag B.; Agrawal, Amit; Lezec, Henri J.

2017-01-01

Recent years have witnessed a growing interest in the development of small-footprint lasers for potential applications in small-volume sensing and on-chip optical communications. Surface plasmons—electromagnetic modes evanescently confined to metal-dielectric interfaces—offer an effective route to achieving lasing at nanometer-scale dimensions when resonantly amplified in contact with a gain medium. We achieve narrow-linewidth visible-frequency lasing at room temperature by leveraging surface plasmons propagating in an open Fabry-Perot cavity formed by a flat metal surface coated with a subwavelength-thick layer of optically pumped gain medium and orthogonally bound by a pair of flat metal sidewalls. We show how the lasing threshold and linewidth can be lowered by incorporating a low-profile tapered grating on the cavity floor to couple the excitation beam into a pump surface plasmon polariton providing a strong modal overlap with the gain medium. Low-perturbation transmission-configuration sampling of the lasing plasmon mode is achieved via an evanescently coupled recessed nanoslit, opening the way to high–figure of merit refractive index sensing of analytes interacting with the open metallic trench. PMID:28989962

Resonance line polarization and the Hanle effect in optically thick media. I - Formulation for the two-level atom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landi Degl'Innocenti, E.; Bommier, V.; Sahal-Brechot, S.

1990-08-01

A general formalism is presented to describe resonance line polarization for a two-level atom in an optically thick, three-dimensional medium embedded in an arbitrary varying magnetic field and irradiated by an arbitrary radiation field. The magnetic field is supposed sufficiently small to induce a Zeeman splitting much smaller than the typical line width. By neglecting atomic polarization in the lower level and stimulated emission, an integral equation is derived for the multipole moments of the density matrix of the upper level. This equation shows how the multipole moments at any assigned point of the medium are coupled to the multipole moments relative at a different point as a consequence of the propagation of polarized radiation between the two points. The equation also accounts for the effect of the magnetic field, described by a kernel locally connecting multipole moments of the same rank, and for the role of inelastic and elastic (or depolarizing) collisions. After having given its formal derivation for the general case, the integral equation is particularized to the one-dimensional and two-dimensional cases. For the one-dimensional case of a plane parallel atmosphere, neglecting both the magnetic field and depolarizing collisions, the equation here derived reduces to a previous one given by Rees (1978).

Focusing light inside dynamic scattering media with millisecond digital optical phase conjugation

PubMed Central

Liu, Yan; Ma, Cheng; Shen, Yuecheng; Shi, Junhui; Wang, Lihong V.

2017-01-01

Wavefront shaping based on digital optical phase conjugation (DOPC) focuses light through or inside scattering media, but the low speed of DOPC prevents it from being applied to thick, living biological tissue. Although a fast DOPC approach was recently developed, the reported single-shot wavefront measurement method does not work when the goal is to focus light inside, instead of through, highly scattering media. Here, using a ferroelectric liquid crystal based spatial light modulator, we develop a simpler but faster DOPC system that focuses light not only through, but also inside scattering media. By controlling 2.6 × 105 optical degrees of freedom, our system focused light through 3 mm thick moving chicken tissue, with a system latency of 3.0 ms. Using ultrasound-guided DOPC, along with a binary wavefront measurement method, our system focused light inside a scattering medium comprising moving tissue with a latency of 6.0 ms, which is one to two orders of magnitude shorter than those of previous digital wavefront shaping systems. Since the demonstrated speed approaches tissue decorrelation rates, this work is an important step toward in vivo deep-tissue non-invasive optical imaging, manipulation, and therapy. PMID:28815194

LASER APPLICATIONS AND OTHER TOPICS IN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS: Monte Carlo simulation of optical clearing of paper in optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirillin, M. Yu; Priezzhev, A. V.; Hast, J.; Myllylä, Risto

2006-02-01

Signals of an optical coherence tomograph from paper samples are calculated by the Monte Carlo method before and after the action of different immersion liquids such as ethanol, glycerol, benzyl alcohol, and 1-pentanol. It is shown within the framework of the model used that all these liquids reduce the contrast of the inhomogeneity image in upper layers of the samples, considerably improving, however, the visibility of lower layers, allowing the localisation of the rear boundary of a medium being probed, which is important for precision contactless measuring a paper sheet thickness, for example, during the manufacturing process. The results of calculations are in well agreement with experimental data.

The Relationship between the Dense Neutral and Diffuse Ionized Gas in the Thick Disks of Two Edge-on Spiral Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rueff, Katherine M.; Howk, J. Christopher; Pitterle, Marissa; Hirschauer, Alec S.; Fox, Andrew J.; Savage, Blair D.

2013-03-01

We present high-resolution, optical images (BVI + Hα) of the multiphase interstellar medium (ISM) in the thick disks of the edge-on spiral galaxies NGC 4013 and NGC 4302. Our images from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), Large Binocular Telescope, and WIYN 3.5 m telescope reveal an extensive population of filamentary dust absorption seen to z ~2-2.5 kpc. Many of these dusty thick disk structures have characteristics reminiscent of molecular clouds found in the Milky Way disk. Our Hα images show that the extraplanar diffuse ionized gas (DIG) in these galaxies is dominated by a smooth, diffuse component. The strongly filamentary morphologies of the dust absorption have no counterpart in the smoothly distributed Hα emission. We argue that the thick disk DIG and dust-bearing filaments trace physically distinct phases of the thick disk ISM, the latter tracing a dense, warm or cold neutral medium. The dense, dusty matter in the thick disks of spiral galaxies is largely tracing matter ejected from the thin disk via energetic feedback from massive stars. The high densities of the gas may be a result of converging gas flows. This dense material fuels some thick disk star formation, as evidenced by the presence of thick disk H II regions. Based on observations obtained with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope operated at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555. Also, based on data acquired using the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). The LBT is an international collaboration among institutions in the US, Italy, and Germany. LBT Corporation partners are the University of Arizona, on behalf of the Arizona University System; Instituto Nazionale do Astrofisica, Italy; LBT Beteiligungsgesellschaft, Germany, representing the Max Planck Society, the Astrophysical Institute of Potsdam, and Heidelberg University; Ohio State University, and the Research Corporation, on behalf of the University of Notre Dame, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Virginia. Also, based on observations obtained by the WIYN Observatory which is a joint facility of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Yale University, Indiana University, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatories.

EIT Intensity Noise Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crescimanno, Michael; Xiao, Yanhong; Baryakhtar, Maria; Hohensee, Michael; Phillips, David; Walsworth, Ron

2008-10-01

Intensity noise correlations in coherently-prepared media can reveal underlying spectroscopic detail, such as power broadening-free resonances. We analyze recent experimental results using very simple theory: The intensity noise correlation spectra can be quantitatively understood entirely in terms of static ensemble averages of the medium's steady state response. This is significantly simpler than stochastic integration of the Bloch equations, and leads to physical insights we apply to non-linear Faraday rotation and noise spectra in optically thick media.

The Case Mix of Patients Presenting with Full-Thickness Macular Holes and Progression before Surgery: Implications for Optimum Management.

PubMed

Madi, Haifa A; Dinah, Christiana; Rees, Jon; Steel, David H W

2015-01-01

Analysis of pre-operative spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) characteristics of full-thickness macular holes (FTMH) and effect on optimum management. We retrospectively reviewed SD-OCT characteristics of a consecutive cohort of patients waitlisted for FTMH surgery and categorized them by current evidence-based treatments. Out of the 106 holes analysed, 36 were small, 40 medium and 30 large. Initially, 33 holes had vitreomacular adhesion (VMA). 41 holes were analysed for change in characteristics with a median duration of 8 weeks between the scans. The number of small or medium holes decreased from 20 to 6 and that of large holes doubled. The number of holes with VMA halved. Smaller hole size (p = 0.014) and being phakic (p = 0.048) were associated with a larger increase in size. The strongest predictor of hole progression into a different surgical management category was the presence of VMA. FTMH characteristics can change significantly pre-operatively and affect optimal treatment choice.

Inferring regional vertical crustal velocities from averaged relative sea level trends: A proof of concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bâki Iz, H.; Shum, C. K.; Zhang, C.; Kuo, C. Y.

2017-11-01

We report the design of a high-throughput gradient hyperbolic lenslet built with real-life materials and capable of focusing a beam into a deep sub-wavelength spot of λ/23. This efficient design is achieved through high-order transformation optics and circular effective-medium theory (CEMT), which are used to engineer the radially varying anisotropic artificial material based on the thin alternating cylindrical metal and dielectric layers. The radial gradient of the effective anisotropic optical constants allows for matching the impedances at the input and output interfaces, drastically improving the throughput of the lenslet. However, it is the use of the zeroth-order CEMT that enables the practical realization of a gradient hyperlens with realistic materials. To illustrate the importance of using the CEMT versus the conventional planar effective-medium theory (PEMT) for cylindrical anisotropic systems, such as our hyperlens, both the CEMT and PEMT are adopted to design gradient hyperlenses with the same materials and order of elemental layers. The CEMT- and PEMT-based designs show similar performance if the number of metal-dielectric binary layers is sufficiently large (9+ pairs) and if the layers are sufficiently thin. However, for the manufacturable lenses with realistic numbers of layers (e.g. five pairs) and thicknesses, the performance of the CEMT design continues to be practical, whereas the PEMT-based design stops working altogether. The accurate design of transformation optics-based layered cylindrical devices enabled by CEMT allow for a new class of robustly manufacturable nanophotonic systems, even with relatively thick layers of real-life materials.

Meteoroid and technogenic particle impact on spacecraft solar panels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadiradze, A. B.; Kalaev, M. P.; Semkin, N. D.

2016-09-01

This paper presents calculated models and the results of estimates of meteoroid and technogenic particle impact on spacecraft solar panels. It is shown that optical losses resulting from the formation of microcraters on the surface of protective glasses of semiconductor photoconverters (PC) are negligible (less than 0.01%). Significantly greater losses can occur as a result of shunting the PC p-n junction. In high and medium orbits, these losses are 0.1-0.2%/year for the glass thickness of 150 μm and the area of one PC of 30 cm2. Decreasing the glass thickness up to 100 μm can lead to increasing power losses up to 0.6%/year.

Theoretical Investigation of Light Transmission in a Slab Cavity via Kerr Nonlinearity of Carbon Nanotube Quantum Dot Nanostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solookinejad, Gh.; Jabbari, M.; Sangachin, E. Ahmadi; Asadpour, S. H.

2018-01-01

In this paper, we discuss the transmission properties of weak probe laser field propagate through slab cavity with defect layer of carbon-nanotube quantum dot (CNT-QD) nanostructure. We show that due to spin-orbit coupling, the double electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) windows appear and the giant Kerr nonlinearity of the intracavity medium can lead to manipulating of transmission coefficient of weak probe light. The thickness effect of defect layer medium has also been analyzed on transmission properties of probe laser field. Our proposed model may be useful for integrated photonics devices based on CNT-QD for applications in all-optical systems which require multiple EIT effect.

Polishing techniques for MEGARA pupil elements optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izazaga, R.; Carrasco, E.; Aguirre, D.; Salas, A.; Gil de Paz, A.; Gallego, J.; Iglesias, J.; Arroyo, J. M.; Hernández, M.; López, N.; López, V.; Quechol, J. T.; Salazar, M. F.; Carballo, C.; Cruz, E.; Arriaga, J.; De la Luz, J. A.; Huepa, A.; Jaimes, G. L.; Reyes, J.

2016-07-01

MEGARA (Multi-Espectrógrafo en GTC de Alta Resolución para Astronomía) is the new integral-field and multi-object optical spectrograph for the 10.4m Gran Telescopio Canarias.. It will offer RFWHM 6,000, 12,000 and 18,700 for the low- , mid- and high-resolution, respectively in the wavelength range 3650-9700Å. .The dispersive elements are volume phase holographic (VPH) gratings, sandwiched between two flat Fused Silica windows of high optical precision in large apertures. The design, based in VPHs in combination with Ohara PBM2Y prisms allows to keep the collimator and camera angle fixed. Seventy three optical elements are being built in Mexico at INAOE and CIO. For the low resolution modes, the VPHs windows specifications in irregularity is 1 fringe in 210mm x 170mm and 0.5 fringe in 190mm x 160mm. for a window thickness of 25 mm. For the medium and high resolution modes the irregularity specification is 2 fringes in 220mm x 180mm and 1 fringe in 205mm x 160mm, for a window thickness of 20mm. In this work we present a description of the polishing techniques developed at INAOE optical workshop to fabricate the 36 Fused Silica windows and 24 PBM2Y prisms that allows us to achieve such demanding specifications. We include the processes of mounting, cutting, blocking, polishing and testing.

Energy release rate analysis on the interface cracks of enamel-cement-bracket fracture using virtual crack closure technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samshuri, S. F.; Daud, R.; Rojan, M. A.; Mat, F.; Basaruddin, K. S.; Hassan, R.

2017-10-01

This paper presents the energy method to evaluate fracture behavior of enamel-cement-bracket system based on cement thickness. Finite element (FE) model of enamel-cement-bracket was constructed by using ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL). Three different thickness were used in this study, 0.05, 0.2, and 0.271 mm which assigned as thin, medium and thick for both enamel-cement and cement bracket interface cracks. Virtual crack closure technique (VCCT) was implemented as a simulation method to calculated energy release rate (ERR). Simulation results were obtained for each thickness are discussed by using Griffith’s energy balance approach. ERR for thin thickness are found to be the lowest compared to medium and thick. Peak value of ERR also showed a significant different between medium and thick thickness. Therefore, weakest bonding occurred at low cement thickness because less load required to produce enough energy to detach the bracket. For medium and thick thickness, both increased rapidly in energy value at about the mid-point of the enamel-cement interface. This behavior occurred because of the increasing in mechanical and surface energy when the cracks are increasing. However, result for thick thickness are higher at mid-point compared to thin thickness. In conclusion, fracture behavior of enamel cracking process for medium most likely the safest to avoid enamel fracture and withstand bracket debonding.

Variable Refractive Index Effects on Radiation in Semitransparent Scattering Multilayered Regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegel, R.; Spuckler, C. M.

1993-01-01

A simple set of equations is derived for predicting the temperature distribution and radiative energy flow in a semitransparent layer consisting of an arbitrary number of laminated sublayers that absorb, emit, and scatter radiation. Each sublayer can have a different refractive index and optical thickness. The plane composite region is heated on each exterior side by a different amount of incident radiation. The results are for the limiting case where heat conduction within the layers is very small relative to radiative transfer, and is neglected. The interfaces are assumed diffuse, and all interface reflections are included in the analysis. The thermal behavior is readily calculated from the analytical expressions that are obtained. By using many sublayers, expressions provide the temperature distribution and heat flow for a diffusing medium with a continually varying refractive index, including internal reflection effects caused by refractive index gradients. Temperature and heat flux results are given to show the effect of variations in refractive index and optical thickness through the multilayer laminate.

PHOTOPHORESIS IN A DILUTE, OPTICALLY THICK MEDIUM AND DUST MOTION IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS

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

McNally, Colin P.; Hubbard, Alexander, E-mail: cmcnally@nbi.dk, E-mail: ahubbard@amnh.org

2015-11-20

We derive expressions for the photophoretic force on opaque spherical particles in a dilute gas in the optically thick regime where the radiation field is in local thermal equilibrium. Under those conditions, the radiation field has a simple form, leading to well defined analytical approximations for the photophoretic force that also consider both the internal thermal conduction within the particle, and the effects of heat conduction and radiation to the surrounding gas. We derive these results for homogeneous spherical particles; and for the double layered spheres appropriate for modeling solid grains with porous aggregate mantles. Then, as a specific astrophysicalmore » application of these general physical results, we explore the parameter space relevant to the photophoresis driven drift of dust in protoplanetary disks. We show that highly porous silicate grains have sufficiently low thermal conductivities that photophoretic effects, such as significant relative velocities between particles with differing porosity or levitation above the midplane, are expected to occur.« less

Variable Refractive Index Effects on Radiation in Semitransparent Scattering Multilayered Regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegel, R.; Spuckler, C. M.

1993-01-01

A simple set of equations is derived for predicting the temperature distribution and radiative energy flow in a semitransparent layer consisting of an arbitrary number of laminated sublayers that absorb, emit, and scatter radiation. Each sublayer can have a different refractive index and optical thickness. The plane composite region is heated on each exterior side by a different amount of incident radiation. The results are for the limiting case where heat conduction within the layers is very small relative to radiative transfer, and is neglected. The interfaces are assumed diffuse, and all interface reflections are included in the analysis. The thermal behavior is readily calculated from the analytical expressions that are obtained. By using many sublayers, the analytical expressions provide the temperature distribution and heat flow for a diffusing medium with a continuously varying refractive index, including internal reflection effects caused by refractive index gradients. Temperature and heat flux results are given to show the effect of variations in refractive index and optical thickness through the multilayer laminate.

High-power Broadband Organic THz Generator

PubMed Central

Jeong, Jae-Hyeok; Kang, Bong-Joo; Kim, Ji-Soo; Jazbinsek, Mojca; Lee, Seung-Heon; Lee, Seung-Chul; Baek, In-Hyung; Yun, Hoseop; Kim, Jongtaek; Lee, Yoon Sup; Lee, Jae-Hyeok; Kim, Jae-Ho; Rotermund, Fabian; Kwon, O-Pil

2013-01-01

The high-power broadband terahertz (THz) generator is an essential tool for a wide range of THz applications. Here, we present a novel highly efficient electro-optic quinolinium single crystal for THz wave generation. For obtaining intense and broadband THz waves by optical-to-THz frequency conversion, a quinolinium crystal was developed to fulfill all the requirements, which are in general extremely difficult to maintain simultaneously in a single medium, such as a large macroscopic electro-optic response and excellent crystal characteristics including a large crystal size with desired facets, good environmental stability, high optical quality, wide transparency range, and controllable crystal thickness. Compared to the benchmark inorganic and organic crystals, the new quinolinium crystal possesses excellent crystal properties and THz generation characteristics with broader THz spectral coverage and higher THz conversion efficiency at the technologically important pump wavelength of 800 nm. Therefore, the quinolinium crystal offers great potential for efficient and gap-free broadband THz wave generation. PMID:24220234

High-power broadband organic THz generator.

PubMed

Jeong, Jae-Hyeok; Kang, Bong-Joo; Kim, Ji-Soo; Jazbinsek, Mojca; Lee, Seung-Heon; Lee, Seung-Chul; Baek, In-Hyung; Yun, Hoseop; Kim, Jongtaek; Lee, Yoon Sup; Lee, Jae-Hyeok; Kim, Jae-Ho; Rotermund, Fabian; Kwon, O-Pil

2013-11-13

The high-power broadband terahertz (THz) generator is an essential tool for a wide range of THz applications. Here, we present a novel highly efficient electro-optic quinolinium single crystal for THz wave generation. For obtaining intense and broadband THz waves by optical-to-THz frequency conversion, a quinolinium crystal was developed to fulfill all the requirements, which are in general extremely difficult to maintain simultaneously in a single medium, such as a large macroscopic electro-optic response and excellent crystal characteristics including a large crystal size with desired facets, good environmental stability, high optical quality, wide transparency range, and controllable crystal thickness. Compared to the benchmark inorganic and organic crystals, the new quinolinium crystal possesses excellent crystal properties and THz generation characteristics with broader THz spectral coverage and higher THz conversion efficiency at the technologically important pump wavelength of 800 nm. Therefore, the quinolinium crystal offers great potential for efficient and gap-free broadband THz wave generation.

Probing and monitoring aerosol and atmospheric clouds with an electro-optic oscillator.

PubMed

Arnon, S; Kopeika, N S

1996-09-20

Monitoring, probing, and sensing characteristics of aerosol clouds is difficult and complicated. Probing the characteristics of aerosols is most useful in the chemical and microelectronic industry for processing control of aerosols and emulsion, decreasing bit error rate in adaptive optical communication systems, and in acquiring data for atmospheric science and environment quality. We present a new mathematical and optical engineering model for monitoring characteristics of aerosol clouds. The model includes the temporal transfer function of aerosol clouds as a variable parameter in an electro-optic oscillator. The frequency of the oscillator changes according to changes in the characteristics of the clouds (density, size distribution, physical thickness, the medium and the particulate refractive indices, and spatial distribution). It is possible to measure only one free characteristic at a given time. An example of a practical system for monitoring the density of aerosol clouds is given. The frequency of the oscillator changes from 1.25 to 0.43 MHz for changes in aerosol density from 2000 to 3000 particulates cm(-3). The advantages of this new method compared with the transmissometer methods are (a) no necessity for line-of-sight measurement geometry, (b) accurate measurement of high optical thickness media is possible, (c) under certain conditions measurements can include characteristics of aerosol clouds related to light scatter that cannot be or are difficult to measure with a transmissometer, and (d) the cloud bandwidth for free space optical communication is directly measurable.

Internal optical bistability of quasi-two-dimensional semiconductor nanoheterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Derevyanchuk, Oleksandr V.; Kramar, Natalia K.; Kramar, Valeriy M.

2018-01-01

We represent the results of numerical computations of the frequency and temperature domains of possible realization of internal optical bistability in flat quasi-two-dimensional semiconductor nanoheterostructures with a single quantum well (i.e., nanofilms). Particular computations have been made for a nanofilm of layered semiconductor PbI2 embedded in dielectric medium, i.e. ethylene-methacrylic acid (E-MAA) copolymer. It is shown that an increase in the nanofilm's thickness leads to a long-wave shift of the frequency range of the manifestation the phenomenon of bistability, to increase the size of the hysteresis loop, as well as to the expansion of the temperature interval at which the realization of this phenomenon is possible.

Performance evaluation of modulation and multiple access schemes in ultraviolet optical wireless connections for two atmosphere thickness cases.

PubMed

Raptis, Nikos; Pikasis, Evangelos; Syvridis, Dimitris

2016-08-01

The exploitation of optical wireless communication channels in a non-line-of-sight regime is studied for point-to-point and networking configurations considering the use of light-emitting diodes. Two environments with different scattering center densities are considered, assuming operation at 265 nm. The bit error rate performance of both pulsed and multicarrier modulation schemes is examined, using numerical approaches. In the networking scenario, a central node only receives data, one node transmits useful data, and the rest of them act as interferers. The performance of the desirable node's transmissions is evaluated. The access to the medium is controlled by a code division multiple access scheme.

Quadratic Electro-optic Effect in a Novel Nonconjugated Conductive Polymer, iodine-doped Polynorbornene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narayanan, Ananthakrishnan; Thakur, Mrinal

2009-03-01

Quadratic electro-optic effect in a novel nonconjugated conductive polymer, iodine-doped polynorbornene has been measured using field-induced birefringence at 633 nm. The electrical conductivity^1 of polynorbornene increases by twelve orders of magnitude to about 0.01 S/cm upon doping with iodine. The electro-optic measurement has been made in a film doped at the medium doping-level. The electro-optic modulation signal was recorded using a lock-in amplifier for various applied ac voltages (4 kHz) and the quadratic dependence of the modulation on the applied voltage was observed. A modulation of about 0.01% was observed for an applied electric field of 3 V/micron for a 100 nm thick film The Kerr coefficient as determined is about 1.77x10-11m/V^2. This exceptionally large quadratic electro-optic effect has been attributed to the confinement of this charge-transfer system within a sub-nanometer dimension. 1. A. Narayanan, A. Palthi and M. Thakur, J. Macromol. Sci. -- PAC, accepted.

Macular Choroidal Small-Vessel Layer, Sattler's Layer and Haller's Layer Thicknesses: The Beijing Eye Study.

PubMed

Zhao, Jing; Wang, Ya Xing; Zhang, Qi; Wei, Wen Bin; Xu, Liang; Jonas, Jost B

2018-03-13

To study macular choroidal layer thickness, 3187 study participants from the population-based Beijing Eye Study underwent spectral-domain optical coherence tomography with enhanced depth imaging for thickness measurements of the macular small-vessel layer, including the choriocapillaris, medium-sized choroidal vessel layer (Sattler's layer) and large choroidal vessel layer (Haller's layer). In multivariate analysis, greater thickness of all three choroidal layers was associated (all P < 0.05) with higher prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (except for geographic atrophy), while it was not significantly (all P > 0.05) associated with the prevalence of open-angle glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy. There was a tendency (0.07 > P > 0.02) toward thinner choroidal layers in chronic angle-closure glaucoma. The ratio of small-vessel layer thickness to total choroidal thickness increased (P < 0.001; multivariate analysis) with older age and longer axial length, while the ratios of Sattler's layer and Haller's layer thickness to total choroidal thickness decreased. A higher ratio of small-vessel layer thickness to total choroidal thickness was significantly associated with a lower prevalence of AMD (early type, intermediate type, late geographic type). Axial elongation-associated and aging-associated choroidal thinning affected Haller's and Sattler's layers more markedly than the small-vessel layer. Non-exudative and exudative AMD, except for geographic atrophy, was associated with slightly increased choroidal thickness.

Thin disk laser with unstable resonator and reduced output coupler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gavili, Anwar; Shayganmanesh, Mahdi

2018-05-01

In this paper, feasibility of using unstable resonator with reduced output coupling in a thin disk laser is studied theoretically. Unstable resonator is modeled by wave-optics using Collins integral and iterative method. An Yb:YAG crystal with 250 micron thickness is considered as a quasi-three level active medium and modeled by solving rate equations of energy levels populations. The amplification of laser beam in the active medium is calculated based on the Beer-Lambert law and Rigrod method. Using generalized beam parameters method, laser beam parameters like, width, divergence, M2 factor, output power as well as near and far-field beam profiles are calculated for unstable resonator. It is demonstrated that for thin disk laser (with single disk) in spite of the low thickness of the disk which leads to low gain factor, it is possible to use unstable resonator (with reduced output coupling) and achieve good output power with appropriate beam quality. Also, the behavior of output power and beam quality versus equivalent Fresnel number is investigated and optimized value of output coupling for maximum output power is achieved.

Model of the Human Eye Based on ABCD Matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González, G. Díaz; Castillo, M. David Iturbe

2008-04-01

At the moment several models of the human eye exist, nevertheless the gradient index models of the human lens (crystalline) have received little attention in optometry and vision sciences, although they consider how the refractive index and the refracting power can change with the accommodation. On the other hand, in study fields like ophthalmology and optometry, exist cases where there is a lack of information about the factors that influence the change of refractive power and therefore the focal length of the eye. By such reason, in this paper we present a model of the human eye based on the ABCD matrix in order to describe the propagation of light rays, that can be understood by professional people in optics, ophthalmology and optometry, and the dispersions of the different ocular mediums are taken into account,. The aim of the model is to obtain data about the refractive power of the eye under different considerations, such as: changes in wavelength, radius of curvature and thicknesses of the ocular mediums. We present results of simulations in Matlab of our model, assuming that the object is punctual and is placed to a certain distance of the eye, and considering at the beginning to the crystalline like a medium with fixed refractive index, and after like a gradient lens. By means of graphs, we show the total refractive power of the eye and its form and type of dependence with respect to variations in radius of curvature and thicknesses of the cornea and crystalline, as well as variations in the thickness of the previous and later cameras.

Optical characterization of murine model's in-vivo skin using Mueller matrix polarimetric imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mora-Núñez, Azael; Martinez-Ponce, Geminiano; Garcia-Torales, Guillermo

2015-12-01

Mueller matrix polarimetric imaging (MMPI) provides a complete characterization of an anisotropic optical medium. Subsequent single value decomposition allows image interpretation in terms of basic optical anisotropies, such as depolarization, diattenuation, and retardance. In this work, healthy in-vivo skin at different anatomical locations of a biological model (Rattus norvegicus) was imaged by the MMPI technique using 532nm coherent illumination. The body parts under study were back, abdomen, tail, and calvaria. Because skin components are randomly distributed and skin thickness depends on its location, polarization measures arise from the average over a single detection element (pixel) and on the number of free optical paths, respectively. Optical anisotropies over the imaged skin indicates, mainly, the presence of components related to the physiology of the explored region. In addition, a MMPI-based comparison between a tumor on the back of one test subject and proximal healthy skin was made. The results show that the single values of optical anisotropies can be helpful in distinguishing different areas of in-vivo skin and also lesions.

Project AMIGA: A Minimal Covering Factor for Optically Thick Circumgalactic Gas around the Andromeda Galaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howk, J. Christopher; Wotta, Christopher B.; Berg, Michelle A.; Lehner, Nicolas; Lockman, Felix J.; Hafen, Zachary; Pisano, D. J.; Faucher-Giguère, Claude-André; Wakker, Bart P.; Prochaska, J. Xavier; Wolfe, Spencer A.; Ribaudo, Joseph; Barger, Kathleen A.; Corlies, Lauren; Fox, Andrew J.; Guhathakurta, Puragra; Jenkins, Edward B.; Kalirai, Jason; O'Meara, John M.; Peeples, Molly S.; Stewart, Kyle R.; Strader, Jay

2017-09-01

We present a deep search for {{H}} {{I}} 21 cm emission from the gaseous halo of Messier 31 as part of Project AMIGA, a large Hubble Space Telescope program to study the circumgalactic medium of the Andromeda galaxy. Our observations with the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope target sight lines to 48 background AGNs, more than half of which have been observed in the ultraviolet with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, with impact parameters 25≲ ρ ≲ 340 {kpc} (0.1≲ ρ /{R}{vir}≲ 1.1). We do not detect any 21 cm emission toward these AGNs to limits of N({{H}} {{I}})≈ 4× {10}17 cm-2 (5σ ; per 2 kpc-diameter beam). This column density corresponds to an optical depth of ˜2.5 at the Lyman limit; thus, our observations overlap with absorption line studies of Lyman limit systems at higher redshift. Our non-detections place a limit on the covering factor of such optically thick gas around M31 to {f}c< 0.051 (at 90% confidence) for ρ ≤slant {R}{vir}. Although individual clouds have previously been found in the region between M31 and M33, the covering factor of strongly optically thick gas is quite small. Our upper limits on the covering factor are consistent with expectations from recent cosmological “zoom” simulations. Recent COS-Halos ultraviolet measurements of {{H}} {{I}} absorption about an ensemble of galaxies at z≈ 0.2 show significantly higher covering factors within ρ ≲ 0.5{R}{vir} at the same N({{H}} {{I}}), although the metal ion-to-{{H}} {{I}} ratios appear to be consistent with those seen in M31.

Modes of interaction between nanostructured metal and a conducting mirror as a function of separation and incident polarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonnie, F.; Arnold, M. D.; Smith, G. B.; Gentle, A. R.

2013-09-01

The optical resonances that occur in nanostructured metal layers are modulated in thin film stacks if the nanostructured layer is separated from a reflecting conducting layer by various thicknesses of thin dielectric. We have measured and modeled the optical response of interacting silver layers, with alumina spacer thickness ranging from a few nm to 50 nm, for s- and p-polarized incident light, and a range of incident angles. Standard thin film models, including standard effective medium models for the nanostructured layer, will break down for spacer thickness below a critical threshold. For example, with polarisation in the film plane and some nano-islands, it may occur at around 10 nm depending on spacer refractive index. Of particular interest here are novel effects observed with the onset of percolation in the nanolayer. Hot spot effects can be modified by nearby mirrors. Other modes to consider include (a) a two-particle mode involving a particle and its mirror image (b) A Fano resonance from hybridisation of localized and de-localised plasmon modes (c) a Babinet's core-(partial) shell particle with metal core-dielectric shell in metal (d) spacing dependent phase modulation (e) the impact of field gradients induced by the mirror at the nano-layer.

Random variable transformation for generalized stochastic radiative transfer in finite participating slab media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Wakil, S. A.; Sallah, M.; El-Hanbaly, A. M.

2015-10-01

The stochastic radiative transfer problem is studied in a participating planar finite continuously fluctuating medium. The problem is considered for specular- and diffusly-reflecting boundaries with linear anisotropic scattering. Random variable transformation (RVT) technique is used to get the complete average for the solution functions, that are represented by the probability-density function (PDF) of the solution process. In the RVT algorithm, a simple integral transformation to the input stochastic process (the extinction function of the medium) is applied. This linear transformation enables us to rewrite the stochastic transport equations in terms of the optical random variable (x) and the optical random thickness (L). Then the transport equation is solved deterministically to get a closed form for the solution as a function of x and L. So, the solution is used to obtain the PDF of the solution functions applying the RVT technique among the input random variable (L) and the output process (the solution functions). The obtained averages of the solution functions are used to get the complete analytical averages for some interesting physical quantities, namely, reflectivity and transmissivity at the medium boundaries. In terms of the average reflectivity and transmissivity, the average of the partial heat fluxes for the generalized problem with internal source of radiation are obtained and represented graphically.

Autofluorescence spectroscopy for multimodal tissues characterization in colitis-associated cancer murine model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorez, Hugo; Sablong, Raphaël.; Canaple, Laurence; Saint-Jalmes, Hervé; Gaillard, Sophie; Moussata, Driffa; Beuf, Olivier

2015-07-01

The purpose of this research project is to assess mice colon wall, using three optical modalities (conventional endoscopy, confocal endomicroscopy and optical spectroscopy) and endoluminal MRI. The study is done in the context of inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer that represent 13% of new cases of cancer, every year in western countries. An optical spectroscopic bench (autofluorescence and reflectance) was developed with a flexible fiber probe. This latter has been combined with a mini multi-purpose rigid endoscope and a confocal endomicroscope. The optical modalities were first used in vivo on SWISS mice. Then, a specific optical a phantom (containing two layers of distinct fluorophores) was developed in order to evaluate our two-channel spectroscopic probe as a basic depth-sensitive measurement tool. The preliminary results show the feasibility to combine such modalities in the same in vivo protocol. Conventional endoscopy is useful to depict inflammation along colon wall. Confocal endomicroscopy provides high-contrasted images of microvascularization. Measured optical spectra both depend on biochemical tissue content and layered structure of the medium. The light collected from one channel is not similar to the other, in terms of intensity and spectroscopic profile as the interaction with the medium observed volume is different. A comparative analysis of the spectra based on our in vitro model exhibits a strong correlation between simple index extracted from spectral data and two main phantom characteristics (fluorophore concentrations and superficial layer thickness). This work suggests that this technique could contribute to assess tissues alterations through autofluorescence spectroscopic measurement under endoscopy.

Highly efficient volume hologram multiplexing in thick dye-doped jelly-like gelatin.

PubMed

Katarkevich, Vasili M; Rubinov, Anatoli N; Efendiev, Terlan Sh

2014-08-01

Dye-doped jelly-like gelatin is a thick-layer self-developing photosensitive medium that allows single and multiplexed volume phase holograms to be successfully recorded using pulsed laser radiation. In this Letter, we present a method for multiplexed recording of volume holograms in a dye-doped jelly-like gelatin, which provides significant increase in their diffraction efficiency. The method is based on the recovery of the photobleached dye molecule concentration in the hologram recording zone of gel, thanks to molecule diffusion from other unexposed gel areas. As an example, an optical recording of a multiplexed hologram consisting of three superimposed Bragg gratings with mean values of the diffraction efficiency and angular selectivity of ∼75% and ∼21^', respectively, is demonstrated by using the proposed method.

Double shock front formation in cylindrical radiative blast waves produced by laser irradiation of krypton gas

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

Kim, I.; Quevedo, H. J.; Feldman, S.

2013-12-15

Radiative blast waves were created by irradiating a krypton cluster source from a supersonic jet with a high intensity femtosecond laser pulse. It was found that the radiation from the shock surface is absorbed in the optically thick upstream medium creating a radiative heat wave that travels supersonically ahead of the main shock. As the blast wave propagates into the heated medium, it slows and loses energy, and the radiative heat wave also slows down. When the radiative heat wave slows down to the transonic regime, a secondary shock in the ionization precursor is produced. This paper presents experimental datamore » characterizing both the initial and secondary shocks and numerical simulations to analyze the double-shock dynamics.« less

DESPOTIC - a new software library to Derive the Energetics and SPectra of Optically Thick Interstellar Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krumholz, Mark R.

2014-01-01

I describe DESPOTIC, a code to Derive the Energetics and SPectra of Optically Thick Interstellar Clouds. DESPOTIC represents such clouds using a one-zone model, and can calculate line luminosities, line cooling rates, and in restricted cases line profiles using an escape probability formalism. It also includes approximate treatments of the dominant heating, cooling and chemical processes for the cold interstellar medium, including cosmic ray and X-ray heating, grain photoelectric heating, heating of the dust by infrared and ultraviolet radiation, thermal cooling of the dust, collisional energy exchange between dust and gas, and a simple network for carbon chemistry. Based on these heating, cooling and chemical rates, DESPOTIC can calculate clouds' equilibrium gas and dust temperatures, equilibrium carbon chemical state and time-dependent thermal and chemical evolution. The software is intended to allow rapid and interactive calculation of clouds' characteristic temperatures, identification of their dominant heating and cooling mechanisms and prediction of their observable spectra across a wide range of interstellar environments. DESPOTIC is implemented as a PYTHON package, and is released under the GNU General Public License.

Weak soft X-ray excesses need not result from the high-frequency tail of the optical/ultraviolet bump in active galactic nuclei

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Czerny, Bozena; Zycki, Piotr T.

1994-01-01

The broad-band ROSAT/EXOSAT X-ray spectra of six Seyfert 1 galaxies are fitted by a model consisting of a direct power law and a component due to reflection/reprocessing from a partially ionized, optically thick medium. The reflected spectrum contains emission features from various elements in the soft X-ray range. In all objects but one (Mrk 335), the fit is satisfactory, and no additional soft X-ray excess is required by the data. This means that in most sources there is no need for the thermal 'big blue bumps' to extend into soft X-rays, and the soft X-ray excesses reported previously can be explained by reflection/reprocessing. Satisfactory fits are obtained for a medium ionized by a source radiating at less than or approximately 15% of the Eddington rate. The fits require that the reflection is enhanced relative to an isotropically emitting source above a flat disk. The necessary high effectiveness of reflection in the soft X-ray band requires strong soft thermal flux dominating over hard X-rays.

Ultra-strong surface plasmon amplification characteristic of a spaser based on gold-silver core-shell nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Li; Zhou, Jun; Zhang, Haopeng; Jiang, Tao; Lou, Cibo

2015-03-01

We proposed an efficient spaser based on gold-silver core-shell nanorods (NRs) encapsulated by an outer silica shell doped with a gain medium. The optical characteristics of the spaser were numerically simulated based on the finite element method (FEM). The results showed that the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) amplification characteristics of the spaser strongly depend on the thickness of silver shell, the aspect ratio of the inner gold NRs, and the polarization direction of the incident light. And, the maximum absolute value of optical cross-section of the spaser can reach 21,824 μm2, which is about 1115, 523, and 18 times higher than that of spasers based on the gold NRs, the silver NRs, and the silver-gold core-shell NRs, respectively. The ultra-strong surface plasmon amplification characteristics of the spaser have potential applications in optical information storage, high sensitivity biochemical sensing, and medical engineering.

Multiplexed Holographic Data Storage in Bacteriorhodopsin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehrl, David J.; Krile, Thomas F.

1999-01-01

Biochrome photosensitive films in particular Bacteriorhodopsin exhibit features which make these materials an attractive recording medium for optical data storage and processing. Bacteriorhodopsin films find numerous applications in a wide range of optical data processing applications; however the short-term memory characteristics of BR limits their applications for holographic data storage. The life-time of the BR can be extended using cryogenic temperatures [1], although this method makes the system overly complicated and unstable. Longer life-times can be provided in one modification of BR - the "blue" membrane BR [2], however currently available films are characterized by both low diffraction efficiency and difficulties in providing photoreversible recording. In addition, as a dynamic recording material, the BR requires different wavelengths for recording and reconstructing of optical data in order to prevent the information erasure during its readout. This fact also put constraints on a BR-based Optical Memory, due to information loss in holographic memory systems employing the two-lambda technique for reading-writing thick multiplexed holograms.

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.

Relation between speckle decorrelation and optical phase conjugation (OPC)-based turbidity suppression through dynamic scattering media: a study on in vivo mouse skin.

PubMed

Jang, Mooseok; Ruan, Haowen; Vellekoop, Ivo M; Judkewitz, Benjamin; Chung, Euiheon; Yang, Changhuei

2015-01-01

Light scattering in biological tissue significantly limits the accessible depth for localized optical interrogation and deep-tissue optical imaging. This challenge can be overcome by exploiting the time-reversal property of optical phase conjugation (OPC) to reverse multiple scattering events or suppress turbidity. However, in living tissue, scatterers are highly movable and the movement can disrupt time-reversal symmetry when there is a latency in the OPC playback. In this paper, we show that the motion-induced degradation of the OPC turbidity-suppression effect through a dynamic scattering medium shares the same decorrelation time constant as that determined from speckle intensity autocorrelation - a popular conventional measure of scatterer movement. We investigated this decorrelation characteristic time through a 1.5-mm-thick dorsal skin flap of a living mouse and found that it ranges from 50 ms to 2.5 s depending on the level of immobilization. This study provides information on relevant time scales for applying OPC to living tissues.

Influence of wildfires in the boreal forests of Eastern Siberia on atmospheric aerosol parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomshin, Oleg A.; Solovyev, Vladimir S.

2017-11-01

The results of studies of the dynamics of forest fires in the boreal forests of Yakutia (Eastern Siberia) for 2001-2016 are presented. Variations of aerosol optical thickness (AOT), aerosol index (AI) and total carbon monoxide content during May-September were studied depending on the different forest fire activity level. It is shown that the seasonal variations of AOT, AI and CO in the most fire-dangerous years differ significantly from the fire seasons when forest fire activity was medium or low.

Three dimensional reflectance properties of superconductor-dielectric photonic crystal

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

Pandey, G. N., E-mail: gnpandey@amity.edu; Sancheti, Bhagyashree; Pandey, J. P.

2016-05-06

In this present communication, we have studied the optical properties of Photonics Crystals with super conducting constituent using the TMM method for a stratified medium. We also studied the three dimensional reflectance property of superconductor-dielectric photonic crystal at different temperature and thickness. From above study we show that the superconductor-dielectric photonic crystal may be used as broad band reflector and omnidirectional reflector at low temperature below to the critical temperature. Such property may be applied to make of the reflector which can be used in low temperature region.

The neuron net method for processing the clear pixels and method of the analytical formulas for processing the cloudy pixels of POLDER instrument images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melnikova, I.; Mukai, S.; Vasilyev, A.

Data of remote measurements of reflected radiance with the POLDER instrument on board of ADEOS satellite are used for retrieval of the optical thickness, single scattering albedo and phase function parameter of cloudy and clear atmosphere. The method of perceptron neural network that from input values of multiangle radiance and Solar incident angle allows to obtain surface albedo, the optical thickness, single scattering albedo and phase function parameter in case of clear sky. Two last parameters are determined as optical average for atmospheric column. The calculation of solar radiance with using the MODTRAN-3 code with taking into account multiple scattering is accomplished for neural network learning. All mentioned parameters were randomly varied on the base of statistical models of possible measured parameters variation. Results of processing one frame of remote observation that consists from 150,000 pixels are presented. The methodology elaborated allows operative determining optical characteristics as cloudy as clear atmosphere. Further interpretation of these results gives the possibility to extract the information about total contents of atmospheric aerosols and absorbing gases in the atmosphere and create models of the real cloudiness An analytical method of interpretation that based on asymptotic formulas of multiple scattering theory is applied to remote observations of reflected radiance in case of cloudy pixel. Details of the methodology and error analysis were published and discussed earlier. Here we present results of data processing of pixel size 6x6 km In many studies the optical thickness is evaluated earlier in the assumption of the conservative scattering. But in case of true absorption in clouds the large errors in parameter obtained are possible. The simultaneous retrieval of two parameters at every wavelength independently is the advantage comparing with earlier studies. The analytical methodology is based on the transfer theory asymptotic formula inversion for optically thick stratus clouds. The model of horizontally infinite layer is considered. The slight horizontal heterogeneity is approximately taken into account. Formulas containing only the measured values of two-direction radiance and functions of solar and view angles were derived earlier. The 6 azimuth harmonics of reflection function are taken into account. The simple approximation of the cloud top boarder heterogeneity is used. The clouds, projecting upper the cloud top plane causes the increase of diffuse radiation in the incident flux. It is essential for calculation of radiative characteristics, which depends on lighting conditions. Escape and reflection functions describe this dependence for reflected radiance and local albedo of semi-infinite medium - for irradiance. Thus the functions depending on solar incident angle is to replace by their modifications. Firstly optical thickness of every pixel is obtained with simple formula assuming conservative scattering for all available view directions. Deviations between obtained values may be taken as a measure of the cloud top deviation from the plane. The special parameter is obtained, which takes into account the shadowing effect. Then single scattering albedo and optical thickness (with the true absorption assuming) are obtained for pairs of view directions with equal optical thickness. After that the averaging of values obtained and relative error evaluation is accomplished for all viewing directions of every pixel. The procedure is repeated for all wavelengths and pixels independently.

Effect of cell thickness on the electrical and optical properties of thin film silicon solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaki, A. A.; El-Amin, A. A.

2017-12-01

In this work Electrical and optical properties of silicon thin films with different thickness were measured. The thickness of the Si films varied from 100 to 800 μm. The optical properties of the cell were studied at different thickness. A maximum achievable current density (MACD) generated by a planar solar cell, was measured for different values of the cell thickness which was performed by using photovoltaic (PV) optics method. It was found that reducing the values of the cell thickness improves the open-circuit voltage (VOC) and the fill factor (FF) of the solar cell. The optical properties were measured for thin film Si (TF-Si) at different thickness by using the double beam UV-vis-NIR spectrophotometer in the wavelength range of 300-2000 nm. Some of optical parameters such as refractive index with dispersion relation, the dispersion energy, the oscillator energy, optical band gap energy were calculated by using the spectra for the TF-Si with different thickness.

A Generalised Porosity Formalism for Isotropic and Anisotropic Effective Opacity and Its Effects on X-ray Line Attenuation in Clumped O Star Winds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sundqvist, Jon O.; Owocki, Stanley P.; Cohen, David H.; Leutenegger, Maurice A.; Townsend, Richard H. D.

2002-01-01

We present a generalised formalism for treating the porosity-associated reduction in continuum opacity that occurs when individual clumps in a stochastic medium become optically thick. As in previous work, we concentrate on developing bridging laws between the limits of optically thin and thick clumps. We consider geometries resulting in either isotropic or anisotropic effective opacity, and, in addition to an idealised model in which all clumps have the same local overdensity and scale, we also treat an ensemble of clumps with optical depths set by Markovian statistics. This formalism is then applied to the specific case of bound-free absorption of X- rays in hot star winds, a process not directly affected by clumping in the optically thin limit. We find that the Markov model gives surprisingly similar results to those found previously for the single clump model, suggesting that porous opacity is not very sensitive to details of the assumed clump distribution function. Further, an anisotropic effective opacity favours escape of X-rays emitted in the tangential direction (the venetian blind effect), resulting in a bump of higher flux close to line centre as compared to profiles computed from isotropic porosity models. We demonstrate how this characteristic line shape may be used to diagnose the clump geometry, and we confirm previous results that for optically thick clumping to significantly influence X-ray line profiles, very large porosity lengths, defined as the mean free path between clumps, are required. Moreover, we present the first X-ray line profiles computed directly from line-driven instability simulations using a 3-D patch method, and find that porosity effects from such models also are very small. This further supports the view that porosity has, at most, a marginal effect on X-ray line diagnostics in O stars, and therefore that these diagnostics do indeed provide a good clumping insensitive method for deriving O star mass-loss rates.

A Generalised Porosity Formalism for Isotropic and Anisotropic Effective Opacity and its Effects on X-ray Line Attenuation in Clumped O Star Winds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sundqvist, Jon O.; Owocki, Stanley P.; Cohen, David H.; Leutenegger, Maurice A.

2011-01-01

We present a generalised formalism for treating the porosity-associated reduction in continuum opacity that occurs when individual clumps in a stochastic medium become optically thick. As in previous work, we concentrate on developing bridging laws between the limits of optically thin and thick clumps. We consider geometries resulting in either isotropic or anisotropic effective opacity, and, in addition to an idealised model in which all clumps have the same local overdensity and scale, we also treat an ensemble of clumps with optical depths set by Markovian statistics. This formalism is then applied to the specific case of bound-free absorption of X- rays in hot star winds, a process not directly affected by clumping in the optically thin limit. We find that the Markov model gives surprisingly similar results to those found previously for the single clump model, suggesting that porous opacity is not very sensitive to details of the assumed clump distribution function. Further, an anisotropic effective opacity favours escape of X-rays emitted in the tangential direction (the venetian blind effect), resulting in a bump of higher flux close to line centre as compared to profiles computed from isotropic porosity models. We demonstrate how this characteristic line shape may be used to diagnose the clump geometry, and we confirm previous results that for optically thick clumping to significantly influence X-ray line profiles, very large porosity lengths, defined as the mean free path between clumps, are required. Moreover, we present the first X-ray line profiles computed directly from line-driven instability simulations using a 3-D patch method, and find that porosity effects from such models also are very small. This further supports the view that porosity has, at most, a marginal effect on X-ray line diagnostics in O stars, and therefore that these diagnostics do indeed provide a good clumping insensitive method for deriving O star mass-loss rates.

Light extinction by aerosols during summer air pollution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, Y. J.; Fraser, R. S.

1983-01-01

In order to utilize satellite measurements of optical thickness over land for estimating aerosol properties during air pollution episodes, the optical thickness was measured from the surface and investigated. Aerosol optical thicknesses have been derived from solar transmission measurements in eight spectral bands within the band lambda 440-870 nm during the summers of 1980 and 1981 near Washington, DC. The optical thicknesses for the eight bands are strongly correlated. It was found that first eigenvalue of the covariance matrix of all observations accounts for 99 percent of the trace of the matrix. Since the measured aerosol optical thickness was closely proportional to the wavelength raised to a power, the aerosol size distribution derived from it is proportional to the diameter (d) raised to a power for the range of diameters between 0.1 to 1.0 micron. This power is insensitive to the total optical thickness. Changes in the aerosol optical thickness depend on several aerosol parameters, but it is difficult to identify the dominant one. The effects of relative humidity and accumulation mode concentration on the optical thickness are analyzed theoretically, and compared with the measurements.

Optical Time Reversal from Time-Dependent Epsilon-Near-Zero Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vezzoli, Stefano; Bruno, Vincenzo; DeVault, Clayton; Roger, Thomas; Shalaev, Vladimir M.; Boltasseva, Alexandra; Ferrera, Marcello; Clerici, Matteo; Dubietis, Audrius; Faccio, Daniele

2018-01-01

Materials with a spatially uniform but temporally varying optical response have applications ranging from magnetic field-free optical isolators to fundamental studies of quantum field theories. However, these effects typically become relevant only for time variations oscillating at optical frequencies, thus presenting a significant hurdle that severely limits the realization of such conditions. Here we present a thin-film material with a permittivity that pulsates (uniformly in space) at optical frequencies and realizes a time-reversing medium of the form originally proposed by Pendry [Science 322, 71 (2008), 10.1126/science.1162087]. We use an optically pumped, 500 nm thick film of epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) material based on Al-doped zinc oxide. An incident probe beam is both negatively refracted and time reversed through a reflected phase-conjugated beam. As a result of the high nonlinearity and the refractive index that is close to zero, the ENZ film leads to time reversed beams (simultaneous negative refraction and phase conjugation) with near-unit efficiency and greater-than-unit internal conversion efficiency. The ENZ platform therefore presents the time-reversal features required, e.g., for efficient subwavelength imaging, all-optical isolators and fundamental quantum field theory studies.

Acousto-optical imaging using a powerful long pulse laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rousseau, Guy; Blouin, Alain; Monchalin, Jean-Pierre

2008-06-01

Acousto-optical imaging is an emerging biodiagnostic technique which provides an optical spectroscopic signature and a spatial localization of an optically absorbing target embedded in a strongly scattering medium. The transverse resolution of the technique is determined by the lateral extent of ultrasound beam focal zone while the axial resolution is obtained by using short ultrasound pulses. Although very promising for medical diagnostic, the practical application of this technique is presently limited by its poor sensitivity. Moreover, any method to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio must obviously satisfy the in vivo safety limits regarding the acceptable power level of both the ultrasonic pressure wave and the laser beam. In this paper, we propose to improve the sensitivity by using a pulsed single-frequency laser source to raise the optical peak power applied to the scattering medium and to collect more ultrasonically tagged photons. Such a laser source also allows illuminating the tissues mainly during the transit time of the ultrasonic wave to maintain the average optical power below the maximum permissible exposure. In our experiment, a single-frequency Nd:YAG laser emitting 500-μs pulses with a peak power superior to 100 W was used. Photons were tagged in few-cm thick optical phantoms with tone bursts generated by an ultrasonic transducer. Tagged photons were detected with a GaAs photorefractive interferometer characterized by a large optical etendue to process simultaneously a large number of speckle grains. When pumped by high intensity laser pulses, such an interferometer also provides the fast response time essential to obtain an apparatus insensitive to the speckle decorrelation due to mechanical vibrations or tissues movements. The use of a powerful long pulse laser appears promising to enhance the signal level in ultrasound modulated optical imaging. When combined with a photorefractive interferometer of large optical etendue, such a source could allow obtaining both the sensitivity and the fast response time necessary for biodiagnostic applications.

Antireflective coatings with adjustable refractive index and porosity synthesized by micelle-templated deposition of MgF2 sol particles.

PubMed

Bernsmeier, Denis; Polte, Jörg; Ortel, Erik; Krahl, Thoralf; Kemnitz, Erhard; Kraehnert, Ralph

2014-11-26

Minimizing efficiency losses caused by unwanted light reflection at the interface between lenses, optical instruments and solar cells with the surrounding medium requires antireflective coatings with adequate refractive index and coating thickness. We describe a new type of antireflective coating material with easily and independently tailorable refractive index and coating thickness based on the deposition of colloidal MgF2 nanoparticles. The material synthesis employs micelles of amphiphilic block copolymers as structure directing agent to introduce controlled mesoporosity into MgF2 film. The coatings thickness can be easily adjusted by the applied coating conditions. The coatings refractive index is determined by the materials porosity, which is controlled by the amount of employed pore template. The refractive index can be precisely tuned between 1.23 and 1.11, i.e., in a range that is not accessible to nonporous inorganic materials. Hence, zero reflectance conditions can be established for a wide range of substrate materials.

Optical devices and methods employing nanoparticles, microcavities, and semicontinuous metal films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shalaev, Vladimir M. (Inventor); Sarychev, Andrey K. (Inventor); Armstrong, Robert L. (Inventor); Smith, Harold V. (Inventor); Ying, Z. Charles (Inventor)

2006-01-01

An optical sensing enhancing material (and corresponding method of making) comprising: a medium, the medium comprising a plurality of aggregated nanoparticles comprising fractals; and a microcavity, wherein the medium is located in a vicinity of the microcavity. Also an optical sensor and sensing method comprising: providing a doped medium, the medium comprising a plurality of aggregated nanoparticles comprising fractals, with the material; locating the doped medium in the vicinity of a microcavity; exciting the doped medium with a light source; and detecting light reflected from the doped medium. Also an optical sensing enhancing material comprising a medium, the medium comprising a semicontinuous metal film of randomly distributed metal particles and their clusters at approximately their percolation threshold. The medium preferably additionally comprises a microcavity/microresonator. Also devices and methods employing such material.

Method to improve optical parametric oscillator beam quality

DOEpatents

Smith, Arlee V.; Alford, William J.; Bowers, Mark S.

2003-11-11

A method to improving optical parametric oscillator (OPO) beam quality having an optical pump, which generates a pump beam at a pump frequency greater than a desired signal frequency, a nonlinear optical medium oriented so that a signal wave at the desired signal frequency and a corresponding idler wave are produced when the pump beam (wave) propagates through the nonlinear optical medium, resulting in beam walk off of the signal and idler waves, and an optical cavity which directs the signal wave to repeatedly pass through the nonlinear optical medium, said optical cavity comprising an equivalently even number of non-planar mirrors that produce image rotation on each pass through the nonlinear optical medium. Utilizing beam walk off where the signal wave and said idler wave have nonparallel Poynting vectors in the nonlinear medium and image rotation, a correlation zone of distance equal to approximately .rho.L.sub.crystal is created which, through multiple passes through the nonlinear medium, improves the beam quality of the OPO output.

Optical parametric osicllators with improved beam quality

DOEpatents

Smith, Arlee V.; Alford, William J.

2003-11-11

An optical parametric oscillator (OPO) having an optical pump, which generates a pump beam at a pump frequency greater than a desired signal frequency, a nonlinear optical medium oriented so that a signal wave at the desired signal frequency and a corresponding idler wave are produced when the pump beam (wave) propagates through the nonlinear optical medium, resulting in beam walk off of the signal and idler waves, and an optical cavity which directs the signal wave to repeatedly pass through the nonlinear optical medium, said optical cavity comprising an equivalently even number of non-planar mirrors that produce image rotation on each pass through the nonlinear optical medium. Utilizing beam walk off where the signal wave and said idler wave have nonparallel Poynting vectors in the nonlinear medium and image rotation, a correlation zone of distance equal to approximately .rho.L.sub.crystal is created which, through multiple passes through the nonlinear medium, improves the beam quality of the OPO output.

Alternating current dielectrophoresis of core-shell nanoparticles: Experiments and comparison with theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Chungja

Nanoparticles are fascinating where physical and optical properties are related to size. Highly controllable synthesis methods and nanoparticle assembly are essential for highly innovative technological applications. Well-defined shaped and sized nanoparticles enable comparisons between experiments, theory and subsequent new models to explain experimentally observed phenomena. Among nanoparticles, nonhomogeneous core-shell nanoparticles (CSnp) have new properties that arise when varying the relative dimensions of the core and the shell. This CSnp structure enables various optical resonances, and engineered energy barriers, in addition to the high charge to surface ratio. Assembly of homogeneous nanoparticles into functional structures has become ubiquitous in biosensors (i.e. optical labeling), nanocoatings, and electrical circuits. Limited nonhomogenous nanoparticle assembly has only been explored. Many conventional nanoparticle assembly methods exist, but this work explores dielectrophoresis (DEP) as a new method. DEP is particle polarization via non-uniform electric fields while suspended in conductive fluids. Most prior DEP efforts involve microscale particles. Prior work on core-shell nanoparticle assemblies and separately, nanoparticle characterizations with dielectrophoresis and electrorotation, did not systematically explore particle size, dielectric properties (permittivity and electrical conductivity), shell thickness, particle concentration, medium conductivity, and frequency. This work is the first, to the best of our knowledge, to systematically examine these dielectrophoretic properties for core-shell nanoparticles. Further, we conduct a parametric fitting to traditional core-shell models. These biocompatible core-shell nanoparticles were studied to fill a knowledge gap in the DEP field. Experimental results (chapter 5) first examine medium conductivity, size and shell material dependencies of dielectrophoretic behaviors of spherical CSnp into 2D and 3D particle-assemblies. Chitosan (amino sugar) and poly-L-lysine (amino acid, PLL) CSnp shell materials were custom synthesized around a hollow (gas) core by utilizing a phospholipid micelle around a volatile fluid templating for the shell material; this approach proves to be novel and distinct from conventional core-shell models wherein a conductive core is coated with an insulative shell. Experiments were conducted within a 100 nl chamber housing 100 um wide Ti/Au quadrapole electrodes spaced 25 um apart. Frequencies from 100kHz to 80MHz at fixed local field of 5Vpp were tested with 10-5 and 10-3 S/m medium conductivities for 25 seconds. Dielectrophoretic responses of ~220 and 340(or ~400) nm chitosan or PLL CSnp were compiled as a function of medium conductivity, size and shell material. Experiments further examined shell thickness and particle concentration (chapter 6) dependencies on ~530 nm CSnp dielectrophoretic and electrorotational responses with ~30nm and ~80 nm shell thicknesses and at particle concentration count rates of 5000 +/- 500, 10000 +/- 500, and 15000 +/- 500 counts per second. Using similar experimental conditions, both dielectrophoretic and electrorotational CSnp responses were compiled versus frequency, shell thickness, and particle concentration. Knowledge gained from this study includes a unique resonance-like dielectrophoretic and electrorotational spectrum, which is significantly distinct from other cells and particles. CSnp dielectric properties were then calculated by parametrically fitting parameters to an existing core-shell model. The optimum conductivity and relative permittivity for the core and the shell are 1E-15 S/m, 1, 0.6 S/m, and 90, respectively. These properties can be exploited to rapidly assemble these unique core-shell particles for future structural color production in fabrics, vehicle, and wall painting.

Optical properties of metal-dielectric based epsilon near zero metamaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subramania, Ganapathi; Fischer, Arthur; Luk, Ting

2014-03-01

Epsilon(ɛ) near zero(ENZ) materials are metamaterials where the effective dielectric constant(ɛ) is close to zero for a range of wavelengths resulting in zero effective displacement field (D = ɛE) and displacement current. ENZ structures are of great interest in many application areas such as optical nanocircuits, supercoupling, cloaking, emission enhancement etc. Effective ENZ behavior has been demonstrated using cut-off frequency region in a metallic waveguide where the modal index vanishes. Here we demonstrate the fabrication of ENZ metamaterials operating at visible wavelengths (λ ~ 640nm) using an effective medium approach based on a metal-dielectric composites(App. Phys. Let.,101,241107(2012)) that can act as ``bulk'' ENZ material. The structure consists of a multilayer stack composite of alternating nanoscale thickness layers of Ag and TiO2. Optical spectroscopy shows transmission and absorption response is consistent with ENZ behavior and matches well with simulations. We will discuss the criteria necessary in the design and practical implementation of the composite that better approximates a homogenous effective medium including techniques to minimize the effect of optical losses to boost transmission. The potential for hosting gain media in the gratings to address losses and emission control will be discussed. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Observations and projections of visibility and aerosol optical thickness (1956-2100) in the Netherlands: impacts of time-varying aerosol composition and hygroscopicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boers, R.; van Weele, M.; van Meijgaard, E.; Savenije, M.; Siebesma, A. P.; Bosveld, F.; Stammes, P.

2015-01-01

Time series of visibility and aerosol optical thickness for the Netherlands have been constructed for 1956-2100 based on observations and aerosol mass scenarios. Aerosol optical thickness from 1956 to 2013 has been reconstructed by converting time series of visibility to visible extinction which in turn are converted to aerosol optical thickness using an appropriate scaling depth. The reconstruction compares closely with remote sensing observations of aerosol optical thickness between 1960 and 2013. It appears that aerosol optical thickness was relatively constant over the Netherlands in the years 1955-1985. After 1985, visibility has improved, while at the same time aerosol optical thickness has decreased. Based on aerosol emission scenarios for the Netherlands three aerosol types have been identified: (1) a constant background consisting of sea salt and mineral dust, (2) a hydrophilic anthropogenic inorganic mixture, and (3) a partly hydrophobic mixture of black carbon (BC) and organic aerosols (OAs). A reduction in overall aerosol concentration turns out to be the most influential factor in the reduction in aerosol optical thickness. But during 1956-1985, an upward trend in hydrophilic aerosols and associated upward trend in optical extinction has partly compensated the overall reduction in optical extinction due to the reduction in less hydrophilic BC and OAs. A constant optical thickness ensues. This feature highlights the influence of aerosol hygroscopicity on time-varying signatures of atmospheric optical properties. Within the hydrophilic inorganic aerosol mixture there is a gradual shift from sulfur-based (1956-1985) to a nitrogen-based water aerosol chemistry (1990 onwards) but always modulated by the continual input of sodium from sea salt. From 2013 to 2100, visibility is expected to continue its increase, while at the same time optical thickness is foreseen to continue to decrease. The contribution of the hydrophilic mixture to the aerosol optical thickness will increase from 30% to 35% in 1956 to more than 70% in 2100. At the same time the contribution of black and organic aerosols will decrease by more than 80%.

Solution of the finite Milne problem in stochastic media with RVT Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slama, Howida; El-Bedwhey, Nabila A.; El-Depsy, Alia; Selim, Mustafa M.

2017-12-01

This paper presents the solution to the Milne problem in the steady state with isotropic scattering phase function. The properties of the medium are considered as stochastic ones with Gaussian or exponential distributions and hence the problem treated as a stochastic integro-differential equation. To get an explicit form for the radiant energy density, the linear extrapolation distance, reflectivity and transmissivity in the deterministic case the problem is solved using the Pomraning-Eddington method. The obtained solution is found to be dependent on the optical space variable and thickness of the medium which are considered as random variables. The random variable transformation (RVT) technique is used to find the first probability density function (1-PDF) of the solution process. Then the stochastic linear extrapolation distance, reflectivity and transmissivity are calculated. For illustration, numerical results with conclusions are provided.

Choroidal thickness in Chinese patients with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.

PubMed

Jiang, Libin; Chen, Lanlan; Qiu, Xiujuan; Jiang, Ran; Wang, Yaxing; Xu, Liang; Lai, Timothy Y Y

2016-08-31

Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NA-AION) is one of the most common types of ischemic optic neuropathy. Several recent studies suggested that abnormalities of choroidal thickness might be associated with NA-AION. The main objective of this case-control study was to evaluate whether choroidal thickness is an ocular risk factor for the development of NA-AION by evaluating the peripapillary and subfoveal choroidal thicknesses in affected Chinese patients. Forty-four Chinese patients with unilateral NA-AION were recruited and compared with 60 eyes of 60 normal age and refractive-error matched control subjects. Peripapillary and subfoveal choroidal thicknesses were measured by enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography. Choroidal thicknesses of eyes with NA-AION and unaffected fellow eyes were compared with normal controls. Choroidal thicknesses of NA-AION eyes with or without optic disc edema were also compared. The correlation between choroidal thickness and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, logMAR best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and the mean deviation (MD) of Humphrey static perimetry in NA-AION eyes were analyzed. The peripapillary choroidal thicknesses at the nasal, nasal inferior and temporal inferior segments in NA-AION eyes with optic disc edema were significantly thicker compared with that of normal subjects (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the choroidal thicknesses between the unaffected fellow eyes of NA-AION patients and normal eyes of healthy controls; or between the NA-AION eyes with resolved optic disc edema and normal eyes (all P > 0.05). No significant correlation between choroidal thickness and RNFL thickness, logMAR BCVA and perimetry MD was found in eyes affected by NA-AION (all P > 0.05). Increase in peripapillary choroid thickness in some segments was found in NA-ION eyes with optic disc edema. However, our findings do not support the hypothesis that choroidal thickness is abnormal in Chinese patients with NA-AION compared with normal subjects with similar age and refractive error status.

Real-time quantitation of internal metabolic activity of three-dimensional engineered tissues using an oxygen microelectrode and optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Kagawa, Yuki; Haraguchi, Yuji; Tsuneda, Satoshi; Shimizu, Tatsuya

2017-05-01

Recent progress in tissue engineering technology has enabled us to develop thick tissue constructs that can then be transplanted in regenerative therapies. In clinical situations, it is vital that the engineered tissues to be implanted are safe and functional before use. However, there is currently a limited number of studies on real-time quality evaluation of thick living tissue constructs. Here we developed a system for quantifying the internal activities of engineered tissues, from which we can evaluate its quality in real-time. The evaluation was achieved by measuring oxygen concentration profiles made along the vertical axis and the thickness of the tissues estimated from cross-sectional images obtained noninvasively by an optical coherence tomography system. Using our novel system, we obtained (i) oxygen concentration just above the tissues, (ii) gradient of oxygen along vertical axis formed above the tissues within culture medium, and (iii) gradient of oxygen formed within the tissues in real-time. Investigating whether these three parameters could be used to evaluate engineered tissues during culturing, we found that only the third parameter was a good candidate. This implies that the activity of living engineered tissues can be monitored in real-time by measuring the oxygen gradient within the tissues. The proposed measuring strategy can be applied to developing more efficient culturing methods to support the fabrication of engineered thick tissues, as well as providing methods to confirm the quality in real-time. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 855-864, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Correction Factor for Gaussian Deconvolution of Optically Thick Linewidths in Homogeneous Sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kastner, S. O.; Bhatia, A. K.

1999-01-01

Profiles of optically thick, non-Gaussian emission line profiles convoluted with Gaussian instrumental profiles are constructed, and are deconvoluted on the usual Gaussian basis to examine the departure from accuracy thereby caused in "measured" linewidths. It is found that "measured" linewidths underestimate the true linewidths of optically thick lines, by a factor which depends on the resolution factor r congruent to Doppler width/instrumental width and on the optical thickness tau(sub 0). An approximating expression is obtained for this factor, applicable in the range of at least 0 <= tau(sub 0) <= 10, which can provide estimates of the true linewidth and optical thickness.

Ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness according to myopia and optic disc area: a quantitative and three-dimensional analysis.

PubMed

Seo, Sam; Lee, Chong Eun; Jeong, Jae Hoon; Park, Ki Ho; Kim, Dong Myung; Jeoung, Jin Wook

2017-03-11

To determine the influences of myopia and optic disc size on ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness profiles obtained by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). One hundred and sixty-eight eyes of 168 young myopic subjects were recruited and assigned to one of three groups according to their spherical equivalent (SE) values and optic disc area. All underwent Cirrus HD-OCT imaging. The influences of myopia and optic disc size on the GCIPL and RNFL thickness profiles were evaluated by multiple comparisons and linear regression analysis. Three-dimensional surface plots of GCIPL and RNFL thickness corresponding to different combinations of myopia and optic disc size were constructed. Each of the quadrant RNFL thicknesses and their overall average were significantly thinner in high myopia compared to low myopia, except for the temporal quadrant (all Ps ≤0.003). The average and all-sectors GCIPL were significantly thinner in high myopia than in moderate- and/or low-myopia (all Ps ≤0.002). The average OCT RNFL thickness was correlated significantly with SE (0.81 μm/diopter, P < 0.001), axial length (-1.44 μm/mm, P < 0.001), and optic disc area (5.35 μm/mm 2 , P < 0.001) by linear regression analysis. As for the OCT GCIPL parameters, average GCIPL thickness showed a significant correlation with SE (0.84 μm/diopter, P < 0.001) and axial length (-1.65 μm/mm, P < 0.001). There was no significant correlation of average GCIPL thickness with optic disc area. Three-dimensional curves showed that larger optic discs were associated with increased average RNFL thickness and that more-myopic eyes were associated with decreased average GCIPL and RNFL thickness. Myopia can significantly affect GCIPL and RNFL thickness profiles, and optic disc size has a significant influence on RNFL thickness. The current OCT maps employed in the evaluation of glaucoma should be analyzed in consideration of refractive status and optic disc size.

Estado evolutivo de estrellas con fenómeno B[e

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aidelman, Y. J.; Cidale, L.; Borges Fernandes, M.; Kraus, M.

The B[e] phenomenon is related to certain peculiar features observed in the spectrum of some B stars, which are mainly linked to the physical conditions of their circumstellar medium. As these stars are embedded in dense and optically thick circumstellar media, the determination of the spectral type and luminosity class of the central objects is quite difficult. As a consequence, their evolutionary stage and distances present huge uncertainties. In this work we study 4 B[e] stars and discuss their stellar fundamental parameters and evolutionary stages using the BCD spectrophotometric system. FULL TEXT IN SPANISH

Assessment of different radiative transfer equation solvers for combined natural convection and radiation heat transfer problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yujia; Zhang, Xiaobing; Howell, John R.

2017-06-01

This work investigates the performance of the DOM, FVM, P1, SP3 and P3 methods for 2D combined natural convection and radiation heat transfer for an absorbing, emitting medium. The Monte Carlo method is used to solve the RTE coupled with the energy equation, and its results are used as benchmark solutions. Effects of the Rayleigh number, Planck number and optical thickness are considered, all covering several orders of magnitude. Temperature distributions, heat transfer rate and computational performance in terms of accuracy and computing time are presented and analyzed.

Resonant optical tunneling-induced enhancement of the photonic spin Hall effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Xing; Wang, Qingkai; Guo, Jun; Zhang, Jin; Chen, Shuqing; Dai, Xiaoyu; Xiang, Yuanjiang

2018-04-01

Due to the quantum analogy with optics, the resonant optical tunneling effect (ROTE) has been proposed to investigate both the fundamental physics and the practical applications of optical switches and liquid refractive index sensors. In this paper, the ROTE is used to enhance the spin Hall effect (SHE) of transmitted light. It is demonstrated that sandwiching a layer of a high-refractive-index medium (boron nitride crystal) between two low-refractive-index layers (silica) can effectively enhance the photonic SHE due to the increased refractive index gradient and an enhanced evanescent field near the interface between silica and boron nitride. A maximum transverse shift of the horizontal polarization state in the ROTE structure of about 22.25 µm has been obtained, which is at least three orders of magnitude greater than the transverse shift in the frustrated total internal reflection structure. Moreover, the SHE can be manipulated by controlling the component materials and the thickness of the ROTE structure. These findings open the possibility for future applications of photonic SHE in precision metrology and spin-based photonics.

Relation between speckle decorrelation and optical phase conjugation (OPC)-based turbidity suppression through dynamic scattering media: a study on in vivo mouse skin

PubMed Central

Jang, Mooseok; Ruan, Haowen; Vellekoop, Ivo M.; Judkewitz, Benjamin; Chung, Euiheon; Yang, Changhuei

2014-01-01

Light scattering in biological tissue significantly limits the accessible depth for localized optical interrogation and deep-tissue optical imaging. This challenge can be overcome by exploiting the time-reversal property of optical phase conjugation (OPC) to reverse multiple scattering events or suppress turbidity. However, in living tissue, scatterers are highly movable and the movement can disrupt time-reversal symmetry when there is a latency in the OPC playback. In this paper, we show that the motion-induced degradation of the OPC turbidity-suppression effect through a dynamic scattering medium shares the same decorrelation time constant as that determined from speckle intensity autocorrelation – a popular conventional measure of scatterer movement. We investigated this decorrelation characteristic time through a 1.5-mm-thick dorsal skin flap of a living mouse and found that it ranges from 50 ms to 2.5 s depending on the level of immobilization. This study provides information on relevant time scales for applying OPC to living tissues. PMID:25657876

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

Verma, Shweta, E-mail: shwetaverma@rrcat.gov.in; Rao, B. T.; Detty, A. P.

We studied localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) at different compositions, substrate temperatures, and mass thicknesses of Ag-Au alloy nanoparticle films grown by sequential pulsed laser deposition. The LSPRs were pronounced at all compositions of the films grown at high substrate temperature of about 300 °C as compared to those grown at room temperature. The alloy formation and composition of the films were determined using X-ray photoelectron and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Films' mass thickness and compositional uniformity along the thickness were determined using X-ray reflectometry and secondary ion mass spectroscopy. Atomic force microscopic analysis revealed the formation of densely packed nanoparticles ofmore » increasing size with the number of laser ablation pulses. The LSPR wavelength red shifted with increasing either Au percentage or film mass thickness and corresponding LSPR tuning was obtained in the range of 450 to 690 nm. The alloy dielectric functions obtained from three different models were compared and the optical responses of the nanoparticle films were calculated from modified Yamaguchi effective medium theory. The tuning of LSPR was found to be due to combined effect of change in intrinsic and extrinsic parameters mainly the composition, morphology, particle-particle, and particle-substrate interactions.« less

HYDRODYNAMICAL INTERACTION OF MILDLY RELATIVISTIC EJECTA WITH AN AMBIENT MEDIUM

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

Suzuki, Akihiro; Maeda, Keiichi; Shigeyama, Toshikazu

2017-01-01

The hydrodynamical interaction of spherical ejecta freely expanding at mildly relativistic speeds into an ambient cold medium is studied in semianalytical and numerical ways to investigate how ejecta produced in energetic stellar explosions dissipate their kinetic energy through the interaction with the surrounding medium. We especially focus on the case in which the circumstellar medium (CSM) is well represented by a steady wind at a constant mass-loss rate, having been ejected from the stellar surface prior to the explosion. As a result of the hydrodynamical interaction, the ejecta and CSM are swept by the reverse and forward shocks, leading tomore » the formation of a geometrically thin shell. We present a semianalytical model describing the dynamical evolution of the shell and compare the results with numerical simulations. The shell can give rise to bright emission as it gradually becomes transparent to photons. We develop an emission model for the expected emission from the optically thick shell, in which photons in the shell gradually diffuse out to the interstellar space. Then we investigate the possibility that radiation powered by the hydrodynamical interaction is the origin of an underluminous class of gamma-ray bursts.« less

Particle-based optical pressure sensors for 3D pressure mapping.

PubMed

Banerjee, Niladri; Xie, Yan; Chalaseni, Sandeep; Mastrangelo, Carlos H

2015-10-01

This paper presents particle-based optical pressure sensors for in-flow pressure sensing, especially for microfluidic environments. Three generations of pressure sensitive particles have been developed- flat planar particles, particles with integrated retroreflectors and spherical microballoon particles. The first two versions suffer from pressure measurement dependence on particles orientation in 3D space and angle of interrogation. The third generation of microspherical particles with spherical symmetry solves these problems making particle-based manometry in microfluidic environment a viable and efficient methodology. Static and dynamic pressure measurements have been performed in liquid medium for long periods of time in a pressure range of atmospheric to 40 psi. Spherical particles with radius of 12 μm and balloon-wall thickness of 0.5 μm are effective for more than 5 h in this pressure range with an error of less than 5%.

Thermo-responsive plasmonic nanohybrids with tunable optical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lingyu; Song, Gang

2017-10-01

In this paper, we study the temperature-dependent optical properties of gold-silver core-shell (Au@Ag) nanorods coated by a thermo-responsive polymer poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM). The wavelength of the plasmonic resonant absorption of the nanohybrids changes with temperature due to the combination effects of the plasmon resonance of the core and the thermal response of the shell. Using effective medium theory, we find that with increase of temperature, the absorption peak red-shifts due to the competition effects from the changes of the thickness and the effective refractive index of the polymer shell. The working wavelength can be tuned by the aspect ratio of nanorods. Moreover, the temperature sensitivity of plasmon resonance increases with the increase of the aspect ratio. Our studies provide a proof-of-concept design of thermal responsive plasmonic smart material.

Interferometric system based on swept source-optical coherence tomography scheme applied to the measurement of distances of industrial interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morel, Eneas N.; Russo, Nélida A.; Torga, Jorge R.; Duchowicz, Ricardo

2016-01-01

We used an interferometric technique based on typical optical coherence tomography (OCT) schemes for measuring distances of industrial interest. The system employed as a light source a tunable erbium-doped fiber laser of ˜20-pm bandwidth with a tuning range between 1520 and 1570 nm. It has a sufficiently long coherence length to enable long depth range imaging. A set of fiber Bragg gratings was used as a self-calibration method, which has the advantage of being a passive system that requires no additional electronic devices. The proposed configuration and the coherence length of the laser enlarge the range of maximum distances that can be measured with the common OCT configuration, maintaining a good axial resolution. A measuring range slightly >17 cm was determined. The system performance was evaluated by studying the repeatability and axial resolution of the results when the same optical path difference was measured. Additionally, the thickness of a semitransparent medium was also measured.

Optical and electrical characterization methods of plasma-induced damage in silicon nitride films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuyama, Tomohiro; Eriguchi, Koji

2018-06-01

We proposed evaluation methods of plasma-induced damage (PID) in silicon nitride (SiN) films. The formation of an oxide layer by air exposure was identified for damaged SiN films by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Bruggeman’s effective medium approximation was employed for an optical model consisting of damaged and undamaged layers, which is applicable to an in-line monitoring by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). The optical thickness of the damaged layer — an oxidized layer — extended after plasma exposure, which was consistent with the results obtained by a diluted hydrofluoric acid (DHF) wet etching. The change in the conduction band edge of the damaged SiN films was presumed from two electrical techniques, i.e., current–voltage (I–V) measurement and time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) test with a constant voltage stress. The proposed techniques can be used for assigning the plasma-induced structural change in an SiN film widely used as an etch-protecting layer.

Mueller tensor approach for nonlinear optics in turbid media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ulcickas, James R. W.; Deng, Fengyuan; Ding, Changqin; Simpson, Garth J.

2018-02-01

As plane-polarized light propagates through a turbid medium, scattering alters the phase and polarization differently in different locations. The corresponding depolarization of the beam complicates recovery of the rich information content contained within the polarization-dependence of second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy. A theoretical framework connecting Jones and Stokes formalisms for describing optical polarization allows prediction of the polarization-dependent SHG produced from "ballistic", but depolarized incident light. Measurements with collagen-rich tissue sections support the predictions of the framework. Partially polarized SHG produced from a depolarized source enabled recovery of local orientation distribution for collagen and local tensor information. Bridging the gap between SHG instigated by fully depolarized light and partially polarized light more common to practical turbid systems, a method for predicting local nonlinear optical susceptibility tensor elements was developed and applied to collagen in thick sections. Recovered values for the tensor element ratio ρ are in good agreement with previous results for thin tissue and literature reports.

Two-layer optical model of skin for early, non-invasive detection of wound development on the diabetic foot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yudovsky, Dmitry; Nouvong, Aksone; Schomacker, Kevin; Pilon, Laurent

2010-02-01

Foot ulceration is a debilitating comorbidity of diabetes that may result in loss of mobility and amputation. Optical detection of cutaneous tissue changes due to inflammation and necrosis at the preulcer site could constitute a preventative strategy. A commercial hyperspectral oximetry system was used to measure tissue oxygenation on the feet of diabetic patients. A previously developed predictive index was used to differentiate preulcer tissue from surrounding healthy tissue with a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 80%. To improve prediction accuracy, an optical skin model was developed treating skin as a two-layer medium and explicitly accounting for (i) melanin content and thickness of the epidermis, (ii) blood content and hemoglobin saturation of the dermis, and (iii) tissue scattering in both layers. Using this forward model, an iterative inverse method was used to determine the skin properties from hyperspectral images of preulcerative areas. The use of this information in lowering the false positive rate was discussed.

Fabrication of (K0.5Na0.5)(Nb0.7Ta0.3)O3 thick films by electrophoretic deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vineetha, P.; Saravanan, K. Venkata

2018-05-01

(K0.5Na0.5)(Nb0.7Ta0.3)O3 (KNNT) thick films were prepared by electrophoretic deposition method on copper plates (substrates). Prior to the deposition, stable suspensions of KNNT powder were prepared in isopropyl alcohol medium with and without adding triethanolamine (TEA) as dispersant. The optical transmittance spectra with time for both the suspensions were recorded and compared. Suspensions with dispersant has shown low transmittance, which indicate that the particles were dispersed very well in isopropyl alcohol. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to analyze the adsorption of TEA on KNNT particles. Suspension with dispersant was used for electrophoretic deposition. The depositions were carried out at various d.c voltages, keeping the deposition duration and inter electrode distance constant. X-Ray diffraction was used for the phase analysis of the films.

Choroidal Haller's and Sattler's Layers Thickness in Normal Indian Eyes.

PubMed

Roy, Rupak; Saurabh, Kumar; Vyas, Chinmayi; Deshmukh, Kaustubh; Sharma, Preeti; Chandrasekharan, Dhileesh P; Bansal, Aditya

2018-01-01

This study aims to study normative choroidal thickness (CT) and Haller's and Sattler's layers thickness in normal Indian eyes. The choroidal imaging of 73 eyes of 43 healthy Indian individuals was done using enhanced depth imaging feature of spectralis optical coherence tomography. Rraster scan protocol centered at fovea was used for imaging separately by two observers. CT was defined as the length of the perpendicular line drown from the outer border of hypereflective RPE-Bruch's complex to inner margin of choroidoscleral junction. Choroidal vessel layer thickness was measured after defining a largest choroidal vessel lumen within 750 μ on either side of the subfoveal CT vector. A perpendicular line was drawn to the innermost border of this lumen, and the distance between the perpendicular line and innermost border of choroidoscleral junction gave large choroidal vessel layer thickness (LCVLT, Haller's layer). Medium choroidal vessel layer thickness (MCVLT, Sattler's layer) was measured as the distance between same perpendicular line and outer border of hypereflective RPE-Bruch's complex. The mean age of individuals was 28.23 ± 15.29 years (range 14-59 years). Overall, the mean subfoveal CT was 331.6 ± 63.9 μ. Mean LCVLT was 227.08 ± 51.24 μ and the mean MCVLT was 95.65 ± 23.62 μ. CT was maximum subfoveally with gradual reduction in the thickness as the distance from the fovea increased. This is the first study describing the choroidal sublayer thickness, i.e., Haller's and Sattler's layer thickness along with CT in healthy Indian population.

Choroidal Haller's and Sattler's Layers Thickness in Normal Indian Eyes

PubMed Central

Roy, Rupak; Saurabh, Kumar; Vyas, Chinmayi; Deshmukh, Kaustubh; Sharma, Preeti; Chandrasekharan, Dhileesh P.; Bansal, Aditya

2018-01-01

AIM: This study aims to study normative choroidal thickness (CT) and Haller's and Sattler's layers thickness in normal Indian eyes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The choroidal imaging of 73 eyes of 43 healthy Indian individuals was done using enhanced depth imaging feature of spectralis optical coherence tomography. Rraster scan protocol centered at fovea was used for imaging separately by two observers. CT was defined as the length of the perpendicular line drown from the outer border of hypereflective RPE-Bruch's complex to inner margin of choroidoscleral junction. Choroidal vessel layer thickness was measured after defining a largest choroidal vessel lumen within 750 μ on either side of the subfoveal CT vector. A perpendicular line was drawn to the innermost border of this lumen, and the distance between the perpendicular line and innermost border of choroidoscleral junction gave large choroidal vessel layer thickness (LCVLT, Haller's layer). Medium choroidal vessel layer thickness (MCVLT, Sattler's layer) was measured as the distance between same perpendicular line and outer border of hypereflective RPE-Bruch's complex. RESULTS: The mean age of individuals was 28.23 ± 15.29 years (range 14–59 years). Overall, the mean subfoveal CT was 331.6 ± 63.9 μ. Mean LCVLT was 227.08 ± 51.24 μ and the mean MCVLT was 95.65 ± 23.62 μ. CT was maximum subfoveally with gradual reduction in the thickness as the distance from the fovea increased. CONCLUSION: This is the first study describing the choroidal sublayer thickness, i.e., Haller's and Sattler's layer thickness along with CT in healthy Indian population. PMID:29899646

An all-optical fiber optic photoacoustic transducer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thathachary, Supriya V.; Motameni, Cameron; Ashkenazi, Shai

2018-02-01

A highly sensitive fiber-optic Fabry-Perot photoacoustic transducer is proposed in this work. The transducer will consist of separate transmit and receive fibers. The receiver will be composed of a Fabry-Perot Ultrasound sensor with a selfwritten waveguide with all-optical ultrasound detection with high sensitivity. In previous work, we have shown an increase in resonator Q-factor from 1900 to 3200 for a simulated Fabry-Perot ultrasound detector of 45 μm thickness upon including a waveguide to limit lateral power losses. Subsequently, we demonstrated a prototype device with 30nm gold mirrors and a cavity composed of the photosensitive polymer Benzocyclobutene. This 80 µm thick device showed an improvement in its Q-factor from 2500 to 5200 after a selfaligned waveguide was written into the cavity using UV exposure. Current work uses a significantly faster fabrication technique using a combination of UV-cured epoxies for the cavity medium, and the waveguide within it. This reduces the fabrication time from several hours to a few minutes, and significantly lowers the cost of fabrication. We use a dip-coating technique to deposit the polymer layer. Future work will include the use of Dielectric Bragg mirrors in place of gold to achieve better reflectivity, thereby further improving the Q-factor of the device. The complete transducer presents an ideal solution for intravascular imaging in cases where tissue differentiation is desirable, an important feature in interventional procedures where arterial perforation is a risk. The final design proposed comprises the transducer within a guidewire to guide interventions for Chronic Total Occlusions, a disease state for which there are currently no invasive imaging options.

Stand-alone scattering optical device using holographic photopolymer (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jongchan; Lee, KyeoReh; Park, YongKeun

2016-03-01

When a light propagates through highly disordered medium, its optical parameters such as amplitude, phase and polarization states are completely scrambled because of multiple scattering events. Since the multiple scattering is a fundamental optical process that contains extremely high degrees of freedom, optical information of a transmitted light is totally mingled. Until recently, the presence of multiple scattering in an inhomogeneous medium is considered as a major obstacle when manipulating a light transmitting through the medium. However, a recent development of wavefront shaping techniques enable us to control the propagation of light through turbid media; a light transmitting through a turbid medium can be effectively controlled by modulating the spatial profile of the incident light using spatial light modulator. In this work, stand-alone scattering optical device is proposed; a holographic photopolymer film, which is much economic compared to the other digital spatial light modulators, is used to record and reconstruct permanent wavefront to generate optical field behind a scattering medium. By employing our method, arbitrary optical field can be generated since the scattering medium completely mixes all the optical parameters which allow us to access all the optical information only by modulating spatial phase profile of the impinging wavefront. The method is experimentally demonstrated in both the far-field and near-field regime where it shows promising fidelity and stability. The proposed stand-alone scattering optical device will opens up new avenues for exploiting the randomness inherent in disordered medium.

Ellipsometric study of oxide films formed on LDEF metal samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Franzen, W.; Brodkin, J. S.; Sengupta, L. C.; Sagalyn, P. L.

1992-01-01

The optical constants of samples of six different metals (Al, Cu, Ni, Ta, W, and Zr) exposed to space on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) were studied by variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry. Measurements were also carried out on portions of each sample which were shielded from direct exposure by a metal bar. A least-squares fit of the data using an effective medium approximation was then carried out, with thickness and composition of surface films formed on the metal substrates as variable parameters. The analysis revealed that exposed portions of the Cu, Ni, Ta, and Zr samples are covered with porous oxide films ranging in thickness from 500 to 1000 A. The 410 A thick film of Al2O3 on the exposed Al sample is practically free of voids. Except for Cu, the shielded portions of these metals are covered by thin non-porous oxide films characteristic of exposure to air. The shielded part of the Cu sample has a much thicker porous coating of Cu2O. The tungsten data could not be analyzed.

Air-coupled acoustic radiation force for non-contact generation of broadband mechanical waves in soft media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambroziński, Łukasz; Pelivanov, Ivan; Song, Shaozhen; Yoon, Soon Joon; Li, David; Gao, Liang; Shen, Tueng T.; Wang, Ruikang K.; O'Donnell, Matthew

2016-07-01

A non-contact method for efficient, non-invasive excitation of mechanical waves in soft media is proposed, in which we focus an ultrasound (US) signal through air onto the surface of a medium under study. The US wave reflected from the air/medium interface provides radiation force to the medium surface that launches a transient mechanical wave in the transverse (lateral) direction. The type of mechanical wave is determined by boundary conditions. To prove this concept, a home-made 1 MHz piezo-ceramic transducer with a matching layer to air sends a chirped US signal centered at 1 MHz to a 1.6 mm thick gelatin phantom mimicking soft biological tissue. A phase-sensitive (PhS)-optical coherence tomography system is used to track/image the mechanical wave. The reconstructed transient displacement of the mechanical wave in space and time demonstrates highly efficient generation, thus offering great promise for non-contact, non-invasive characterization of soft media, in general, and for elasticity measurements in delicate soft tissues and organs in bio-medicine, in particular.

Air-coupled acoustic radiation force for non-contact generation of broadband mechanical waves in soft media

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

Ambroziński, Łukasz; AGH University of Science and Technology, Krakow 30059; Pelivanov, Ivan, E-mail: ivanp3@uw.edu

A non-contact method for efficient, non-invasive excitation of mechanical waves in soft media is proposed, in which we focus an ultrasound (US) signal through air onto the surface of a medium under study. The US wave reflected from the air/medium interface provides radiation force to the medium surface that launches a transient mechanical wave in the transverse (lateral) direction. The type of mechanical wave is determined by boundary conditions. To prove this concept, a home-made 1 MHz piezo-ceramic transducer with a matching layer to air sends a chirped US signal centered at 1 MHz to a 1.6 mm thick gelatin phantom mimicking softmore » biological tissue. A phase-sensitive (PhS)-optical coherence tomography system is used to track/image the mechanical wave. The reconstructed transient displacement of the mechanical wave in space and time demonstrates highly efficient generation, thus offering great promise for non-contact, non-invasive characterization of soft media, in general, and for elasticity measurements in delicate soft tissues and organs in bio-medicine, in particular.« less

Structural changes of macula and optic disk of the fellow eye in patients with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.

PubMed

Duman, R; Yavas, G F; Veliyev, I; Dogan, M; Duman, R

2018-05-10

The aim was to assess the ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and optic disk features in the affected eyes (AE) and unaffected fellow eyes (FE) of subjects with unilateral nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and to compare with healthy control eyes (CE) using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). This study included 28 patients and age, sex and refraction-matched 28 control subjects. Mean GCC thickness and peripapillary RNFL thickness in four quadrants measured by cirrus SD-OCT were evaluated in both AE and FE of patients and CE. In addition, optic disk measurements obtained with OCT were evaluated. Mean GCC thickness was significantly lower in AE compared with both FE and CE (P < 0.001), and mean GCC thickness in FE was significantly lower than CE (P = 0.022). In addition, mean RNFL thickness in superior and nasal quadrants significantly decreased in FE compared with CE (P = 0.020 and 0.010, respectively). Furthermore, AE had significantly greater optic disk cupping compared with both FE and CE (P < 0.001). GCC and RNFL thickness decreased significantly at late stages of NAION, in both AE and FE compared with CE, suggesting that some subclinical structural changes may occur in FE despite lack of obvious visual symptoms. In addition, there was no significant difference in optic disk features between the CE and FE. And significantly greater optic disk cupping in the AE compared with both FE and CE supports the acquired enlargement of cupping after the onset of NAION.

Corneal thickness and elevation measurements using swept-source optical coherence tomography and slit scanning topography in normal and keratoconic eyes.

PubMed

Jhanji, Vishal; Yang, Bingzhi; Yu, Marco; Ye, Cong; Leung, Christopher K S

2013-11-01

To compare corneal thickness and corneal elevation using swept source optical coherence tomography and slit scanning topography. Prospective study. 41 normal and 46 keratoconus subjects. All eyes were imaged using swept source optical coherence tomography and slit scanning tomography during the same visit. Mean corneal thickness and best-fit sphere measurements were compared between the instruments. Agreement of measurements between swept source optical coherence tomography and scanning slit topography was analyzed. Intra-rater reproducibility coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient were evaluated. In normal eyes, central corneal thickness measured by swept source optical coherence tomography was thinner compared with slit scanning topography (p < 0.0001) and ultrasound pachymetry (p = < .0001). Ultrasound pachymetry readings had better 95% limits of agreement with swept source optical coherence tomography than slit scanning topography. In keratoconus eyes, central corneal thickness was thinner on swept source optical coherence tomography than slit scanning topography (p = 0.081) and ultrasound pachymetry (p = 0.001). There were significant differences between thinnest corneal thickness, and, anterior and posterior best-fit sphere measurements between both instruments (p < 0.05 for all). Overall, reproducibility coefficients and intraclass correlation coefficients were significantly better with swept source optical coherence tomography for measurement of central corneal thickness, anterior best-fit sphere and, posterior best-fit sphere (all p < 0.001). Corneal thickness and elevation measurements were significantly different between swept source optical coherence tomography and slit scanning topography. With better reproducibility coefficients and intraclass correlation coefficients, swept source optical coherence tomography may provide a reliable alternative for measurement of corneal parameters. © 2013 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology © 2013 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Correlation between retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and optic nerve head size: an optical coherence tomography study.

PubMed

Savini, G; Zanini, M; Carelli, V; Sadun, A A; Ross-Cisneros, F N; Barboni, P

2005-04-01

To investigate the correlation between retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness and optic nerve head (ONH) size in normal white subjects by means of optical coherence tomography (OCT). 54 eyes of 54 healthy subjects aged between 15 and 54 underwent peripapillary RNFL thickness measurement by a series of three circular scans with a 3.4 mm diameter (Stratus OCT, RNFL Thickness 3.4 acquisition protocol). ONH analysis was performed by means of six radial scans centred on the optic disc (Stratus OCT, Fast Optic Disc acquisition protocol). The mean RNFL values were correlated with the data obtained by ONH analysis. The superior, nasal, and inferior quadrant RNFL thickness showed a significant correlation with the optic disc area (R = 0.3822, p = 0.0043), (R = 0.3024, p = 0.026), (R = 0.4048, p = 0.0024) and the horizontal disc diameter (R = 0.2971, p = 0.0291), (R = 0.2752, p = 0.044), (R = 0.3970, p = 0.003). The superior and inferior quadrant RNFL thickness was also positively correlated with the vertical disc diameter (R = 0.3774, p = 0.0049), (R = 0.2793, p = 0.0408). A significant correlation was observed between the 360 degrees average RNFL thickness and the optic disc area and the vertical and horizontal disc diameters of the ONH (R = 0.4985, p = 0.0001), (R = 0.4454, p = 0.0007), (R = 0.4301, p = 0.0012). RNFL thickness measurements obtained by Stratus OCT increased significantly with an increase in optic disc size. It is not clear if eyes with large ONHs show a thicker RNFL as a result of an increased amount of nerve fibres or to the shorter distance between the circular scan and the optic disc edge.

Diode end pumped laser and harmonic generator using same

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byer, Robert L. (Inventor); Dixon, George J. (Inventor); Kane, Thomas J. (Inventor)

1988-01-01

A second harmonic, optical generator is disclosed in which a laser diode produces an output pumping beam which is focused by means of a graded, refractive index rod lens into a rod of lasant material, such as Nd:YAG, disposed within an optical resonator to pump the lasant material and to excite the optical resonator at a fundamental wavelength. A non-linear electro-optic material such as MgO:LiNbO.sub.3 is coupled to the excited, fundamental mode of the optical resonator to produce a non-linear interaction with the fundamental wavelength producing a harmonic. In one embodiment, the gain medium and the non-linear material are disposed within an optical resonator defined by a pair of reflectors, one of which is formed on a face of the gain medium and the second of which is formed on a face of the non-linear medium. In another embodiment, the non-linear, electro-optic material is doped with the lasant ion such that the gain medium and the non-linear doubling material are co-extensive in volume. In another embodiment, a non-linear, doubling material is disposed in an optical resonator external of the laser gai medium for improved stability of the second harmonic generation process. In another embodiment, the laser gain medium andthe non-linear material are bonded together by means of an optically transparent cement to form a mechanically stable, monolithic structure. In another embodiment, the non-linear material has reflective faces formed thereon to define a ring resonator to decouple reflections from the non-linear medium back to the gain medium for improved stability.

Polarization of fast particle beams by collisional pumping

DOEpatents

Stearns, J.W.; Kaplan, S.N.; Pyle, R.V.; Anderson, L.W.; Schlachter, A.S.; Ruby, L.

1984-10-19

The invention relates to method and apparatus for polarizing a fast beam of particles by collisional pumping, including generating a fast beam of particles, and generating a thick electron-spin-polarized medium positioned as a target for said beam, said medium being sufficiently thick to allow said beam to interact with said medium to produce collisional pumping whereby said particle beam becomes highly polarized.

Surface plasmon-assisted microscope.

PubMed

Borejdo, Julian; Gryczynski, Zygmunt; Fudala, Rafal; Joshi, Chaitanya R; Borgmann, Kathleen; Ghorpade, Anuja; Gryczynski, Ignacy

2018-06-01

Total internal reflection microscopy (TIRF) has been a powerful tool in biological research. The most valuable feature of the method has been the ability to image 100- to 200-nm-thick layer of cell features adjacent to a coverslip, such as membrane lipids, membrane receptors, and structures proximal-to-basal membranes. Here, we demonstrate an alternative method of imaging thin-layer proximal-to-basal membranes by placing a sample on a high refractive index coverslip covered by a thin layer of gold. The sample is illuminated using the Kretschmann method (i.e., from the top to an aqueous medium). Fluorophores that are close to the metal surface induce surface plasmons in the metal film. Fluorescence from fluorophores near the metal surface couple with surface plasmons allowing them to penetrate the metal surface and emerge at a surface plasmon coupled emission angle. The thickness of the detection layer is further reduced in comparison with TIRF by metal quenching of fluorophores at a close proximity (below 10 nm) to a surface. Fluorescence is collected by a high NA objective and imaged by EMCCD or converted to a signal by avalanche photodiode fed by a single-mode optical fiber inserted in the conjugate image plane of the objective. The system avoids complications of through-the-objective TIRF associated with shared excitation and emission light path, has thin collection thickness, produces excellent background rejection, and is an effective method to study molecular motion. (2018) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

Multi-pass light amplifier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plaessmann, Henry (Inventor); Grossman, William M. (Inventor)

1997-01-01

A multiple-pass laser amplifier that uses optical focusing between subsequent passes through a single gain medium so that a reproducibly stable beam size is achieved within the gain region. A confocal resonator or White Cell resonator is provided, including two or three curvilinearly shaped mirrors facing each other along a resonator axis and an optical gain medium positioned on the resonator axis between the mirrors (confocal resonator) or adjacent to one of the mirrors (White Cell). In a first embodiment, two mirrors, which may include adjacent lenses, are configured so that a light beam passing through the gain medium and incident on the first mirror is reflected by that mirror toward the second mirror in a direction approximately parallel to the resonator axis. A light beam translator, such as an optical flat of transparent material, is positioned to translate this light beam by a controllable amount toward or away from the resonator axis for each pass of the light beam through the translator. The optical gain medium may be solid-state, liquid or gaseous medium and may be pumped longitudinally or transversely. In a second embodiment, first and second mirrors face a third mirror in a White Cell configuration, and the optical gain medium is positioned at or adjacent to one of the mirrors. Defocusing means and optical gain medium cooling means are optionally provided with either embodiment, to controllably defocus the light beam, to cool the optical gain medium and to suppress thermal lensing in the gain medium.

Chebyshev collocation spectral method for one-dimensional radiative heat transfer in linearly anisotropic-scattering cylindrical medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Rui-Rui; Li, Ben-Wen

2017-03-01

In this study, the Chebyshev collocation spectral method (CCSM) is developed to solve the radiative integro-differential transfer equation (RIDTE) for one-dimensional absorbing, emitting and linearly anisotropic-scattering cylindrical medium. The general form of quadrature formulas for Chebyshev collocation points is deduced. These formulas are proved to have the same accuracy as the Gauss-Legendre quadrature formula (GLQF) for the F-function (geometric function) in the RIDTE. The explicit expressions of the Lagrange basis polynomials and the differentiation matrices for Chebyshev collocation points are also given. These expressions are necessary for solving an integro-differential equation by the CCSM. Since the integrand in the RIDTE is continuous but non-smooth, it is treated by the segments integration method (SIM). The derivative terms in the RIDTE are carried out to improve the accuracy near the origin. In this way, a fourth order accuracy is achieved by the CCSM for the RIDTE, whereas it's only a second order one by the finite difference method (FDM). Several benchmark problems (BPs) with various combinations of optical thickness, medium temperature distribution, degree of anisotropy, and scattering albedo are solved. The results show that present CCSM is efficient to obtain high accurate results, especially for the optically thin medium. The solutions rounded to seven significant digits are given in tabular form, and show excellent agreement with the published data. Finally, the solutions of RIDTE are used as benchmarks for the solution of radiative integral transfer equations (RITEs) presented by Sutton and Chen (JQSRT 84 (2004) 65-103). A non-uniform grid refined near the wall is advised to improve the accuracy of RITEs solutions.

Optimized achromatic phase-matching system and method

DOEpatents

Trebino, R.; DeLong, K.; Hayden, C.

1997-07-15

An optical system for efficiently directing a large bandwidth light (e.g., a femtosecond laser pulse) onto a nonlinear optical medium includes a plurality of optical elements for directing an input light pulse onto a nonlinear optical medium arranged such that the angle {theta}{sub in} which the light pulse directed onto the nonlinear optical medium is substantially independent of a position x of the light beam entering the optical system. The optical system is also constructed such that the group velocity dispersion of light pulses passing through the system can be tuned to a desired value including negative group velocity dispersion. 15 figs.

Optimized achromatic phase-matching system and method

DOEpatents

Trebino, Rick; DeLong, Ken; Hayden, Carl

1997-01-01

An optical system for efficiently directing a large bandwidth light (e.g., a femtosecond laser pulse) onto a nonlinear optical medium includes a plurality of optical elements for directing an input light pulse onto a nonlinear optical medium arranged such that the angle .theta..sub.in which the light pulse directed onto the nonlinear optical medium is substantially independent of a position x of the light beam entering the optical system. The optical system is also constructed such that the group velocity dispersion of light pulses passing through the system can be tuned to a desired value including negative group velocity dispersion.

Optical property measurement from layered biological media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muller, Matthew R.

1998-12-01

Near infrared (NIR) photon reflectance spectroscopy is applied to measurement of blood concentration and its oxygen saturation within biological tissue. The measurement relies upon the changes in photon absorption of hemoglobin in the tissue as changes occur in the hemoglobin concentration and oxygen content. In the present study, NIR light is introduced at the skin surface and the optical properties (absorption and scattering) within the underlying tissue are determined from the resulting surface reflectance. Typically the tissue is modeled as a homogeneous mixture of bloodless tissue and blood, and the model incorporates the physical relationship between the surface reflectance and the optical properties of the tissue. The skin and underlying tissue, although heterogeneous, have a characteristic layered structure. These layers can be differentiated optically. The modeling and the inverse problem of measuring the optical properties in each of the tissue layers from the surface reflectance have been the subject of much attention by a number of investigators. Nonetheless, quantification of the relationship between surface reflectance and the optical properties of layered tissue has not been well understood nor well described. In the forward problem, tissue optical properties yield surface reflectance profiles (SRPs). Surface reflectance profiles, or SRPs, from diffusive media consisting of two layers are calculated using numerical solutions to the Boltzmann equation. Experimental SRPs are also measured in vitro from a test medium and in vivo from the calf of human subjects. This study provides a new approach to solving the inverse problem of determining optical properties from SRPs. To solve the inverse problem, an effective diffusion constant (Ke) is determined for the layered media. The Ke is the diffusion constant of an equivalent homogeneous medium which best fits the SRP of the layered medium. The departure from Ke of the SRP for a layered media is captured concisely, and Ke becomes a tool in describing the layered optical properties. This approach is applied clinically to measure changes in the blood concentration and oxygenation measured in vivo from normals and patients with peripheral vascular disease. A significant finding from the modeling was to identify the functional relationship of Ke to the top and lower layer diffusion constants, and the top layer thickness. When applied to in vitro measurements from media containing homogeneous layers with known optical properties, this functional relationship predicted Ke within the 95% confidence interval of the measured Ke. For the in vivo measurements, changes in K e with exercise are consistent with expected exercise physiology. With the incorporation of the known optical absorbance of hemoglobin in the presence of oxygen, the SRPs provide a means to measure the oxygen saturation of a deep tissue layer from the surface light reflectance.

Characterization on Smart Optics Using Ellipsometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Song, Kyo D.

2002-01-01

Recently, NASA Langley Research Center developed a smart active optical concept to filter narrow band pass or to control optical intensity. To characterize developed smart optics materials, we have measured thickness and reflection properties of the materials using a WVASE32 ellipsometry. This project allowed us to: (1) prepare the smart optical materials for measurement of thickness and optical properties at NASA Langley Research Center; (2) measure thickness and optical properties of the smart optical materials; (3) evaluate the measured properties in terms of applications for narrow band-pass filters. The outcomes of this research provide optical properties and physical properties of the smart optics on a selected spectral range. The applications of this development were used for field-controlled spectral smart filters.

Thickness dependence of optical properties of amorphous indium oxide thin films deposited by reactive evaporation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uluta, K.; Deer, D.; Skarlatos, Y.

2006-08-01

The electrical conductivity and absorption coefficient of amorphous indium oxide thin films, thermally evaporated on glass substrates at room temperature, were evaluated. For direct transitions the variation of the optical band gap with thickness was determined and this variation was supposed to appear due to the variation of localized gap states, whereas the variation of conductivity with thickness was supposed to be due to the variation of carrier concentration. We attribute the variation of absorption coefficient with thickness to the variation of optical band gap energy rather than optical interference.

Thermal lens elimination by gradient-reduced zone coupling of optical beams

DOEpatents

Page, Ralph H.; Beach, Raymond J.

2000-01-01

A thermal gradient-reduced-zone laser includes a laser medium and an optically transparent plate with an index of refraction that is less than the index of refraction of the laser medium. The pump face of the laser medium is bonded to a surface of the optically transparent member. Pump light is directed through the transparent plate to optically pump the solid state laser medium. Heat conduction is mainly through the surface of the laser medium where the heat is introduced by the pump light. Heat flows in a direction opposite to that of the pump light because the side of the laser medium that is opposite to that of the pump face is not in thermal contact with a conductor and thus there is no heat flux (and hence, no temperature gradient), thus producing a thermal gradient-reduced zone. A laser cavity is formed around the laser medium such that laser light oscillating within the laser cavity reflects by total-internal-reflection from the interface between the pump face and the optically transparent plate and enters and exits through a thermal gradient-reduced zone.

Doping-Induced Interband Gain in InAs/AlSb Quantum Wells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolokolov, K. I.; Ning, C. Z.

2005-01-01

A paper describes a computational study of effects of doping in a quantum well (QW) comprising a 10-nm-thick layer of InAs sandwiched between two 21-nm-thick AlSb layers. Heretofore, InAs/AlSb QWs have not been useful as interband gain devices because they have type-II energy-band-edge alignment, which causes spatial separation of electrons and holes, thereby leading to weak interband dipole matrix elements. In the doping schemes studied, an interior sublayer of each AlSb layer was doped at various total areal densities up to 5 X 10(exp 12) / square cm. It was found that (1) proper doping converts the InAs layer from a barrier to a well for holes, thereby converting the heterostructure from type II to type I; (2) the resultant dipole matrix elements and interband gains are comparable to those of typical type-I heterostructures; and (3) dipole moments and optical gain increase with the doping level. Optical gains in the transverse magnetic mode can be almost ten times those of other semiconductor material systems in devices used to generate medium-wavelength infrared (MWIR) radiation. Hence, doped InAs/AlSb QWs could be the basis of an alternative material system for devices to generate MWIR radiation.

On the lasing-like transmission via radiation-mode-enabled TE resonant optical tunneling in asymmetric, passive, layered media with metal.

PubMed

Chang, Yin-Jung

2014-11-17

Transverse-electric (TE) resonant optical tunneling through an asymmetric, single-barrier potential system consisting of all passive materials in two-dimensional (2-D) glass/silver/TiO₂/air configuration is quantified at a silver thickness of 35 nm. Resonant tunneling occurs when the incident condition corresponds to the excitation of a radiation mode. Lasing-like transmission occurring at resonance is carefully qualified in terms of power conservation, resonance condition, and identification of the gain medium equivalent. In particular, effective gain (geff) and threshold gain (gth) coefficients, both of which are strong functions of the forward reflection coefficient at the silver-TiO₂ interface, are analytically obtained and the angular span over which geff > gth is further verified rigorously electromagnetically. The results show that the present configuration may be treated as a cascade of the gain equivalent (i.e. the silver film) and the TiO₂resonator that is of Fabry-Perot type, giving rise to negative gth when resonant tunneling occurs. The transmittance spectrum exhibiting a gain-curve-like envelope is shown to be a direct consequence of the competition of the resonator loss at the silver-TiO₂interface and the forward tunneling probability through the silver barrier, all controlled by the effective silver barrier thickness.

Optical activity via Kerr nonlinearity in a spinning chiral medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Anwar Ali; Bacha, Bakht Amin; Khan, Rahmat Ali

2016-11-01

Optical activity is investigated in a chiral medium by employing the four level cascade atomic model, in which the optical responses of the atomic medium are studied with Kerr nonlinearity. Light entering into a chiral medium splits into circular birefringent beams. The angle of divergence between the circular birefringent beams and the polarization states of the two light beams is manipulated with Kerr nonlinearity. In the stationary chiral medium the angle of divergence between the circular birefringent beams is calculated to be 1.3 radian. Furthermore, circular birefringence is optically controlled in a spinning chiral medium, where the maximum rotary photon drag angle for left (right) circularly polarized beam is ±1.1 (±1.5) microradian. The change in the angle of divergence between circular birefringent beams by rotary photon drag is calculated to be 0.4 microradian. The numerical results may help to understand image designing, image coding, discovery of photonic crystals and optical sensing technology.

Thickness dependent structural, optical and electrical properties of Se85In12Bi3 nanochalcogenide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tripathi, Ravi P.; Zulfequar, M.; Khan, Shamshad A.

2018-04-01

Our aim is to study the thickness dependent effects on structure, electrical and optical properties of Se85In12Bi3 nanochalcogenide thin films. Bulk alloy of Se85In12Bi3 was synthesized by melt-quenching technique. The amorphous as well as glassy nature of Se85In12Bi3 chalcogenide was confirmed by non-isothermal Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) measurements. The nanochalcogenide thin films of thickness 30, 60 and 90 nm were prepared on glass/Si wafer substrate using Physical Vapour Condensation Technique (PVCT). From XRD studies it was found that thin films have amorphous texture. The surface morphology and particle size of films were studied by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM). From optical studies, different optical parameters were estimated for Se85In12Bi3 thin films at different thickness. It was found that the absorption coefficient (α) and extinction coefficient (k) increases with photon energy and decreases with film thickness. The optical absorption process followed the rule of indirect transitions and optical band gap were found to be increase with film thickness. The value of Urbach energy (Et) and steepness parameter (σ) were also calculated for different film thickness. For electrical studies, dc-conductivity measurement was done at different temperature and activation energy (ΔEc) were determined and found to be increase with film thickness.

Factors affecting the transverse force measurements of an optical trap: I

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Tiffany A.; Wright, Amanda; Gleeson, Helen F.; Dickenson, Mark; Mullin, Tom; Murray, Andrew

2002-03-01

The transverse force of an optical trap is usually measured by equating the trapping force to the viscous drag force applied to the trapped particle according to Stokes' Law. Under normal conditions, the viscous drag force on a trapped particle is proportional to the fluid velocity of the medium. In this paper we show that an increase of particle concentration within the medium affects force measurements. In order to trap the particle, 1064 nm light from a Nd:YVO4 laser was brought to a focus in a sample slide, of thickness around 380 microns, by using an inverted Zeiss microscope objective, with NA equals 1.3. The slide was filled with distilled water containing 6 micron diameter polystyrene spheres. Measurements were taken at a fluid velocity of 0.75 microns/sec, achieved by moving the sample stage with a piezo-electric transducer whilst a particle was held stationary in the trap. The laser power required to hold a sphere at different trap depths for various concentrations was measured. Significant weakening of the trap was found for concentrations >0.03% solids by weight, becoming weaker for higher trap depths. These results are explained in terms of aberrations, particle-particle interactions and distortion of the beam due to particle-light interactions.

Correction of Rayleigh Scattering Effects in Cloud Optical Thickness Retrievals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Meng-Hua; King, Michael D.

1997-01-01

We present results that demonstrate the effects of Rayleigh scattering on the 9 retrieval of cloud optical thickness at a visible wavelength (0.66 Am). The sensor-measured radiance at a visible wavelength (0.66 Am) is usually used to infer remotely the cloud optical thickness from aircraft or satellite instruments. For example, we find that without removing Rayleigh scattering effects, errors in the retrieved cloud optical thickness for a thin water cloud layer (T = 2.0) range from 15 to 60%, depending on solar zenith angle and viewing geometry. For an optically thick cloud (T = 10), on the other hand, errors can range from 10 to 60% for large solar zenith angles (0-60 deg) because of enhanced Rayleigh scattering. It is therefore particularly important to correct for Rayleigh scattering contributions to the reflected signal from a cloud layer both (1) for the case of thin clouds and (2) for large solar zenith angles and all clouds. On the basis of the single scattering approximation, we propose an iterative method for effectively removing Rayleigh scattering contributions from the measured radiance signal in cloud optical thickness retrievals. The proposed correction algorithm works very well and can easily be incorporated into any cloud retrieval algorithm. The Rayleigh correction method is applicable to cloud at any pressure, providing that the cloud top pressure is known to within +/- 100 bPa. With the Rayleigh correction the errors in retrieved cloud optical thickness are usually reduced to within 3%. In cases of both thin cloud layers and thick ,clouds with large solar zenith angles, the errors are usually reduced by a factor of about 2 to over 10. The Rayleigh correction algorithm has been tested with simulations for realistic cloud optical and microphysical properties with different solar and viewing geometries. We apply the Rayleigh correction algorithm to the cloud optical thickness retrievals from experimental data obtained during the Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) conducted near the Azores in June 1992 and compare these results to corresponding retrievals obtained using 0.88 Am. These results provide an example of the Rayleigh scattering effects on thin clouds and further test the Rayleigh correction scheme. Using a nonabsorbing near-infrared wavelength lambda (0.88 Am) in retrieving cloud optical thickness is only applicable over oceans, however, since most land surfaces are highly reflective at 0.88 Am. Hence successful global retrievals of cloud optical thickness should remove Rayleigh scattering effects when using reflectance measurements at 0.66 Am.

Vertical profile of cloud optical parameters derived from airborne measurements above, inside and below clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melnikova, Irina; Gatebe, Charles K.

2018-07-01

Past strategies for retrieving cloud optical properties from remote sensing assumed significant limits for desired parameters such as semi-infinite optical thickness, single scattering albedo equaling unity (non-absorbing scattering), absence of spectral dependence of the optical thickness, etc., and only one optical parameter could be retrieved (either optical thickness or single scattering albedo). Here, we demonstrate a new method based on asymptotic theory for thick atmospheres, and the presence of a diffusion domain within the clouds that does not put restrictions and makes it possible to get two or even three optical parameters (optical thickness, single scattering albedo and phase function asymmetry parameter) for every wavelength independently. We applied this method to measurements of angular distribution of solar radiation above, inside and below clouds, obtained with NASA's Cloud Absorption Radiometer (CAR) over two cases of marine stratocumulus clouds; first case, offshore of Namibia and the second case, offshore of California. The observational and retrieval errors are accounted for by regularization, which allows stable and smooth solutions. Results show good potential for parameterization of the shortwave radiative properties (reflection, transmission, radiative divergence and heating rate) of water clouds.

Radiation pressure in galactic discs: stability, turbulence, and winds in the single-scattering limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wibking, Benjamin D.; Thompson, Todd A.; Krumholz, Mark R.

2018-07-01

The radiation force on dust grains may be dynamically important in driving turbulence and outflows in rapidly star-forming galaxies. Recent studies focus on the highly optically thick limit relevant to the densest ultraluminous galaxies and super star clusters, where reprocessed infrared photons provide the dominant source of electromagnetic momentum. However, even among starburst galaxies, the great majority instead lie in the so-called `single-scattering' limit, where the system is optically thick to the incident starlight, but optically thin to the reradiated infrared. In this paper, we present a stability analysis and multidimensional radiation-hydrodynamic simulations exploring the stability and dynamics of isothermal dusty gas columns in this regime. We describe our algorithm for full angle-dependent radiation transport based on the discontinuous Galerkin finite element method. For a range of near-Eddington fluxes, we show that the medium is unstable, producing convective-like motions in a turbulent atmosphere with a scale height significantly inflated compared to the gas pressure scale height and mass-weighted turbulent energy densities of ˜0.01-0.1 of the mid-plane radiation energy density, corresponding to mass-weighted velocity dispersions of Mach number ˜0.5-2. Extrapolation of our results to optical depths of 103 implies maximum turbulent Mach numbers of ˜20. Comparing our results to galaxy-averaged observations, and subject to the approximations of our calculations, we find that radiation pressure does not contribute significantly to the effective supersonic pressure support in star-forming discs, which in general are substantially sub-Eddington. We further examine the time-averaged vertical density profiles in dynamical equilibrium and comment on implications for radiation-pressure-driven galactic winds.

Radiation pressure in galactic disks: stability, turbulence, and winds in the single-scattering limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wibking, Benjamin D.; Thompson, Todd A.; Krumholz, Mark R.

2018-04-01

The radiation force on dust grains may be dynamically important in driving turbulence and outflows in rapidly star-forming galaxies. Recent studies focus on the highly optically-thick limit relevant to the densest ultra-luminous galaxies and super star clusters, where reprocessed infrared photons provide the dominant source of electromagnetic momentum. However, even among starburst galaxies, the great majority instead lie in the so-called "single-scattering" limit, where the system is optically-thick to the incident starlight, but optically-thin to the re-radiated infrared. In this paper we present a stability analysis and multidimensional radiation-hydrodynamic simulations exploring the stability and dynamics of isothermal dusty gas columns in this regime. We describe our algorithm for full angle-dependent radiation transport based on the discontinuous Galerkin finite element method. For a range of near-Eddington fluxes, we show that the medium is unstable, producing convective-like motions in a turbulent atmosphere with a scale height significantly inflated compared to the gas pressure scale height and mass-weighted turbulent energy densities of ˜0.01 - 0.1 of the midplane radiation energy density, corresponding to mass-weighted velocity dispersions of Mach number ˜0.5 - 2. Extrapolation of our results to optical depths of 103 implies maximum turbulent Mach numbers of ˜20. Comparing our results to galaxy-averaged observations, and subject to the approximations of our calculations, we find that radiation pressure does not contribute significantly to the effective supersonic pressure support in star-forming disks, which in general are substantially sub-Eddington. We further examine the time-averaged vertical density profiles in dynamical equilibrium and comment on implications for radiation-pressure-driven galactic winds.

Apparatus and process for determining the susceptibility of microorganisms to antibiotics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gibson, Sandra F. (Inventor); Fadler, Norman L. (Inventor)

1976-01-01

A process for determining the susceptibility of microorganisms to antibiotics involves introducing a diluted specimen into discrete quantities of a selective culture medium which favors a specific microorganism in that the microorganism is sustained by the medium and when so sustained will change the optical characteristics of the medium. Only the specific microorganism will alter the optical characteristics. Some of the discrete quantities are blended with known antibiotics, while at least one is not. If the specimen contains the microorganisms favored by the selective medium, the optical characteristics of the discrete quantity of pure selective medium, that is the one without antibiotics, will change. If the antibiotics in any of the other discrete quantities are ineffective against the favored microorganisms, the optical characteristics of those quantities will likewise change. No change in the optical characteristics of a discrete quantity indicates that the favored microorganism is susceptible to the antibiotic in the quantity.

Internal-illumination photoacoustic computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Mucong; Lan, Bangxin; Liu, Wei; Xia, Jun; Yao, Junjie

2018-03-01

We report a photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) system using a customized optical fiber with a cylindrical diffuser to internally illuminate deep targets. The traditional external light illumination in PACT usually limits the penetration depth to a few centimeters from the tissue surface, mainly due to strong optical attenuation along the light propagation path from the outside in. By contrast, internal light illumination, with external ultrasound detection, can potentially detect much deeper targets. Different from previous internal illumination PACT implementations using forward-looking optical fibers, our internal-illumination PACT system uses a customized optical fiber with a 3-cm-long conoid needle diffuser attached to the fiber tip, which can homogeneously illuminate the surrounding space and substantially enlarge the field of view. We characterized the internal illumination distribution and PACT system performance. We performed tissue phantom and in vivo animal studies to further demonstrate the superior imaging depth using internal illumination over external illumination. We imaged a 7.5-cm-deep leaf target embedded in optically scattering medium and the beating heart of a mouse overlaid with 3.7-cm-thick chicken tissue. Our results have collectively demonstrated that the internal light illumination combined with external ultrasound detection might be a useful strategy to improve the penetration depth of PACT in imaging deep organs of large animals and humans.

Solid colloidal optical wavelength filter

DOEpatents

Alvarez, Joseph L.

1992-01-01

A solid colloidal optical wavelength filter includes a suspension of spheal particles dispersed in a coagulable medium such as a setting plastic. The filter is formed by suspending spherical particles in a coagulable medium; agitating the particles and coagulable medium to produce an emulsion of particles suspended in the coagulable medium; and allowing the coagulable medium and suspended emulsion of particles to cool.

Determination of the optical thickness and effective particle radius of clouds from reflected solar radiation measurements. II - Marine stratocumulus observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakajima, Teruyuki; King, Michael D.; Spinhirne, James D.; Radke, Lawrence F.

1991-01-01

A multispectral scanning radiometer has been used to obtain measurements of the reflection function of marine stratocumulus clouds at 0.75 micron and at 1.65 and 2.16 microns. These observations were obtained from the NASA ER-2 aircraft as part of the FIRE, conducted off the coast of southern California during July 1987. Multispectral images of the reflection function were used to derive the optical thickness and the effective particle radius of stratiform cloud layers on four days. In addition to the radiation measurements, in situ microphysical measurements were obtained from an aircraft. In this paper, the remote sensing results are compared with in situ observations, which show a good spatial correlation for both optical thickness and effective radius. These comparisons further show systematic differences between remote sensing and in situ values, with a tendency for remote sensing to overestimate the effective radius by about 2-3 microns, independent of particle radius. The optical thickness, in contrast, is somewhat overestimated for small optical thicknesses and underestimated for large optical thicknesses. An introduction of enhanced gaseous absorption at a wavelength of 2.16 microns successfully explains some of these observed discrepancies.

Thermal behavior modeling of a cabinet direct solar dryer as influenced by sensible heat storage in a fractured porous medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandali, Messaoud; Boubekri, Abdelghani; Mennouche, Djamel

2018-05-01

Numerical simulation method has been employed to improve the thermal performance of cabinet direct solar dryer. The present study focused on the numerical simulation of a direct solar dryer with integration of a flat layer of fractured porous medium above the absorber plate in the aim to store thermal energy by sensible heat. Several calculations were conducted, using the finite volume method with a two-dimensional unsteady model implemented in the Fluent CFD software. The porous medium has been integrated with different thickness to show the influence of the medium thickness on the thermal performance of solar dryer. Different kinds of materials have been tested and studied. The effect of porosity of porous medium has been studied. The obtained results showed that the temperature of drying air is increased by 4°C with integration of porous medium. The increasing in the thickness of the porous medium by 1cm leads to increase the temperature of drying air by 2°C. The increasing of the medium porosity by 10% leads to decrease the temperature of drying air by 1°C. The best material is the one that has a highest specific heat and thermal conductivity.

Optical response of nanostructured metal/dielectric composites and multilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Geoffrey B.; Maaroof, Abbas I.; Allan, Rodney S.; Schelm, Stefan; Anstis, Geoffrey R.; Cortie, Michael B.

2004-08-01

The homogeneous optical response in conducting nanostructured layers, and in insulating layers containing dense arrays of self assembled conducting nanoparticles separated by organic linkers, is examined experimentally through their effective complex indices (n*, k*). Classical effective medium models, modified to account for the 3-phase nanostructure, are shown to explain (n*, k*) in dense particulate systems but not inhomogeneous layers with macroscopic conductance for which a different approach to homogenisation is discussed. (n*, k*) data on thin granular metal films, thin mesoporous gold, and on thin metal layers containing ordered arrays of voids, is linked to properties of the surface plasmon states which span the nanostructured film. Coupling between evanescent waves at either surface counterbalanced by electron scattering losses must be considered. Virtual bound states for resonant photons result, with the associated transit delay leading to a large rise in n* in many nanostructures. Overcoating n-Ag with alumina is shown to alter (n*, k*) through its impact on the SP coupling. In contrast to classical optical homogenisation, effective indices depend on film thickness. Supporting high resolution SEM images are presented.

Optical resonator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taghavi-Larigani, Shervin (Inventor); Vanzyl, Jakob J. (Inventor); Yariv, Amnon (Inventor)

2006-01-01

The invention discloses a semi-ring Fabry-Perot (SRFP) optical resonator structure comprising a medium including an edge forming a reflective facet and a waveguide within the medium, the waveguide having opposing ends formed by the reflective facet. The performance of the SRFP resonator can be further enhanced by including a Mach-Zehnder interferometer in the waveguide on one side of the gain medium. The optical resonator can be employed in a variety of optical devices. Laser structures using at least one SRFP resonator are disclosed where the resonators are disposed on opposite sides of a gain medium. Other laser structures employing one or more resonators on one side of a gain region are also disclosed.

Optical coherence tomography detects characteristic retinal nerve fiber layer thickness corresponding to band atrophy of the optic discs.

PubMed

Kanamori, Akiyasu; Nakamura, Makoto; Matsui, Noriko; Nagai, Azusa; Nakanishi, Yoriko; Kusuhara, Sentaro; Yamada, Yuko; Negi, Akira

2004-12-01

To analyze retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in eyes with band atrophy by use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and to evaluate the ability of OCT to detect this characteristic pattern of RNFL loss. Cross-sectional, retrospective study. Thirty-four eyes of 18 patients with bitemporal hemianopia caused by optic chiasm compression by chiasmal tumors were studied. All eyes were divided into 3 groups according to visual field loss grading after Goldmann perimetry. Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurements with OCT. Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness around the optic disc was measured by OCT (3.4-mm diameter circle). Calculation of the changes in OCT parameters, including the horizontal (nasal + temporal quadrant RNFL thickness) and vertical values (superior + inferior quadrant RNFL thickness) was based on data from 160 normal eyes. Comparison between the 3 visual field grading groups was done with the analysis of variance test. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the horizontal and vertical value were calculated, and the areas under the curve (AUC) were compared. Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in eyes with band atrophy decreased in all OCT parameters. The reduction rate in average and temporal RNFL thickness and horizontal value was correlated with visual field grading. The AUC of horizontal value was 0.970+/-0.011, which was significantly different from AUC of vertical value (0.903+/-0.022). The degree of RNFL thickness reduction correlated with that of visual field defects. Optical coherence tomography was able to identify the characteristic pattern of RNFL loss in these eyes.

Hierarchical opal grating films prepared by slide coating of colloidal dispersions in binary liquid media.

PubMed

Lee, Wonmok; Kim, Seulgi; Kim, Seulki; Kim, Jin-Ho; Lee, Hyunjung

2015-02-15

There are active researches on well ordered opal films due to their possible applications to various photonic devices. A recently developed slide coating method is capable of rapid fabrication of large area opal films from aqueous colloidal dispersion. In the current study, the slide coating of polystyrene colloidal dispersions in water/i-propanol (IPA) binary media is investigated. Under high IPA content in a dispersing medium, resulting opal film showed a deterioration of long range order, as well as a decreased film thickness due to dilution effect. From the binary liquid, the dried opal films exhibited the unprecedented topological groove patterns with varying periodic distances as a function of alcohol contents in the media. The groove patterns were consisted of the hierarchical structures of the terraced opal layers with periodic thickness variations. The origin of the groove patterns was attributed to a shear-induced periodic instability of colloidal concentration within a thin channel during the coating process which was directly converted to a groove patterns in a resulting opal film due to rapid evaporation of liquid. The groove periods of opal films were in the range of 50-500 μm, and the thickness differences between peak and valley of the groove were significantly large enough to be optically distinguishable, such that the coated films can be utilized as the optical grating film to disperse infra-red light. Utilizing a lowered hydrophilicity of water/IPA dispersant, an opal film could be successfully coated on a flexible Mylar film without significant dewetting problem. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Three & Four Product Surface-Wave Acousto-Optic Time Integrating Correlators.

DTIC Science & Technology

four product correlated signals. A laser beam is split and shaped into first and second sheet beams. The first beam is directed to a first acousto - optic medium...where it is doubly diffracted by first and second signals. The second beam is directed to a second acousto - optic medium which is spatially...rotated 90 degs relative to the first acousto - optic medium where the second sheet beam is either singly diffracted by a third signal or doubly diffracted

Visible and near-infrared laser radiation in a biological tissue. A forward model for medical imaging by optical tomography.

PubMed

Trabelsi, H; Gantri, M; Sediki, E

2010-01-01

We present a numerical model for the study of a general, two-dimensional, time-dependent, laser radiation transfer problem in a biological tissue. The model is suitable for many situations, especially when the external laser source is pulsed or continuous. We used a control volume discrete-ordinate method associated with an implicit, three-level, second-order, time-differencing scheme. In medical imaging by laser techniques, this could be an optical tomography forward model. We considered a very thin rectangular biological tissue-like medium submitted to a visible or a near-infrared laser source. Different cases were treated numerically. The source was assumed to be monochromatic and collimated. We used either a continuous source or a short-pulsed source. The transmitted radiance was computed in detector points on the boundaries. Also, the distribution of the internal radiation intensity for different instants is presented. According to the source type, we examined either the steady-state response or the transient response of the medium. First, our model was validated by experimental results from the literature for a homogeneous biological tissue. The space and angular grid independency of our results is shown. Next, the proposed model was used to study changes in transmitted radiation for a homogeneous background medium in which were imbedded two heterogeneous objects. As a last investigation, we studied a multilayered biological tissue. We simulated near-infrared radiation in human skin, fat and muscle. Some results concerning the effects of fat thickness and positions of the detector source on the reflected radiation are presented.

Threshold thickness for applying diffusion equation in thin tissue optical imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yunyao; Zhu, Jingping; Cui, Weiwen; Nie, Wei; Li, Jie; Xu, Zhenghong

2014-08-01

We investigated the suitability of the semi-infinite model of the diffusion equation when using diffuse optical imaging (DOI) to image thin tissues with double boundaries. Both diffuse approximation and Monte Carlo methods were applied to simulate light propagation in the thin tissue model with variable optical parameters and tissue thicknesses. A threshold value of the tissue thickness was defined as the minimum thickness in which the semi-infinite model exhibits the same reflected intensity as that from the double-boundary model and was generated as the final result. In contrast to our initial hypothesis that all optical properties would affect the threshold thickness, our results show that only absorption coefficient is the dominant parameter and the others are negligible. The threshold thickness decreases from 1 cm to 4 mm as the absorption coefficient grows from 0.01 mm-1 to 0.2 mm-1. A look-up curve was derived to guide the selection of the appropriate model during the optical diagnosis of thin tissue cancers. These results are useful in guiding the development of the endoscopic DOI for esophageal, cervical and colorectal cancers, among others.

Photovoltaic device having light transmitting electrically conductive stacked films

DOEpatents

Weber, Michael F.; Tran, Nang T.; Jeffrey, Frank R.; Gilbert, James R.; Aspen, Frank E.

1990-07-10

A light transmitting electrically conductive stacked film, useful as a light transmitting electrode, including a first light transmitting electrically conductive layer, having a first optical thickness, a second light transmitting layer, having a second optical thickness different from the optical thickness of the first layer, and an electrically conductive metallic layer interposed between and in initimate contact with the first and second layers.

Thickness and microstructure effects in the optical and electrical properties of silver thin films

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

Ding, Guowen, E-mail: gding@intermolecular.com; Clavero, César; Schweigert, Daniel

The optical and electrical response of metal thin films approaching thicknesses in the range of the electron mean free path is highly affected by electronic scattering with the interfaces and defects. Here, we present a theoretical and experimental study on how thickness and microstructure affect the properties of Ag thin films. We are able to successfully model the electrical resistivity and IR optical response using a thickness dependent electronic scattering time. Remarkably, the product of electronic scattering time and resistivity remains constant regardless of the thickness (τx ρ = C), with a value of 59 ± 2 μΩ cm ⋅more » fs for Ag films in the investigated range from 3 to 74 nm. Our findings enable us to develop a theoretically framework that allows calculating the optical response of metal thin films in the IR by using their measured thickness and resistivity. An excellent agreement is found between experimental measurements and predicted values. This study also shows the theoretical lower limit for emissivity in Ag thin films according to their microstructure and thickness. Application of the model presented here will allow rapid characterization of the IR optical response of metal thin films, with important application in a broad spectrum of fundamental and industrial applications, including optical coatings, low-emissivity windows and semiconductor industry.« less

Structural investigations of human hairs by spectrally resolved ellipsometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Danny; Schulz, Benjamin; Rübhausen, Michael; Wessel, Sonya; Wepf, Roger

2006-01-01

Human hair is a biological layered system composed of two major layers, the cortex and the cuticle. We show spectrally resolved ellipsometry measurements of the ellipsometric parameters Ψ and Δ of single human hairs. The spectra reflect the layered nature of hair and the optical anisotropy of the hair's structure. In addition, measurements on strands of human hair show a high reproducibility of the ellipsometric parameters for different hair fiber bundles from the same person. Based on the measurements, we describe a dielectric model of hair that explains the spectra in terms of the dielectric properties of the major parts of hair and their associated layer thicknesses. In addition, surface roughness effects modeled by a roughness layer with a complex refractive index given by an effective medium approach can be seen to have a significant effect on the measurements. We derive values for the parameters of the cuticle surface roughness layer of the thickness dACu=273 to 360 nm and the air inclusion fA=0.6 to 5.7%.

Mathematical simulation of convective-radiative heat transfer in a ventilated rectangular cavity with consideration of internal mass transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheremet, M. A.; Shishkin, N. I.

2012-07-01

Mathematical simulation of the nonstationary regimes of heat-and-mass transfer in a ventilated rectangular cavity with heat-conducting walls of finite thickness in the presence of a heat-generating element of constant temperature has been carried out with account for the radiative heat transfer in the Rosseland approximation. As mechanisms of energy transfer in this cavity, the combined convection and the thermal radiation in the gas space of the cavity and the heat conduction in the elements of its fencing solid shell were considered. The mathematical model formulated in the dimensionless stream function-vorticity vector-temperature-concentration variables was realized numerically with the use of the finite-difference method. The streamline, temperature-field, and concentration distributions reflecting the influence of the Rayleigh number (Ra = 104, 105, 106), the nonstationarity (0 < τ ≤ 1000), and the optical thickness of the medium (τλ = 50, 100, 200) on the regimes of the gas flow and the heat-and-mass transfer in the cavity have been obtained.

Transparent crosslinked ultrashort peptide hydrogel dressing with high shape-fidelity accelerates healing of full-thickness excision wounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seow, Wei Yang; Salgado, Giorgiana; Lane, E. Birgitte; Hauser, Charlotte A. E.

2016-09-01

Wound healing is a major burden of healthcare systems worldwide and hydrogel dressings offer a moist environment conducive to healing. We describe cysteine-containing ultrashort peptides that self-assemble spontaneously into hydrogels. After disulfide crosslinking, the optically-transparent hydrogels became significantly stiffer and exhibited high shape fidelity. The peptide sequence (LIVAGKC or LK6C) was then chosen for evaluation on mice with full-thickness excision wounds. Crosslinked LK6C hydrogels are handled easily with forceps during surgical procedures and offer an improvement over our earlier study of a non-crosslinked peptide hydrogel for burn wounds. LK6C showed low allergenic potential and failed to provoke any sensitivity when administered to guinea pigs in the Magnusson-Kligman maximization test. When applied topically as a dressing, the medium-infused LK6C hydrogel accelerated re-epithelialization compared to controls. The peptide hydrogel is thus safe for topical application and promotes a superior rate and quality of wound healing.

Structure of the Circumnuclear Region of Seyfert 2 Galaxies Revealed by RXTE Hard X-Ray Observations of NGC 4945

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madejski, G.; Zycki, P.; Done, C.; Valinia, A.; Blanco, P.; Rothschild, R.; Turek, B.

2000-01-01

NGC 4945 is one of the brightest Se.yfert galaxies on the sky at 100 keV, but is completely absorbed below 10 keV, implying an optical depth of the absorber to electron scattering of a few; its absorption column is probably the largest which still allows a direct view of the nucleus at hard X-ray energies. Our observations of it with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) satellite confirm the large absorption, which for a simple phenomenological fit using an absorber with Solar abundances implies a column of 4.5(sup 0.4, sub -0.4) x 10(exp 24) /sq cm. Using a a more realistic scenario (requiring Monte Carlo modeling of the scattering), we infer the optical depth to Thomson scattering of approximately 2.4. If such a scattering medium were to subtend a large solid angle from the nucleus, it should smear out any intrinsic hard X-ray variability on time scales shorter than the light travel time through it. The rapid (with a time scale of approximately a day) hard X-ray variability of NGC 4945 we observed with the RXTE implies that the bulk of the extreme absorption in this object does not originate in a parsec-size, geometrically thick molecular torus. Limits on the amount of scattered flux require that the optically thick material on parsec scales must be rather geometrically thin, subtending a half-angle < 10 deg. This is only marginally consistent with the recent determinations of the obscuring column in hard X-rays, where only a quarter of Seyfert 2s have columns which are optically thick, and presents a problem in accounting for the Cosmic X-ray Background primarily with AGN possessing the geometry as that inferred by us. The small solid angle of the obscuring material, together with the black hole mass (of approximately 1.4 x 10(exp 6) solar mass) from megamaser measurements. allows a robust determination of the source luminosity, which in turn implies that the source radiates at approximately 10% of the Eddington limit.

Magnetogasdynamics shock waves in a rotational axisymmetric non-ideal gas with increasing energy and conductive and radiative heat-fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nath, Gorakh

2016-07-01

Self-similar solutions are obtained for one-dimensional adiabatic flow behind a magnetogasdynamics cylindrical shock wave propagating in a rotational axisymmetric non ideal gas with increasing energy and conductive and radiative heat fluxes in presence of an azimuthal magnetic field. The fluid velocities and the azimuthal magnetic field in the ambient medium are assume to be varying and obeying power laws. In order to find the similarity solutions the angular velocity of the ambient medium is taken to be decreasing as the distance from the axis increases. The heat conduction is expressed in terms of Fourier's law and the radiation is considered to be the diffusion type for an optically thick grey gas model. The thermal conductivity and the absorption coefficient are assumed to vary with temperature and density. The effects of the presence of radiation and conduction, the non-idealness of the gas and the magnetic field on the shock propagation and the flow behind the shock are investigated.

On the possibility of detecting local refractive index changes in optically transparent objects by means of a point nanoantenna attached to a fibre microaxicon

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

Kulchin, Yu N; Vitrik, O B; Kuchmizhak, A A

2014-10-31

It is shown theoretically that the use of the spectral registration of the dipole local plasmon resonance (DLPR) displacement in a single spherical gold nanoantenna, placed near the surface of a homogeneous dielectric medium, allows the mapping of extremely small variations (to 5 × 10{sup -4}) of the refractive index (RI) of this medium. Using the quasi-static approximation, we have developed an analytic model that allows evaluation of the spectral displacement of the nanoantenna DLPR depending on the variation in the medium refractive index. The point probe based on a fibre microaxicon with a gold spherical nanoantenna attached to itsmore » top is proposed that allows practical implementation of the developed RI scanning method. Numerical calculations of the probe characteristics using the time-domain finite-difference method are presented, and it is shown that for the case of a gold spherical nanoantenna of small size, comparable with the skin layer thickness in gold, the relative spectral shift value is in good agreement with the results obtained by using the developed analytic model. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)« less

Optical bistability for optical signal processing and computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peyghambarian, N.; Gibbs, H. M.

1985-02-01

Optical bistability (OB) is a phenomenon in which a nonlinear medium responds to an optical input beam by changing its transmission abruptly from one value to another. A 'nonlinear medium' is a medium in which the index of refraction depends on the incident light intensity. A device is said to be optically bistable if two stable output states exist for the same value of the input. Optically bistable devices can perform a number of logic functions related to optical memory, optical transistor, optical discriminator, optical limiter, optical oscillator, and optical gate. They also have the potential for subpicosecond switching, greatly exceeding the capability of electronics. This potential is one of several advantages of optical data processing over electronic processing. Other advantages are greater immunity to electromagnetic interference and crosstalk, and highly parallel processing capability. The present investigation is mainly concerned with all-optical etalon devices. The considered materials, include GaAs, ZnS and ZnSe, CuCl, InSb, InAs, and CdS.

Graphene based resonance structure to enhance the optical pressure between two planar surfaces.

PubMed

Hassanzadeh, Abdollah; Azami, Darya

2015-12-28

To enhance the optical pressure on a thin dielectric sample, a resonance structure using graphene layers coated over a metal film on a high index prism sputtered with MgF2 was theoretically analyzed. The number of graphene layers and the thicknesses of metal and MgF2 films were optimized to achieve the highest optical pressure on the sample. Effects of three different types of metals on the optical pressure were investigated numerically. In addition, simulations were carried out for samples with various thicknesses. Our numerical results show that the optical pressure increased by more than five orders of magnitude compared to the conventional metal-film-base resonance structure. The highest optical pressure was obtained for 10 layers of graphene deposited on 29-nm thick Au film and 650 nm thickness of MgF2 at 633nm wavelength, The proposed graphene based resonance structure can open new possibilities for optical tweezers, nanomechnical devices and surface plasmon based sensing and imaging techniques.

Effect of improper scan alignment on retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurements using Stratus optical coherence tomograph.

PubMed

Vizzeri, Gianmarco; Bowd, Christopher; Medeiros, Felipe A; Weinreb, Robert N; Zangwill, Linda M

2008-08-01

Misalignment of the Stratus optical coherence tomograph scan circle placed by the operator around the optic nerve head (ONH) during each retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) examination can affect the instrument reproducibility and its theoretical ability to detect true structural changes in the RNFL thickness over time. We evaluated the effect of scan circle placement on RNFL measurements. Observational clinical study. Sixteen eyes of 8 normal participants were examined using the Stratus optical coherence tomograph Fast RNFL thickness acquisition protocol (software version 4.0.7; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA). Four consecutive images were taken by the same operator with the circular scan centered on the optic nerve head. Four images each with the scan displaced superiorly, inferiorly, temporally, and nasally were also acquired. Differences in average and sectoral RNFL thicknesses were determined. For the centered scans, the coefficients of variation (CV) and the intraclass correlation coefficient for the average RNFL thickness measured were calculated. When the average RNFL thickness of the centered scans was compared with the average RNFL thickness of the displaced scans individually using analysis of variance with post-hoc analysis, no difference was found between the average RNFL thickness of the nasally (105.2 microm), superiorly (106.2 microm), or inferiorly (104.1 microm) displaced scans and the centered scans (106.4 microm). However, a significant difference (analysis of variance with Dunnett's test: F=8.82, P<0.0001) was found between temporally displaced scans (115.8 microm) and centered scans. Significant differences in sectoral RNFL thickness measurements were found between centered and each displaced scan. The coefficient of variation for average RNFL thickness was 1.75% and intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.95. In normal eyes, average RNFL thickness measurements are robust and similar with significant superior, inferior, and nasal scan displacement, but average RNFL thickness is greater when scans are displaced temporally. Parapapillary scan misalignment produces significant changes in RNFL assessment characterized by an increase in measured RNFL thickness in the quadrant in which the scan is closer to the disc, and a significant decrease in RNFL thickness in the quadrant in which the scan is displaced further from the optic disc.

Optic nerve head cupping in glaucomatous and non-glaucomatous optic neuropathy.

PubMed

Fard, Masoud Aghsaei; Moghimi, Sasan; Sahraian, Alireza; Ritch, Robert

2018-05-23

Enlargement of optic disc cupping is seen both in glaucoma and in neurological disorders. We used enhanced depth imaging with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography to differentiate glaucoma from non-glaucomatous optic neuropathy. The optic discs were scanned in this prospective comparative study, and the lamina cribrosa (LC) thickness and anterior laminar depth (ALD) in the central, superior and inferior optic nerve head, and peripapillary choroidal thicknesses, were measured. There were 31 eyes of 31 patients with severe glaucoma and 33 eyes of 19 patients with non-glaucomatous cupping. Eyes of 29 healthy controls were also enrolled. There was no significant difference in the cup-to-disc ratio and in the average peripapillary nerve fibre layer thickness between the glaucoma and non-glaucomatous cupping groups (p>0.99). The average peripapillary choroidal thickness was thinner in glaucoma eyes than in the control eyes after adjusting for age and axial length. Glaucomatous and non-glaucomatous eyes had greater ALD and thinner LC than the control eyes (p<0.001 for both). ALDs of glaucoma eyes were deeper than non-glaucomatous eyes (p=0.01 for central ALD) when age, axial length and peripapillary choroidal thickness were included in the linear mixed model. Prelaminar thickness and LC thickness of glaucoma eyes were not different from non-glaucomatous eyes after adjusting. Deeper ALD was observed in glaucoma than non-glaucomatous cupping after adjusting for choroidal thickness. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Properties of thin silver films with different thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Pei; Su, Weitao; Wang, Reng; Xu, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Fengshan

2009-01-01

In order to investigate optical properties of silver films with different film thickness, multilayer composed of thin silver film sandwiched between ZnS films are sputtered on the float glass. The crystal structures, optical and electrical properties of films are characterized by various techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), spectrum analysis, etc. The optical constants of thin silver film are calculated by fitting the transmittance ( T) and reflectance ( R) spectrum of the multilayer. Electrical and optical properties of silver films thinner than 6.2 nm exhibit sharp change. However, variation becomes slow as film thickness is larger than 6.2 nm. The experimental results indicate that 6.2 nm is the optimum thickness for properties of silver.

Electro-optic device with gap-coupled electrode

DOEpatents

Deri, Robert J.; Rhodes, Mark A.; Bayramian, Andrew J.; Caird, John A.; Henesian, Mark A.; Ebbers, Christopher A.

2013-08-20

An electro-optic device includes an electro-optic crystal having a predetermined thickness, a first face and a second face. The electro-optic device also includes a first electrode substrate disposed opposing the first face. The first electrode substrate includes a first substrate material having a first thickness and a first electrode coating coupled to the first substrate material. The electro-optic device further includes a second electrode substrate disposed opposing the second face. The second electrode substrate includes a second substrate material having a second thickness and a second electrode coating coupled to the second substrate material. The electro-optic device additionally includes a voltage source electrically coupled to the first electrode coating and the second electrode coating.

Optical resonator and laser applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taghavi-Larigani, Shervin (Inventor); Vanzyl, Jakob J. (Inventor); Yariv, Amnon (Inventor)

2006-01-01

The invention discloses a semi-ring Fabry-Perot (SRFP) optical resonator structure comprising a medium including an edge forming a reflective facet and a waveguide within the medium, the waveguide having opposing ends formed by the reflective facet. The performance of the SRFP resonator can be further enhanced by including a Mach-Zehnder interferometer in the waveguide on one side of the gain medium. The optical resonator can be employed in a variety of optical devices. Laser structures using at least one SRFP resonator are disclosed where the resonators are disposed on opposite sides of a gain medium. Other laser structures employing one or more resonators on one side of a gain region are also disclosed.

Nonlinear optical waves with the second Painleve transcendent shape of envelope in Kerr media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shcherbakov, Alexandre S.; Tepichin Rodriguez, Eduardo; Sanchez Sanchez, Mauro

2004-05-01

Nonlinear optical wave packets with the second Painleve transcendent shape of envelope are revealed in Kerr media, manifesting weakly focusing cubic nonlinearity, square-law dispersion, and linear losses. When the state of nonlinear optical transmission is realized, two possible types of boundary conditions turn out to be satisfied for these wave packets. The propagation of initially unchirped optical wave packets under consideration could be supported by lossless medium in both normal and anomalous dispersion regimes. At the same time initially chirped optical waves with the second Painleve transcendent shape in low-loss medium and need matching the magnitude of optical losses by the dispersion and nonlinear properties of that medium.

Validation of Quasi-Invariant Ice Cloud Radiative Quantities with MODIS Satellite-Based Cloud Property Retrievals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ding, Jiachen; Yang, Ping; Kattawar, George W.; King, Michael D.; Platnick, Steven; Meyer, Kerry G.

2017-01-01

Similarity relations applied to ice cloud radiance calculations are theoretically analyzed and numerically validated. If t(1v) and t(1vg) are conserved where t is optical thickness, v the single-scattering albedo, and g the asymmetry factor, it is possible that substantially different phase functions may give rise to similar radiances in both conservative and non-conservative scattering cases, particularly in the case of large optical thicknesses. In addition to theoretical analysis, this study uses operational ice cloud optical thickness retrievals from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Level 2 Collection5 (C5) and Collection 6 (C6) cloud property products to verify radiative similarity relations. It is found that, if the MODIS C5 and C6 ice cloud optical thickness values are multiplied by their respective (1wg)factors, the resultant products referred to as the effective optical thicknesses become similar with their ratio values around unity. Furthermore, the ratios of the C5 and C6 ice cloud effective optical thicknesses display an angular variation pattern similar to that of the corresponding ice cloud phase function ratios. The MODIS C5 and C6 values of ice cloud similarity parameter, defined as [(1w)(1(exp. 1/2)wg)]12, also tend to be similar.

Low-speed aerodynamic characteristics of a 13 percent thick medium speed airfoil designed for general aviation applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcghee, R. J.; Beasley, W. D.

1979-01-01

Wind tunnel tests were conducted to determine the low speed, two dimensional aerodynamic characteristics of a 13percent thick medium speed airfoil designed for general aviation applications. The results were compared with data for the 13 percent thick low speed airfoil. The tests were conducted over a Mach number range from 0.10 to 0.32, a chord Reynolds number range from 2.0 x 10 to the 6th power to 12.0 x 10 to the 6th power, and an angle of attack frange from about -8 deg to 10 deg. The objective of retaining good high-lift low speed characteristics for an airfoil designed to have good medium speed cruise performance was achieved.

Photon path distribution and optical responses of turbid media: theoretical analysis based on the microscopic Beer-Lambert law.

PubMed

Tsuchiya, Y

2001-08-01

A concise theoretical treatment has been developed to describe the optical responses of a highly scattering inhomogeneous medium using functions of the photon path distribution (PPD). The treatment is based on the microscopic Beer-Lambert law and has been found to yield a complete set of optical responses by time- and frequency-domain measurements. The PPD is defined for possible photons having a total zigzag pathlength of l between the points of light input and detection. Such a distribution is independent of the absorption properties of the medium and can be uniquely determined for the medium under quantification. Therefore, the PPD can be calculated with an imaginary reference medium having the same optical properties as the medium under quantification except for the absence of absorption. One of the advantages of this method is that the optical responses, the total attenuation, the mean pathlength, etc are expressed by functions of the PPD and the absorption distribution.

Does Optic Nerve Head Size Variation Affect Circumpapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness Measurement by Optical Coherence Tomography?

PubMed Central

Huang, David; Chopra, Vikas; Lu, Ake Tzu-Hui; Tan, Ou; Francis, Brian; Varma, Rohit

2012-01-01

Purpose. To determine the relationship between retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, optic disc size, and image magnification. Methods. The cohort consisted of 196 normal eyes of 101 participants in the Advanced Imaging for Glaucoma Study (AIGS), a multicenter, prospective, longitudinal study to develop advanced imaging technologies for glaucoma diagnosis. Scanning laser tomography was used to measure disc size. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to perform circumpapillary RNFL thickness measurements using the standard fixed 3.46-mm nominal scan diameter. A theoretical model of magnification effects was developed to relate RNFL thickness (overall average) with axial length and magnification. Results. Multivariate regression showed no significant correlation between RNFL thickness and optic disc area (95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.9 to 4.1 μm/mm2, P = 0.21). Linear regression showed that RNFL thickness depended significantly on axial length (slope = −3.1 μm/mm, 95% CI = −4.9 to −1.3, P = 0.001) and age (slope = −0.3 μm/y, 95% CI = −0.5 to −0.2, P = 0.0002). The slope values agreed closely with the values predicted by the magnification model. Conclusions. There is no significant association between RNFL thickness and optic disc area. Previous publications that showed such an association may have been biased by the effect of axial length on fundus image magnification and, therefore, both measured RNFL thickness and apparent disc area. The true diameter of the circumpapillary OCT scan is larger for a longer eye (more myopic eye), leading to a thinner RNFL measurement. Adjustment of measured RNFL thickness by axial length, in addition to age, may lead to a tighter normative range and improve the detection of RNFL thinning due to glaucoma. PMID:22743319

Electro-Optic Diffraction Grating Tuned Laser.

DTIC Science & Technology

The patent concerns an electro - optic diffraction grating tuned laser comprising a laser medium, output mirror, retro-reflective grating and an electro - optic diffraction grating beam deflector positioned between the laser medium and the reflective diffraction grating. An optional angle multiplier may be used between the electro - optic diffraction grating and the reflective grating.

Advances in thickness measurements and dynamic visualization of the tear film using non-invasive optical approaches.

PubMed

Bai, Yuqiang; Nichols, Jason J

2017-05-01

The thickness of tear film has been investigated under both invasive and non-invasive methods. While invasive methods are largely historical, more recent noninvasive methods are generally based on optical approaches that provide accurate, precise, and rapid measures. Optical microscopy, interferometry, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) have been developed to characterize the thickness of tear film or certain aspects of the tear film (e.g., the lipid layer). This review provides an in-depth overview on contemporary optical techniques used in studying the tear film, including both advantages and limitations of these approaches. It is anticipated that further developments of high-resolution OCT and other interferometric methods will enable a more accurate and precise measurement of the thickness of the tear film and its related dynamic properties. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Infinite optical thickness of dentine porcelain of IPS E.max A color series].

PubMed

Sun, Ting; Shao, Long-quan; Yi, Yuan-fu; Deng, Bin; Wen, Ning; Zhang, Wei-wei

2011-02-01

To determine the infinite optical thickness of dentine porcelain of IPS E.max A color series. Cylindrical dentine porcelain specimens of the IPS E.max A color series were prepared with a diameter of 13 mm and thickness of 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0 mm. The chromatic value of all the specimens was determined with CM-5 spectrometer against standard black and white background. The chromatic aberration (deltaE) was calculated by regression equation. The infinite optical thickness of dentine porcelain of the IPS E.max A color series ranged from 2.341 to 3.333 mm for a deltaE of 1.0, and from 2.064 to 2.904 mm for a deltaE of 1.5. As the chromaticity or thickness increased, the influence by the background color decreased, and the color of specimens became gradually close to the intrinsic color. The thickness of the background dentine porcelain specimens must exceed its infinite optical thickness to represent the intrinsic color and avoid the influence by the extrinsic color.

Photocatalytic activity of Ag/ZnO core-shell nanoparticles with shell thickness as controlling parameter under green environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajbongshi, Himanshu; Bhattacharjee, Suparna; Datta, Pranayee

2017-02-01

Plasmonic Ag/ZnO core-shell nanoparticles have been synthesized via a simple two-step wet chemical method for application in Photocatalysis. The morphology, size, crystal structure, composition and optical properties of the nanoparticles are investigated by x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FTIR spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The shell thicknesses are varied by varying the concentration of zinc nitrate hexa-hydrate and triethanolamine. The ZnO shell coating over Ag core enhances the charge separation, whereas the larger shell thickness and increased refractive index of surrounding medium cause red shifts of surface Plasmon resonance (SPR) peak of Ag core. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of Ag/ZnO core-shell show that the larger shell thickness quenches the near band edge UV emission of ZnO. The electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) i.e. Nyquist plots also confirm the higher charge transfer efficiency of the Ag/ZnO core-shell nanoparticles. The Photocatalytic activities of Ag/ZnO core-shell nanoparticles are investigated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under direct sunlight irradiation. Compared to pure ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), Ag/ZnO core-shell NPs display efficient sunlight plasmonic photocatalytic activity because of the influence of SPR of Ag core and the electron sink effect. The photocatalytic activity of Ag/ZnO core-shell NPs is found to be enhanced with increase in shell thickness.

Polarization of fast particle beams by collisional pumping

DOEpatents

Stearns, J. Warren; Kaplan, Selig N.; Pyle, Robert V.; Anderson, L. Wilmer; Ruby, Lawrence; Schlachter, Alfred S.

1988-01-01

Method and apparatus for highly polarizing a fast beam of particles by collisional pumping, including generating a fast beam of particles, and also generating a thick electron-spin-polarized medium positioned as a target for the beam. The target is made sufficiently thick to allow the beam to interact with the medium to produce collisional pumping whereby the beam becomes highly polarized.

Prehistological evaluation of benign and malignant pigmented skin lesions with optical computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokolakis, Athanasios; Zacharakis, Giannis; Krasagakis, Konstantin; Lasithiotakis, Konstantinos; Favicchio, Rosy; Spiliopoulos, George; Giannikaki, Elpida; Ripoll, Jorge; Tosca, Androniki

2012-06-01

Discrimination of benign and malignant melanocytic lesions is a major issue in clinical dermatology. Assessment of the thickness of melanoma is critical for prognosis and treatment selection. We aimed to evaluate a novel optical computed tomography (optical-CT) system as a tool for three-dimensional (3-D) imaging of melanocytic lesions and its ability to discriminate benign from malignant melanocytic lesions while simultaneously determining the thickness of invasive melanoma. Seventeen melanocytic lesions, one hemangioma, and normal skin were assessed immediately after their excision by optical-CT and subsequently underwent histopathological examination. Tomographic reconstructions were performed with a back-propagation algorithm calculating a 3-D map of the total attenuation coefficient (AC). There was a statistically significant difference between melanomas, dysplastic nevi, and non-dysplastic nevi, as indicated by Kruskal-Wallis test. Median AC values were higher for melanomas compared with dysplastic and non-dysplastic nevi. No statistically significant difference was observed when thickness values obtained by optical-CT were compared with histological thickness using a Wilcoxon sighed rank test. Our results suggest that optical-CT can be important for the immediate prehistological evaluation of biopsies, assisting the physician for a rapid assessment of malignancy and of the thickness of a melanocytic lesion.

Effects of fixture rotation on coating uniformity for high-performance optical filter fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubin, Binyamin; George, Jason; Singhal, Riju

2018-04-01

Coating uniformity is critical in fabricating high-performance optical filters by various vacuum deposition methods. Simple and planetary rotation systems with shadow masks are used to achieve the required uniformity [J. B. Oliver and D. Talbot, Appl. Optics 45, 13, 3097 (2006); O. Lyngnes, K. Kraus, A. Ode and T. Erguder, in `Method for Designing Coating Thickness Uniformity Shadow Masks for Deposition Systems with a Planetary Fixture', 2014 Technical Conference Proceedings, Optical Coatings, August 13, 2014, DOI: 10.14332/svc14.proc.1817.]. In this work, we discuss the effect of rotation pattern and speed on thickness uniformity in an ion beam sputter deposition system. Numerical modeling is used to determine statistical distribution of random thickness errors in coating layers. The relationship between thickness tolerance and production yield are simulated theoretically and demonstrated experimentally. Production yields for different optical filters produced in an ion beam deposition system with planetary rotation are presented. Single-wavelength and broadband optical monitoring systems were used for endpoint monitoring during filter deposition. Limitations of thickness tolerances that can be achieved in systems with planetary rotation are shown. Paths for improving production yield in an ion beam deposition system are described.

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.

Cirrus cloud retrieval with MSG/SEVIRI using artificial neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strandgren, Johan; Bugliaro, Luca; Sehnke, Frank; Schröder, Leon

2017-09-01

Cirrus clouds play an important role in climate as they tend to warm the Earth-atmosphere system. Nevertheless their physical properties remain one of the largest sources of uncertainty in atmospheric research. To better understand the physical processes of cirrus clouds and their climate impact, enhanced satellite observations are necessary. In this paper we present a new algorithm, CiPS (Cirrus Properties from SEVIRI), that detects cirrus clouds and retrieves the corresponding cloud top height, ice optical thickness and ice water path using the SEVIRI imager aboard the geostationary Meteosat Second Generation satellites. CiPS utilises a set of artificial neural networks trained with SEVIRI thermal observations, CALIOP backscatter products, the ECMWF surface temperature and auxiliary data. CiPS detects 71 and 95 % of all cirrus clouds with an optical thickness of 0.1 and 1.0, respectively, that are retrieved by CALIOP. Among the cirrus-free pixels, CiPS classifies 96 % correctly. With respect to CALIOP, the cloud top height retrieved by CiPS has a mean absolute percentage error of 10 % or less for cirrus clouds with a top height greater than 8 km. For the ice optical thickness, CiPS has a mean absolute percentage error of 50 % or less for cirrus clouds with an optical thickness between 0.35 and 1.8 and of 100 % or less for cirrus clouds with an optical thickness down to 0.07 with respect to the optical thickness retrieved by CALIOP. The ice water path retrieved by CiPS shows a similar performance, with mean absolute percentage errors of 100 % or less for cirrus clouds with an ice water path down to 1.7 g m-2. Since the training reference data from CALIOP only include ice water path and optical thickness for comparably thin clouds, CiPS also retrieves an opacity flag, which tells us whether a retrieved cirrus is likely to be too thick for CiPS to accurately derive the ice water path and optical thickness. By retrieving CALIOP-like cirrus properties with the large spatial coverage and high temporal resolution of SEVIRI during both day and night, CiPS is a powerful tool for analysing the temporal evolution of cirrus clouds including their optical and physical properties. To demonstrate this, the life cycle of a thin cirrus cloud is analysed.

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.

Coherent optical adaptive technique improves the spatial resolution of STED microscopy in thick samples

PubMed Central

Yan, Wei; Yang, Yanlong; Tan, Yu; Chen, Xun; Li, Yang; Qu, Junle; Ye, Tong

2018-01-01

Stimulated emission depletion microscopy (STED) is one of far-field optical microscopy techniques that can provide sub-diffraction spatial resolution. The spatial resolution of the STED microscopy is determined by the specially engineered beam profile of the depletion beam and its power. However, the beam profile of the depletion beam may be distorted due to aberrations of optical systems and inhomogeneity of specimens’ optical properties, resulting in a compromised spatial resolution. The situation gets deteriorated when thick samples are imaged. In the worst case, the sever distortion of the depletion beam profile may cause complete loss of the super resolution effect no matter how much depletion power is applied to specimens. Previously several adaptive optics approaches have been explored to compensate aberrations of systems and specimens. However, it is hard to correct the complicated high-order optical aberrations of specimens. In this report, we demonstrate that the complicated distorted wavefront from a thick phantom sample can be measured by using the coherent optical adaptive technique (COAT). The full correction can effectively maintain and improve the spatial resolution in imaging thick samples. PMID:29400356

Ellipsometric porosimetry on pore-controlled TiO2 layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosu, Dana-Maria; Ortel, Erik; Hodoroaba, Vasile-Dan; Kraehnert, Ralph; Hertwig, Andreas

2017-11-01

The practical performance of surface coatings in applications like catalysis, water splitting or batteries depends critically on the coating materials' porosity. Determining the porosity in a fast and non-destructive way is still an unsolved problem for industrial thin-films technology. As a contribution to calibrated, non-destructive, optical layer characterisation, we present a multi-method comparison study on porous TiO2 films deposited by sol-gel synthesis on Si wafers. The ellipsometric data were collected on a range of samples with different TiO2 layer thickness and different porosity values. These samples were produced by templated sol-gel synthesis resulting in layers with a well-defined pore size and pore density. The ellipsometry measurement data were analysed by means of a Bruggeman effective medium approximation (BEMA), with the aim to determine the mixture ratio of void and matrix material by a multi-sample analysis strategy. This analysis yielded porosities and layer thicknesses for all samples as well as the dielectric function for the matrix material. Following the idea of multi-method techniques in metrology, the data was referenced to imaging by electron microscopy (SEM) and to a new EPMA (electron probe microanalysis) porosity approach for thin film analysis. This work might lead to a better metrological understanding of optical porosimetry and also to better-qualified characterisation methods for nano-porous layer systems.

The MODIS Aerosol Algorithm, Products and Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Remer, L. A.; Kaufman, Y. J.; Tanre, D.; Mattoo, S.; Chu, D. A.; Martins, J. V.; Li, R.-R.; Ichoku, C.; Levy, R. C.; Kleidman, R. G.

2003-01-01

The MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard both NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites is making near global daily observations of the earth in a wide spectral range. These measurements are used to derive spectral aerosol optical thickness and aerosol size parameters over both land and ocean. The aerosol products available over land include aerosol optical thickness at three visible wavelengths, a measure of the fraction of aerosol optical thickness attributed to the fine mode and several derived parameters including reflected spectral solar flux at top of atmosphere. Over ocean, the aerosol optical thickness is provided in seven wavelengths from 0.47 microns to 2.13 microns. In addition, quantitative aerosol size information includes effective radius of the aerosol and quantitative fraction of optical thickness attributed to the fine mode. Spectral aerosol flux, mass concentration and number of cloud condensation nuclei round out the list of available aerosol products over the ocean. The spectral optical thickness and effective radius of the aerosol over the ocean are validated by comparison with two years of AERONET data gleaned from 133 AERONET stations. 8000 MODIS aerosol retrievals colocated with AERONET measurements confirm that one-standard deviation of MODIS optical thickness retrievals fall within the predicted uncertainty of delta tauapproximately equal to plus or minus 0.03 plus or minus 0.05 tau over ocean and delta tay equal to plus or minus 0.05 plus or minus 0.15 tau over land. 271 MODIS aerosol retrievals co-located with AERONET inversions at island and coastal sites suggest that one-standard deviation of MODIS effective radius retrievals falls within delta r_eff approximately equal to 0.11 microns. The accuracy of the MODIS retrievals suggests that the product can be used to help narrow the uncertainties associated with aerosol radiative forcing of global climate.

Integrating solids and gases for attosecond pulse generation

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

Hammond, T. J.; Monchoce, Sylvain; Zhang, Chunmei

Here, control of the field of few-cycle optical pulses has had an enormous impact on attosecond science. Subcycle pulses open the potential for non-adiabatic phase matching while concentrating the electric field so it can be used most efficiently. However, subcycle field transients have been difficult to generate. We exploit the perturbative response of a sub-100 µm thick monocrystalline quartz plate irradiated by an intense few-cycle 1.8 µm pulse, which creates a phase-controlled supercontinuum spectrum. Within the quartz, the pulse becomes space–time coupled as it generates a parallel second harmonic. Vacuum propagation naturally leads to a subcycle electric-field transient whose envelopemore » is sculpted by the carrier envelope phase of the incident radiation. We show that a second medium (either gas or solid) can generate isolated attosecond pulses in the extreme ultraviolet region. With no optical elements between the components, the process is scalable to very high energy pulses and allows the use of diverse media.« less

Integrating solids and gases for attosecond pulse generation

DOE PAGES

Hammond, T. J.; Monchoce, Sylvain; Zhang, Chunmei; ...

2017-08-21

Here, control of the field of few-cycle optical pulses has had an enormous impact on attosecond science. Subcycle pulses open the potential for non-adiabatic phase matching while concentrating the electric field so it can be used most efficiently. However, subcycle field transients have been difficult to generate. We exploit the perturbative response of a sub-100 µm thick monocrystalline quartz plate irradiated by an intense few-cycle 1.8 µm pulse, which creates a phase-controlled supercontinuum spectrum. Within the quartz, the pulse becomes space–time coupled as it generates a parallel second harmonic. Vacuum propagation naturally leads to a subcycle electric-field transient whose envelopemore » is sculpted by the carrier envelope phase of the incident radiation. We show that a second medium (either gas or solid) can generate isolated attosecond pulses in the extreme ultraviolet region. With no optical elements between the components, the process is scalable to very high energy pulses and allows the use of diverse media.« less

Using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography to detect optic neuropathy in patients with craniosynostosis.

PubMed

Dagi, Linda R; Tiedemann, Laura M; Heidary, Gena; Robson, Caroline D; Hall, Amber M; Zurakowski, David

2014-12-01

Detecting and monitoring optic neuropathy in patients with craniosynostosis is a clinical challenge due to limited cooperation, and subjective measures of visual function. The purpose of this study was to appraise the correlation of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measured by spectral-domain ocular coherence tomography (SD-OCT) with indication of optic neuropathy based on fundus examination. The medical records of all patients with craniosynostosis presenting for ophthalmic evaluation during 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. The following data were abstracted from the record: diagnosis, historical evidence of elevated intracranial pressure, current ophthalmic evaluation and visual field results, and current peripapillary RNFL thickness. A total of 54 patients were included (mean age, 10.6 years [range, 2.4-33.8 years]). Thirteen (24%) had evidence of optic neuropathy based on current fundus examination. Of these, 10 (77%) demonstrated either peripapillary RNFL elevation and papilledema or depression with optic atrophy. Sensitivity for detecting optic atrophy was 88%; for papilledema, 60%; and for either form of optic neuropathy, 77%. Specificity was 94%, 90%, and 83%, respectively. Kappa agreement was substantial for optic atrophy (κ = 0.73) and moderate for papilledema (κ = 0.39) and for either form of optic neuropathy (κ = 0.54). Logistic regression indicated that peripapillary RNFL thickness was predictive of optic neuropathy (P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that RNFL thickness measurements were more sensitive at detecting optic neuropathy than visual field testing (likelihood ratio = 10.02; P = 0.002). Sensitivity and specificity of logMAR visual acuity in detecting optic neuropathy were 15% and 95%, respectively. Peripapillary RNFL thickness measured by SD-OCT provides adjunctive evidence for identifying optic neuropathy in patients with craniosynostosis and appears more sensitive at detecting optic atrophy than papilledema. Copyright © 2014 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-organized composites of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and nematic liquid crystal 5CB: optical singularities and percolation behavior in electrical conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponevchinsky, V. V.; Goncharuk, A. I.; Vasil'ev, V. I.; Lebovka, N. I.; Soskin, M. S.

2009-10-01

This work discusses optical singularities and electrical conductivity behavior in a thin electrooptical cell filled with composites including multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and nematic liquid crystal (LC). The MWCNTs with high aspect ratio L/d~300 ÷ 1000 and nematic LC 5CB (4-pentyl-40-cyanobiphenyl) were used. The composites were prepared by introduction of MWCNTs (0.0001÷0.1% wt) into LC solvent with subsequent sonication. The increase of MWCNT concentration (between 0.005÷0.05 % wt) resulted in self-organization of MWCNTs and formation of micronsized aggregates with fractal boundaries. The visually observed formation of spanning MWCNT networks near the percolation threshold at ~0.025 % wt was accompanied with transition from non-conductive to conductive state and generation of optical singularities. The observed effects were explained by the strong interactions between MWCNTs and LC medium and planar orientation of 5CB molecules near the lateral surface of MWCNTs. It was speculated that optical singularities arose as a results of interaction of an incident laser beam with LC perturbed interfacial shells covering the MWCNT clusters. Behavior of the interfacial shell thickness in external electric field and in the vicinity of the nematic to isotropic transition was discussed.

Black thin film silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koynov, Svetoslav; Brandt, Martin S.; Stutzmann, Martin

2011-08-01

"Black etching" has been proposed previously as a method for the nanoscale texturing of silicon surfaces, which results in an almost complete suppression of reflectivity in the spectral range of absorption relevant for photovoltaics. The method modifies the topmost 150 to 300 nm of the material and thus also is applicable for thin films of silicon. The present work is focused on the optical effects induced by the black-etching treatment on hydrogenated amorphous and microcrystalline silicon thin films, in particular with respect to their application in solar cells. In addition to a strong reduction of the reflectivity, efficient light trapping within the modified thin films is found. The enhancement of the optical absorption due to the light trapping is investigated via photometric measurements and photothermal deflection spectroscopy. The correlation of the texture morphology (characterized via atomic force microscopy) with the optical effects is discussed in terms of an effective medium with gradually varying optical density and in the framework of the theory of statistical light trapping. Photoconductivity spectra directly show that the light trapping causes a significant prolongation of the light path within the black silicon films by up to 15 μm for ˜1 μm thick films, leading to a significant increase of the absorption in the red.

Simultaneous measurement of refractive index and thickness by combining low-coherence interferometry and confocal optics.

PubMed

Kim, Seokhan; Na, Jihoon; Kim, Myoung Jin; Lee, Byeong Ha

2008-04-14

We propose and demonstrate novel methods that enable simultaneous measurements of the phase index, the group index, and the geometrical thickness of an optically transparent object by combining optical low-coherence interferometer and confocal optics. The low-coherence interferometer gives information relating the group index with the thickness, while the confocal optics allows access to the phase index related with the thickness of the sample. To relate these, two novel methods were devised. In the first method, the dispersion-induced broadening of the low-coherence envelop signal was utilized, and in the second method the frequency derivative of the phase index was directly obtained by taking the confocal measurements at several wavelengths. The measurements were made with eight different samples; B270, CaF2, two of BK7, two of fused silica, cover glass, and cigarette cover film. The average measurement errors of the first and the second methods were 0.123% and 0.061% in the geometrical thickness, 0.133% and 0.066% in the phase index, and 0.106% and 0.057% in the group index, respectively.

Deriving the polarization behavior of many-layer mirror coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Amanda J.; Harrington, David M.; Sueoka, Stacey R.

2018-06-01

End-to-end models of astronomical instrument performance are becoming commonplace to demonstrate feasibility and guarantee performance at large observatories. Astronomical techniques like adaptive optics and high contrast imaging have made great strides towards making detailed performance predictions, however, for polarimetric techniques, fundamental tools for predicting performance do not exist. One big missing piece is predicting the wavelength and field of view dependence of a many-mirror articulated optical system particularly with complex protected metal coatings. Predicting polarization performance of instruments requires combining metrology of mirror coatings, tools to create mirror coating models, and optical modeling software for polarized beam propagation. The inability to predict instrument induced polarization or to define polarization performance expectations has far reaching implications for up and coming major observatories, such as the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST), that aim to take polarization measurements at unprecedented sensitivity and resolution.Here we present a method for modelling the wavelength dependent refractive index of an optic using Berreman calculus - a mathematical formalism that describes how an electromagnetic field propagates through a birefringent medium. From Berreman calculus, we can better predict the Mueller matrix, diattenuation, and retardance of an arbitrary thicknesses of amorphous many-layer coatings as well as stacks of birefringent crystals from laboratory measurements. This will allow for the wavelength dependent refractive index to be accurately determined and the polarization behavior to be derived for a given optic.

High power regenerative laser amplifier

DOEpatents

Miller, John L.; Hackel, Lloyd A.; Dane, Clifford B.; Zapata, Luis E.

1994-01-01

A regenerative amplifier design capable of operating at high energy per pulse, for instance, from 20-100 Joules, at moderate repetition rates, for instance from 5-20 Hertz is provided. The laser amplifier comprises a gain medium and source of pump energy coupled with the gain medium; a Pockels cell, which rotates an incident beam in response to application of a control signal; an optical relay system defining a first relay plane near the gain medium and a second relay plane near the rotator; and a plurality of reflectors configured to define an optical path through the gain medium, optical relay and Pockels cell, such that each transit of the optical path includes at least one pass through the gain medium and only one pass through the Pockels cell. An input coupler, and an output coupler are provided, implemented by a single polarizer. A control circuit coupled to the Pockels cell generates the control signal in timed relationship with the input pulse so that the input pulse is captured by the input coupler and proceeds through at least one transit of the optical path, and then the control signal is applied to cause rotation of the pulse to a polarization reflected by the polarizer, after which the captured pulse passes through the gain medium at least once more and is reflected out of the optical path by the polarizer before passing through the rotator again to provide an amplified pulse.

High power regenerative laser amplifier

DOEpatents

Miller, J.L.; Hackel, L.A.; Dane, C.B.; Zapata, L.E.

1994-02-08

A regenerative amplifier design capable of operating at high energy per pulse, for instance, from 20-100 Joules, at moderate repetition rates, for instance from 5-20 Hertz is provided. The laser amplifier comprises a gain medium and source of pump energy coupled with the gain medium; a Pockels cell, which rotates an incident beam in response to application of a control signal; an optical relay system defining a first relay plane near the gain medium and a second relay plane near the rotator; and a plurality of reflectors configured to define an optical path through the gain medium, optical relay and Pockels cell, such that each transit of the optical path includes at least one pass through the gain medium and only one pass through the Pockels cell. An input coupler, and an output coupler are provided, implemented by a single polarizer. A control circuit coupled to the Pockels cell generates the control signal in timed relationship with the input pulse so that the input pulse is captured by the input coupler and proceeds through at least one transit of the optical path, and then the control signal is applied to cause rotation of the pulse to a polarization reflected by the polarizer, after which the captured pulse passes through the gain medium at least once more and is reflected out of the optical path by the polarizer before passing through the rotator again to provide an amplified pulse. 7 figures.

Semiconductor-based optical refrigerator

DOEpatents

Epstein, Richard I.; Edwards, Bradley C.; Sheik-Bahae, Mansoor

2002-01-01

Optical refrigerators using semiconductor material as a cooling medium, with layers of material in close proximity to the cooling medium that carries away heat from the cooling material and preventing radiation trapping. In addition to the use of semiconducting material, the invention can be used with ytterbium-doped glass optical refrigerators.

Decay of correlations between cross-polarized electromagnetic waves in a two-dimensional random medium.

PubMed

Gorodnichev, E E

2018-04-01

The problem of multiple scattering of polarized light in a two-dimensional medium composed of fiberlike inhomogeneities is studied. The attenuation lengths for the density matrix elements are calculated. For a highly absorbing medium it is found that, as the sample thickness increases, the intensity of waves polarized along the fibers decays faster than the other density matrix elements. With further increase in the sample thickness, the off-diagonal elements which are responsible for correlations between the cross-polarized waves disappear. In the asymptotic limit of very thick samples the scattered light proves to be polarized perpendicular to the fibers. The difference in the attenuation lengths between the density matrix elements results in a nonmonotonic depth dependence of the degree of polarization. In the opposite case of a weakly absorbing medium, the off-diagonal element of the density matrix and, correspondingly, the correlations between the cross-polarized fields are shown to decay faster than the intensity of waves polarized along and perpendicular to the fibers.

Normative values for optical coherence tomography parameters in healthy children and interexaminer agreement for choroidal thickness measurements.

PubMed

Turan, Kadriye Erkan; Sekeroglu, Hande Taylan; Baytaroglu, Ata; Bezci, Figen; Karahan, Sevilay

2018-01-01

To (a) determine the normative values for optical coherence tomography (OCT) parameters such as central macular thickness, retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, and choroidal thickness in healthy children; (b) investigate the relationships of these parameters with axial length, central corneal thickness, refractive errors, and intraocular pressure; and (c) determine interexaminer agreement for choroidal thickness measurements. In this cross-sectional study, 120 healthy children aged 8-15 years underwent detailed ophthalmological examination and OCT measurements. Choroidal thickness was measured at three separate locations by two independent examiners. The mean global retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was 98.75 ± 9.45 μm (79.0-121.0). The mean central macular thickness was 232.29 ± 29.37 μm (190.0-376.0). The mean subfoveal choroidal thickness obtained by examiner 1 was 344.38 ± 68.83 μm and that obtained by examiner 2 was 344.04 ± 68.92 μm. Interexaminer agreement was between 99.6%-99.8% for choroidal thickness at three separate locations. Central macular thickness increased with axial length (r=0.245, p=0.007). Choroidal thickness increased with age (r=0.291, p=0.001) and decreased with axial length (r=-0.191, p=0.037). Global retinal nerve fiber layer thickness decreased with axial length (r=-0.247, p=0.007) and increased with central corneal thickness (r=0.208, p=0.022). Global retinal nerve fiber layer thickness positively correlated with choroidal thickness (r=0.354, p<0.001). Global retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (r=0.223, p=0.014) and choroidal thickness (r=0.272, p=0.003) increased with the spherical equivalent (D). Optical coherence tomography parameters showed a wide range of variability in children. Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, central macular thickness, and choroidal thickness were found to be either inter-related or correlated with age, central corneal thickness, axial length, and refractive errors. Furthermore, manual measurements of choroidal thickness showed high interexaminer agreement. Because normative values for optical coherence tomography parameters differed in children, the measurements should be interpreted according to an age-appropriate database.

Lamina Cribrosa Changes after Laser In Situ Keratomileusis in Myopic Eyes

PubMed Central

Lee, Soomin; Choi, Da-Ye Diana; Lim, Dong Hui; Chung, Tae Young; Han, Jong Chul

2018-01-01

Purpose To determine deep optic nerve head structure changes after transient intraocular pressure elevation during laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for myopia. Methods Enhanced depth imaging-optical coherence tomography was performed in each myopic eye that underwent LASIK surgery. Enhanced depth imaging-optical coherence tomography images were created at postoperative 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month. Lamina cribrosa (LC) thickness, LC depth and prelaminar thickness at the superior, middle and inferior portions of the optic nerve head were measured by two investigators. Results Forty eyes in 40 patients were included in the present study. During follow-up, there were no significant differences in prelaminar thickness or LC depth. The LC demonstrated increased thickness at postoperative 1 day at all three locations (superior, middle, and inferior) (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). However, no significant changes were observed at postoperative 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month. Conclusions The LC thickness could increase at 1 day after LASIK surgery. However, the thickness will gradually return to baseline morphology. Temporary intraocular pressure increase during LASIK does not appear to induce irreversible LC thickness changes. PMID:29611373

Lamina Cribrosa Changes after Laser In Situ Keratomileusis in Myopic Eyes.

PubMed

Lee, Soomin; Choi, Da Ye Diana; Lim, Dong Hui; Chung, Tae Young; Han, Jong Chul; Kee, Changwon

2018-04-01

To determine deep optic nerve head structure changes after transient intraocular pressure elevation during laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for myopia. Enhanced depth imaging-optical coherence tomography was performed in each myopic eye that underwent LASIK surgery. Enhanced depth imaging-optical coherence tomography images were created at postoperative 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month. Lamina cribrosa (LC) thickness, LC depth and prelaminar thickness at the superior, middle and inferior portions of the optic nerve head were measured by two investigators. Forty eyes in 40 patients were included in the present study. During follow-up, there were no significant differences in prelaminar thickness or LC depth. The LC demonstrated increased thickness at postoperative 1 day at all three locations (superior, middle, and inferior) (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). However, no significant changes were observed at postoperative 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month. The LC thickness could increase at 1 day after LASIK surgery. However, the thickness will gradually return to baseline morphology. Temporary intraocular pressure increase during LASIK does not appear to induce irreversible LC thickness changes. © 2018 The Korean Ophthalmological Society.

Role of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness and Optic Disk Measurement by OCT on Early Diagnosis of Glaucoma.

PubMed

Hua, Zanmei; Fang, Qiuyun; Sha, Xiangyin; Yang, Ruiming; Hong, Zuopeng

2015-03-01

Glaucoma is an eye disease that can lead to irreversible optic nerve damage and cause blindness. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) allows an early diagnosis of glaucoma by the measurements of the retinal nerve fiber and optic disc parameters. A retrospective study was designed to analyze the effects of the measurement of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and the optic disc tomography by spectral-domain OCT on the early diagnosis of suspected glaucoma and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). This was a clinical case-control study. The RNFL thickness around the optic disc and optic disk tomographic parameters of the control (n = 51, 98 eyes), suspected glaucoma (n = 81, 146 eyes), and POAG groups (n = 55, 106 eyes) were measured by OCT. The parameters included superior, inferior, nasal and temporal mean RNFL thickness, disc area (DA), cup area (CA), rim area (RA), disc volume (DV), cup volume (CV), rim volume (RV), cup/disc area ratio (CA/DA), rim/disc area ratio (RA/DA), cup/disc volume ratio (CV/DV) and rim/disc volume ratio (RV/DV). Superior, nasal, and mean RNFL parameters, DA, CA,RA, DV, CV, CA/DA, RA/DA, CV/DV and RV/DV significantly differed among three groups by single-factorial ANOVA. Inferior and temporal RNFL thickness significantly differed between the control and POAG groups. No significant difference was observed in RV among three groups. In the POAG group, the maximum area under the ROC curve (AROC) of mean RNFL thickness was 0.845. The maximum AROC of optic disk parameters was RA/DA (0.998), followed by CA/DA (0.997). The AROC of CA, RA, CV, and DV were all > 0.900. OCT may serve as a useful diagnostic modality in distinguishing suspected glaucoma from POAG.

Distribution and stratigraphy of basaltic units in Maria Tranquillitatis and Fecunditatis: A Clementine perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rajmon, D.; Spudis, P.

2004-01-01

Maria Tranquillitatis and Fecunditatis have been mapped based on Clementine image mosaics and derived iron and titanium maps. Impact craters served as stratigraphic probes enabling better delineation of compositionally different basaltic units, determining the distribution of subsurface basalts, and providing estimates of total basalt thickness and the thickness of the surface units. Collected data indicate that volcanism in these maria started with the eruption of low-Ti basalts and evolved toward medium- and high-Ti basalts. Some of the high-Ti basalts in Mare Tranquillitatis began erupting early and were contemporaneous with the low- and medium-Ti basalts; these units form the oldest units exposed on the mare surface. Mare Tranquillitatis is mostly covered with high- Ti basalts. In Mare Fecunditatis, the volume of erupting basalts clearly decreased as the Ti content increased, and the high-Ti basalts occur as a few patches on the mare surface. The basalt in both maria is on the order of several hundred meters thick and locally may be as thick as 1600 m. The new basalt thickness estimates generally fall within the range set by earlier studies, although locally differ. The medium- to high-Ti basalts exposed at the surfaces of both maria are meters to tens of meters thick.

Ta2O5/ Al2O3/ SiO2 - antireflective coating for non-planar optical surfaces by atomic layer deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfeiffer, K.; Schulz, U.; Tünnermann, A.; Szeghalmi, A.

2017-02-01

Antireflective coatings are essential to improve transmittance of optical elements. Most research and development of AR coatings has been reported on a wide variety of plane optical surfaces; however, antireflection is also necessary on nonplanar optical surfaces. Physical vapor deposition (PVD), a common method for optical coatings, often results in thickness gradients on strongly curved surfaces, leading to a failure of the desired optical function. In this work, optical thin films of tantalum pentoxide, aluminum oxide and silicon dioxide were prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD), which is based on self-limiting surface reactions. The results demonstrate that ALD optical layers can be deposited on both vertical and horizontal substrate surfaces with uniform thicknesses and the same optical properties. A Ta2O5/Al2O3/ SiO2 multilayer AR coating (400-700 nm) was successfully applied to a curved aspheric glass lens with a diameter of 50 mm and a center thickness of 25 mm.

Thin endometrium in donor oocyte recipients: enigma or obstacle for implantation?

PubMed

Dain, Lena; Bider, David; Levron, Jacob; Zinchenko, Viktor; Westler, Sharon; Dirnfeld, Martha

2013-11-01

To evaluate the combined effect of endometrial thickness and anatomic uterine factors on clinical outcome in oocyte donation recipients. Retrospective analysis of oocyte donation cycles conducted between 2005 and 2010. Two private IVF centers. A total of 737 donor oocyte cycles. None. Clinical pregnancy and live birth rates. No statistically significant difference was found in clinical pregnancy rates and live birth rates in cycles with endometrial thickness <6 mm compared with those with endometrial thickness >10 mm. However, a relatively high rate of live births was found within a medium range of endometrial thickness (8.2-10 mm). All intrauterine adhesion cases occurred in cycles with thinner endometrium. No statistically significant difference was found in clinical pregnancy rates and live birth rates in cycles with endometrial thickness <6 mm compared with those with thickness >6 mm. A relatively high rate of live births was found within a medium range of endometrial thickness (9.1-10 mm). Copyright © 2013 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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.

Alterations of the outer retina in non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy detected using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Ackermann, Philipp; Brachert, Maike; Albrecht, Philipp; Ringelstein, Marius; Finis, David; Geerling, Gerd; Aktas, Orhan; Guthoff, Rainer

2017-07-01

A characteristic disease pattern may be reflected by retinal layer thickness changes in non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy measured using spectraldomain optical coherence tomography. Retinal layer segmentation is enabled by advanced software. In this study, retinal layer thicknesses in acute and chronic non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy were compared. A single-centre cross-sectional analysis was used. A total of 27 patients (20 age-matched healthy eyes) were included: 14 with acute (<7 days) and 13 patients with chronic non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy. Macular volume and 12° peripapillary ring optical coherence tomography scans were used. The peripapillary thicknesses of the following layers were determined by manual segmentation: retinal nerve fibres, ganglion cells + inner plexiform layer, inner nuclear layer + outer plexiform layer, outer nuclear layer + inner segments of the photoreceptors and outer segments of the photoreceptors to Bruch's membrane. Macular retinal layer thicknesses were automatically determined in volume cubes centred on the fovea. Peripapillary retinal swelling in acute nonarteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy was attributable to retinal nerve fibre layer, ganglion cell layer/inner plexiform layer and outer nuclear layer/segments of the photoreceptors thickening. In chronic cases, peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer, macular ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer thinning were observed. In acute non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy, the inner and outer peripapillary retinal layers are affected by thickness changes. In chronic cases, atrophy of the ganglion cells and their axons and dendrites is evident by inner retinal layer thinning. © 2017 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Thermo-Optical Properties of Thin-Film TiO2–Al2O3 Bilayers Fabricated by Atomic Layer Deposition

PubMed Central

Ali, Rizwan; Saleem, Muhammad Rizwan; Pääkkönen, Pertti; Honkanen, Seppo

2015-01-01

We investigate the optical and thermo-optical properties of amorphous TiO2–Al2O3 thin-film bilayers fabricated by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Seven samples of TiO2–Al2O3 bilayers are fabricated by growing Al2O3 films of different thicknesses on the surface of TiO2 films of constant thickness (100 nm). Temperature-induced changes in the optical refractive indices of these thin-film bilayers are measured by a variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometer VASE®. The optical data and the thermo-optic coefficients of the films are retrieved and calculated by applying the Cauchy model and the linear fitting regression algorithm, in order to evaluate the surface porosity model of TiO2 films. The effects of TiO2 surface defects on the films’ thermo-optic properties are reduced and modified by depositing ultra-thin ALD-Al2O3 diffusion barrier layers. Increasing the ALD-Al2O3 thickness from 20 nm to 30 nm results in a sign change of the thermo-optic coefficient of the ALD-TiO2. The thermo-optic coefficients of the 100 nm-thick ALD-TiO2 film and 30 nm-thick ALD-Al2O3 film in a bilayer are (0.048 ± 0.134) × 10−4 °C−1 and (0.680 ± 0.313) × 10−4 °C−1, respectively, at a temperature T = 62 °C.

Radiative enhancement of tube-side heat transfer.

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

Im, K. H.; Ahluwalia, R. K.; Engineering Physics

1994-01-01

The potential of augmenting film coefficient by uniformly dispersing thin metallic/ceramic filaments oriented longitudinally along a tube is investigated. The purpose of the rigidly held filaments is to create a participating medium from a gas otherwise transparent to thermal radiation. The filaments absorb the thermal radiation emitted by the tube and transfer the heat convectively to the flowing gas. Wave theory shows that optical thickness > 10 can be achieved with 50 {micro}m SiC filaments at 300 cm{sup 2} number density in a 2.54 cm diameter tube. Solution of the radiation transport equation indicates that the radiative film coefficients aremore » a function of filament material, diameter and number density, and gas and surface temperatures.« less

Controlling the light shift of the CPT resonance by modulation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsygankov, E. A.; Petropavlovsky, S. V.; Vaskovskaya, M. I.; Zibrov, S. A.; Velichansky, V. L.; Yakovlev, V. P.

2017-12-01

Motivated by recent developments in atomic frequency standards employing the effect of coherent population trapping (CPT), we propose a theoretical framework for the frequency modulation spectroscopy of the CPT resonances. Under realistic assumptions we provide simple yet non-trivial analytical formulae for the major spectroscopic signals such as the CPT resonance line and the in-phase/quadrature responses. We discuss the influence of the light shift and, in particular, derive a simple expression for the displacement of the resonance as a function of modulation index. The performance of the model is checked against numerical simulations, the agreement is good to perfect. The obtained results can be used in more general models accounting for light absorption in the thick optical medium.

Method and apparatus for measuring the intensity and phase of one or more ultrashort light pulses and for measuring optical properties of materials

DOEpatents

Trebino, Rick P.; DeLong, Kenneth W.

1996-01-01

The intensity and phase of one or more ultrashort light pulses are obtained using a non-linear optical medium. Information derived from the light pulses is also used to measure optical properties of materials. Various retrieval techniques are employed. Both "instantaneously" and "non-instantaneously" responding optical mediums may be used.

Enhanced coupling of light into a turbid medium through microscopic interface engineering

PubMed Central

Thompson, Jonathan V.; Hokr, Brett H.; Kim, Wihan; Ballmann, Charles W.; Applegate, Brian E.; Jo, Javier; Yamilov, Alexey; Cao, Hui; Scully, Marlan O.; Yakovlev, Vladislav V.

2017-01-01

There are many optical detection and sensing methods used today that provide powerful ways to diagnose, characterize, and study materials. For example, the measurement of spontaneous Raman scattering allows for remote detection and identification of chemicals. Many other optical techniques provide unique solutions to learn about biological, chemical, and even structural systems. However, when these systems exist in a highly scattering or turbid medium, the optical scattering effects reduce the effectiveness of these methods. In this article, we demonstrate a method to engineer the geometry of the optical interface of a turbid medium, thereby drastically enhancing the coupling efficiency of light into the material. This enhanced optical coupling means that light incident on the material will penetrate deeper into (and through) the medium. It also means that light thus injected into the material will have an enhanced interaction time with particles contained within the material. These results show that, by using the multiple scattering of light in a turbid medium, enhanced light–matter interaction can be achieved; this has a direct impact on spectroscopic methods such as Raman scattering and fluorescence detection in highly scattering regimes. Furthermore, the enhanced penetration depth achieved by this method will directly impact optical techniques that have previously been limited by the inability to deposit sufficient amounts of optical energy below or through highly scattering layers. PMID:28701381

Choroidal thickness in traumatic optic neuropathy.

PubMed

Lee, Ju-Yeun; Eo, Doo-Ri; Park, Kyung-Ah; Oh, Sei Yeul

2017-12-01

To examine the choroidal thickness in patients with indirect traumatic optic neuropathy (TON) Methods: Patients with unilateral traumatic optic neuropathy over a period of 4 years were included in this study. Horizontal and vertical enhanced-depth imaging (EDI) from spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) scans of the fovea were obtained in patients with unilateral TON within 2 weeks of injury. The main outcome measure was the choroidal thickness at nine locations. The choroidal thickness was compared between affected and unaffected eyes in the TON group, and the mean difference in the choroidal thickness in both eyes was compared between TON and control groups. A total of 16 patients and 20 control subjects were included. The choroidal thickness at horizontal, vertical and average subfoveal, inner temporal, and outer inferior locations was significantly thicker (13-23%) in affected eyes than in unaffected fellow eyes (p = 0.042, 0.046, 0.024, 0.013, 0.018, and 0.027, respectively). The mean difference value between choroidal thickness measurements in both eyes was significantly larger in the TON group than in the control group at the horizontal, vertical and average subfoveal, inner temporal, inner nasal, inner superior, inner inferior, and outer superior locations (p = 0.001, 0.011, <0.001, 0.001, 0.033, 0.014, 0.011, and 0.014, respectively). The choroidal thickness at subfoveal locations showed no statistical difference between TON and control eyes (p > 0.05). Eyes affected by TON showed a regionally thicker choroid than unaffected fellow eye. This thick choroid might be due to impaired blood circulation and vascular remodeling of the optic nerve head and choroid. These results help to better understand the pathophysiology of TON.

Axial thermal medium delivery tubes and retention plates for a gas turbine rotor

DOEpatents

Mashey, Thomas Charles

2002-01-01

In a multi-stage turbine rotor, tubes are disposed in openings adjacent the rotor rim for flowing a thermal medium to rotor buckets and returning spent thermal medium. The tubes have axially spaced lands of predetermined wall thickness with thin-walled tube sections between the lands and of increasing thickness from the forward to the aft ends of the tubes. A pair of retention plates are carried on the aft end face of the aft wheel and straddle the tube and engage against a shoulder on the tube to preclude displacement of the tube in an aft direction.

Collective Lamb Shift of a Nanoscale Atomic Vapor Layer within a Sapphire Cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peyrot, T.; Sortais, Y. R. P.; Browaeys, A.; Sargsyan, A.; Sarkisyan, D.; Keaveney, J.; Hughes, I. G.; Adams, C. S.

2018-06-01

We measure the near-resonant transmission of light through a dense medium of potassium vapor confined in a cell with nanometer thickness in order to investigate the origin and validity of the collective Lamb shift. A complete model including the multiple reflections in the nanocell reproduces accurately the observed line shape. It allows the extraction of a density-dependent shift and width of the bulk atomic medium resonance, deconvolved from the cavity effect. We observe an additional, unexpected dependence of the shift with the thickness of the medium. This extra dependence demands further experimental and theoretical investigations.

Influence of a fat layer on the near infrared spectra of human muscle: quantitative analysis based on two-layered Monte Carlo simulations and phantom experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Ye; Soyemi, Olusola O.; Landry, Michelle R.; Soller, Babs R.

2005-01-01

The influence of fat thickness on the diffuse reflectance spectra of muscle in the near infrared (NIR) region is studied by Monte Carlo simulations of a two-layer structure and with phantom experiments. A polynomial relationship was established between the fat thickness and the detected diffuse reflectance. The influence of a range of optical coefficients (absorption and reduced scattering) for fat and muscle over the known range of human physiological values was also investigated. Subject-to-subject variation in the fat optical coefficients and thickness can be ignored if the fat thickness is less than 5 mm. A method was proposed to correct the fat thickness influence. c2005 Optical Society of America.

Longitudinal analysis of progression in glaucoma using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Wessel, Julia M; Horn, Folkert K; Tornow, Ralf P; Schmid, Matthias; Mardin, Christian Y; Kruse, Friedrich E; Juenemann, Anselm G; Laemmer, Robert

2013-05-01

To compare the longitudinal loss of RNFL thickness measurements by SD-OCT in healthy individuals and glaucoma patients with or without progression concerning optic disc morphology. A total of 62 eyes, comprising 38 glaucomatous eyes with open angle glaucoma and 24 healthy controls, were included in the study (Erlangen Glaucoma Registry, NTC00494923). All patients were investigated annually over a period of 3 years by Spectralis SD-OCT measuring peripapillary RNFL thickness. By masked comparative analysis of photographs, the eyes were classified into nonprogressive and progressive glaucoma cases. Longitudinal loss of RNFL thickness was compared with morphological changes of optic disc morphology. Mixed model analysis of annual OCT scans revealed an estimated annual decrease of the RNFL thickness by 2.12 μm in glaucoma eyes with progression, whereas glaucoma eyes without progression in optic disc morphology lost 1.18 μm per year in RNFL thickness (P = 0.002). The rate of change in healthy eyes was 0.60 μm and thereby also significantly lower than in glaucoma eyes with progression (P < 0.001). The intrasession variability of three successive measurements without head repositioning was 1.5 ± 0.7 μm. The loss of mean RNFL thickness exceeded the intrasession variability in 60% of nonprogressive eyes, and in 85% of progressive eyes after 3 years. LONGITUDINAL MEASUREMENTS OF RNFL THICKNESS USING SD-OCT SHOW A MORE PRONOUNCED REDUCTION OF RNFL THICKNESS IN PATIENTS WITH PROGRESSION COMPARED WITH PATIENTS WITHOUT PROGRESSION IN GLAUCOMATOUS OPTIC DISC CHANGES. (www.clinicaltrials.gov number, NTC00494923.).

Influence of ground level SO2 on the diffuse to direct irradiance ratio in the middle ultraviolet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klenk, K. F.; Green, A. E. S.

1977-01-01

The dependence of the ratio of the diffuse to direct irradiances at the ground were examined for a wavelength of 315.1 nm. A passive remote sensing method based on ratio measurements for obtaining the optical thickness of SO2 in the vertical column was proposed. If, in addition to the ratio measurements, the SO2 density at the ground is determining using an appropriate point-sampling technique then some inference on the vertical extent of SO2 can be drawn. An analytic representation is presented of the ratio for a wide range of SO2 and aerosol optical thicknesses and solar zenith angles which can be inverted algebraically to give the SO2 optical thickness in terms of the measured ratio, aerosol optical thickness and solar zenith angle.

Focusing light through biological tissue and tissue-mimicking phantoms up to 9.6 cm in thickness with digital optical phase conjugation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Yuecheng; Liu, Yan; Ma, Cheng; Wang, Lihong V.

2016-08-01

Optical phase conjugation (OPC)-based wavefront shaping techniques focus light through or within scattering media, which is critically important for deep-tissue optical imaging, manipulation, and therapy. However, to date, the sample thickness in OPC experiments has been limited to only a few millimeters. Here, by using a laser with a long coherence length and an optimized digital OPC system that can safely deliver more light power, we focused 532-nm light through tissue-mimicking phantoms up to 9.6 cm thick, as well as through ex vivo chicken breast tissue up to 2.5 cm thick. Our results demonstrate that OPC can be achieved even when photons have experienced on average 1000 scattering events. The demonstrated penetration of nearly 10 cm (˜100 transport mean free paths) has never been achieved before by any optical focusing technique, and it shows the promise of OPC for deep-tissue noninvasive optical imaging, manipulation, and therapy.

Experimentally demonstrate the surface state and optical topological phase transition of one dimensional hyperbolic metamaterials in Otto and KR configuration (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Chih Chung; Un, Leng-Wai; Yen, Ta-Jen

2017-05-01

One-dimension hyperbolic metamaterials (1DHMMs) possess marvelous and considerable applications: hyperlens, spontaneous emission engineering and nonlinear optics. Conventionally, effective medium theory, which is only valid for long wavelength limit, was used to predict and analyze the optical properties and applications. In our previous works, we considered a binary 1DHMM which consists of alternative metallic and dielectric layers, and rigorously demonstrated the existence of surface states and bulk-interface correspondence with the plasmonic band theory from the coupled surface plasmon point of view. In the plasmonic band structure, we can classify 1DHMMs into two classes: metallic-like and dielectric-like, depending on the formation of the surface states with dielectric and metallic material, respectively. Band crossing exists only when the dielectric layers are thicker than the metallic ones, which is independent from the dielectric constants. Furthermore, the 1DHMMs are all metallic-like without band crossing. On the other hand, the 1DHMMs with band crossing are metal-like before the band crossing point, while they are dielectric-like after the band crossing point. In this work, we measure the surface states formed by dielectric material and 1DHMMs with band crossing in Otto configuration. With white light source and fixed incident angle, we measure the reflectance to investigate the existence of the surface states of 1DHMMs with various thickness ratio of metallic to dielectric layers. Conclusively, our results show that the surface states of 1DHMMs exist only when the thickness ratio is larger than 0.15. The disappearance of the surface states indicates the topological phase transition of 1DHMMs. Our experimental results will benefit new applications for manipulating light on the surface of hyperbolic metamaterials.

Optical-mechanical properties of diseased cells measured by interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaked, Natan T.; Bishitz, Y.; Gabai, H.; Girshovitz, P.

2013-04-01

Interferometric phase microscopy (IPM) enables to obtain quantitative optical thickness profiles of transparent samples, including live cells in-vitro, and track them in time with sub-nanometer accuracy without any external labeling, contact or force application on the sample. The optical thickness measured by IPM is a multiplication between the cell integral refractive index differences and its physical thickness. Based on the time-dependent optical thickness profile, one can generate the optical thickness fluctuation map. For biological cells that are adhered to the surface, the variance of the physical thickness fluctuations in time is inversely proportional to the spring factor indicating on cell stiffness, where softer cells are expected fluctuating more than more rigid cells. For homogenous refractive index cells, such as red blood cells, we can calculate a map indicating on the cell stiffness per each spatial point on the cell. Therefore, it is possible to obtain novel diagnosis and monitoring tools for diseases changing the morphology and the mechanical properties of these cells such as malaria, certain types of anaemia and thalassemia. For cells with a complex refractive-index structure, such as cancer cells, decoupling refractive index and physical thickness is not possible in single-exposure mode. In these cases, we measure a closely related parameter, under the assumption that the refractive index does not change much within less than a second of measurement. Using these techniques, we lately found that cancer cells fluctuate significantly more than healthy cells, and that metastatic cancer cells fluctuate significantly more than primary cancer cells.

Glaucomatous retinal nerve fiber layer thickness loss is associated with slower reaction times under a divided attention task.

PubMed

Tatham, Andrew J; Boer, Erwin R; Rosen, Peter N; Della Penna, Mauro; Meira-Freitas, Daniel; Weinreb, Robert N; Zangwill, Linda M; Medeiros, Felipe A

2014-11-01

To examine the relationship between glaucomatous structural damage and ability to divide attention during simulated driving. Cross-sectional observational study. Hamilton Glaucoma Center, University of California San Diego. Total of 158 subjects from the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study, including 82 with glaucoma and 76 similarly aged controls. Ability to divide attention was investigated by measuring reaction times to peripheral stimuli (at low, medium, or high contrast) while concomitantly performing a central driving task (car following or curve negotiation). All subjects had standard automated perimetry (SAP) and optical coherence tomography was used to measure retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness. Cognitive ability was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and subjects completed a driving history questionnaire. Reaction times to the driving simulator divided attention task. The mean reaction times to the low-contrast stimulus were 1.05 s and 0.64 s in glaucoma and controls, respectively, during curve negotiation (P < .001), and 1.19 s and 0.77 s (P = .025), respectively, during car following. There was a nonlinear relationship between reaction times and RNFL thickness in the better eye. RNFL thickness remained significantly associated with reaction times even after adjusting for age, SAP mean deviation in the better eye, cognitive ability, and central driving task performance. Although worse SAP sensitivity was associated with worse ability to divide attention, RNFL thickness measurements provided additional information. Information from structural tests may improve our ability to determine which patients are likely to have problems performing daily activities, such as driving. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes in optical coherence tomography measurements after orbital wall decompression in dysthyroid optic neuropathy.

PubMed

Park, Kyung-Ah; Kim, Yoon-Duck; Woo, Kyung In

2018-06-01

The purpose of our study was to assess changes in peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness after orbital wall decompression in eyes with dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON). We analyzed peripapillary optical coherence tomography (OCT) images (Cirrus HD-OCT) from controls and patients with DON before and 1 and 6 months after orbital wall decompression. There was no significant difference in mean preoperative peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness between eyes with DON and controls. The superior and inferior peripapillary RNFL thickness decreased significantly 1 month after decompression surgery compared to preoperative values (p = 0.043 and p = 0.022, respectively). The global average, superior, temporal, and inferior peripapillary RNFL thickness decreased significantly 6 months after decompression surgery compared to preoperative values (p = 0.015, p = 0.028, p = 0.009, and p = 0.006, respectively). Patients with greater preoperative inferior peripapillary RNFL thickness tended to have better postoperative visual acuity at the last visit (p = 0.024, OR = 0.926). Our data revealed a significant decrease in peripapillary RNFL thickness postoperatively after orbital decompression surgery in patients with DON. We also found that greater preoperative inferior peripapillary RNFL thickness was associated with better visual outcomes. We suggest that RNFL thickness can be used as a prognostic factor for DON before decompression surgery.

Dakota sandstone facies, western Oklahoma panhandle

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

Atalik, E.; Mansfield, C.F.

The Cretaceous Dakota Sandstone in Cimarron County comprised three sandstone units and intervening mudrocks; it overlies the Kiowa Shale Member of the Purgatoire Formation. Deposits include shoreface, beach (foreshore) and dune, estuarine and tidal channel, marine marginal bay and swamp/marsh in a generally progradational sequences associated with marine regression in the Western Interior. The shoreface sand, characterized by ripple lamination, bioturbation and the trace fossils Teichichnus and Thalassinoides, is fine-grained, 5-10 m (15-30 ft) thick and grades into the underlying Kiowa Shale. Beach and associated dune deposits are 2-5 m (6-16 ft) thick, medium to fine-grained, medium to thick-bedded, tabular-planarmore » cross-bedded, and lenticular; cross-bed paleocurrent headings are northeasterly and northwesterly. Estuarine channel deposits are 3-5 m (10 to 16 ft) thick, trough to tabular-planar cross-bedded, and medium to coarse-grained with local conglomerate overlying the scoured base which commonly cuts into the Kiowa Shale or overlying shoreface sandstone; rip-up clasts and wood pieces are common but trace fossils are rare; southeasterly and southwesterly paleocurrents predominate. Tidal channel deposits are thinner (up to 2 m of 6 ft) and finer grained (medium to fine-grained) that the estuarine channel deposits; they occur within fine-grained sandstone and mudrock sequences, are trough cross-bedded, and commonly contain trace fossils (e.g., Skolithos) and wood fragments. Marine marginal (tidal flat or bay.) deposits comprise fine-grained sandstone, siltstone and interbedded shale, that are 1-3m (3-10 ft) thick with abundant burrows, small ripple marks, and parallel lamination. These grade into the fine to very fine-grained sandstones, siltstones, shales, and coals of the swamp/marsh deposits that are 1-5m (3-16 ft) thick and contain ripple marks, burrows, other trace fossils, and parallel lamination.« less

Retrieval of the atmospheric compounds using a spectral optical thickness information

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

Ioltukhovski, A.A.

A spectral inversion technique for retrieval of the atmospheric gases and aerosols contents is proposed. This technique based upon the preliminary measurement or retrieval of the spectral optical thickness. The existence of a priori information about the spectral cross sections for some of the atmospheric components allows to retrieve the relative contents of these components in the atmosphere. Method of smooth filtration makes possible to estimate contents of atmospheric aerosols with known cross sections and to filter out other aerosols; this is done independently from their relative contribution to the optical thickness.

Macular Thickness Variability in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma Patients using Optical Coherence Tomography

PubMed Central

Agarwal, Prakashchand; Sathyan, P; Saini, VK

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Aim: To compare the difference of retinal macular thickness and macular volume using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients with the normal subjects. Materials and methods: This observational case control study included primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients (n = 124 eyes) and healthy subjects in the control group (n = 124 eyes). All subjects underwent detailed history, general and systemic exami -nation. Complete ocular examination included best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit lamp examination, intraocular pressure (IOP), central corneal thickness, gonioscopy, dilated fundus biomicroscopy. Field analysis was done by white on white Humphrey Field Analyzer (Carl Zeiss). Optical coherence tomography imaging of macular area was performed using Stratus OCT (OCT 3, Version 4, Carl Zeiss Inc, Dublin, California, USA). In both these groups, parameters analyzed were macular thickness, inner macular thicknesses (IMT), outer macular thicknesses (OMT), central macular thick ness (CMT) and total macular volume (TMV). Results: The POAG group had significantly decreased values of TMV, OMT and IMT, compared to control group, while there was no difference in CMT, presumably due to absence of ganglion cells in the central part. Thus, macular thickness and volume parameters may be used for making the diagnosis of glaucoma especially in patients with abnormalities of disc. Conclusion: Macular thickness parameters correlated well with the diagnosis of glaucoma. How to cite this article: Sharma A, Agarwal P, Sathyan P, Saini VK. Macular Thickness Variability in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma Patients using Optical Coherence Tomography. J Current Glau Prac 2014;8(1):10-14. PMID:26997801

Effect of sample thickness on the extracted near-infrared bulk optical properties of Bacillus subtilis in liquid culture.

PubMed

Dzhongova, Elitsa; Harwood, Colin R; Thennadil, Suresh N

2011-11-01

In order to determine the bulk optical properties of a Bacillus subtilis culture during growth phase we investigated the effect of sample thickness on measurements taken with different measurement configurations, namely total diffuse reflectance and total diffuse transmittance. The bulk optical properties were extracted by inverting the measurements using the radiative transfer theory. While the relationship between reflectance and biomass changes with sample thickness and the intensity (absorbance) levels vary significantly for both reflectance and transmittance measurements, the extracted optical properties show consistent behavior in terms of both the relationship with biomass and magnitude. This observation indicates the potential of bulk optical properties for building models that could be more easily transferable compared to those built using raw measurements.

Structural investigations of human hairs by spectrally resolved ellipsometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulz, Benjamin; Chan, D.; Ruebhausen, M.; Wessel, S.; Wepf, R.

2006-03-01

Human hair is a biological layered system composed of two major layers, the cortex and the cuticle. We show spectrally resolved ellipsometry measurements of the ellipsometric parameters ψ and δ of single human hairs. The spectra reflect the layered nature of hair and the optical anisotropy of the hair’s structure. In addition, measurements on strands of human hair show a high reproducibility of the ellipsometric parameters for different hair fiber bundles from the same person. Based on the measurements, we develop a model of the dielectric function of hair that explains the spectra. This model includes the dielectric properties of the cuticle and cortex as well as their associated layer thicknesses. In addition, surface roughness effects modelled by a roughness layer with an complex refractive index given by an effective medium approach can have a significant effect on the measurements. We derive values for the parameters of the cuticle surface roughness layer of the thickness dACu= 273-360 nm and the air inclusion fA= 0.6 -5.7%. [1] accepted for publication in J. Biomed Opt., 2005

Diagnostic Accuracy of Optical Coherence Tomography and Scanning Laser Tomography for Identifying Glaucoma in Myopic Eyes.

PubMed

Malik, Rizwan; Belliveau, Anne C; Sharpe, Glen P; Shuba, Lesya M; Chauhan, Balwantray C; Nicolela, Marcelo T

2016-06-01

Ruling out glaucoma in myopic eyes often poses a diagnostic challenge because of atypical optic disc morphology and visual field defects that can mimic glaucoma. We determined whether neuroretinal rim assessment based on Bruch's membrane opening (BMO), rather than conventional optic disc margin (DM)-based assessment or retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, yielded higher diagnostic accuracy in myopic patients with glaucoma. Case-control, cross-sectional study. Myopic patients with glaucoma (n = 56) and myopic normal controls (n = 74). Myopic subjects with refraction error greater than -2 diopters (D) (spherical equivalent) and typical myopic optic disc morphology, with and without glaucoma, were recruited from a glaucoma clinic and a local optometry practice. The final classification of myopic glaucoma or myopic control was based on consensus assessment by 3 clinicians of visual fields and optic disc photographs. Participants underwent imaging with confocal scanning laser tomography for measurement of DM rim area (DM-RA) and with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT) for quantification of a BMO-based neuroretinal rim parameter, minimum rim width (BMO-MRW), and RNFL thickness. Sensitivity of DM-RA, BMO-MRW, and RNFL thickness at a fixed specificity of 90% and partial area under the curves (pAUCs) for global and sectoral parameters for specificities ≥90%. Sensitivities at 90% specificity were 30% for DM-RA and 71% for both BMO-MRW and RNFL thickness. The pAUC was higher for the BMO-MRW compared with DM-RA (P < 0.001), but similar to RNFL thickness (P > 0.5). Sectoral values of BMO-MRW tended to have a higher, but nonsignificant, pAUC across all sectors compared with RNFL thickness. Bruch's membrane opening MRW is more sensitive than DM-RA and similar to RNFL thickness for the identification of glaucoma in myopic eyes and offers a valuable diagnostic tool for patients with glaucoma with myopic optic discs. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nanoparticles based fiber optic SPR sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Kruti; Sharma, Navneet K.

2018-05-01

Localized surface plasmon resonance based fiber optic sensor using platinum nanoparticles is proposed and theoretically analyzed. Increase in thickness of nanoparticles layer increases the sensitivity of sensor. 50 nm thick platinum nanoparticles layer based sensor reveals highest sensitivity.

Optical monitor for real time thickness change measurements via lateral-translation induced phase-stepping interferometry

DOEpatents

Rushford, Michael C.

2002-01-01

An optical monitoring instrument monitors etch depth and etch rate for controlling a wet-etching process. The instrument provides means for viewing through the back side of a thick optic onto a nearly index-matched interface. Optical baffling and the application of a photoresist mask minimize spurious reflections to allow for monitoring with extremely weak signals. A Wollaston prism enables linear translation for phase stepping.

Baseline Maritime Aerosol: Methodology to Derive the Optical Thickness and Scattering Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, Yoram J.; Smirnov, Alexander; Holben, Brent N.; Dubovik, Oleg; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Satellite Measurements of the global distribution of aerosol and their effect on climate should be viewed in respect to a baseline aerosol. In this concept, concentration of fine mode aerosol particles is elevated above the baseline by man-made activities (smoke or urban pollution), while coarse mode by natural processes (e.g. dust or sea-spray). Using 1-3 years of measurements in 10 stations of the Aerosol Robotic network (ACRONET we develop a methodology and derive the optical thickness and properties of this baseline aerosol for the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Defined as the median for periods of stable optical thickness (standard deviation < 0.02) during 2-6 days, the median baseline aerosol optical thickness over the Pacific Ocean is 0.052 at 500 am with Angstrom exponent of 0.77, and 0.071 and 1.1 respectively, over the Atlantic Ocean.

Maximizing the short circuit current of organic solar cells by partial decoupling of electrical and optical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qarony, Wayesh; Hossain, Mohammad I.; Jovanov, Vladislav; Knipp, Dietmar; Tsang, Yuen Hong

2018-03-01

The partial decoupling of electronic and optical properties of organic solar cells allows for realizing solar cells with increased short circuit current and energy conversion efficiency. The proposed device consists of an organic solar cell conformally prepared on the surface of an array of single and double textured pyramids. The device geometry allows for increasing the optical thickness of the organic solar cell, while the electrical thickness is equal to the nominal thickness of the solar cell. By increasing the optical thickness of the solar cell, the short circuit current is distinctly increased. The quantum efficiency and short circuit current are determined using finite-difference time-domain simulations of the 3D solar cell structure. The influence of different solar cell designs on the quantum efficiency and short circuit current is discussed and optimal device dimensions are proposed.

Improving the Total Impulse Capability of the NSTAR Ion Thruster With Thick-Accelerator-Grid Ion Optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soulas, George C.

2001-01-01

The results of performance tests with thick-accelerator-grid (TAG) ion optics are presented. TAG ion optics utilize a 50 percent thicker accelerator grid to double ion optics' service life. NSTAR ion optics were also tested to provide a baseline performance for comparison. Impingement-limited total voltages for the TAG ion optics were only 0 to 15 V higher than those of the NSTAR ion optics. Electron backstreaming limits for the TAG ion optics were 3 to 9 V higher than those for the NSTAR optics due to the increased accelerator grid thickness for the TAG ion optics. Screen grid ion transparencies for the TAG ion optics were only about 2 percent lower than those for the NSTAR optics, reflecting the lower physical screen grid open area fraction of the TAG ion optics. Accelerator currents for the TAG ion optics were 19 to 43 percent greater than those for the NSTAR ion optics due, in part, to a sudden increase in accelerator current during TAG ion optics' performance tests for unknown reasons and to the lower-than-nominal accelerator aperture diameters. Beam divergence half-angles that enclosed 95 percent of the total beam current and beam divergence thrust correction factors for the TAG ion optics were within 2 degrees and 1 percent, respectively, of those for the NSTAR ion optics.

Monte Carlo studies on neutron interactions in radiobiological experiments

PubMed Central

Shahmohammadi Beni, Mehrdad; Hau, Tak Cheong; Krstic, D.; Nikezic, D.

2017-01-01

Monte Carlo method was used to study the characteristics of neutron interactions with cells underneath a water medium layer with varying thickness. The following results were obtained. (1) The fractions of neutron interaction with 1H, 12C, 14N and 16O nuclei in the cell layer were studied. The fraction with 1H increased with increasing medium thickness, while decreased for 12C, 14N and 16O nuclei. The bulges in the interaction fractions with 12C, 14N and 16O nuclei were explained by the resonance spikes in the interaction cross-section data. The interaction fraction decreased in the order: 1H > 16O > 12C > 14N. (2) In general, as the medium thickness increased, the number of “interacting neutrons” which exited the medium and then further interacted with the cell layer increased. (3) The area under the angular distributions for “interacting neutrons” decreased with increasing incident neutron energy. Such results would be useful for deciphering the reasons behind discrepancies among existing results in the literature. PMID:28704557

Numerical simulation of terahertz transmission of bilayer metallic meshes with different thickness of substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Gaohui; Zhao, Guozhong; Zhang, Shengbo

2012-12-01

The terahertz transmission characteristics of bilayer metallic meshes are studied based on the finite difference time domain method. The bilayer well-shaped grid, the array of complementary square metallic pill and the cross wire-hole array were investigated. The results show that the bilayer well-shaped grid achieves a high-pass of filter function, while the bilayer array of complementary square metallic pill achieves a low-pass of filter function, the bilayer cross wire-hole array achieves a band-pass of filter function. Between two metallic microstructures, the medium need to be deposited. Obviously, medium thicknesses have an influence on the terahertz transmission characteristics of metallic microstructures. Simulation results show that with increasing the thicknesses of the medium the cut-off frequency of high-pass filter and low-pass filter move to low frequency. But the bilayer cross wire-hole array possesses two transmission peaks which display competition effect.

Evaluation of Macular Ganglion Cell Complex and Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer in Primary Craniopharyngioma by Fourier-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

PubMed

Yang, Liu; Qu, Yuanzhen; Lu, Wen; Liu, Fengjun

2016-07-03

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to compare the differences in macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) in child and adult patients with primary craniopharyngioma by Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) and to evaluate their significance in the diagnosis of primary craniopharyngioma. MATERIAL AND METHODS Ninety-six participants were divided into 3 groups: 32 in the child craniopharyngioma group (CCG) and 32 in the adult craniopharyngioma group (ACG) who were treated in Beijing Tiantan Hospital between November 2013 and October 2014, and 32 in the normal group (NG). All subjects were scanned by FD-OCT to map GCC and pRNFL thicknesses. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlation between GCC and pRNFL thickness, and pRNFL thickness and optic nerve head (ONH) parameters, including horizontal cup-disc ratio (HCDR), vertical cup-disc ratio (VCDR), optic disc area (ODA), and cup area (CA), respectively. RESULTS The correlation between GCC and pRNFL thickness in the CCG was slightly stronger compared with the ACG. A significant difference in GCC thickness was observed among the CCG, ACG, and NG. Although the pRNFL thickness in both the CCG and ACG was significantly higher than that in NG, no significant difference in pRNFL thickness was detected between the 2 craniopharyngioma groups. The average, superior, and inferior pRNFL thicknesses were negatively correlated with VCDR in the CCG (in double eyes) and ACG (only in left eyes). CONCLUSIONS GCC was more sensitive than pRNFL in detecting optic nerve damage in the eyes of craniopharyngioma patients. A thinner pRNFL was especially correlated with VCDR in child craniopharyngioma patients.

Evaluation of Macular Ganglion Cell Complex and Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer in Primary Craniopharyngioma by Fourier-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

PubMed Central

Yang, Liu; Qu, Yuanzhen; Lu, Wen; Liu, Fengjun

2016-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to compare the differences in macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) in child and adult patients with primary craniopharyngioma by Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) and to evaluate their significance in the diagnosis of primary craniopharyngioma. Material/Methods Ninety-six participants were divided into 3 groups: 32 in the child craniopharyngioma group (CCG) and 32 in the adult craniopharyngioma group (ACG) who were treated in Beijing Tiantan Hospital between November 2013 and October 2014, and 32 in the normal group (NG). All subjects were scanned by FD-OCT to map GCC and pRNFL thicknesses. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlation between GCC and pRNFL thickness, and pRNFL thickness and optic nerve head (ONH) parameters, including horizontal cup-disc ratio (HCDR), vertical cup-disc ratio (VCDR), optic disc area (ODA), and cup area (CA), respectively. Results The correlation between GCC and pRNFL thickness in the CCG was slightly stronger compared with the ACG. A significant difference in GCC thickness was observed among the CCG, ACG, and NG. Although the pRNFL thickness in both the CCG and ACG was significantly higher than that in NG, no significant difference in pRNFL thickness was detected between the 2 craniopharyngioma groups. The average, superior, and inferior pRNFL thicknesses were negatively correlated with VCDR in the CCG (in double eyes) and ACG (only in left eyes). Conclusions GCC was more sensitive than pRNFL in detecting optic nerve damage in the eyes of craniopharyngioma patients. A thinner pRNFL was especially correlated with VCDR in child craniopharyngioma patients. PMID:27372909

Nanostructured pyronin Y thin films as a new organic semiconductor: Linear/nonlinear optics, band gap and dielectric properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zahran, H. Y.; Yahia, I. S.; Alamri, F. H.

2017-05-01

Pyronin Y dye (PY) is a kind of xanthene derivatives. Thin films of pyronin Y were deposited onto highly cleaned glass substrates using low-cost/spin coating technique. The structure properties of pyronin Y thin films with different thicknesses were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscope (AFM). PY thin films for all the studied thicknesses have an amorphous structure supporting the short range order of the grain size. AFM supports the nanostructure with spherical/clusters morphologies of the investigated thin films. The optical constants of pyronin Y thin films for various thicknesses were studied by using UV-vis-NIR spectrophotometer in the wavelength range 350-2500 nm. The transmittance T(λ), reflectance R(λ) spectral and absorbance (abs(λ)) were obtained for all film thicknesses at room temperature and the normal light incident. These films showed a high transmittance in the wide scale wavelengths. For different thicknesses of the studied thin films, the optical band gaps were determined and their values around 2 eV. Real and imaginary dielectric constants, dissipation factor and the nonlinear optical parameters were calculated in the wavelengths to the range 300-2500 nm. The pyronin Y is a new organic semiconductor with a good optical absorption in UV-vis regions and it is suitable for nonlinear optical applications.

Measuring Thicknesses of Coatings on Metals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cotty, Glenn M., Jr.

1986-01-01

Digital light sensor and eddy-current sensor measure thickness without contact. Surface of Coating reflects laser beam to optical sensor. Position of reflected spot on sensor used by microcomputer to calculate coating thickness. Eddy-current sensor maintains constant distance between optical sensor and metal substrate. When capabilities of available components fully exploited, instrument measures coatings from 0.001 to 6 in. (0.0025 to 15 cm) thick with accuracy of 1 part in 4,000. Instrument readily incorporated in automatic production and inspection systems. Used to inspect thermal-insulation layers, paint, and protective coatings. Also used to control application of coatings to preset thicknesses.

Multiplexed Holographic Optical Data Storage In Thick Bacteriorhodopsin Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Downie, John D.; Timucin, Dogan A.; Gary, Charles K.; Ozcan, Meric; Smithey, Daniel T.; Crew, Marshall

1998-01-01

The optical data storage capacity of photochromic bacteriorhodopsin films is investigated by means of theoretical calculations, numerical simulations, and experimental measurements on sequential recording of angularly multiplexed diffraction gratings inside a thick D85N BR film.

Optical caliper with compensation for specimen deflection and method

DOEpatents

Bernacki, B.E.

1997-12-09

An optical non-contact profilometry system and method provided by an optical caliper with matched optical sensors that are arranged conjugate to each other so that the surface profile and thickness of an article can be measured without using a fixed reference surface and while permitting the article to deflect in space within the acquisition range of the optical sensors. The output signals from the two optical sensors are algebraically added to compensate for any such deflection of the article and provide a so compensated signal, the balance and sign of which provides a measurement of the actual thickness of the article at the optical sensors. 2 figs.

Optical caliper with compensation for specimen deflection and method

DOEpatents

Bernacki, Bruce E.

1997-01-01

An optical non-contact profilometry system and method provided by an optical caliper with matched optical sensors that are arranged conjugate to each other so that the surface profile and thickness of an article can be measured without using a fixed reference surface and while permitting the article to deflect in space within the acquisition range of the optical sensors. The output signals from the two optical sensors are algebraically added to compensate for any such deflection of the article and provide a so compensated signal, the balance and sign of which provides a measurement of the actual thickness of the article at the optical sensors.

Micro-Fresnel Zone Plate Optical Devices Using Densely Accumulated Ray Points

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sang H. (Inventor); Park, Yeonjoon (Inventor); King, Glen C. (Inventor); Elliott, James R. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

An embodiment generally relates to an optical device suitable for use with an optical medium for the storage and retrieval of data. The optical device includes an illumination means for providing a beam of optical radiation of wavelength .lamda. and an optical path that the beam of optical radiation follows. The optical device also includes a diffractive optical element defined by a plurality of annular sections. The plurality of annular sections having a first material alternately disposed with a plurality of annular sections comprising a second material. The diffractive optical element generates a plurality of focal points and densely accumulated ray points with phase contrast phenomena and the optical medium is positioned at a selected focal point or ray point of the diffractive optical element.

[Research on Time-frequency Characteristics of Magneto-acoustic Signal of Different Thickness Medium Based on Wave Summing Method].

PubMed

Zhang, Shunqi; Yin, Tao; Ma, Ren; Liu, Zhipeng

2015-08-01

Functional imaging method of biological electrical characteristics based on magneto-acoustic effect gives valuable information of tissue in early tumor diagnosis, therein time and frequency characteristics analysis of magneto-acoustic signal is important in image reconstruction. This paper proposes wave summing method based on Green function solution for acoustic source of magneto-acoustic effect. Simulations and analysis under quasi 1D transmission condition are carried out to time and frequency characteristics of magneto-acoustic signal of models with different thickness. Simulation results of magneto-acoustic signal were verified through experiments. Results of the simulation with different thickness showed that time-frequency characteristics of magneto-acoustic signal reflected thickness of sample. Thin sample, which is less than one wavelength of pulse, and thick sample, which is larger than one wavelength, showed different summed waveform and frequency characteristics, due to difference of summing thickness. Experimental results verified theoretical analysis and simulation results. This research has laid a foundation for acoustic source and conductivity reconstruction to the medium with different thickness in magneto-acoustic imaging.

An Analytical Model for the Evolution of the Protoplanetary Disks

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

Khajenabi, Fazeleh; Kazrani, Kimia; Shadmehri, Mohsen, E-mail: f.khajenabi@gu.ac.ir

We obtain a new set of analytical solutions for the evolution of a self-gravitating accretion disk by holding the Toomre parameter close to its threshold and obtaining the stress parameter from the cooling rate. In agreement with the previous numerical solutions, furthermore, the accretion rate is assumed to be independent of the disk radius. Extreme situations where the entire disk is either optically thick or optically thin are studied independently, and the obtained solutions can be used for exploring the early or the final phases of a protoplanetary disk evolution. Our solutions exhibit decay of the accretion rate as amore » power-law function of the age of the system, with exponents −0.75 and −1.04 for optically thick and thin cases, respectively. Our calculations permit us to explore the evolution of the snow line analytically. The location of the snow line in the optically thick regime evolves as a power-law function of time with the exponent −0.16; however, when the disk is optically thin, the location of the snow line as a function of time with the exponent −0.7 has a stronger dependence on time. This means that in an optically thin disk inward migration of the snow line is faster than an optically thick disk.« less

Comparative study of the retinal nerve fibre layer thickness performed with optical coherence tomography and GDx scanning laser polarimetry in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma.

PubMed

Wasyluk, Jaromir T; Jankowska-Lech, Irmina; Terelak-Borys, Barbara; Grabska-Liberek, Iwona

2012-03-01

We compared the parameters of retinal nerve fibre layer in patients with advanced glaucoma with the use of different OCT (Optical Coherence Tomograph) devices in relation to analogical measurements performed with GDx VCC (Nerve Fiber Analyzer with Variable Corneal Compensation) scanning laser polarimetry. Study subjects had advanced primary open-angle glaucoma, previously treated conservatively, diagnosed and confirmed by additional examinations (visual field, ophthalmoscopy of optic nerve, gonioscopy), A total of 10 patients were enrolled (9 women and 1 man), aged 18-70 years of age. Nineteen eyes with advanced glaucomatous neuropathy were examined. 1) Performing a threshold perimetry Octopus, G2 strategy and ophthalmoscopy of optic nerve to confirm the presence of advanced primary open-angle glaucoma; 2) performing a GDx VCC scanning laser polarimetry of retinal nerve fibre layer; 3) measuring the retinal nerve fibre layer thickness with 3 different optical coherence tomographs. The parameters of the retinal nerve fibre layer thickness are highly correlated between the GDx and OCT Stratus and 3D OCT-1000 devices in mean retinal nerve fibre layer thickness, retinal nerve fibre layer thickness in the upper sector, and correlation of NFI (GDx) with mean retinal nerve fibre layer thickness in OCT examinations. Absolute values of the retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (measured in µm) differ significantly between GDx and all OCT devices. Examination with OCT devices is a sensitive diagnostic method of glaucoma, with good correlation with the results of GDx scanning laser polarimetry of the patients.

Macular Ganglion Cell Imaging Study: Covariate Effects on the Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography for Glaucoma Diagnosis.

PubMed

Jeong, Jae Hoon; Choi, Yun Jeong; Park, Ki Ho; Kim, Dong Myung; Jeoung, Jin Wook

2016-01-01

To evaluate the effect of multiple covariates on the diagnostic performance of the Cirrus high-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT) for glaucoma detection. A prospective case-control study was performed and included 173 recently diagnosed glaucoma patients and 63 unaffected individuals from the Macular Ganglion Cell Imaging Study. Regression analysis of receiver operating characteristic were conducted to evaluate the influence of age, spherical equivalent, axial length, optic disc size, and visual field index on the macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) measurements. Disease severity, as measured by visual field index, had a significant effect on the diagnostic performance of all Cirrus HD-OCT parameters. Age, axial length and optic disc size were significantly associated with diagnostic accuracy of average peripapillary RNFL thickness, whereas axial length had a significant effect on the diagnostic accuracy of average GCIPL thickness. Diagnostic performance of the Cirrus HD-OCT may be more accurate in the advanced stages of glaucoma than at earlier stages. A smaller optic disc size was significantly associated with improved the diagnostic ability of average RNFL thickness measurements; however, GCIPL thickness may be less affected by age and optic disc size.

Magneto-optical Kerr rotation and color in ultrathin lossy dielectric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jing; Wang, Hai; Qu, Xin; Zhou, Yun song; Li, Li na

2017-05-01

Ultra-thin optical coating comprising nanometer-thick silicon absorbing films on iron substrates can display strong optical interference effects. A resonance peak of ∼1.6^\\circ longitudinal Kerr rotation with the silicon thickness of ∼47 \\text{nm} was found at the wavelength of 660 nm. The optical properties of silicon thin films were well controlled by the sputtering power. Non-iridescence color exhibition and Kerr rotation enhancement can be manipulated and encoded individually.

Simple approach for high-contrast optical imaging and characterization of graphene-based sheets.

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

Jung, I.; Pelton, M.; Piner, R.

2007-12-01

A simple optical method is presented for identifying and measuring the effective optical properties of nanometer-thick, graphene-based materials, based on the use of substrates consisting of a thin dielectric layer on silicon. High contrast between the graphene-based materials and the substrate is obtained by choosing appropriate optical properties and thickness of the dielectric layer. The effective refractive index and optical absorption coefficient of graphene oxide, thermally reduced graphene oxide, and graphene are obtained by comparing the predicted and measured contrasts.

C+/H2 gas in star-forming clouds and galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordon, Raanan; Sternberg, Amiel

2016-11-01

We present analytic theory for the total column density of singly ionized carbon (C+) in the optically thick photon dominated regions (PDRs) of far-UV irradiated (star-forming) molecular clouds. We derive a simple formula for the C+ column as a function of the cloud (hydrogen) density, the far-UV field intensity, and metallicity, encompassing the wide range of galaxy conditions. When assuming the typical relation between UV and density in the cold neutral medium, the C+ column becomes a function of the metallicity alone. We verify our analysis with detailed numerical PDR models. For optically thick gas, most of the C+ column is mixed with hydrogen that is primarily molecular (H2), and this `C+/H2' gas layer accounts for almost all of the `CO-dark' molecular gas in PDRs. The C+/H2 column density is limited by dust shielding and is inversely proportional to the metallicity down to ˜0.1 solar. At lower metallicities, H2 line blocking dominates and the C+/H2 column saturates. Applying our theory to CO surveys in low-redshift spirals, we estimate the fraction of C+/H2 gas out of the total molecular gas to be typically ˜0.4. At redshifts 1 < z < 3 in massive disc galaxies the C+/H2 gas represents a very small fraction of the total molecular gas (≲ 0.16). This small fraction at high redshifts is due to the high gas surface densities when compared to local galaxies.

Anisotropic effective permittivity of an ultrathin gold coating on optical fiber in air, water and saline solutions.

PubMed

Zhou, Wenjun; Mandia, David J; Barry, Seán T; Albert, Jacques

2014-12-29

The optical properties of an ultrathin discontinuous gold film in different dielectric surroundings are investigated experimentally by measuring the polarization-dependent wavelength shifts and amplitudes of the cladding mode resonances of a tilted fiber Bragg grating. The gold film was prepared by electron-beam evaporation and had an average thickness of 5.5 nm ( ± 1 nm). Scanning electron imaging was used to determine that the film is actually formed of individual particles with average lateral dimensions of 28 nm ( ± 8 nm). The complex refractive indices of the equivalent uniform film in air at a wavelength of 1570 nm were calculated from the measurements to be 4.84-i0.74 and 3.97-i0.85 for TM and TE polarizations respectively (compared to the value for bulk gold: 0.54-i10.9). Additionally, changes in the birefringence and dichroism of the films were measured as a function of the surrounding medium, in air, water and a saturated NaCl (salt) solution. These results show that the film has stronger dielectric behavior for TM light than for TE, a trend that increases with increasing surrounding index. Finally, the experimental results are compared to predictions from two widely used effective medium approximations, the generalized Maxwell-Garnett and Bruggeman theories for gold particles in a surrounding matrix. It is found that both of these methods fail to predict the observed behavior for the film considered.

Light-driven phase shifter

DOEpatents

Early, James W.

1990-01-01

A light-driven phase shifter is provided for modulating a transmission light beam. A gaseous medium such as argon is provided with electron energy states excited to populate a metastable state. A tunable dye laser is selected with a wavelength effective to deplete the metastable electron state and may be intensity modulated. The dye laser is directed through the gaseous medium to define a first optical path having an index of refraction determined by the gaseous medium having a depleted metastable electron state. A transmission laser beam is also directed through the gaseous medium to define a second optical path at least partially coincident with the first optical path. The intensity of the dye laser beam may then be varied to phase modulate the transmission laser beam.

Influence of the medium's dimensionality on defect-mediated turbulence.

PubMed

St-Yves, Ghislain; Davidsen, Jörn

2015-03-01

Spatiotemporal chaos in oscillatory and excitable media is often characterized by the presence of phase singularities called defects. Understanding such defect-mediated turbulence and its dependence on the dimensionality of a given system is an important challenge in nonlinear dynamics. This is especially true in the context of ventricular fibrillation in the heart, where the importance of the thickness of the ventricular wall is contentious. Here, we study defect-mediated turbulence arising in two different regimes in a conceptual model of excitable media and investigate how the statistical character of the turbulence changes if the thickness of the medium is changed from (quasi-) two- dimensional to three dimensional. We find that the thickness of the medium does not have a significant influence in, far from onset, fully developed turbulence while there is a clear transition if the system is close to a spiral instability. We provide clear evidence that the observed transition and change in the mechanism that drives the turbulent behavior is purely a consequence of the dimensionality of the medium. Using filament tracking, we further show that the statistical properties in the three-dimensional medium are different from those in turbulent regimes arising from filament instabilities like the negative line tension instability. Simulations also show that the presence of this unique three-dimensional turbulent dynamics is not model specific.

Schlieren System and method for moving objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weinstein, Leonard M. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A system and method are provided for recording density changes in a flow field surrounding a moving object. A mask having an aperture for regulating the passage of images is placed in front of an image recording medium. An optical system is placed in front of the mask. A transition having a light field-of-view and a dark field-of-view is located beyond the test object. The optical system focuses an image of the transition at the mask such that the aperture causes a band of light to be defined on the image recording medium. The optical system further focuses an image of the object through the aperture of the mask so that the image of the object appears on the image recording medium. Relative motion is minimized between the mask and the transition. Relative motion is also minimized between the image recording medium and the image of the object. In this way, the image of the object and density changes in a flow field surrounding the object are recorded on the image recording medium when the object crosses the transition in front of the optical system.

Removal of Lattice Imperfections that Impact the Optical Quality of Ti:Sapphire using Advanced Magnetorheological Finishing Techniques

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

Menapace, J A; Schaffers, K I; Bayramian, A J

2007-10-09

Ti:sapphire has become the premier lasing medium material for use in solid-state femtosecond high-peak power laser systems because of its wide wavelength tuning range. With a tuneable range from 680 to 1100 nm, peaking at 800 nm, Ti:sapphire lasing crystals can easily be tuned to the required pump wavelength and provide very high pump brightness due to their good beam quality and high output power of typically several watts. Femtosecond lasers are used for precision cutting and machining of materials ranging from steel to tooth enamel to delicate heart tissue and high explosives. These ultra-short pulses are too brief tomore » transfer heat or shock to the material being cut, which means that cutting, drilling, and machining occur with virtually no damage to surrounding material. Furthermore, these lasers can cut with high precision, making hairline cuts of less than 100 microns in thick materials along a computer-generated path. Extension of laser output to higher energies is limited by the size of the amplification medium. Yields of high quality large diameter crystals have been constrained by lattice distortions that may appear in the boule limiting the usable area from which high quality optics can be harvested. Lattice distortions affect the transmitted wavefront of these optics which ultimately limits the high-end power output and efficiency of the laser system, particularly when operated in multi-pass mode. To make matters even more complicated, Ti:sapphire is extremely hard (Mohs hardness of 9 with diamond being 10) which makes it extremely difficult to accurately polish using conventional methods without subsurface damage or significant wavefront error. In this presentation, we demonstrate for the first time that Magnetorheological finishing (MRF) can be used to compensate for the lattice distortions in Ti:sapphire by perturbing the transmitted wavefront. The advanced MRF techniques developed allow for precise polishing of the optical inverse of lattice distortions with magnitudes of about 70 nm in optical path difference onto one or both of the optical surfaces to produce high quality optics from otherwise unusable Ti:sapphire crystals. The techniques include interferometric, software, and machine modifications to precisely locate and polish sub-millimeter sites onto the optical surfaces that can not be polished into the optics conventionally. This work may allow extension of Ti:sapphire based systems to peak powers well beyond one petawatt.« less

Characterization of Titan surface scenarios combining Cassini SAR images and radiometric data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ventura, B.; Notarnicola, C.; Casarano, D.; Janssen, M.; Posa, F.; Cassini RADAR Science Team

2009-04-01

A great amount of data and images was provided by the radar on Cassini probe, thus opening and suggesting new scenarios about Titan's formation and evolution. An important result was the detection, among the peculiar and heterogeneous Titan's surface features, of lakes most likely constituted by liquid hydrocarbons, thus supporting the hypothesis of a methane cycle similar to water cycle on Earth.These areas, which resemble terrestrial lakes, seem to be sprinkled all over the high latitudes surrounding Titan's pole. The abundant methane in Titan's atmosphere combined with the low temperature, 94 K, lead scientists to interpret them as lakes of liquid methane or ethane. In this work, scattering models and a Bayesian inversion algorithm are applied in order to characterize lake and land surfaces. The possibility of combining the SAR data with radiometric ones on both lakes and neighboring land areas is also presented. Radar backscattering from lakes is described in terms of a double layer model, consisting of Bragg or facets scattering for the upper liquid layer and the Integral Equation Model (IEM) model for the lower solid surface. Furthermore, by means of a gravity-capillary wave model (Donelan-Pierson), the wave spectra of liquid hydrocarbons surfaces are introduced as a function of wind speed and direction. Theoretical radar backscattering coefficient values are compared with the experimental ones collected by the radar in order to estimate physical and morphological surface parameters, and to evaluate their compatibility with the expected constituents for Titan surfaces. This electromagnetic analysis is the starting point for a statistical inversion algorithm which allows determining limits on the parameters values, especially on the optical thickness and wind speed of the lakes. The physical surface parameters inferred by using the inversion algorithm are used as input for a forward radiative transfer model calculation to obtain simulated brightness temperatures. The radiometric model has been introduced to further verify the values ranges for the different parameters. In fact the same parameters derived from the radar data analysis have been used as input for the radiometric model. The comparison between the observed and computed brightness temperatures has been performed in order to address the consistency of the observations from the two instruments and to determine the coarse characteristics of the surface parameters. For both radar and radiometric data the soil medium is horizontally stratified into 2 layers. Each layer can be characterized by different absorption coefficients depending on the optical thickness, dielectric constant and physical temperature. In this algorithm, the starting point is the map of optical thickness derived from the SAR images. The simulated brightness temperature is calculated by applying the forward radiative transfer model to the optical thickness map with the same hypotheses assumed to derive it. The simulation is also carried out on the neighboring land areas by considering a double layer model including a contribution of volume scattering. Each layer is described in terms of dielectric constant values, albedo and roughness parameters with the hypothesis of water ice ammonia on layers of solid hydrocarbons and organic compounds like tholins. The analysis is applied to the areas detected on flybys 25 and 30. One important result arises from the analysis of the inverted optical thickness on deep lakes. In this case, found values of optical thickness can be considered limit values because, beyond these values, a complete attenuation can be considered. This limit value is important as it is stable even if the other parameters vary. Starting from this point, posing the condition of a complete attenuation of the second layer, i.e. fixing the value of the optical thickness, the algorithm can be used to estimate the wind speed. The retrieved values vary between 0.2 to 0.5 m/s. The first results also show a good agreement between the simulated data and the measured brightness temperature for both the liquid surface and the surrounding areas. In the last case, a good agreement is obtained only if the contribution from volume scattering is included in the model

Influences of film thickness on the structural, electrical and optical properties of CuAlO2 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Guobo; Zhang, Ming; Wang, Mei; Li, Yingzi; Gao, Fangyuan; Yan, Hui; Diao, Xungang

2014-07-01

CuAlO2 films with different thickness were prepared by the radio frequency magnetron sputtering technique. The structural, electrical and optical properties of CuAlO2 were studied by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscope, UV-Vis double-beam spectrophotometer and Hall measurements. The results indicate that the single phase hexagonal CuAlO2 is formed and the average grain size of CuAlO2 films increases with increasing film thickness. The results also exhibit that the lowering of bandgap and the increase of electrical conductivity of CuAlO2 films with the increase of their thickness, which are attributed to the improvement of the grain size and the anisotropic electrical property. According to the electrical and optical properties, the biggest figure of merit is achieved for the CuAlO2 film with the appropriate thickness of 165 nm.

Detection of Internal Metal Loss in Steel Pipes and Storage Tanks via Magnetic-Based Fiber Optic Sensor

PubMed Central

Almahmoud, Safieh; Vahdati, Nader; Rostron, Paul

2018-01-01

A monitoring solution was developed for detection of material loss in metals such as carbon steel using the force generated by permanent magnets in addition to the optical strain sensing technology. The working principle of the sensing system is related to the change in thickness of a steel plate, which typically occurs due to corrosion. As thickness decreases, the magnetostatic force between the magnet and the steel structure also decreases. This, in turn, affects the strain measured using the optical fiber. The sensor prototype was designed and built after verifying its sensitivity using a numerical model. The prototype was tested on steel plates of different thicknesses to establish the relationship between the metal thickness and measured strain. The results of experiments and numerical models demonstrate a strong relationship between the metal thickness and the measured strain values. PMID:29518006

Defect-mediated photoluminescence up-conversion in cadmium sulfide nanobelts (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morozov, Yurii; Kuno, Masaru K.

2017-02-01

The concept of optical cooling of solids has existed for nearly 90 years ever since Pringsheim proposed a way to cool solids through the annihilation of phonons via phonon-assisted photoluminescence (PL) up-conversion. In this process, energy is removed from the solid by the emission of photons with energies larger than those of incident photons. However, actually realizing optical cooling requires exacting parameters from the condensed phase medium such as near unity external quantum efficiencies as well as existence of a low background absorption. Until recently, laser cooling has only been successfully realized in rare earth doped solids. In semiconductors, optical cooling has very recently been demonstrated in cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanobelts as well as in hybrid lead halide perovskites. For the former, large internal quantum efficiencies, sub-wavelength thicknesses, which decrease light trapping, and low background absorption, all make near unity external quantum yields possible. Net cooling by as much as 40 K has therefore been possible with CdS nanobelts. In this study, we describe a detailed investigation of the nature of efficient anti-Stokes photoluminescence (ASPL) in CdS nanobelts. Temperature-dependent PL up-conversion and optical absorption studies on individual NBs together with frequency-dependent up-converted PL intensity spectroscopies suggest that ASPL in CdS nanobelts is defect-mediated through involvement of defect levels below the band gap.

Evaluation of Interocular Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness Symmetry as a Diagnostic Modality for Glaucoma.

PubMed

Hong, Seung Woo; Lee, Seung Bum; Jee, Dong-Hyun; Ahn, Myung Douk

2016-09-01

The purpose of study was to measure the diagnostic utility of interocular retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) symmetry and interocular RNFL thickness comparison. Both eyes of 103 normal subjects and 106 glaucoma patients (31 patients with early glaucoma and 75 patients with moderate to severe glaucoma) received comprehensive ophthalmologic evaluation including visual field testing and optic disc scanning using optical coherence tomography. RNFL thickness values for 256 measurement points were rearranged according to a new reference line connecting the optic disc center and the foveola. The interocular RNFL thickness symmetry value and absolute and fractional interocular difference in RNFL thickness were calculated and compared between groups. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs) were calculated and compared. Among the parameters reflecting whole RNFL status, the corrected interocular RNFL thickness symmetry exhibited the largest AUROCs at all glaucoma stages. RNFL thickness and absolute and fractional interocular difference in RNFL thickness exhibited largest AUROC in the inferotemporal area, regardless of glaucoma stage. In the early glaucoma group, absolute and fractional interocular RNFL thickness differences in the temporal and superotemporal areas exhibited equal to or larger AUROCs than RNFL thickness. The AUROCs for RNFL thickness were greater than those for absolute and fractional interocular RNFL thickness differences in the moderate to severe glaucoma group except in the nasal and temporal area. The corrected interocular RNFL thickness symmetry value is an effective diagnostic tool for glaucoma. Interocular comparison of RNFL thickness has good diagnostic performance and gives information about the RNFL beyond just the RNFL thickness itself.

Assessing the effects of ketorolac and acetazolamide on macular thickness by optical coherence tomography following cataract surgery.

PubMed

Turan-Vural, Ece; Halili, Elvin; Serin, Didem

2014-06-01

We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of topical ketorolac 0.5 % solution and oral acetazolamide 250 mg/day delivery during the first month after uneventful phacoemulsification surgery by measuring the macular thickness using optical coherence tomography. Our nonmasked randomized prospective study comprised 87 eyes of 80 patients. Complete follow-up was achieved on 84 eyes of 77 eligible patients. Postoperatively, the patients were divided into three groups. One group received ketorolac 0.5 %, the other group received acetazolamide 250 mg/day, and the control group was given no agent. Macular thickness and volume were measured at 1 week and 1 month after surgery by optical coherence tomography. Foveal thickness, parafoveal thickness, and perifoveal thickness were determined to be significantly elevated at postoperative 1 week and 1 month in the control group. Foveal, perifoveal, and parafoveal volumes were also significantly high at postoperative week 1 and month 1 in the control group. There was no significant difference between the ketorolac and acetazolamide groups. The correlation analysis between best-corrected visual acuity, and volume and thickness revealed a negative correlation in the acetazolamide group. Use of acetazolamide after cataract surgery is as effective as ketorolac on macular thickness and volume.

Thickness dependent optical properties of PEMA and (PEMA){sub 0.85}/(ZnO){sub 0.15} nanocomposite films deposited by spray pyrolysis technique on ITO substrate

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

Thakur, Anjna, E-mail: anjna56@gmail.com; Thakur, Priya; Yadav, Kamlesh, E-mail: kamlesh.yadav001@gmail.com

2016-05-06

In this paper, poly (ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA) and (PEMA){sub 0.85}/(ZnO){sub 0.15} nanocomposite films for 2, 3, 4 and 5 minutes have been deposited by spray pyrolysis technique on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated substrate. The effect of thickness of the film on the morphological and optical properties of PEMA and (PEMA){sub 0.85}/(ZnO){sub 0.15} nanocomposite films are studied. The morphological and optical properties of pure PEMA and (PEMA){sub 0.85}/(ZnO){sub 0.15} nanocomposite films are compared. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) shows that as the thickness of film increases, uniformity of films increases. It is found from UV-Visible spectra that themore » energy band gap decreases with increasing the deposition time and refractive index increases with increasing the thickness of the film. The band gap of the nanocomposites is found less than the pure polymer film and opposite trend is observed for refractive index. The optical absorption of PEMA/ZnO nanocomposite films is higher than pure PEMA film. The thickness of the nanocomposite film plays a significant role in the tunability of the optical properties.« less

Dependence of Cumulus Anvil Radiative Properties on Environmental Conditions in the Tropical West Pacific

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ye, B.; DelGenio, A. D.

1999-01-01

Areally extensive, optically thick anvil clouds associated with mesoscale convective clusters dominate the shortwave cloud forcing in the tropics and provide longwave forcing comparable to that of thin cirrus. Changes in the cover and optical thickness of tropical anvils as climate warms can regulate the sign of cloud feedback. As a prelude to the study of MMCR data from the ARM TWP sites, we analyze ISCCP-derived radiative characteristics of anvils observed in the tropical west Pacific during the TOGA-COARE IOP. Anvils with radius greater than 100 km were identified and tracked from inception to decay using the Machado-Rossow algorithm. Corresponding environmental conditions just prior to the start of the convectove event were diagnosed using the Lin-Johnson objective analysis product. Small clusters (100-200 km radius) are observed to have a broad range of optical thicknesses (10-50), while intermediate optical thickness clusters are observed to range in size from 100 km to almost 1000 km. Large-size clusters appear to be favored by strong pre-storm large scale upward motion throughout the troposphere, moist low-to-midlevel relative humidities, environments with slightly higher CAPE than those for smaller clusters, and strong front-to-rear flow. Optically thick anvils are favored in situations of strong low-level moisture convergence and strong upper-level shear.

The effect of spatial resolution upon cloud optical property retrievals. I - Optical thickness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feind, Rand E.; Christopher, Sundar A.; Welch, Ronald M.

1992-01-01

High spectral and spatial resolution Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) imagery is used to study the effects of spatial resolution upon fair weather cumulus cloud optical thickness retrievals. As a preprocessing step, a variation of the Gao and Goetz three-band ratio technique is used to discriminate clouds from the background. The combination of the elimination of cloud shadow pixels and using the first derivative of the histogram allows for accurate cloud edge discrimination. The data are progressively degraded from 20 m to 960 m spatial resolution. The results show that retrieved cloud area increases with decreasing spatial resolution. The results also show that there is a monotonic decrease in retrieved cloud optical thickness with decreasing spatial resolution. It is also demonstrated that the use of a single, monospectral reflectance threshold is inadequate for identifying cloud pixels in fair weather cumulus scenes and presumably in any inhomogeneous cloud field. Cloud edges have a distribution of reflectance thresholds. The incorrect identification of cloud edges significantly impacts the accurate retrieval of cloud optical thickness values.

Thickness Measurement, Rate Control And Automation In Thin Film Coating Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pulker, H. K.

1983-11-01

There are many processes known for fabricating thin films/1, 2.Among them the group of physical vapor deposition processes comprising evaporation, sputtering and ion plating has received special attention.Especially evaporation but also the other PVD techniques are widely used to deposit various single and multilayer coatings for optical and electrical thin film applications/3,4/.A large number of parameters is important in obtaining the required film properties in a reproducible manner when depositing thin films by such processes.Amongst the many are the film thickness, the condensation rate,the substrate temperature,as well as the qualitative and the quantitative composition of the residual gas of primary importance.First of all the film thickness is a dimension which enters in practically all equations used to characterize a thin film. However,when discussing film thickness,definitions are required since there one has to distinguish between various types of thicknesses e.g.geometrical thickness,mass thickness and optical thickness.The geometrical thickness,often also called physical thickness,is defined as the step height between the substrate surface and the film surface.This step height multiplied by the refractive index of the film is termed the optical thickness and is expressed generally in integer multiples of fractional parts of a desired wavelength.The mass thickness finally is defined as the film mass per unit area obtained by weighing.Knowing the density and the optical data of a thin film its mass thickness can be converted into the corresponding geometrical as well as optical thickness.However,with ultrathin films ranging between a few and several atomic or molecular "layers"the concept of a film thickness may become senseless since often no closed film exists of such minor deposits.Although film thickness is a length,the measurement of it can,obviously,not be accomplished with conventional methods for length determinations but requires special methods.The great efforts made to overcome this problem led to a remarkable number of different,often highly sophisticated film thickness measuring methods reviewed in various articles such ase.g./5,6/.With some of the methods,it is possible to carry out measurement under vacuum during and after the film formation other determinations have to be undertaken outside the deposition chamber only after the film has been produced.Many of the methods cannot be employed for all film substances,and there are varying limits as regards the range of thickness and measuring accuracy.Furthermore, with these methods the film to be measured is often specially prepared or dissolved during measurement and therefore becomes useless for additional investigations or applications.If only those methods which can be employed during the film deposition are considered,then the very large number of methods is considerably reduced.Insitu measurements,however,are highly desired since many basic investigations and practically all industrial applications require a precise knowledge of thefilm thickness at any instant to enable termination of the deposition process at the predetermined right moment.Apartfrom few exceptions in practical film deposition only optical measuring units andmass determination monitors are used.

Easy-to-use software tools for teaching the basics, design and applications of optical components and systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerhard, Christoph; Adams, Geoff

2015-10-01

Geometric optics is at the heart of optics teaching. Some of us may remember using pins and string to test the simple lens equation at school. Matters get more complex at undergraduate/postgraduate levels as we are introduced to paraxial rays, real rays, wavefronts, aberration theory and much more. Software is essential for the later stages, and the right software can profitably be used even at school. We present two free PC programs, which have been widely used in optics teaching, and have been further developed in close cooperation with lecturers/professors in order to address the current content of the curricula for optics, photonics and lasers in higher education. PreDesigner is a single thin lens modeller. It illustrates the simple lens law with construction rays and then allows the user to include field size and aperture. Sliders can be used to adjust key values with instant graphical feedback. This tool thus represents a helpful teaching medium for the visualization of basic interrelations in optics. WinLens3DBasic can model multiple thin or thick lenses with real glasses. It shows the system focii, principal planes, nodal points, gives paraxial ray trace values, details the Seidel aberrations, offers real ray tracing and many forms of analysis. It is simple to reverse lenses and model tilts and decenters. This tool therefore provides a good base for learning lens design fundamentals. Much work has been put into offering these features in ways that are easy to use, and offer opportunities to enhance the student's background understanding.

Focusing light inside dynamic scattering media with millisecond digital optical phase conjugation (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yan; Ma, Cheng; Shen, Yuecheng; Wang, Lihong V.

2017-02-01

Optical phase conjugation based wavefront shaping techniques are being actively developed to focus light through or inside scattering media such as biological tissue, and they promise to revolutionize optical imaging, manipulation, and therapy. The speed of digital optical phase conjugation (DOPC) has been limited by the low speeds of cameras and spatial light modulators (SLMs), preventing DOPC from being applied to thick living tissue. Recently, a fast DOPC system was developed based on a single-shot wavefront measurement method, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) for data processing, and a digital micromirror device (DMD) for fast modulation. However, this system has the following limitations. First, the reported single-shot wavefront measurement method does not work when our goal is to focus light inside, instead of through, scattering media. Second, the DMD performed binary amplitude modulation, which resulted in a lower focusing contrast compared with that of phase modulations. Third, the optical fluence threshold causing DMDs to malfunction under pulsed laser illumination is lower than that of liquid crystal based SLMs, and the system alignment is significantly complicated by the oblique reflection angle of the DMD. Here, we developed a simple but high-speed DOPC system using a ferroelectric liquid crystal based SLM (512 × 512 pixels), and focused light through three diffusers within 4.7 ms. Using focused-ultrasound-guided DOPC along with a double exposure scheme, we focused light inside a scattering medium containing two diffusers within 7.7 ms, thus achieving the fastest digital time-reversed ultrasonically encoded (TRUE) optical focusing to date.

New picosecond laser emitting blue light for use in periodontology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hennig, Thomas; Nieswand, Elmar; Rechmann, Peter

2001-04-01

Aim of the study was to investigate the impact of a new picosecond laser emitting blue light on tooth surfaces in order to remove calculus. The radiation may be comfortably transmitted via 25 micrometers diameter fiber optics. The resulting fluence at the tooth was found to be to low for ablation of calculus via nonlinear effects. Higher absorption of the 446 nm radiation by calculus compared to heathy tissues can provide preferential heating and evaporation of the calculus. The surface of thick calculus is irregular rough thus comprising a large interface to the surrounding cooling medium contra acting the preferential heating. In summary the study indicates the possibility flat layers of calculus by thermal effects. Carbonization in healthy tissues is the major problem concerning removal of subgingival calculus with thermal effects.

Investigation of medium and high temperature phase change materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heine, D.; Kraehling, H.

1979-01-01

A detailed description of the programs for acquisition and analysis of the test results is given. Basically it concerns three programs. The TEST program controls the recording of the test data. With the THELLI program it is possible to follow the temperature curve recorded for each individual thermoelement during the test. With the AUSW program the test data can be analyzed, to determine, for example, the melting point and the start of melting. The first results of the service life tests are discussed. From these it is attempted to draw inferences for the subsequent tests. An attempt is made to focus on the determination of the area-related mass loss, the reduction in thickness and the corrosion rate as well as optical and scanning electron microscope evaluation.

Optically Tunable Gratings Based on Coherent Population Oscillation.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao-Jun; Wang, Hai-Hua; Wang, Lei; Wu, Jin-Hui

2018-05-01

We theoretically study the optically tunable gratings based on a L-type atomic medium using coherent population oscillations from the angle of reflection and transmission of the probe field. Adopting a standing-wave driving field, the refractive index of the medium as well as the absorption are periodically modified. Consequently, the Bragg scattering causes the effective reflection. We show that different intensities of the control field lead to three types of reflection profile which actually correspond to different absorption/amplification features of the medium. We present a detailed analyses about the influence of amplification on the reflection profile as well. The coherent population oscillation is robust to the dephasing effect, and such induced gratings could have promising applications in nonlinear optics and all-optical information processing.

Cost effective flat plate photovoltaic modules using light trapping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bain, C. N.; Gordon, B. A.; Knasel, T. M.; Malinowski, R. L.

1981-01-01

Work in optical trapping in 'thick films' is described to form a design guide for photovoltaic engineers. A thick optical film can trap light by diffusive reflection and total internal reflection. Light can be propagated reasonably long distances compared with layer thicknesses by this technique. This makes it possible to conduct light from inter-cell and intra-cell areas now not used in photovoltaic modules onto active cell areas.

Optical reflectance of solution processed quasi-superlattice ZnO and Al-doped ZnO (AZO) channel materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buckley, Darragh; McCormack, Robert; O'Dwyer, Colm

2017-04-01

The angle-resolved reflectance of high crystalline quality, c-axis oriented ZnO and AZO single and periodic quasi-superlattice (QSL) spin-coated TFT channels materials are presented. The data is analysed using an adapted model to accurately determine the spectral region for optical thickness and corresponding reflectance. The optical thickness agrees very well with measured thickness of 1-20 layered QSL thin films determined by transmission electron microscopy if the reflectance from lowest interference order is used. Directional reflectance for single layers or homogeneous QSLs of ZnO and AZO channel materials exhibit a consistent degree of anti-reflection characteristics from 30 to 60° (~10-12% reflection) for thickness ranging from ~40 nm to 500 nm. The reflectance of AZO single layer thin films is  <10% from 30 to 75° at 514.5 nm, and  <6% at 632.8 nm from 30-60°. The data show that ZnO and AZO with granular or periodic substructure behave optically as dispersive, continuous thin films of similar thickness, and angle-resolved spectral mapping provides a design rule for transparency or refractive index determination as a function of film thickness, substructure (dispersion) and viewing angle.

Masking technique for coating thickness control on large and strongly curved aspherical optics.

PubMed

Sassolas, B; Flaminio, R; Franc, J; Michel, C; Montorio, J-L; Morgado, N; Pinard, L

2009-07-01

We discuss a method to control the coating thickness deposited onto large and strongly curved optics by ion beam sputtering. The technique uses an original design of the mask used to screen part of the sputtered materials. A first multielement mask is calculated from the measured two-dimensional coating thickness distribution. Then, by means of an iterative process, the final mask is designed. By using such a technique, it has been possible to deposit layers of tantalum pentoxide having a high thickness gradient onto a curved substrate 500 mm in diameter. Residual errors in the coating thickness profile are below 0.7%.

Diagnostic power of optic disc morphology, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, and macular inner retinal layer thickness in glaucoma diagnosis with fourier-domain optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Huang, Jehn-Yu; Pekmezci, Melike; Mesiwala, Nisreen; Kao, Andrew; Lin, Shan

2011-02-01

To evaluate the capability of the optic disc, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (P-RNFL), macular inner retinal layer (M-IRL) parameters, and their combination obtained by Fourier-domain optical coherent tomography (OCT) in differentiating a glaucoma suspect from perimetric glaucoma. Two hundred and twenty eyes from 220 patients were enrolled in this study. The optic disc morphology, P-RNFL, and M-IRL were assessed by the Fourier-domain OCT (RTVue OCT, Model RT100, Optovue, Fremont, CA). A linear discriminant function was generated by stepwise linear discriminant analysis on the basis of OCT parameters and demographic factors. The diagnostic power of these parameters was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The diagnostic power in the clinically relevant range (specificity ≥ 80%) was presented as the partial area under the ROC curve (partial AROC). The individual OCT parameter with the largest AROC and partial AROC in the high specificity (≥ 80%) range were cup/disc vertical ratio (AROC = 0.854 and partial AROC = 0.142) for the optic disc parameters, average thickness (AROC = 0.919 and partial AROC = 0.147) for P-RNFL parameters, inferior hemisphere thickness (AROC = 0.871 and partial AROC = 0.138) for M-IRL parameters, respectively. The linear discriminant function further enhanced the ability in detecting perimetric glaucoma (AROC = 0.970 and partial AROC = 0.172). Average P-RNFL thickness is the optimal individual OCT parameter to detect perimetric glaucoma. Simultaneous evaluation on disc morphology, P-RNFL, and M-IRL thickness can improve the diagnostic accuracy in diagnosing glaucoma.

Influence of PEG coating on optical and thermal response of gold nanoshperes and nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Qin; Ren, Yatao; Qi, Hong; Ruan, Liming

2018-06-01

PEGylation is widely applied as a surface modification method for nanoparticles in biomedical applications to improve their biological properties, including biocompatibility and immunogenicity. In most of its biomedical applications, nanoparticles are served as optical or thermal contrast agents. Therefore, the impact of poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) coating thickness on the optical and thermal properties of nanoparticles needs to be further investigated. In the present work, we studied two kinds of commonly used nanoparticles, including nanosphere and nanorod. The temperature and electric fields are obtained for nanoparticles with different PEG coating thicknesses. It is found that the change of PEG coating thickness on gold nanospheres only has impact on the absolute value of maximum absorption and scattering efficiencies, which barely influences the LSPR wavelength λmax and other optical and thermal characteristics. In contrast, for nanorod, the maximum efficiencies are barely influenced by the variation of PEG coating thickness. On the other hand, the localized surface plasmon resonance wavelength has an evident red shift with the increasing of PEG coating thickness. The maximum absorption efficiency is a way to evaluate the energy dissipation rate, which decides the scale of the heat source induced by nanoparticles. These findings are crucial for the accurate prediction of optical and thermal properties of nanoparticles in biomedical application. The present work also presents a possible way to manipulate the optical and thermal behaviors of nanoparticles in the application of biomedicine without changing the morphology of nanoparticles.

Thickness dependent optical and electrical properties of CdSe thin films

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

Purohit, A., E-mail: anuradha.purohit34@gmail.com; Chander, S.; Nehra, S. P.

2016-05-06

The effect of thickness on the optical and electrical properties of CdSe thin films is investigated in this paper. The films of thickness 445 nm, 631 nm and 810 nm were deposited on glass and ITO coated glass substrates using thermal evaporation technique. The deposited thin films were thermally annealed in air atmosphere at temperature 100°C and were subjected to UV-Vis spectrophotometer and source meter for optical and electrical analysis respectively. The absorption coefficient is observed to increase with photon energy and found maximum in higher photon energy region. The extinction coefficient and refractive index are also calculated. The electrical analysis shows thatmore » the electrical resistivity is observed to be decreased with thickness.« less

Structural, optical, and photoluminescence characterization of electron beam evaporated ZnS/CdSe nanoparticles thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, S. H.; Ali, H. M.

2011-01-01

Structural, optical, and photoluminescence investigations of ZnS capped with CdSe films prepared by electron beam evaporation are presented. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the ZnS/CdSe nanoparticles films contain cubic cadmium selenide and hexagonal zinc sulfide crystals and the ZnS grain sizes increased with increasing ZnS thickness. The refractive index was evaluated in terms of envelope method, which has been suggested by Swanepoel in the transparent region. The refractive index values were found to increase with increasing ZnS thickness. However, the optical band gap and the extinction coefficient were decreased with increasing ZnS thickness. Photoluminescence (PL) investigations revealed the presence of two broad emission bands. The ZnS thickness significantly influenced the PL intensities.

Robust optical properties of sandwiched lateral composition modulation GaInP structure grown by molecular beam epitaxy

DOE PAGES

Park, Kwangwook; Kang, Seokjin; Ravindran, Sooraj; ...

2016-12-26

Double-hetero structure lateral composition modulated (LCM) GaInP and sandwiched LCM GaInP having the same active layer thickness were grown and their optical properties were compared. Sandwiched LCM GaInP showed robust optical properties due to periodic potential nature of the LCM structure, and the periodicity was undistorted even for thickness far beyond the critical layer thickness. A thick LCM GaInP structure with undistorted potential that could preserve the properties of native LCM structure was possible by stacking thin LCM GaInP structures interspaced with strain compensating GaInP layers. Furthermore, the sandwiched structure could be beneficial in realizing the LCM structure embedded highmore » efficiency solar cells.« less

Practical issues in ultrashort-laser-pulse measurement using frequency-resolved optical gating

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

DeLong, K.W.; Fittinghoff, D.N.; Trebino, R.

1996-07-01

The authors explore several practical experimental issues in measuring ultrashort laser pulses using the technique of frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG). They present a simple method for checking the consistency of experimentally measured FROG data with the independently measured spectrum and autocorrelation of the pulse. This method is a powerful way of discovering systematic errors in FROG experiments. They show how to determine the optimum sampling rate for FROG and show that this satisfies the Nyquist criterion for the laser pulse. They explore the low- and high-power limits to FROG and determine that femtojoule operation should be possible, while the effectsmore » of self-phase modulation limit the highest signal efficiency in FROG to 1%. They also show quantitatively that the temporal blurring due to a finite-thickness medium in single-shot geometries does not strongly limit the FROG technique. They explore the limiting time-bandwidth values that can be represented on a FROG trace of a given size. Finally, they report on a new measure of the FROG error that improves convergence in the presence of noise.« less

ART-XC: A Medium-energy X-ray Telescope System for the Spectrum-R-Gamma Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arefiev, V.; Pavlinsky, M.; Lapshov, I.; Thachenko, A.; Sazonov, S.; Revnivtsev, M.; Semena, N.; Buntov,M.; Vikhlinin, A.; Gubarev, M.;

Method and system for edge cladding of laser gain media

DOEpatents

Bayramian, Andrew James; Caird, John Allyn; Schaffers, Kathleen Irene

2014-03-25

A gain medium operable to amplify light at a gain wavelength and having reduced transverse ASE includes an input surface and an output surface opposing the input surface. The gain medium also includes a central region including gain material and extending between the input surface and the output surface along a longitudinal optical axis of the gain medium. The gain medium further includes an edge cladding region surrounding the central region and extending between the input surface and the output surface along the longitudinal optical axis of the gain medium. The edge cladding region includes the gain material and a dopant operable to absorb light at the gain wavelength.

CO.sub.2 laser

DOEpatents

Rink, John P.

1977-01-01

The disclosure relates to a pulsed gas laser comprising an optical resonant cavity, a CO.sub.2 lasing medium, structure for containing the CO.sub.2 lasing medium within the optical cavity and a device for causing a population inversion in the lasing medium, with a novel improvement comprising structure for causing a laser pulse comprising a wavelength in the near 14 .mu.m and near 16 .mu.m range. The structure for cooling the CO.sub.2 lasing medium to less than about -40.degree. C as well is a structure for pumping the maximum inversion of CO.sub.2 molecules within the lasing medium by minimizing the population in the 010 level.

Relationship Between Optic Nerve Appearance and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness as Explored with Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

PubMed Central

Aleman, Tomas S.; Huang, Jiayan; Garrity, Sean T.; Carter, Stuart B.; Aleman, Wendy D.; Ying, Gui-shuang; Tamhankar, Madhura A.

2014-01-01

Purpose To study the relationship between the appearance of the optic nerve and the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness determined by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). Methods Records from patients with spectral domain-OCT imaging in a neuro-ophthalmology practice were reviewed. Eyes with glaucoma/glaucoma suspicion, macular/optic nerve edema, pseudophakia, and with refractive errors > 6D were excluded. Optic nerve appearance by slit lamp biomicroscopy was related to the RNFL thickness by spectral domain-OCT and to visual field results. Results Ninety-one patients (176 eyes; mean age: 49 ± 15 years) were included. Eighty-three eyes (47%) showed optic nerve pallor; 89 eyes (50.6%) showed RNFL thinning (sectoral or average peripapillary). Average peripapillary RNFL thickness in eyes with pallor (mean ± SD = 76 ± 17 μm) was thinner compared to eyes without pallor (91 ± 14 μm, P < 0.001). Optic nerve pallor predicted RNFL thinning with a sensitivity of 69% and a specificity of 75%. Optic nerve appearance predicted RNFL thinning (with a sensitivity and specificity of 81%) when RNFL had thinned by ∼ 40%. Most patients with pallor had RNFL thinning with (66%) or without (25%) visual field loss; the remainder had normal RNFL and fields (5%) or with visual field abnormalities (4%). Conclusions Optic nerve pallor as a predictor of RNFL thinning showed fair sensitivity and specificity, although it is optimally sensitive/specific only when substantial RNFL loss has occurred. Translational Relevance Finding an acceptable relationship between the optic nerve appearance by ophthalmoscopy and spectral domain-OCT RNFL measures will help the clinician's interpretation of the information provided by this technology, which is gaining momentum in neuro-ophthalmic research. PMID:25374773

The Case for Optically Thick High-Velocity Broad-Line Region Gas in Active Galactic Nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snedden, Stephanie A.; Gaskell, C. Martin

2007-11-01

A combined analysis of the profiles of the main broad quasar emission lines in both Hubble Space Telescope and optical spectra shows that while the profiles of the strong UV lines are quite similar, there is frequently a strong increase in the Lyα/Hα ratio in the high-velocity gas. We show that the suggestion that the high-velocity gas is optically thin presents many problems. We show that the relative strengths of the high-velocity wings arise naturally in an optically thick BLR component. An optically thick model successfully explains the equivalent widths of the lines, the Lyα/Hα ratios and flatter Balmer decrements in the line wings, the strengths of C III] and the λ1400 blend, and the strong variability in flux of high-velocity, high-ionization lines (especially He II and He I).

Transfer function characteristics of super resolving systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Milster, Tom D.; Curtis, Craig H.

1992-01-01

Signal quality in an optical storage device greatly depends on the optical system transfer function used to write and read data patterns. The problem is similar to analysis of scanning optical microscopes. Hopkins and Braat have analyzed write-once-read-many (WORM) optical data storage devices. Herein, transfer function analysis of magnetooptic (MO) data storage devices is discussed with respect to improving transfer-function characteristics. Several authors have described improving the transfer function as super resolution. However, none have thoroughly analyzed the MO optical system and effects of the medium. Both the optical system transfer function and effects of the medium of this development are discussed.

Case study of modeled aerosol optical properties during the SAFARI 2000 campaign

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

Kuzmanoski, Maja; Box, Michael A.; Schmid, Beat

2007-08-01

We present modeled aerosol optical properties (single scattering albedo, asymmetry parameter, and lidar ratio) in two layers with different aerosol loadings and particle sizes, observed during the Southern African Regional Science Initiative 2000 (SAFARI 2000) campaign. The optical properties were calculated from aerosol size distributions retrieved from aerosol layer optical thickness spectra, measured using the NASA Ames airborne tracking 14-channel sunphotometer (AATS-14) and the refractive index based on the available information on aerosol chemical composition. The study focuses on sensitivity of modeled optical properties in the 0.3–1.5 μm wavelength range to assumptions regarding the mixing scenario. We considered two modelsmore » for the mixture of absorbing and nonabsorbing aerosol components commonly used to model optical properties of biomass burning aerosol: a layered sphere with absorbing core and nonabsorbing shell and the Maxwell–Garnett effective medium model. In addition, comparisons of modeled optical properties with the measurements are discussed. We also estimated the radiative effect of the difference in aerosol absorption implied by the large difference between the single scattering albedo values (~0.1 at midvisible wavelengths) obtained from different measurement methods for the case with a high amount of biomass burning particles. For that purpose, the volume fraction of black carbon was varied to obtain a range of single scattering albedo values (0.81–0.91 at λ=0.50 μm). Finally, the difference in absorption resulted in a significant difference in the instantaneous radiative forcing at the surface and the top of the atmosphere (TOA) and can result in a change of the sign of the aerosol forcing at TOA from negative to positive.« less

Characterizing the Influence of the General Circulation on Marine Boundary Layer Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rozendaal, Margaret A.; Rossow, William B.; Hansen, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The seasonal and intraseasonal variability of boundary layer cloud in the subtropical eastern oceans are studied using combined data from the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis. Spectral analysis reveals that most of the time variability of cloud properties occurs on seasonal to annual time scales. The variance decreases one to two orders of magnitude for each decade of time scale decrease, indicating that daily to monthly time scales have smaller, but non-negligible variability. The length of these dominant time scales suggests that the majority of the variability is influenced by the general circulation and its interaction with boundary layer turbulence, rather than a product of boundary layer turbulence alone. Previous datasets have lacked the necessary resolution in either time or in space to properly characterize variability on synoptic scales; this is remedied by using global satellite-retrieved cloud properties. We characterize the intraseasonal subtropical cloud variability in both hemispheres and in different seasons. In addition to cloud fraction, we examine variability of cloud optical thickness - cloud top pressure frequency distributions. Despite the large concentration of research on the variability of Northern Hemisphere (NH) regions during summer, it is noted that the largest amplitude intraseasonal variability in the NH regions occurs during local winter. The effect of intraseasonal variability on the calculation and interpretation of seasonal results is investigated. Decreases in seasonally averaged cloud cover, optical thickness and cloud top pressure from the May-through-September season to the November-through-March season are most apparent in the NH regions. Further analysis indicates that these changes are due to an increase in frequency, but a decrease in the persistence of synoptic events. In addition, changes in cloud top pressure and optical thickness characteristics from the summer to winter seasons indicate that the NH subtropics undergo a change in dynamic regime with season. This change appears in the cloud fields as a shift from the more commonly seen lower-altitude, thicker optical thickness clouds to higher-altitude, thinner clouds. The latter cloud-type is associated with the lower sea level pressure, upward vertical velocity phase of the synoptic wave. Intraseasonal changes in cloud properties in the Southern Hemisphere and NH summer are much smaller in amplitude. Although they also appear to be linked to changes in the large-scale dynamics, similarly to NH winter variations, the relationships are more ambiguous due to the small amplitudes and longer time scales. We attempt to interpret some of these relationships using the results of the Betts and Ridgway (1989) box model. However, these results cannot consistently explain the patterns when results from all regions are considered, implying that this model may not adequately explain all the processes involved in the variability.

Semiconductor switch geometry with electric field shaping

DOEpatents

Booth, R.; Pocha, M.D.

1994-08-23

An optoelectric switch is disclosed that utilizes a cylindrically shaped and contoured GaAs medium or other optically active semiconductor medium to couple two cylindrically shaped metal conductors with flat and flared termination points each having an ovoid prominence centrally extending there from. Coupling the truncated ovoid prominence of each conductor with the cylindrically shaped optically active semiconductor causes the semiconductor to cylindrically taper to a triple junction circular line at the base of each prominence where the metal conductor conjoins with the semiconductor and a third medium such as epoxy or air. Tapering the semiconductor at the triple junction inhibits carrier formation and injection at the triple junction and thereby enables greater current carrying capacity through and greater sensitivity of the bulk area of the optically active medium. 10 figs.

Semiconductor switch geometry with electric field shaping

DOEpatents

Booth, Rex; Pocha, Michael D.

1994-01-01

An optoelectric switch is disclosed that utilizes a cylindrically shaped and contoured GaAs medium or other optically active semiconductor medium to couple two cylindrically shaped metal conductors with flat and flared termination points each having an ovoid prominence centrally extending there from. Coupling the truncated ovoid prominence of each conductor with the cylindrically shaped optically active semiconductor causes the semiconductor to cylindrically taper to a triple junction circular line at the base of each prominence where the metal conductor conjoins with the semiconductor and a third medium such as epoxy or air. Tapering the semiconductor at the triple junction inhibits carrier formation and injection at the triple junction and thereby enables greater current carrying capacity through and greater sensitivity of the bulk area of the optically active medium.

The dependence of the Tauc and Cody optical gaps associated with hydrogenated amorphous silicon on the film thickness: αl Experimental limitations and the impact of curvature in the Tauc and Cody plots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mok, Tat M.; O'Leary, Stephen K.

2007-12-01

Using a model for the optical spectrum associated with hydrogenated amorphous silicon, explicitly taking into account fundamental experimental limitations encountered, we theoretically determine the dependence of the Tauc and Cody optical gaps associated with hydrogenated amorphous silicon on the thickness of the film. We compare these results with that obtained from experiment. We find that the curvature in the Tauc plot plays a significant role in influencing the determination of the Tauc optical gap associated with hydrogenated amorphous silicon, thus affirming an earlier hypothesis of Cody et al. We also find that the spectral dependence of the refractive index plays an important role in influencing the determination of the Cody optical gap. It is thus clear that care must be exercised when drawing conclusions from the dependence of the Tauc and Cody optical gaps associated with hydrogenated amorphous silicon on the thickness of the film.

Optical coherence tomography measurement of the retinal nerve fiber layer in normal and juvenile glaucomatous eyes.

PubMed

Mrugacz, Malgorzata; Bakunowicz-Lazarczyk, Alina

2005-01-01

The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess and compare the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in normal and glaucomatous eyes of children using the optical coherence tomograph. The mean RNFL thickness of normal eyes (n=26) was compared with that of glaucomatous eyes (n=26). The eyes were classified into diagnostic groups based on conventional ophthalmological physical examination, Humphrey 30-2 visual fields, stereoscopic optic nerve head photography, and optical coherence tomography. The mean RNFL was significantly thinner in glaucomatous eyes than in normal eyes: 95+/-26.3 and 132+/-24.5 microm, respectively. More specifically, the RNFL was significantly thinner in glaucomatous eyes than in normal eyes in the inferior quadrant: 87+/-23.5 and 122+/-24.2 microm, respectively. The mean and inferior quadrant RFNL thicknesses as measured by the optical coherence tomograph showed a statistically significant correlation with glaucoma. Optical coherence tomography may contribute to tracking of juvenile glaucoma progression. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.

An Automated System for Accurately Tracking and Measuring Multiple Targets in Six Dimensions

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-08-01

diffracted with good efficiency. The deflection medium is a crystal material TeO2 . The power of the electrical signal is 2W. The corresponding diffraction...between 50 MHz and 100 MHz. The acoustooptical deflector used a birefregent TeO2 single crystal as the ultrasonic medium where the light deflection take...pair of glass substrates with sufficient thickness (> 1 mm). The thick glass plate reduces the spatial resolution of the fiberoptic plate. To reduce

Comparative study of the retinal nerve fibre layer thickness performed with optical coherence tomography and GDx scanning laser polarimetry in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma

PubMed Central

Wasyluk, Jaromir T.; Jankowska-Lech, Irmina; Terelak-Borys, Barbara; Grabska-Liberek, Iwona

2012-01-01

Summary Background We compared the parameters of retinal nerve fibre layer in patients with advanced glaucoma with the use of different OCT (Optical Coherence Tomograph) devices in relation to analogical measurements performed with GDx VCC (Nerve Fiber Analyzer with Variable Corneal Compensation) scanning laser polarimetry. Material/Methods Study subjects had advanced primary open-angle glaucoma, previously treated conservatively, diagnosed and confirmed by additional examinations (visual field, ophthalmoscopy of optic nerve, gonioscopy), A total of 10 patients were enrolled (9 women and 1 man), aged 18–70 years of age. Nineteen eyes with advanced glaucomatous neuropathy were examined. 1) Performing a threshold perimetry Octopus, G2 strategy and ophthalmoscopy of optic nerve to confirm the presence of advanced primary open-angle glaucoma; 2) performing a GDx VCC scanning laser polarimetry of retinal nerve fibre layer; 3) measuring the retinal nerve fibre layer thickness with 3 different optical coherence tomographs. Results The parameters of the retinal nerve fibre layer thickness are highly correlated between the GDx and OCT Stratus and 3D OCT-1000 devices in mean retinal nerve fibre layer thickness, retinal nerve fibre layer thickness in the upper sector, and correlation of NFI (GDx) with mean retinal nerve fibre layer thickness in OCT examinations. Absolute values of the retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (measured in μm) differ significantly between GDx and all OCT devices. Conclusions Examination with OCT devices is a sensitive diagnostic method of glaucoma, with good correlation with the results of GDx scanning laser polarimetry of the patients. PMID:22367131

Data pre-processing: Stratospheric aerosol perturbing effect on the remote sensing of vegetation: Correction method for the composite NDVI after the Pinatubo eruption

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vermote, E.; Elsaleous, N.; Kaufman, Y. J.; Dutton, E.

1994-01-01

An operational stratospheric correction scheme used after the Mount Pinatubo (Phillipines) eruption (Jun. 1991) is presented. The stratospheric aerosol distribution is assumed to be only variable with latitude. Each 9 days the latitudinal distribution of the optical thickness is computed by inverting radiances observed in the NOAA AVHRR channel 1 (0.63 micrometers) and channel 2 (0.83 micrometers) over the Pacific Ocean. This radiance data set is used to check the validity of model used for inversion by checking consistency of the optical thickness deduced from each channel as well as optical thickness deduced from different scattering angles. Using the optical thickness profile previously computed and radiative transfer code assuming Lambertian boundary condition, each pixel of channel 1 and 2 are corrected prior to computation of NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index). Comparison between corrected, non corrected, and years prior to Pinatubo eruption (1989 to 1990) NDVI composite, shows the necessity and the accuracy of the operational correction scheme.

Glaucomatous Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness Loss is associated with Slower Reaction Times under a Divided Attention Task

PubMed Central

Tatham, Andrew J.; Boer, Erwin R.; Rosen, Peter N.; Penna, Mauro Della; Meira-Freitas, Daniel; Weinreb, Robert N.; Zangwill, Linda M.; Medeiros, Felipe A.

2014-01-01

Purpose To examine the relationship between glaucomatous structural damage and ability to divide attention during simulated driving. Design Cross-sectional observational study. Methods Setting Hamilton Glaucoma Center, University of California San Diego. Patient Population 158 subjects from the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study, including 82 with glaucoma and 76 similarly aged controls. Observation Procedure Ability to divide attention was investigated by measuring reaction times to peripheral stimuli (at low, medium or high contrast) while concomitantly performing a central driving task (car following or curve negotiation). All subjects had standard automated perimetry (SAP) and optical coherence tomography was used to measured retinal nerve fiber (RNFL) thickness. Cognitive ability was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and subjects completed a driving history questionnaire. Main outcome measures Reaction times to the driving simulator divided attention task. Results The mean reaction times to the low contrast stimulus were 1.05 s and 0.64 s in glaucoma and controls respectively during curve negotiation (P <0.001), and 1.19 s and 0.77 s (P = 0.025) respectively during car following. There was a non-linear relationship between reaction times and RNFL thickness in the better eye. RNFL thickness remained significantly associated with reaction times even after adjusting for age, SAP mean deviation in the better eye, cognitive ability and central driving task performance. Conclusions Although worse SAP sensitivity was associated with worse ability to divide attention, RNFL thickness measurements provided additional information. Information from structural tests may improve our ability to determine which patients are likely to have problems performing daily activities, such as driving. PMID:25068641

Rewritable three-dimensional holographic data storage via optical forces

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

Yetisen, Ali K., E-mail: ayetisen@mgh.harvard.edu; Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139; Montelongo, Yunuen

2016-08-08

The development of nanostructures that can be reversibly arranged and assembled into 3D patterns may enable optical tunability. However, current dynamic recording materials such as photorefractive polymers cannot be used to store information permanently while also retaining configurability. Here, we describe the synthesis and optimization of a silver nanoparticle doped poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) recording medium for reversibly recording 3D holograms. We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate organizing nanoparticles into 3D assemblies in the recording medium using optical forces produced by the gradients of standing waves. The nanoparticles in the recording medium are organized by multiple nanosecond laser pulses to produce reconfigurablemore » slanted multilayer structures. We demonstrate the capability of producing rewritable optical elements such as multilayer Bragg diffraction gratings, 1D photonic crystals, and 3D multiplexed optical gratings. We also show that 3D virtual holograms can be reversibly recorded. This recording strategy may have applications in reconfigurable optical elements, data storage devices, and dynamic holographic displays.« less

Development and characterization of a compact hand-held gamma probe system, SURGEOGUIDE, based on NEMA NU3-2004 standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaviani, S.; Zeraatkar, N.; Sajedi, S.; Gorjizadeh, N.; Farahani, M. H.; Ghafarian, P.; El Fakhri, G.; Sabet, H.; Ay, M. R.

2016-12-01

Using an intra-operative gamma probe after periareolar or peritumoral injection of a radiotracer during surgery helps the surgeon to identify the sentinel, or first, nodal site of regional metastasis in clinically node-negative patients. The pathological analysis of this node can have an important influence on the treatment staging in various cancers. This paper reports the design and performance evaluation of a gamma probe recently developed in our department. The detector unit of this system consists of an 8 mm diameter and 10 mm thickness monolithic CsI(Tl) scintillator optically, coupled to a Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) with an active area of 6×6 mm2, and a single-hole collimator. The unit is shielded using tungsten. The system can operate in three different modes for Tc-99m, I-131, or F-18 isotopes. The following measurements were carried out to evaluate the performance of the probe: sensitivity in air and scatter medium, spatial resolution in scatter medium, angular resolution in scatter medium, and side and back shielding effectiveness. All experiments have been performed based on the NEMA NU3-2004 standard set up. The measured system sensitivities in air and scatter medium (water) are 1700 cps/MBq and 1770 cps/MBq, respectively, both measured at 3 cm from the collimator. The spatial resolution in the scatter medium is about 45 mm at 3 cm distance from the collimator. Also, the angular resolution of the probe is 74o FWHM. Finally, a shielding effectiveness of 99.5% is measured. The results show that the probe can potentially be used for sentinel lymph node localization during the surgery.

Structural and optical characterization of 1 µm of ternary alloy ZnCuSe thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaaban, E. R.; Hassan, H. Shokry; Aly, S. A.; Elshaikh, H. A.; Mahasen, M. M.

2016-08-01

Different compositions of Cu-doped ZnSe in ternary alloy Zn1- x Cu x Se thin films (with x = 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075 and 0.10) were evaporated (thickness 1 µm) onto glass substrate using electron beam evaporation method. The X-ray diffraction analysis for both powder and films indicated their polycrystalline nature with zinc blende (cubic) structure. The crystallite size was found to increase, while the lattice microstrain was decreased with increasing Cu dopant. The optical characterization of films was carried out using the transmittance spectra, where the refractive indices have been evaluated in transparent and medium transmittance regions using the envelope method, suggested by Swanepoel. The refractive index has been found to increase with increasing Cu content. The dispersion of refractive index has been analyzed in terms of the Wemple-DiDomenico single-oscillator model. The oscillator parameters, the single-oscillator energy E o, the dispersion energy E d and the static refractive index n 0, were estimated. The optical band gap was determined in strong absorption region of transmittance spectra and was found to increase from 2.702 to 2.821 eV with increasing the Cu content. This increase in the band gap was well explained by the Burstein-Moss effect.

van der Waals torque and force between dielectrically anisotropic layered media.

PubMed

Lu, Bing-Sui; Podgornik, Rudolf

2016-07-28

We analyse van der Waals interactions between a pair of dielectrically anisotropic plane-layered media interacting across a dielectrically isotropic solvent medium. We develop a general formalism based on transfer matrices to investigate the van der Waals torque and force in the limit of weak birefringence and dielectric matching between the ordinary axes of the anisotropic layers and the solvent. We apply this formalism to study the following systems: (i) a pair of single anisotropic layers, (ii) a single anisotropic layer interacting with a multilayered slab consisting of alternating anisotropic and isotropic layers, and (iii) a pair of multilayered slabs each consisting of alternating anisotropic and isotropic layers, looking at the cases where the optic axes lie parallel and/or perpendicular to the plane of the layers. For the first case, the optic axes of the oppositely facing anisotropic layers of the two interacting slabs generally possess an angular mismatch, and within each multilayered slab the optic axes may either be the same or undergo constant angular increments across the anisotropic layers. In particular, we examine how the behaviors of the van der Waals torque and force can be "tuned" by adjusting the layer thicknesses, the relative angular increment within each slab, and the angular mismatch between the slabs.

Noncontact optical measurement of lens capsule thickness ex vivo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziebarth, Noel M.; Manns, Fabrice; Uhlhorn, Stephen; Parel, Jean-Marie

2004-07-01

Purpose: To design a non-contact optical system to measure lens capsule thickness in cadaver eyes. Methods: The optical system uses a 670nm laser beam delivered to a single-mode fiber coupler. The output of the fiber coupler is focused onto the tissue using an aspheric lens (NA=0.68) mounted on a motorized translation stage. Light reflected from the sample is collected by the fiber coupler and sent to a silicon photodiode connected to a power meter. Peaks in the power signal are detected when the focal point of the aspheric lens coincides with the capsule boundaries. The capsule thickness is proportional to the distance between successive peaks. Anterior and posterior lens capsule thickness measurements were performed on 13 human, 10 monkey, and 34 New Zealand white rabbit lenses. The cadaver eyes were prepared for optical measurements by bonding a PMMA ring on the sclera. The posterior pole was sectioned, excess vitreous was removed, and the eye was placed on a Teflon slide. The cornea and iris were then sectioned. After the experiments, the lenses were excised, placed in 10% buffered formalin, and prepared for histology. Results: Central anterior lens capsule thickness was 9.4+/-2.9μm (human), 11.2+/-6.6μm (monkey), and 10.3+/-3.6μm (rabbit) optically and 14.9+/-1.6μm (human), 17.7+/-4.9μm (monkey), and 12.6+/-2.3μm (rabbit) histologically. The values for the central posterior capsule were 9.4+/-2.9μm (human), 6.6+/-2.5μm (monkey), and 7.9+/-2.3μm (rabbit) optically and 4.6+/-1.4μm (human), 4.5+/-1.2μm (monkey), and 5.7+/-1.7μm (rabbit) histologically. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that a non-contact optical system can successfully measure lens capsule thickness in cadaver eyes.

Atomically Thin Femtojoule Memristive Device

DOE PAGES

Zhao, Huan; Dong, Zhipeng; Tian, He; ...

2017-10-25

The morphology and dimension of the conductive filament formed in a memristive device are strongly influenced by the thickness of its switching medium layer. Aggressive scaling of this active layer thickness is critical toward reducing the operating current, voltage, and energy consumption in filamentary-type memristors. Previously, the thickness of this filament layer has been limited to above a few nanometers due to processing constraints, making it challenging to further suppress the on-state current and the switching voltage. In this paper, the formation of conductive filaments in a material medium with sub-nanometer thickness formed through the oxidation of atomically thin two-dimensionalmore » boron nitride is studied. The resulting memristive device exhibits sub-nanometer filamentary switching with sub-pA operation current and femtojoule per bit energy consumption. Furthermore, by confining the filament to the atomic scale, current switching characteristics are observed that are distinct from that in thicker medium due to the profoundly different atomic kinetics. The filament morphology in such an aggressively scaled memristive device is also theoretically explored. Finally, these ultralow energy devices are promising for realizing femtojoule and sub-femtojoule electronic computation, which can be attractive for applications in a wide range of electronics systems that desire ultralow power operation.« less

Macular Ganglion Cell Imaging Study: Covariate Effects on the Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography for Glaucoma Diagnosis

PubMed Central

Jeong, Jae Hoon; Choi, Yun Jeong; Park, Ki Ho; Kim, Dong Myung

2016-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the effect of multiple covariates on the diagnostic performance of the Cirrus high-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT) for glaucoma detection. Methods A prospective case-control study was performed and included 173 recently diagnosed glaucoma patients and 63 unaffected individuals from the Macular Ganglion Cell Imaging Study. Regression analysis of receiver operating characteristic were conducted to evaluate the influence of age, spherical equivalent, axial length, optic disc size, and visual field index on the macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) measurements. Results Disease severity, as measured by visual field index, had a significant effect on the diagnostic performance of all Cirrus HD-OCT parameters. Age, axial length and optic disc size were significantly associated with diagnostic accuracy of average peripapillary RNFL thickness, whereas axial length had a significant effect on the diagnostic accuracy of average GCIPL thickness. Conclusions Diagnostic performance of the Cirrus HD-OCT may be more accurate in the advanced stages of glaucoma than at earlier stages. A smaller optic disc size was significantly associated with improved the diagnostic ability of average RNFL thickness measurements; however, GCIPL thickness may be less affected by age and optic disc size. PMID:27490718

Correlated effects of preparation parameters and thickness on morphology and optical properties of ZnO very thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilliot, Mickaël; Hadjadj, Aomar

2015-08-01

Nano-granular ZnO layers have been grown using a sol-gel synthesis and spin-coating deposition process. Thin films with thicknesses ranging from 15 to 150 nm have been obtained by varying the number of deposition cycles and prepared with different synthesis conditions. Morphologies and optical properties have been carefully investigated by joint spectroscopic ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy. A correlation between the evolution of optical properties and grains morphology has been observed. It is shown that both synthesis temperature and concentration similarly allow us to change the correlated growth and properties evolution rate. Thickness variation associated to choice of synthesis parameters could be a useful way to tune morphology and optical properties of the nanostructured ZnO layers.

Satellite measurement of aerosol mass over land

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fraser, R. S.; Kaufman, Y. J.; Mahoney, R. L.

1984-01-01

The estimation of aerosol optical thickness and mass from satellite observations over land is demonstrated using data from the GOES Visible/IR Spin-Scan Radiometer for the eastern U.S. The post-launch calibration technique is described; the algorithm used to derive optical thickness from the radiance of scattered sunlight (by means of a radiative-transfer model in which the optical characteristics of the aerosol are assumed) is presented; and data on aerosol S for July 31, 1980 are analyzed. The results are presented in a series of graphs and maps and compared with ground-based data. The errors in the optical thickness and columnar mass are estimated as 15 and 40 percent, respectively, and the need for independent-data-set validation of satellite-based mass, transport, and divergence values is indicated.

Gender variations in the optical properties of skin in murine animal models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calabro, Katherine; Curtis, Allison; Galarneau, Jean-Rene; Krucker, Thomas; Bigio, Irving J.

2011-01-01

Gender is identified as a significant source of variation in optical reflectance measurements on mouse skin, with variation in the thickness of the dermal layer being the key explanatory variable. For three different mouse strains, the thickness values of the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis layers, as measured by histology, are correlated to optical reflectance measurements collected with elastic scattering spectroscopy (ESS). In all three strains, males are found to have up to a 50% increase in dermal thickness, resulting in increases of up to 80% in reflectance values and higher observed scattering coefficients, as compared to females. Collagen in the dermis is identified as the primary source of these differences due to its strong scattering nature; increased dermal thickness leads to a greater photon path length through the collagen, as compared to other layers, resulting in a larger scattering signal. A related increase in the observed absorption coefficient in females is also observed. These results emphasize the importance of considering gender during experimental design in studies that involve photon interaction with mouse skin. The results also elucidate the significant impact that relatively small thickness changes can have on observed optical measurements in layered tissue.

Modified geometrical optics of a smoothly inhomogeneous isotropic medium: the anisotropy, Berry phase, and the optical Magnus effect.

PubMed

Bliokh, K Yu; Bliokh, Yu P

2004-08-01

We present a modification of the geometrical optics method, which allows one to properly separate the complex amplitude and the phase of the wave solution. Appling this modification to a smoothly inhomogeneous isotropic medium, we show that in the first geometrical optics approximation the medium is weakly anisotropic. The refractive index, being dependent on the direction of the wave vector, contains the correction, which is proportional to the Berry geometric phase. Two independent eigenmodes of right-hand and left-hand circular polarizations exist in the medium. Their group velocities and phase velocities differ. The difference in the group velocities results in the shift of the rays of different polarizations (the optical Magnus effect). The difference in the phase velocities causes an increase of the Berry phase along with the interference of two modes leading to the familiar Rytov law about the rotation of the polarization plane of a wave. The theory developed suggests that both the optical Magnus effect and the Berry phase are accompanying nonlocal topological effects. In this paper the Hamilton ray equations giving a unified description for both of these phenomena have been derived and also a novel splitting effect for a ray of noncircular polarization has been predicted. Specific examples are also discussed.

Stimulated electronic transition concept for an erasable optical memory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Albin, Sacharia; Satira, James D.; Livingston, David L.; Shull, Thomas A.

1992-01-01

A new concept for an erasable optical memory is demonstrated using stimulated electronic transition (SET). Large bandgap semiconductors are suitable materials for the SET medium. The properties of MgS:Eu,Sm and SrS:Eu,Sm as possible media for the SET process are investigated. Quantum storage is achieved in the form of charges in deep levels in the medium and stimulated radiative recombination is used as the reading process. Unlike magneto-optic (M-O) and phase change (PC) processes, optical writing, reading and erasing are achieved without localized heating. The SET process will have an inherently faster data transfer rate and a higher storage density, and the medium will be more durable than the M-O and PC media. A possible application of the SET process in neural networks is also discussed.

Structural and optical properties of ZnO thin films prepared by RF sputtering at different thicknesses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammad, Ahmed H.; Abdel-wahab, M. Sh.; Vattamkandathil, Sajith; Ansari, Akhalakur Rahman

2018-07-01

Hexagonal nanocrystallites of ZnO in the form of thin films were prepared by radio frequency sputtering technique. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals two prominent diffraction planes (002) and (103) at diffraction angles around 34.3 and 62.8°, respectively. The crystallite size increases through (103) plane from 56.1 to 64.8 Å as film thickness changed from 31 nm up to 280 nm while crystallites growth through (002) increased from 124 to 136 Å as film thickness varies from 31 to 107 nm and dropped to 115.8 Å at thickness 280 nm. The particle shape changes from spherical to longitudinal form. The particle size is 25 nm for films of thickness below 107 nm and increases at higher thicknesses (134 and 280 nm) from 30 to 40 nm, respectively. Optical band gap is deduced to be direct with values varied from 3.22 to 3.28 eV and the refractive index are evaluated based on the optical band values according to Moss, Ravindra-Srivastava, and Dimitrov-Sakka models. All refractive index models gave values around 2.3.

Three Way Comparison between Two OMI/Aura and One POLDER/PARASOL Cloud Pressure Products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sneep, M.; deHaan, J. F.; Stammes, P.; Vanbaunce, C.; Joiner, J.; Vasilkov, A. P.; Levelt, P. F.

2007-01-01

The cloud pressures determined by three different algorithms, operating on reflectances measured by two space-borne instruments in the "A" train, are compared with each other. The retrieval algorithms are based on absorption in the oxygen A-band near 760 nm, absorption by a collision induced absorption in oxygen near 477nm, and the filling in of Fraunhofer lines by rotational Raman scattering. The first algorithm operates on data collected by the POLDER instrument on board PARASOL, while the latter two operate on data from the OMI instrument on board Aura. The satellites sample the same air mass within about 15 minutes. Using one month of data, the cloud pressures from the three algorithms are found to show a similar behavior, with correlation coefficients larger than 0.85 between the data sets for thick clouds. The average differences in the cloud pressure are also small, between 2 and 45 hPa, for the whole data set. For optically thin to medium thick clouds, the cloud pressure the distribution found by POLDER is very similar to that found by OMI using the O2 - O2 absorption. Somewhat larger differences are found for very thick clouds, and we hypothesise that the strong absorption in the oxygen A-band causes the POLDER instrument to retrieve lower pressures for those scenes.

Feasibility study: Monodisperse polymer particles containing laser-excitable dyes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venkateswarlu, Putcha; He, K. X.; Sharma, A.

1993-01-01

The optical properties associated with small particles, which include aerosols, hydrosols and solid microspheres have an impact on several areas of science and engineering. Since the advent of high-speed computers and lasers, the interaction of light with matter in the form of small particles with a discontinuous optical boundary relative to the surroundings has been much better understood. Various nonlinear optical effects have been observed involving interaction of a laser beam with both solid microspheres and liquid microdroplets. These include observation of second and third harmonic generation, four wave mixing, optical visibility, two photon absorption, observation of stimulated emission and lasing, and Stimulated Raman Scattering. Many of these effects are observed with laser intensities which are orders of magnitude less than that required by threshold condition for interactions in macroscopic bulk medium. The primary reason for this is twofold. The front surface of the microsphere acts as a thick lens to enhance the internal intensity of the input laser radiation, and the spherical shape of the droplet acts as an optical cavity to provide feedback at specific wavelengths corresponding to the whispering gallery modes or the morphology dependent resonances (MDR's). The most interesting and significant recent finding in this field is undoubtedly the existence of resonance peaks in linear and nonlinear optical spectra. Such resonance peaks are only dependent on the particle morphology, which means the size, shape and refractive index of the particle. Because of the simultaneous presence of these resonances, they have been referred to by many names, including structural resonances, whispering modes or whispering gallery modes, creeping waves, circumferential waves, surfaces modes, and virtual modes. All of these names refer to the same phenomena, i.e. morphology dependent resonances (MDR's) which has already been described and predicted precisely by electromagnetic theory and Loentz-Mie theory since 1908. MDR's can become important when the particle size (radius a) approaches and exceeds the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave (lambda) and the refractive index of the particle is greater than that of the surrounding medium. Such resonances are easiest to observe from a single particle with high symmetry, such as a sphere, spheroid, or cylinder. MDR's correspond to solutions of the characteristic equations of the electromagnetic fields in the presence of a sphere.

Evaluation of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness profile in thyroid ophthalmopathy without optic nerve dysfunction

PubMed Central

Mugdha, Kumari; Kaur, Apjit; Sinha, Neha; Saxena, Sandeep

2016-01-01

AIM To evaluate retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness profile in patients of thyroid ophthalmopathy with no clinical signs of optic nerve dysfunction. METHODS A prospective, case-control, observational study conducted at a tertiary care centre. Inclusion criteria consisted of patients with eyelid retraction in association with any one of: biochemical thyroid dysfunction, exophthalmos, or extraocular muscle involvement; or thyroid dysfunction in association with either exophthalmos or extra-ocular muscle involvement; or a clinical activity score (CAS)>3/7. Two measurements of RNFL thickness were done for each eye, by Cirrus HD-optical coherence tomography 6mo apart. RESULTS Mean age of the sample was 38.75y (range 13-70y) with 18 males and 22 females. Average RNFL thickness at first visit was 92.06±12.44 µm, significantly lower than control group (101.28±6.64 µm) (P=0.0001). Thickness of inferior quadrant decreased from 118.2±21.27 µm to 115.0±22.27 µm after 6mo (P=0.02). There was no correlation between the change in CAS and RNFL thickness. CONCLUSION Decreased RNFL thickness is an important feature of thyroid orbitopathy, which is an inherent outcome of compressive optic neuropathy of any etiology. Subclinical RNFL damage continues in the absence of clinical activity of the disease. RNFL evaluation is essential in Grave's disease and active intervention may be warranted in the presence of significant damage. PMID:27990368

THOR: Cloud Thickness from Off beam Lidar Returns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cahalan, Robert F.; McGill, Matthew; Kolasinski, John; Varnai, Tamas; Yetzer, Ken

2004-01-01

Conventional wisdom is that lidar pulses do not significantly penetrate clouds having optical thickness exceeding about tau = 2, and that no returns are detectable from more than a shallow skin depth. Yet optically thicker clouds of tau much greater than 2 reflect a larger fraction of visible photons, and account for much of Earth s global average albedo. As cloud layer thickness grows, an increasing fraction of reflected photons are scattered multiple times within the cloud, and return from a diffuse concentric halo that grows around the incident pulse, increasing in horizontal area with layer physical thickness. The reflected halo is largely undetected by narrow field-of-view (FoV) receivers commonly used in lidar applications. THOR - Thickness from Off-beam Returns - is an airborne wide-angle detection system with multiple FoVs, capable of observing the diffuse halo, detecting wide-angle signal from which physical thickness of optically thick clouds can be retrieved. In this paper we describe the THOR system, demonstrate that the halo signal is stronger for thicker clouds, and validate physical thickness retrievals for clouds having z > 20, from NASA P-3B flights over the Department of Energy/Atmospheric Radiation Measurement/Southern Great Plains site, using the lidar, radar and other ancillary ground-based data.

Automated pharmaceutical tablet coating layer evaluation of optical coherence tomography images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markl, Daniel; Hannesschläger, Günther; Sacher, Stephan; Leitner, Michael; Khinast, Johannes G.; Buchsbaum, Andreas

2015-03-01

Film coating of pharmaceutical tablets is often applied to influence the drug release behaviour. The coating characteristics such as thickness and uniformity are critical quality parameters, which need to be precisely controlled. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) shows not only high potential for off-line quality control of film-coated tablets but also for in-line monitoring of coating processes. However, an in-line quality control tool must be able to determine coating thickness measurements automatically and in real-time. This study proposes an automatic thickness evaluation algorithm for bi-convex tables, which provides about 1000 thickness measurements within 1 s. Beside the segmentation of the coating layer, optical distortions due to refraction of the beam by the air/coating interface are corrected. Moreover, during in-line monitoring the tablets might be in oblique orientation, which needs to be considered in the algorithm design. Experiments were conducted where the tablet was rotated to specified angles. Manual and automatic thickness measurements were compared for varying coating thicknesses, angles of rotations, and beam displacements (i.e. lateral displacement between successive depth scans). The automatic thickness determination algorithm provides highly accurate results up to an angle of rotation of 30°. The computation time was reduced to 0.53 s for 700 thickness measurements by introducing feasibility constraints in the algorithm.

Opto-acoustic transducer for medical applications

DOEpatents

Benett, William; Celliers, Peter; Da Silva, Luiz; Glinsky, Michael; London, Richard; Maitland, Duncan; Matthews, Dennis; Krulevich, Peter; Lee, Abraham

2002-01-01

This invention is an optically activated transducer for generating acoustic vibrations in a biological medium. The transducer is located at the end of a fiber optic which may be located within a catheter. Energy for operating the transducer is provided optically by laser light transmitted through the fiber optic to the transducer. Pulsed laser light is absorbed in the working fluid of the transducer to generate a thermal pressure and consequent adiabatic expansion of the transducer head such that it does work against the ambient medium. The transducer returns to its original state by a process of thermal cooling. The motion of the transducer within the ambient medium couples acoustic energy into the medium. By pulsing the laser at a high repetition rate (which may vary from CW to 100 kHz) an ultrasonic radiation field can be established locally in the medium. This method of producing ultrasonic vibrations can be used in vivo for the treatment of stroke-related conditions in humans, particularly for dissolving thrombus. The catheter may also incorporate anti-thrombolytic drug treatments as an adjunct therapy and it may be operated in conjunction with ultrasonic detection equipment for imaging and feedback control.

Opto-acoustic transducer for medical applications

DOEpatents

Benett, William; Celliers, Peter; Da Silva, Luiz; Glinsky, Michael; London, Richard; Maitland, Duncan; Matthews, Dennis; Krulevich, Peter; Lee, Abraham

1999-01-01

This invention is an optically activated transducer for generating acoustic vibrations in a biological medium. The transducer is located at the end of a fiber optic which may be located within a catheter. Energy for operating the transducer is provided optically by laser light transmitted through the fiber optic to the transducer. Pulsed laser light is absorbed in the working fluid of the transducer to generate a thermal pressure and consequent adiabatic expansion of the transducer head such that it does work against the ambient medium. The transducer returns to its original state by a process of thermal cooling. The motion of the transducer within the ambient medium couples acoustic energy into the medium. By pulsing the laser at a high repetition rate (which may vary from CW to 100 kHz) an ultrasonic radiation field can be established locally in the medium. This method of producing ultrasonic vibrations can be used in vivo for the treatment of stroke-related conditions in humans, particularly for dissolving thrombus. The catheter may also incorporate anti-thrombolytic drug treatments as an adjunct therapy and it may be operated in conjunction with ultrasonic detection equipment for imaging and feedback control.

Opto-acoustic transducer for medical applications

DOEpatents

Benett, W.; Celliers, P.; Da Silva, L.; Glinsky, M.; London, R.; Maitland, D.; Matthews, D.; Krulevich, P.; Lee, A.

1999-08-31

This invention is an optically activated transducer for generating acoustic vibrations in a biological medium. The transducer is located at the end of a fiber optic which may be located within a catheter. Energy for operating the transducer is provided optically by laser light transmitted through the fiber optic to the transducer. Pulsed laser light is absorbed in the working fluid of the transducer to generate a thermal pressure and consequent adiabatic expansion of the transducer head such that it does work against the ambient medium. The transducer returns to its original state by a process of thermal cooling. The motion of the transducer within the ambient medium couples acoustic energy into the medium. By pulsing the laser at a high repetition rate (which may vary from CW to 100 kHz) an ultrasonic radiation field can be established locally in the medium. This method of producing ultrasonic vibrations can be used in vivo for the treatment of stroke-related conditions in humans, particularly for dissolving thrombus. The catheter may also incorporate anti-thrombolytic drug treatments as an adjunct therapy and it may be operated in conjunction with ultrasonic detection equipment for imaging and feedback control. 7 figs.

Development of a non-invasive LED based device for adipose tissue thickness measurements in vivo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volceka, K.; Jakovels, D.; Arina, Z.; Zaharans, J.; Kviesis, E.; Strode, A.; Svampe, E.; Ozolina-Moll, L.; Butnere, M. M.

2012-06-01

There are a number of techniques for body composition assessment in clinics and in field-surveys, but in all cases the applied methods have advantages and disadvantages. High precision imaging methods are available, though expensive and non-portable, however, the methods devised for the mass population, often suffer from the lack of precision. Therefore, the development of a safe, mobile, non-invasive, optical method that would be easy to perform, precise and low-cost, but also would offer an accurate assessment of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) both in lean and in obese persons is required. Thereof, the diffuse optical spectroscopy is advantageous over the aforementioned techniques. A prototype device using an optical method for measurement of the SAT thickness in vivo has been developed. The probe contained multiple LEDs (660nm) distributed at various distances from the photo-detector which allow different light penetration depths into the subcutaneous tissue. The differences of the reflected light intensities were used to create a non-linear model, and the computed values were compared with the corresponding thicknesses of SAT, assessed by B-mode ultrasonography. The results show that with the optical system used in this study, accurate results of different SAT thicknesses can be obtained, and imply a further potential for development of multispectral optical system to observe changes of SAT thickness as well as to determine the percentage of total body fat.

Review of Plasmonic Nanocomposite Metamaterial Absorber

PubMed Central

Hedayati, Mehdi Keshavarz; Faupel, Franz; Elbahri, Mady

2014-01-01

Plasmonic metamaterials are artificial materials typically composed of noble metals in which the features of photonics and electronics are linked by coupling photons to conduction electrons of metal (known as surface _lasmon). These rationally designed structures have spurred interest noticeably since they demonstrate some fascinating properties which are unattainable with naturally occurring materials. Complete absorption of light is one of the recent exotic properties of plasmonic metamaterials which has broadened its application area considerably. This is realized by designing a medium whose impedance matches that of free space while being opaque. If such a medium is filled with some lossy medium, the resulting structure can absorb light totally in a sharp or broad frequency range. Although several types of metamaterials perfect absorber have been demonstrated so far, in the current paper we overview (and focus on) perfect absorbers based on nanocomposites where the total thickness is a few tens of nanometer and the absorption band is broad, tunable and insensitive to the angle of incidence. The nanocomposites consist of metal nanoparticles embedded in a dielectric matrix with a high filling factor close to the percolation threshold. The filling factor can be tailored by the vapor phase co-deposition of the metallic and dielectric components. In addition, novel wet chemical approaches are discussed which are bio-inspired or involve synthesis within levitating Leidenfrost drops, for instance. Moreover, theoretical considerations, optical properties, and potential application of perfect absorbers will be presented. PMID:28788511

Ocean-atmosphere interface: its influence on radiation.

PubMed

Plass, G N; Humphreys, T J; Kattawar, G W

1981-03-15

The influence of the ocean-atmosphere interface on the radiance distribution in both the ocean and atmosphere is investigated. At visible wavelengths in the real ocean just below the surface, the downwelling radiance is a maximum within the critical angle and drops off by 1 or 2 orders of magnitude toward the horizon. The usual explanation that this is due to the sky radiation concentrated within the critical angle and the total internal reflection of the weak upward radiance at the ocean surface at angles outside the critical angle is too simplistic. There are two other important factors: (1) the atmosphere must have sufficient optical thickness so that appreciable sky (multiple scattered) radiation develops at all angles in the downward direction; (2) the water must have appreciable absorption so that the upwelling radiance just below the ocean surface is only a small fraction of the downwelling radiance entering the ocean. Examples show that, if either one of these conditions is not satisfied, an entirely different radiance distribution develops. The variation of the following quantities with depth is studied: radiance; vector and scalar irradiance; distribution function; reflectance; and heating rate. The radiance distribution in a homogeneous medium is compared with that in the same medium with an atmosphere-ocean interface at various depths within the medium. Most of the calculations are done for Rayleigh scattering centers, but some results are given for Mie-type scattering.

Dependence of the optical constants and the performance in the SPREE gas measurement on the thickness of doped tin oxide over coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, D.; Hertwig, A.; Beck, U.; Negendank, D.; Lohse, V.; Kormunda, M.; Esser, N.

2017-11-01

In this study, thickness related changes of the optical properties of doped tin oxide were studied. Two different sets of samples were prepared. The first set was doped with iron or nickel on silicon substrate with thicknesses of 29-56 nm, the second was iron doped on gold/glass substrate with 1.6-6.3 nm. The optical constants were determined by using spectral ellipsometry (SE) followed by modelling of the dielectric function with an oscillator model using Gaussian peaks. The analysis of the optical constants shows a dependence of the refraction and the absorption on the thickness of the doped tin oxide coating. In addition to the tin oxide absorption in the UV, one additional absorption peak was found in the near-IR/red which is related to plasmonic effects due to the doping. This peak shifts from the near-IR to the red part of the visible spectrum and becomes stronger by reducing the thickness, probably due to the formation of metal nanoparticles in this layer. These results were found for two different sets of samples by using the same optical model. Afterwards the second sample set was tested in the Surface Plasmon Resonance Enhanced Ellipsometric (SPREE) gas measurement with CO gas. It was found that the thickness has significant influence on the sensitivity and thus the adsorption of the CO gas. By increasing the thickness from 1.6 nm to 5.1 nm, the sensing ability is enhanced due to a higher coverage of the surface with the over coating. This is explained by the high affinity of CO molecules to the incorporated Fe-nanoparticles in the tin oxide coating. By increasing the thickness further to 6.3 nm, the sensing ability drops because the layer disturbs the SPR sensing effect too much.

Analysis of macular and nerve fiber layer thickness in multiple sclerosis patients according to severity level and optic neuritis episodes.

PubMed

Soler García, A; Padilla Parrado, F; Figueroa-Ortiz, L C; González Gómez, A; García-Ben, A; García-Ben, E; García-Campos, J M

2016-01-01

Quantitative assessment of macular and nerve fibre layer thickness in multiple sclerosis patients with regard to expanded disability status scale (EDSS) and presence or absence of previous optic neuritis episodes. We recruited 62 patients with multiple sclerosis (53 relapsing-remitting and 9 secondary progressive) and 12 disease-free controls. All patients underwent an ophthalmological examination, including quantitative analysis of the nerve fibre layer and macular thickness using optical coherence tomography. Patients were classified according to EDSS as A (lower than 1.5), B (between 1.5 and 3.5), and C (above 3.5). Mean nerve fibre layer thickness in control, A, B, and C groups was 103.35±12.62, 99.04±14.35, 93.59±15.41, and 87.36±18.75μm respectively, with statistically significant differences (P<.05). In patients with no history of optic neuritis, history of episodes in the last 3 to 6 months, or history longer than 6 months, mean nerve fibre layer thickness was 99.25±13.71, 93.92±13.30 and 80.07±15.91μm respectively; differences were significant (P<.05). Mean macular thickness in control, A, B, and C groups was 220.01±12.07, 217.78±20.02, 217.68±20.77, and 219.04±24.26μm respectively. Differences were not statistically significant. The mean retinal nerve fibre layer thickness in multiple sclerosis patients is related to the EDSS level. Patients with previous optic neuritis episodes have a thinner retinal nerve fibre layer than patients with no history of these episodes. Mean macular thickness is not correlated to EDSS level. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Simulation of cosmic irradiation conditions in thick target arrangements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Theis, S.; Englert, P.; Reedy, R. C.; Arnold, J. R.

1986-01-01

One approach to simulate 2-pi irradiation conditions of planetary surfaces which has been widely applied in the past are bombardments of so called thick targets. A very large thick target was exposed recently to 2.1 GeV protons at the Bevatron-Bevalac in Berkeley. In a 100x100x180 cm steel-surrounded granodiorite target radioactive medium and high energy spallation products of the incident primary and of secondary particles were analyzed along the beam axis down to depths of 140 g/cm(2) in targets such as Cu, Ni, Co, Fe, T, Si, SiO2 and Al. Activities of these nuclides were exclusively determined via instrumental gamma-ray spectroscopy. Relative yields of neutron capture and spallation products induced in Co and Cu targets during the thick target bombardment are shown as a function of depth. The majority of the medium energy products such as Co-58 from Co targets exhibit a maximum at shallow depths of 40-60 g/cm(2) and then decrease exponentially. In a comparable 600 MeV proton bombarded thick target such a slight maximum for medium energy products was not observed. Rather, Co-58 activities in Co decreased steadily with the highest activity at the surface. The activities of the n-capture product Co-60 increase steadily starting at the surface. This indicates the rapidly growing flux of low energy neutrons within the target.

DETERMINING THE COVERING FACTOR OF COMPTON-THICK ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI WITH NuSTAR

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

Brightman, M.; Baloković, M.; Fuerst, F.

2015-05-20

The covering factor of Compton-thick (CT) obscuring material associated with the torus in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is at present best understood through the fraction of sources exhibiting CT absorption along the line of sight (N{sub H} > 1.5 × 10{sup 24} cm{sup −2}) in the X-ray band, which reveals the average covering factor. Determining this CT fraction is difficult, however, due to the extreme obscuration. With its spectral coverage at hard X-rays (>10 keV), Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) is sensitive to the AGNs covering factor since Compton scattering of X-rays off optically thick material dominates at these energies. Wemore » present a spectral analysis of 10 AGNs observed with NuSTAR where the obscuring medium is optically thick to Compton scattering, so-called CT AGNs. We use the torus models of Brightman and Nandra that predict the X-ray spectrum from reprocessing in a torus and include the torus opening angle as a free parameter and aim to determine the covering factor of the CT gas in these sources individually. Across the sample we find mild to heavy CT columns, with N{sub H} measured from 10{sup 24} to 10{sup 26} cm{sup −2}, and a wide range of covering factors, where individual measurements range from 0.2 to 0.9. We find that the covering factor, f{sub c}, is a strongly decreasing function of the intrinsic 2–10 keV luminosity, L{sub X}, where f{sub c} = (−0.41 ± 0.13)log{sub 10}(L{sub X}/erg s{sup −1})+18.31 ± 5.33, across more than two orders of magnitude in L{sub X} (10{sup 41.5}–10{sup 44} erg s{sup −1}). The covering factors measured here agree well with the obscured fraction as a function of L{sub X} as determined by studies of local AGNs with L{sub X} > 10{sup 42.5} erg s{sup −1}.« less

Determining the Covering Factor of Compton-Thick Active Galactic Nuclei with NuSTAR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brightman, M.; Balokovic, M.; Stern, D.; Arevalo, P.; Ballantyne, D. R.; Bauer, F. E.; Boggs, S. E.; Craig, W. W.; Christensen, F. E.; Zhang, W. W.

2015-01-01

The covering factor of Compton-thick (CT) obscuring material associated with the torus in active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is at present best understood through the fraction of sources exhibiting CT absorption along the line of sight (N(sub H) greater than 1.5 x 10(exp 24) cm(exp -2)) in the X-ray band, which reveals the average covering factor. Determining this CT fraction is difficult, however, due to the extreme obscuration. With its spectral coverage at hard X-rays (greater than 10 keV), Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) is sensitive to the AGNs covering factor since Compton scattering of X-rays off optically thick material dominates at these energies. We present a spectral analysis of 10 AGNs observed with NuSTAR where the obscuring medium is optically thick to Compton scattering, so-called CT AGNs. We use the torus models of Brightman and Nandra that predict the X-ray spectrum from reprocessing in a torus and include the torus opening angle as a free parameter and aim to determine the covering factor of the CT gas in these sources individually. Across the sample we find mild to heavy CT columns, with N(sub H) measured from 10(exp 24) to 10(exp 26) cm(exp -2), and a wide range of covering factors, where individual measurements range from 0.2 to 0.9. We find that the covering factor, f(sub c), is a strongly decreasing function of the intrinsic 2-10 keV luminosity, L(sub X), where f(sub c) = (-0.41 +/- 0.13)log(sub 10)(L(sub X)/erg s(exp -1))+18.31 +/- 5.33, across more than two orders of magnitude in L(sub X) (10(exp 41.5) - 10(exp 44) erg s(exp -1)). The covering factors measured here agree well with the obscured fraction as a function of LX as determined by studies of local AGNs with L(sub X) greater than 10(exp 42.5) erg s(exp -1).

Diagnostic value of ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer for early detection of ethambutol-induced optic neuropathy.

PubMed

Lee, Ju-Yeun; Han, Jinu; Seo, Jeong Gi; Park, Kyung-Ah; Oh, Sei Yeul

2018-04-26

To evaluate the diagnostic value of macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) thickness versus peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL) thickness for the early detection of ethambutol-induced optic neuropathy (EON). Twenty-eight eyes of 15 patients in the EON group and 100 eyes of 53 healthy subjects in the control group were included. All patients with EON demonstrated the onset of visual symptoms within 3 weeks. Diagnostic power for pRNFL and mGCIPL thicknesses measured by Cirrus spectral-domain optical coherence tomography was assessed by area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves and sensitivity. All of the mGCIPL thickness measurements were thinner in the EON group than in the control group in early EON (p<0.001). All of pRNFL thicknesses except inferior RNFL showed AUROC curves above 0.5, and all of the mGCIPL thicknesses showed AUROC curves above 0.5. The AUROC of the average mGCIPL (0.812) thickness was significantly greater than that of the average pRNFL (0.507) thickness (p<0.001). Of all the mGCIPL-related parameters considered, the minimum thickness showed the greatest AUROC value (0.863). The average mGCIPL thickness showed a weak correlation with visual field pattern standard deviations (r 2 =0.158, p<0.001). In challenging cases of EON, the mGCIPL thickness has better diagnostic performance in detecting early-onset EON as compared with using pRNFL thickness. Among the early detection ability of mGCIPL thickness, minimum GCIPL thickness has high diagnostic ability. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Peripapillary choroidal thickness in healthy controls and patients with focal, diffuse, and sclerotic glaucomatous optic disc damage.

PubMed

Roberts, Kenneth F; Artes, Paul H; O'Leary, Neil; Reis, Alexandre S C; Sharpe, Glen P; Hutchison, Donna M; Chauhan, Balwantray C; Nicolela, Marcelo T

2012-08-01

To examine peripapillary choroidal thickness in healthy controls and in patients with glaucoma who have focal, diffuse, and sclerotic optic disc damage. Healthy controls (n=92) and patients with glaucoma who have focal (n=34), diffuse (n=35), and sclerotic (n=34) optic disc damage were imaged with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (12° circular scan protocol centered on optic nerve head). Peripapillary choroidal thickness was measured as the distance between the automatically segmented retinal pigment epithelium/Bruch's membrane and the manually outlined interface between the posterior choroid and the anterior border of the sclera in eyes in which the anterior scleral border was visible over more than 85% of the scan circumference. The anterior scleral border was visible in 76 controls (83%) and 89 patients (86%). Peripapillary choroidal thickness in healthy controls decreased linearly with age (-11 μm/decade; P.001; r2=0.16), with a predicted value of 137 μm at age 70 years (95% prediction interval, 62-212 μm). While this value was similar in patients with focal and diffuse optic disc damage (126 and 130 μm, respectively; P=.22 compared with controls), it was approximately 30% lower in patients with sclerotic optic disc damage (96 μm; P.001 compared with controls). The peripapillary choroid of patients with glaucoma who have sclerotic optic disc damage was approximately 25% to 30% thinner compared with that in patients with focal and diffuse optic disc damage and with that in healthy controls. The role of the choroid in the pathophysiology of sclerotic glaucomatous optic disc damage needs further investigation.

PAH 8μm Emission as a Diagnostic of HII Region Optical Depth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oey, M. S.; Lopez-Hernandez, J.; Kellar, J. A.; Pellegrini, E. W.; Gordon, Karl D.; Jameson, Katherine; Li, Aigen; Madden, Suzanne C.; Meixner, Margaret; Roman-Duval, Julia; Bot, Caroline; Rubio, Monica; Tielens, A. G. G. M.

2017-01-01

PAHs are easily destroyed by Lyman continuum radiation and so in optically thick Stromgren spheres, they tend to be found only on the periphery of HII regions, rather than in the central volume. We therefore expect that in HII regions that are optically thin to ionizing radiation, PAHs would be destroyed beyond the primary nebular structure. Using data from the Spitzer SAGE survey of the Magellanic Clouds, we test whether 8 μm emission can serve as a diagnostic of optical depth in HII regions. We find that 8 μm emission does provide valuable constraints in the Large Magellanic Cloud, where objects identified as optically thick by their atomic ionization structure have 6 times higher median 8 μm surface brightness than optically thin objects. However, in the Small Magellanic Cloud, this differentiation is not observed. This appears to be caused by extremely low PAH production in this low-metallicity environment, such that any differentiation between optically thick and thin objects is washed out by stochastic variations, likely driven by the interplay between dust production and UV destruction. Thus, PAH emission is sensitive to nebular optical depth only at higher metallicities.

Optical coherence tomography in papilledema and pseudopapilledema with and without optic nerve head drusen.

PubMed

Bassi, Shikha Talwar; Mohana, Kuppuswamy Parthasarthy

2014-12-01

To compare the spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) findings of the optic disc and the peripapillary retina of patients with a true papilledema and pseudopapilledema with and without optic nerve head drusen (ONHD). Retrospective Case Control Study. Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (PPRNFL) thickness as depicted by SD-OCT of 94 eyes of 66 patients with papilledema (30 eyes), pseudopapiledema (31 eyes), and normal controls (33 eyes) was analyzed. The mean RNFL thickness, total retinal thickness (TRT) at a superior and inferior edge of the disc and the quadrant wise topography of increased RNFL were compared in all three groups. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AROC) were calculated for all the parameters. The median RNFL thickness was 185.4 (129.5-349.3 μm), 122.3 (109-156.3 μm) and 91.62 ± 7 μm in papilledema, pseudopapilledema, and controls, respectively. Papilledema group had thicker PPRNFL in all quadrants except temporal quadrant. TRT was thicker in papilledema and pseudopapilledema compared to controls. ONHD could be directly visualized as high reflective clumps in the sub-retinal space or the RNFL in 30 eyes. Increased RNFL thickness in all four quadrants was noted 43.3% in papilledema and 9.7% in pseudopapilledema. Normal RNFL thickness in all four quadrants was noted in 0% in papilledema and 32.3% in pseudopapilledema. Nasal RNFL had the highest AROC (0.792) indicating high diagnostic ability to differentiate papilledema from pseudopapilledema. SD-OCT can be used as a tool to differentiate between papilledema and pseudopapilledema.

Lamina cribrosa position and Bruch's membrane opening differences between anterior ischemic optic neuropathy and open-angle glaucoma.

PubMed

Rebolleda, Gema; Pérez-Sarriegui, Ane; Díez-Álvarez, Laura; De Juan, Victoria; Muñoz-Negrete, Francisco J

2018-06-01

To compare the optic nerve head morphology among primary open-angle glaucoma, non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy eyes, their fellow healthy eyes and control eyes, using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography with enhanced depth imaging. Observational cross-sectional study including 88 eyes of 68 patients. In this study, 23 non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy eyes, 17 fellow unaffected eyes, 25 primary open-angle glaucoma eyes, and 23 age-matched control eyes were included. Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and optic disk area were evaluated. Bruch's membrane opening diameter, optic cup depth, anterior lamina cribrosa depth, and prelaminar tissue thickness were assessed. Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy and primary open-angle glaucoma eyes had similar visual field mean deviation and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (P = 0.6 and P = 0.56, respectively). Bruch's membrane opening diameter was significantly larger in primary open-angle glaucoma eyes than in control eyes (P = 0.02). Lamina cribrosa and disk cup were deeper in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma than both control and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy eyes (P < 0.001). Prelaminar tissue thickness was significantly thinner in primary open-angle glaucoma eyes than in non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy eyes (P < 0.001). Lamina cribrosa was shallower in both non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy and unaffected fellow eyes compared to healthy eyes (P < 0.001 and P = 0.04, respectively). No differences were found in the optic disk area. A forward lamina cribrosa placement and not a smaller disk could be involved in the pathogenesis of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. A significantly larger Bruch's membrane opening diameter was found in primary open-angle glaucoma eyes compared with control eyes. This issue has clinical implications because Bruch's membrane opening has been considered a stable reference for disk-related measures.

Aerosol effect on cloud droplet size as monitored from surface-based remote sensing over East China Sea region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandithurai, G.; Takamura, T.; Yamaguchi, J.; Miyagi, K.; Takano, T.; Ishizaka, Y.; Dipu, S.; Shimizu, A.

2009-07-01

The effect of increased aerosol concentrations on the low-level, non-precipitating, ice-free stratus clouds is examined using a suite of surface-based remote sensing systems. Cloud droplet effective radius and liquid water path are retrieved using cloud radar and microwave radiometer. Collocated measurements of aerosol scattering coefficient, size distribution and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations were used to examine the response of cloud droplet size and optical thickness to increased CCN proxies. During the episodic events of increase in aerosol accumulation-mode volume distribution, the decrease in droplet size and increase in cloud optical thickness is observed. The indirect effect estimates are made for both droplet effective radius and cloud optical thickness for different liquid water path ranges and they range 0.02-0.18 and 0.005-0.154, respectively. Data are also categorized into thin and thick clouds based on cloud geometric thickness (Δz) and estimates show IE values are relatively higher for thicker clouds.

Optical and structural properties of indium doped bismuth selenide thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavagadhi, Himanshu; Vyas, S. M.; Patel, Piyush; Patel, Vimal; Patel, Jaydev; Jani, M. P.

2015-08-01

In: Bi2Se3 crystals were grown by Bridgman method at a growth velocity of 0.5cm/h with temperature gradient of 650 C/cm in our laboratory. The thin films of In:Bi2se3 were grown on amorphous substrate (glass) at a room temperature under a pressure of 10-4Pa by thermal evaporation technique. Thin film were deposited at various thicknesses and optical absorption spectrum of such thin films, obtain in wave no. range 300 to 2600 cm-1. The optical energy gap calculated from this data were found to be inverse function of square of thickness, particularly for thickness about 1800 Å or less. This dependence is explained in terms of quantum size effect. For thicker films, the bandgap is found to be independent of film thickness. For the surface stud of the as grown thin film by using AFM, which shows continuous film with some step height and surface roughness found in terms of few nm and particle size varies with respect to thickness.

Indium oxide based fiber optic SPR sensor

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

Shukla, Sarika; Sharma, Navneet K., E-mail: navneetk.sharma@jiit.ac.in

2016-05-06

Surface plasmon resonance based fiber optic sensor using indium oxide layer is presented and theoretically studied. It has been found that with increase in thickness of indium oxide layer beyond 170 nm, the sensitivity of SPR sensor decreases. 170 nm thick indium oxide layer based SPR sensor holds maximum sensitivity.

Thickness and topographic inspection of RPG contact lenses by optical triangulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, Manuel F. M.

2001-06-01

Optical triangulation as a non-destructive test method extensively proved its usefulness on the dimensional and topographic inspection of a large range of objects and surfaces. In this communication the issue of microtopographic and thickness inspection of hard contact lenses (RPG) is addressed. The use of optical triangulation is discussed based on the results of the application of our MICROTOP.03.MFC microtopographer to this kind of tasks will be presented.

FIBRE AND INTEGRATED OPTICS. OPTICAL PROCESSING OF INFORMATION: Method for optical data processing based on a two-pulse photon echo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharov, S. M.; Manykin, Eduard A.

1995-02-01

The principles of optical processing based on dynamic spatial—temporal properties of two-pulse photon echo signals are considered. The properties of a resonant medium as an on-line filter of temporal and spatial frequencies are discussed. These properties are due to the sensitivity of such a medium to the Fourier spectrum of the second exiting pulse. Degeneracy of quantum resonant systems, demonstrated by the coherent response dependence on the square of the amplitude of the second pulse, can be used for 'simultaneous' correlation processing of optical 'signals'. Various methods for the processing of the Fourier optical image are discussed.

Diffraction of a Gaussian beam in a three-dimensional smoothly inhomogeneous medium: an eikonal-based complex geometrical-optics approach.

PubMed

Berczynski, Pawel; Bliokh, Konstantin Yu; Kravtsov, Yuri A; Stateczny, Andrzej

2006-06-01

We present an ab initio account of the paraxial complex geometrical optics (CGO) in application to scalar Gaussian beam propagation and diffraction in a 3D smoothly inhomogeneous medium. The paraxial CGO deals with quadratic expansion of the complex eikonal and reduces the wave problem to the solution of ordinary differential equations of the Riccati type. This substantially simplifies the description of Gaussian beam diffraction as compared with full-wave or parabolic (quasi-optics) equations. For a Gaussian beam propagating in a homogeneous medium or along the symmetry axis in a lenslike medium, the CGO equations possess analytical solutions; otherwise, they can be readily solved numerically. As a nontrivial example we consider Gaussian beam propagation and diffraction along a helical ray in an axially symmetric waveguide medium. It is shown that the major axis of the beam's elliptical cross section grows unboundedly; it is oriented predominantly in the azimuthal (binormal) direction and does not obey the parallel-transport law.

Coherent perfect absorption in a homogeneously broadened two-level medium

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

Longhi, Stefano

2011-05-15

In recent works, it has been shown, rather generally, that the time-reversed process of lasing at threshold realizes a coherent perfect absorber (CPA). In a CPA, a lossy medium in an optical cavity with a specific degree of dissipation, equal in modulus to the gain of the lasing medium, can perfectly absorb coherent optical waves that are the time-reversed counterpart of the lasing field. Here, the time-reversed process of lasing is considered in detail for a homogeneously broadened two-level medium in an optical cavity and the conditions for CPA are derived. It is shown that, owing to the dispersive propertiesmore » of the two-level medium, exact time-reversal symmetry is broken and the frequency of the field at which CPA occurs is generally different than the one of the lasing mode. Moreover, at a large cooperation parameter, the observation of CPA in the presence of bistability requires one to operate in the upper branch of the hysteresis cycle.« less

Edge-facet pumped, multi-aperture, thin-disk laser geometry for very high average power output scaling

DOEpatents

Zapata, Luis E.

2004-12-21

The average power output of a laser is scaled, to first order, by increasing the transverse dimension of the gain medium while increasing the thickness of an index matched light guide proportionately. Strategic facets cut at the edges of the laminated gain medium provide a method by which the pump light introduced through edges of the composite structure is trapped and passes through the gain medium repeatedly. Spontaneous emission escapes the laser volume via these facets. A multi-faceted disk geometry with grooves cut into the thickness of the gain medium is optimized to passively reject spontaneous emission generated within the laser material, which would otherwise be trapped and amplified within the high index composite disk. Such geometry allows the useful size of the laser aperture to be increased, enabling the average laser output power to be scaled.

An In-situ Real-Time Optical Fiber Sensor Based on Surface Plasmon Resonance for Monitoring the Growth of TiO2 Thin Films

PubMed Central

Tsao, Yu-Chia; Tsai, Woo-Hu; Shih, Wen-Ching; Wu, Mu-Shiang

2013-01-01

An optical fiber sensor based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is proposed for monitoring the thickness of deposited nano-thin films. A side-polished multimode SPR optical fiber sensor with an 850 nm-LD is used as the transducing element for real-time monitoring of the deposited TiO2 thin films. The SPR optical fiber sensor was installed in the TiO2 sputtering system in order to measure the thickness of the deposited sample during TiO2 deposition. The SPR response declined in real-time in relation to the growth of the thickness of the TiO2 thin film. Our results show the same trend of the SPR response in real-time and in spectra taken before and after deposition. The SPR transmitted intensity changes by approximately 18.76% corresponding to 50 nm of deposited TiO2 thin film. We have shown that optical fiber sensors utilizing SPR have the potential for real-time monitoring of the SPR technology of nanometer film thickness. The compact size of the SPR fiber sensor enables it to be positioned inside the deposition chamber, and it could thus measure the film thickness directly in real-time. This technology also has potential application for monitoring the deposition of other materials. Moreover, in-situ real-time SPR optical fiber sensor technology is in inexpensive, disposable technique that has anti-interference properties, and the potential to enable on-line monitoring and monitoring of organic coatings. PMID:23881144

An in-situ real-time optical fiber sensor based on surface plasmon resonance for monitoring the growth of TiO2 thin films.

PubMed

Tsao, Yu-Chia; Tsai, Woo-Hu; Shih, Wen-Ching; Wu, Mu-Shiang

2013-07-23

An optical fiber sensor based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is proposed for monitoring the thickness of deposited nano-thin films. A side-polished multimode SPR optical fiber sensor with an 850 nm-LD is used as the transducing element for real-time monitoring of the deposited TiO2 thin films. The SPR optical fiber sensor was installed in the TiO2 sputtering system in order to measure the thickness of the deposited sample during TiO2 deposition. The SPR response declined in real-time in relation to the growth of the thickness of the TiO2 thin film. Our results show the same trend of the SPR response in real-time and in spectra taken before and after deposition. The SPR transmitted intensity changes by approximately 18.76% corresponding to 50 nm of deposited TiO2 thin film. We have shown that optical fiber sensors utilizing SPR have the potential for real-time monitoring of the SPR technology of nanometer film thickness. The compact size of the SPR fiber sensor enables it to be positioned inside the deposition chamber, and it could thus measure the film thickness directly in real-time. This technology also has potential application for monitoring the deposition of other materials. Moreover, in-situ real-time SPR optical fiber sensor technology is in inexpensive, disposable technique that has anti-interference properties, and the potential to enable on-line monitoring and monitoring of organic coatings.

Physical-mathematical model of optical radiation interaction with biological tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozlovska, Tetyana I.; Kolisnik, Peter F.; Zlepko, Sergey M.; Titova, Natalia V.; Pavlov, Volodymyr S.; Wójcik, Waldemar; Omiotek, Zbigniew; Kozhambardiyeva, Miergul; Zhanpeisova, Aizhan

2017-08-01

Remote photoplethysmography (PPG) imaging is an optical technique to remotely assess the local coetaneous microcirculation. In this paper, we present a model and supporting experiments confirming the contribution of skin inhomogeneity to the morphology of PPG waveforms. The physical-mathematical model of distribution of optical radiation in biological tissues was developed. It allows determining the change of intensity of optical radiation depending on such parameters as installation angle of the sensor, biological tissue thickness and the wavelength. We obtained graphics which represent changes of the optical radiation intensity that is registered by photodetector depending on installation angle of the sensor, biological tissue thickness and the extinction coefficient.

Propagation of Circularly Polarized Light Through a Two-Dimensional Random Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorodnichev, E. E.

2017-12-01

The problem of small-angle multiple-scattering of circularly polarized light in a two-dimensional medium with large fiberlike inhomogeneities is studied. The attenuation lengths for elements the density matrix are calculated. It is found that with increasing the sample thickness the intensity of waves polarized along the fibers decays faster than the other density matrix elements. With further increase in the thickness, the off-diagonal element which is responsible for correlation between the cross-polarized waves dissapears. In the case of very thick samples the scattered field proves to be polarized perpendicular to the fibers. It is shown that the difference in the attenuation lengths of the density matrix elements results in a non-monotonic depth dependence of the degree of polarization.

Review of thickness swell in hardboard siding : effect of processing variables

Treesearch

Charles G. Carll

1997-01-01

Medium-density hardboard is used extensively as siding on residential structures. One hardboard behavior that can be measured in the laboratory is thickness swell after exposure to water. This report reviews the literature on processing variables that are known to or likely to influence thickness swell. Where the literature on hardboard is sparse, research on other...

Determination of thicknesses and temperatures of crystalline silicon wafers from optical measurements in the far infrared region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franta, Daniel; Franta, Pavel; Vohánka, Jiří; Čermák, Martin; Ohlídal, Ivan

2018-05-01

Optical measurements of transmittance in the far infrared region performed on crystalline silicon wafers exhibit partially coherent interference effects appropriate for the determination of thicknesses of the wafers. The knowledge of accurate spectral and temperature dependencies of the optical constants of crystalline silicon in this spectral region is crucial for the determination of its thickness and vice versa. The recently published temperature dependent dispersion model of crystalline silicon is suitable for this purpose. Because the linear thermal expansion of crystalline silicon is known, the temperatures of the wafers can be determined with high precision from the evolution of the interference patterns at elevated temperatures.

Retrievals of Thick Cloud Optical Depth from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) by Calibration of Solar Background Signal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Yuekui; Marshak, Alexander; Chiu, J. Christine; Wiscombe, Warren J.; Palm, Stephen P.; Davis, Anthony B.; Spangenberg, Douglas A.; Nguyen, Louis; Spinhirne, James D.; Minnis, Patrick

2008-01-01

Laser beams emitted from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS), as well as other space-borne laser instruments, can only penetrate clouds to a limit of a few optical depths. As a result, only optical depths of thinner clouds (< about 3 for GLAS) are retrieved from the reflected lidar signal. This paper presents a comprehensive study of possible retrievals of optical depth of thick clouds using solar background light and treating GLAS as a solar radiometer. To do so we first calibrate the reflected solar radiation received by the photon-counting detectors of GLAS' 532 nm channel, which is the primary channel for atmospheric products. The solar background radiation is regarded as a noise to be subtracted in the retrieval process of the lidar products. However, once calibrated, it becomes a signal that can be used in studying the properties of optically thick clouds. In this paper, three calibration methods are presented: (I) calibration with coincident airborne and GLAS observations; (2) calibration with coincident Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) and GLAS observations of deep convective clouds; (3) calibration from the first principles using optical depth of thin water clouds over ocean retrieved by GLAS active remote sensing. Results from the three methods agree well with each other. Cloud optical depth (COD) is retrieved from the calibrated solar background signal using a one-channel retrieval. Comparison with COD retrieved from GOES during GLAS overpasses shows that the average difference between the two retrievals is 24%. As an example, the COD values retrieved from GLAS solar background are illustrated for a marine stratocumulus cloud field that is too thick to be penetrated by the GLAS laser. Based on this study, optical depths for thick clouds will be provided as a supplementary product to the existing operational GLAS cloud products in future GLAS data releases.

Cloud Thickness from Offbeam Returns (THOR) Validation Campaign on NASA's P3B Over the ARM/SGP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cahalan, R. F.; Kolasinski, J.; McGill, M.; Lau, William K. M. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Physical thickness of a cloud layer, sometimes multiple cloud layers, is a crucial controller of solar heating of the Earth- atmosphere system, which drives the convective processes that produce storm systems. Yet clouds of average optical thickness are opaque to conventional lidar, so their thickness is well estimated only by combining a lidar above and another below cloud, or a radar and lidar on the same side, dual facilities not widely available. Here we report initial observations of a new airborne multiple field of view lidar, capable of determining physical thickness of cloud layers from time signatures of off-beam returns from a I kHz micropulse lidar at 540 rim. For a single layer, the time delay of light returning from the outer diffuse halo of light surrounding the beam entry point, relative to the time delay at beam center, determines the cloud physical thickness. The delay combined with the pulse stretch gives the optical thickness. This halo method requires cloud optical thickness exceeding 2, and improves with cloud thickness, thus complimenting conventional lidar, which cannot penetrate thick clouds. Results are presented from March 25, 2002, when THOR flew a butterfly pattern over the ARM site at 8.3 km, above a thin ice cloud at 5 km, and a thick boundary-layer stratus deck with top at 1.3 km, as shown by THOR channel 1, and a base at about 0.3 km as shown by the ground-based MPL. Additional information is included in the original extended abstract.

Reflection statistics of weakly disordered optical medium when its mean refractive index is different from an outside medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradhan, Prabhakar; John Park, Daniel; Capoglu, Ilker; Subramanian, Hariharan; Damania, Dhwanil; Cherkezyan, Lusik; Taflove, Allen; Backman, Vadim

2017-06-01

Statistical properties of light waves reflected from a one-dimensional (1D) disordered optical medium [n(x) = n0+ dn(x), =0] have been well studied, however, most of the studies have focused on the situation when the mean refractive index of the optical medium matched with the outside medium, i.e., n0= nout=1. Further, considering dn(x) as a Gaussian color noise refractive index medium with exponential spatial correlation decay length lc and k as the incident wave vector, it has been shown that for smaller correlation length limit, i.e., klc <<1, both the mean reflection coefficient and std of r, σ(r), have same value, and they follow the relation = σ(r) ∝ lc. However, when the refractive index of the sample medium is different from the outside medium, the reflection statistics may have interesting features, which has not been well studied or understood. We studied the reflection statistics of a 1D weakly disordered optical medium with the mean background refractive index n0 being different from the outside medium nout (≠n0), to see the effect of mismatching (i.e., value of n0- nout) on the reflection statistics. In the mismatched case, the results show that the mean reflection coefficient follows a form similar to that of the matched refractive-index case, i.e., ∝ lc, with a linear increased shift, which is due to 1D uniform background reflection from a slab. However, σ(r) is shown to be σ(r) ∝ (lc)1/2, which is different from the matched case. This change in std of r is attributed to the interference between the mismatched-crerated edge mediated multiple scattering that are coupled with the random scattering. Applications to light scattering from random layered media and biological cells are discussed.

In situ ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography characterization of eye bank corneal tissue processed for lamellar keratoplasty.

PubMed

Brown, Jamin S; Wang, Danling; Li, Xiaoli; Baluyot, Florence; Iliakis, Bernie; Lindquist, Thomas D; Shirakawa, Rika; Shen, Tueng T; Li, Xingde

2008-08-01

To use optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a noninvasive tool to perform in situ characterization of eye bank corneal tissue processed for lamellar keratoplasty. A custom-built ultrahigh-resolution OCT (UHR-OCT) was used to characterize donor corneal tissue that had been processed for lamellar keratoplasty. Twenty-seven donor corneas were analyzed. Four donor corneas were used as controls, whereas the rest were processed into donor corneal buttons for lamellar transplantation by using hand dissection, a microkeratome, or a femtosecond laser. UHR-OCT was also used to noninvasively characterize and monitor the viable corneal tissue immersed in storage medium over 3 weeks. The UHR-OCT captured high-resolution images of the donor corneal tissue in situ. This noninvasive technique showed the changes in donor corneal tissue morphology with time while in storage medium. The characteristics of the lamellar corneal tissue with each processing modality were clearly visible by UHR-OCT. The in situ characterization of the femtosecond laser-cut corneal tissue was noted to have more interface debris than shown by routine histology. The effects of the femtosecond laser microcavitation bubbles on the corneal tissue were well visualized at the edges of the lamellar flap while in storage medium. The results of our feasibility study show that UHR-OCT can provide superb, in situ microstructural characterization of eye bank corneal tissue noninvasively. The UHR-OCT interface findings and corneal endothelial disc thickness uniformity analysis are valuable information that may be used to optimize the modalities and parameters for lamellar tissue processing. The UHR-OCT is a powerful approach that will allow us to further evaluate the tissue response to different processing techniques for posterior lamellar keratoplasty. It may also provide information that can be used to correlate with postoperative clinical outcomes. UHR-OCT has the potential to become a routine part of tissue analysis for any eye bank or centers creating customized lamellar corneal tissue for transplantation.

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

Bordival, M.; Schmidt, F. M.; Le Maoult, Y.

In the Stretch-Blow Molding (SBM) process, the temperature distribution of the reheated perform affects drastically the blowing kinematic, the bottle thickness distribution, as well as the orientation induced by stretching. Consequently, mechanical and optical properties of the final bottle are closely related to heating conditions. In order to predict the 3D temperature distribution of a rotating preform, numerical software using control-volume method has been developed. Since PET behaves like a semi-transparent medium, the radiative flux absorption was computed using Beer Lambert law. In a second step, 2D axi-symmetric simulations of the SBM have been developed using the finite element packagemore » ABAQUS registered . Temperature profiles through the preform wall thickness and along its length were computed and applied as initial condition. Air pressure inside the preform was not considered as an input variable, but was automatically computed using a thermodynamic model. The heat transfer coefficient applied between the mold and the polymer was also measured. Finally, the G'sell law was used for modeling PET behavior. For both heating and blowing stage simulations, a good agreement has been observed with experimental measurements. This work is part of the European project ''APT{sub P}ACK'' (Advanced knowledge of Polymer deformation for Tomorrow's PACKaging)« less

Hard X-ray and gamma-ray imaging spectroscopy for the next solar maximum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hudson, H. S.; Crannell, C. J.; Dennis, B. R.; Spicer, D. S.; Davis, J. M.; Hurford, G. J.; Lin, R. P.

1990-01-01

The objectives and principles are described of a single spectroscopic imaging package that can provide effective imaging in the hard X- and gamma-ray ranges. Called the High-Energy Solar Physics (HESP) mission instrument for solar investigation, the device is based on rotating modulation collimators with germanium semiconductor spectrometers. The instrument is planned to incorporate thick modulation plates, and the range of coverage is discussed. The optics permit the coverage of high-contrast hard X-ray images from small- and medium-sized flares with large signal-to-noise ratios. The detectors allow angular resolution of less than 1 arcsec, time resolution of less than 1 arcsec, and spectral resolution of about 1 keV. The HESP package is considered an effective and important instrument for investigating the high-energy solar events of the near-term future efficiently.

[Comparison of the translucency and color masking effect of the zirconia ceramics made by milling and gel deposition].

PubMed

Cui, X Y; Tong, D; Wang, X Z; Shen, Z J

2018-02-18

Three kinds of zirconia specimens were made respectively by milling of the prisintered blocks and by three dimensional (3D) gel deposition for in vitro evaluation of their optical translucency under three different thicknesses and their color masking effect on discolored teeth. The study aims for establishing the principle for guiding the materials selection in clinical practice. Ninety A2-colored zirconia disc specimens with diameter of 14 mm were prepared and were divided into three groups (n=30). (1) Group CZ, by milling of the presintered blanks; (2) Group NZW, by 3D gel deposition, without a color masking opaque inner layer; (3) Group NZY, by 3D gel deposition, with a color masking opaque inner layer. Furthermore, each group was divided into three sub-groups (n=10) according to the sample thickness, i.e., 0.6, 1.0 and 1.5 mm, respectively. The maxillary anterior teeth with severe discoloration, extracted owing to periodontal disease, were collected and embedded. By gentle gridding and polishing a plane, larger than 6 mm2×6 mm 2 , was generated on the labial surface of each tooth. Chromatic values(CIE1976-L * a * b * ) of the zirconia samples in the nine sub-groups were measured by the spectrophotometer Crystaleye in front of the black or white background in a cassette, and the translucency parameter (TP) values were calculated for each sample. Thereafter the zirconia specimens were bonded onto the labial surface of the polished teeth for measuring the chromatic values, using the chromatic value of the medium 1/3 of the standardized Vita A2 as a control. The color aberration ΔE between each zirconia specimen and the control value was calculated, respectively. The results were statistically analyzed by One-way ANOVA and Bonferroni. (1) The optical transparency of the three kinds of zirconia disc specimens with the thickness of 0.6, 1.0 and 1.5 mm was 14.09, 12.31 and 10.45 for group CZ; 19.84, 16.54 and 12.44 for group NZW;14.81, 13.16 and 11.92 for group NZY. In each group, the degree of optical transparency of the specimens showed a clear tendency as in the sub-group 0.6 mm >1.0 mm >1.5 mm. The TP value of the specimens in the three groups with the same thickness showed a tendency of the group NZW >group NZY >group CZ. (2) After bonding onto the polished labial surface of the teeth, the color aberration ΔE of the specimens with the thickness of 0.6, 1.0 and 1.5 mm was calculated to be 10.77, 9.94 and 8.50 for group CZ; 6.84, 5.89 and 5.29 for group NZW; 4.16, 3.92 and 3.67 for group NZY. In each group, the color aberration of the specimens showed a clear tendency as in the sub-group 0.6 mm >1.0 mm >1.5 mm; the color aberration of the three groups with the same thickness was in the order of the group CZ >group NZW >group NZY. In all the specimen groups with a fixed specimen thickness, the optical translucency of the specimen was the highest in group NZW made by 3D gel deposition, and the best color masking effect was obtained in specimens with a color masking opaque inner layer in group NZY, where a thickness of 0.6 mm was sufficient enough for obtaining the ideal color masking effect.

Violet-to-Blue Gain and Lasing from Colloidal CdS Nanoplatelets: Low-Threshold Stimulated Emission Despite Low Photoluminescence Quantum Yield

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

Diroll, Benjamin T.; Talapin, Dmitri V.; Schaller, Richard D.

Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and lasing from solution-processed materials are demonstrated in the challenging violet-to-blue (430–490 nm) spectral region for colloidal nanoplatelets of CdS and newly synthesized core/shell CdS/ZnS nanoplatelets. Despite modest band-edge photoluminescence quantum yields of 2% or less for single excitons, which we show results from hole trapping, the samples exhibit low ASE thresholds. Furthermore, four-monolayer CdS samples show ASE at shorter wavelengths than any reported film of colloidal quantum-confined material. This work underlines that low quantum yields for single excitons do not necessarily lead to a poor gain medium. The low ASE thresholds originate from negligible dispersionmore » in thickness, large absorption cross sections of 2.8 × 10–14 cm–2, and rather slow (150 to 300 ps) biexciton recombination. We show that under higher-fluence excitation, ASE can kinetically outcompete hole trapping. Using nanoplatelets as the gain medium, lasing is observed in a linear optical cavity. This work confirms the fundamental advantages of colloidal quantum well structures as gain media, even in the absence of high photoluminescence efficiency.« less

Vibration, buckling and smart control of microtubules using piezoelectric nanoshells under electric voltage in thermal environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farajpour, A.; Rastgoo, A.; Mohammadi, M.

2017-03-01

Piezoelectric nanomaterials such as zinc oxide (ZnO) are of low toxicity and have many biomedical applications including optical imaging, drug delivery, biosensing and harvesting biomechanical energy using hybrid nanogenerators. In this paper, the vibration, buckling and smart control of microtubules (MTs) embedded in an elastic medium in thermal environment using a piezoelectric nanoshell (PNS) are investigated. The MT and PNS are considered to be coupled by a filament network. The PNS is subjected to thermal loads and an external electric voltage which operates to control the mechanical behavior of the MT. Using the nonlocal continuum mechanics, the governing differential equations are derived. An exact solution is presented for simply supported boundary conditions. The differential quadrature method is also used to solve the governing equations for other boundary conditions. A detailed parametric study is conducted to investigate the effects of the elastic constants of surrounding medium and internal filament matrix, scale coefficient, electric voltage, the radius-to-thickness ratio of PNSs and temperature change on the smart control of MTs. It is found that the applied electric voltage can be used as an effective controlling parameter for the vibration and buckling of MTs.

Long-ranged electrostatic repulsion and crystallization of emulsion droplets in an ultralow dielectric medium supercritical carbon dioxide.

PubMed

Ryoo, Won; Webber, Stephen E; Bonnecaze, Roger T; Johnston, Keith P

2006-01-31

Electrostatic repulsion stabilizes micrometer-sized water droplets with spacings greater than 10 microm in an ultralow dielectric medium, CO2 (epsilon = 1.5), at elevated pressures. The morphology of the water/CO2 emulsion is characterized by optical microscopy and laser diffraction as a function of height. The counterions, stabilized with a nonionic, highly branched, stubby hydrocarbon surfactant, form an extremely thick double layer with a Debye screening length of 8.9 microm. As a result of the balance between electrostatic repulsion and the downward force due to gravity, the droplets formed a hexagonal crystalline lattice at the bottom of the high-pressure cell with spacings of over 10 microm. The osmotic pressure, calculated by solving the Poisson-Boltzmann equation in the framework of the Wigner-Seitz cell model, is in good agreement with that determined from the sedimentation profile measured by laser diffraction. Thus, the long-ranged stabilization of the emulsion may be attributed to electrostatic stabilization. The ability to form new types of colloids in CO2 with electrostatic stabilization is beneficial because steric stabilization is often unsatisfactory because of poor solvation of the stabilizers.

Microelectromechanical system pressure sensor integrated onto optical fiber by anodic bonding.

PubMed

Saran, Anish; Abeysinghe, Don C; Boyd, Joseph T

2006-03-10

Optical microelectromechanical system pressure sensors based on the principle of Fabry-Perot interferometry have been developed and fabricated using the technique of silicon-to-silicon anodic bonding. The pressure sensor is then integrated onto an optical fiber by a novel technique of anodic bonding without use of any adhesives. In this anodic bonding technique we use ultrathin silicon of thickness 10 microm to bond the optical fiber to the sensor head. The ultrathin silicon plays the role of a stress-reducing layer, which helps the bonding of an optical fiber to silicon having conventional wafer thickness. The pressure-sensing membrane is formed by 8 microm thick ultrathin silicon acting as a membrane, thus eliminating the need for bulk silicon etching. The pressure sensor integrated onto an optical fiber is tested for static response, and experimental results indicate degradation in the fringe visibility of the Fabry-Perot interferometer. This effect was mainly due to divergent light rays from the fiber degrading the fringe visibility. This effect is demonstrated in brief by an analytical model.

Screening for previous refractive surgery in eye bank corneas by using optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Lin, Roger C; Li, Yan; Tang, Maolong; McLain, Marcy; Rollins, Andrew M; Izatt, Joseph A; Huang, David

2007-06-01

To use optical coherence tomography (OCT) to detect previous refractive surgery in donor corneas. We constructed a tabletop OCT scanner operating at 1310-nm wavelength. Donor corneas at the Cleveland Eye Bank were scanned while sealed within the sterile container immersed in Optisol GS. OCT scanning was performed with 7.6-mm-long lines (512 axial scans) along 8 meridians. Anterior and posterior corneal surfaces were automatically mapped using image processing software that we developed. Curvature was computed from the best parabolic fit in the central 5-mm diameter. Layered analysis of the stromal reflectivity was also performed. Twenty-nine corneas from 19 donors were examined. Five had a history of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). The flap interfaces could not be visualized on slit-lamp or OCT images but were confirmed by histology. The death-to-scan time was 22.1 +/- 11.4 (SD) hours for normal corneas and 100.6 +/- 57.5 hours for LASIK corneas. The anterior surface power was 67.5 +/- 2.5 D in control corneas and 64.5 +/- 2.4 D in LASIK corneas (P = 0.023). There was no significance between the 2 groups in terms of posterior curvature and thickness parameters. The anterior/posterior reflectivity ratio in the central 4-mm diameter was significantly lower in post-LASIK corneas than in control (P < 0.05). OCT provides thickness, topography, and reflectivity maps of donor corneas without taking them out of preservation medium and container. The anterior curvature and the anterior/posterior stromal reflectivity ratio may be useful for detecting previous LASIK.

Retrieval of spectral aerosol optical thickness over land using ocean color sensors MERIS and SeaWiFS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Hoyningen-Huene, W.; Yoon, J.; Vountas, M.; Istomina, L. G.; Rohen, G.; Dinter, T.; Kokhanovsky, A. A.; Burrows, J. P.

2010-05-01

For the determination of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) Bremen AErosol Retrieval (BAER) has been developed. Method and main influences on the aerosol retrieval are described together with validation and results. The retrieval separates the spectral aerosol reflectance from surface and Rayleigh path reflectance for the shortwave range of the measured spectrum of top-of-atmosphere reflectance less than 0.670 μm. The advantage of MERIS (Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer on ENVISAT) and SeaWiFS (Sea viewing Wide Fiels Sensor on OrbView-2) observations are the existence of several spectral channels in the blue and visible range enabling the spectral determination of AOT in 7 (or 6) channels (0.412-0.670 μm) and additionally channels in the NIR, which can be used to characterize the surface properties. A dynamical spectral surface reflectance model for different surface types is used to obtain the spectral surface reflectance for this separation. Normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI), taken from the satellite observations, is the model input. Further surface BRDF is considered by the Raman-Pinty-Verstraete (RPV) model. Spectral AOT is obtained from aerosol reflectance using look-up-tables, obtained from radiative transfer calculations with given aerosol phase functions and single scattering albedos either from aerosol models, given by OPAC or from experimental campaigns. Validations of the obtained AOT retrieval results with AERONET data over Europe gave a preference for experimental phase functions derived from almucantar measurements. Finally long-term observations of SeaWiFS have been investigated for trends in AOT.

The Retrieval of Aerosol Optical Thickness Using the MERIS Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mei, L.; Rozanov, V. V.; Vountas, M.; Burrows, J. P.; Levy, R. C.; Lotz, W.

2015-12-01

Retrieval of aerosol properties for satellite instruments without shortwave-IR spectral information, multi-viewing, polarization and/or high-temporal observation ability is a challenging problem for spaceborne aerosol remote sensing. However, space based instruments like the MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) and the successor, Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) with high calibration accuracy and high spatial resolution provide unique abilities for obtaining valuable aerosol information for a better understanding of the impact of aerosols on climate, which is still one of the largest uncertainties of global climate change evaluation. In this study, a new Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) retrieval algorithm (XBAER: eXtensible Bremen AErosol Retrieval) is presented. XBAER utilizes the global surface spectral library database for the determination of surface properties while the MODIS collection 6 aerosol type treatment is adapted for the aerosol type selection. In order to take the surface Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) effect into account for the MERIS reduce resolution (1km) retrieval, a modified Ross-Li mode is used. The AOT is determined in the algorithm using lookup tables including polarization created using Radiative Transfer Model SCIATRAN3.4, by minimizing the difference between atmospheric corrected surface reflectance with given AOT and the surface reflectance calculated from the spectral library. The global comparison with operational MODIS C6 product, Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) product, Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) aerosol product and the validation using AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) show promising results. The current XBAER algorithm is only valid for aerosol remote sensing over land and a similar method will be extended to ocean later.

MAPPING ANNUAL MEAN GROUND-LEVEL PM2.5 CONCENTRATIONS USING MULTIANGLE IMAGING SPECTRORADIOMETER AEROSOL OPTICAL THICKNESS OVER THE CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

We present a simple approach to estimating ground-level fine particle (PM2.5, particles smaller than 2.5 um in diameter) concentration using global atmospheric chemistry models and aerosol optical thickness (AOT) measurements from the Multi- angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR)...

MULTIPLICITY OF NOVA ENVELOPE SOLUTIONS AND OCCURRENCE OF OPTICALLY THICK WINDS

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

Kato, Mariko; Hachisu, Izumi

2009-07-10

We revisit the occurrence condition of optically thick winds reported by Kato in 1985 and Kato and Hachisu in 1989 who mathematically examined nova envelope solutions with an old opacity and found that optically thick winds are accelerated only in massive white dwarfs (WDs) of {approx}>0.9 M{sub sun}. With the OPAL opacity we find that the optically thick wind occurs for {approx}>0.6 M{sub sun} WDs and that the occurrence of winds depends not only on the WD mass but also on the ignition mass. When the ignition mass is larger than a critical value, winds are suppressed by a density-inversionmore » layer. Such a static solution can be realized in WDs of mass {approx}0.6-0.7 M{sub sun}. We propose that sequences consisting only of static solutions correspond to slow evolutions in symbiotic novae like PU Vul because PU Vul shows no indication of strong winds in a long-lasted flat peak followed by a very slow decline in its light curve.« less

Development of the α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO Triple-Layer Structure Films for the Application of Transparent Electrode.

PubMed

Chen, Kun-Neng; Yang, Cheng-Fu; Wu, Chia-Ching; Chen, Yu-Hsin

2017-02-24

We investigated the structural, optical, and electrical properties of amorphous IGZO/silver/amorphous IGZO (α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO) triple-layer structures that were deposited at room temperature on Eagle XG glass and flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrates through the sputtering method. Thin Ag layers with different thicknesses were inserted between two IGZO layers to form a triple-layer structure. Ag was used because of its lower absorption and resistivity. Field emission scanning electron microscopy measurements of the triple-layer structures revealed that the thicknesses of the Ag layers ranged from 13 to 41 nm. The thickness of the Ag layer had a large effect on the electrical and optical properties of the electrodes. The optimum thickness of the Ag metal thin film could be evaluated according to the optical transmittance, electrical conductivity, and figure of merit of the electrode. This study demonstrates that the α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO triple-layer transparent electrode can be fabricated with low sheet resistance (4.2 Ω/□) and high optical transmittance (88.1%) at room temperature without postannealing processing on the deposited thin films.

Transparent thin films of indium tin oxide: Morphology-optical investigations, inter dependence analyzes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prepelita, P.; Filipescu, M.; Stavarache, I.; Garoi, F.; Craciun, D.

2017-12-01

Using a fast and eco-friendly deposition method, ITO thin films with different thicknesses (0.5 μm-0.7 μm) were deposited on glass substrates by radio frequency magnetron sputtering technique. A comparative analysis of these oxide films was then carried out. AFM investigations showed that the deposited films were smooth, uniform and having a surface roughness smaller than 10 nm. X-ray diffraction investigations showed that all samples were polycrystalline and the grain sizes of the films, corresponding to (222) cubic reflection, were found to increase with the increasing film thickness. The optical properties, evaluated by UV-VIS-NIR (190-3000 nm) spectrophotometer, evidenced that the obtained thin films were highly transparent, with a transmission coefficient between 90 and 96%, depending on the film thickness. Various methods (Swanepoel and Drude) were employed to appreciate the optimal behaviour of transparent oxide films, in determining the dielectric optical parameters and refractive index dispersion for ITO films exhibiting interference patterns in the optical transmission spectra. The electrical conductivity also increased as the film thickness increased.

Three dimensional time reversal optical tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Binlin; Cai, W.; Alrubaiee, M.; Xu, M.; Gayen, S. K.

2011-03-01

Time reversal optical tomography (TROT) approach is used to detect and locate absorptive targets embedded in a highly scattering turbid medium to assess its potential in breast cancer detection. TROT experimental arrangement uses multi-source probing and multi-detector signal acquisition and Multiple-Signal-Classification (MUSIC) algorithm for target location retrieval. Light transport from multiple sources through the intervening medium with embedded targets to the detectors is represented by a response matrix constructed using experimental data. A TR matrix is formed by multiplying the response matrix by its transpose. The eigenvectors with leading non-zero eigenvalues of the TR matrix correspond to embedded objects. The approach was used to: (a) obtain the location and spatial resolution of an absorptive target as a function of its axial position between the source and detector planes; and (b) study variation in spatial resolution of two targets at the same axial position but different lateral positions. The target(s) were glass sphere(s) of diameter ~9 mm filled with ink (absorber) embedded in a 60 mm-thick slab of Intralipid-20% suspension in water with an absorption coefficient μa ~ 0.003 mm-1 and a transport mean free path lt ~ 1 mm at 790 nm, which emulate the average values of those parameters for human breast tissue. The spatial resolution and accuracy of target location depended on axial position, and target contrast relative to the background. Both the targets could be resolved and located even when they were only 4-mm apart. The TROT approach is fast, accurate, and has the potential to be useful in breast cancer detection and localization.

Thickness-dependence of optical constants for Ta2O5 ultrathin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Dong-Xu; Zheng, Yu-Xiang; Cai, Qing-Yuan; Lin, Wei; Wu, Kang-Ning; Mao, Peng-Hui; Zhang, Rong-Jun; Zhao, Hai-bin; Chen, Liang-Yao

2012-09-01

An effective method for determining the optical constants of Ta2O5 thin films deposited on crystal silicon (c-Si) using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) measurement with a two-film model (ambient-oxide-interlayer-substrate) was presented. Ta2O5 thin films with thickness range of 1-400 nm have been prepared by the electron beam evaporation (EBE) method. We find that the refractive indices of Ta2O5 ultrathin films less than 40 nm drop with the decreasing thickness, while the other ones are close to those of bulk Ta2O5. This phenomenon was due to the existence of an interfacial oxide region and the surface roughness of the film, which was confirmed by the measurement of atomic force microscopy (AFM). Optical properties of ultrathin film varying with the thickness are useful for the design and manufacture of nano-scaled thin-film devices.

A biological sub-micron thickness optical broadband reflector characterized using both light and microwaves

PubMed Central

Vukusic, P.; Kelly, R.; Hooper, I.

2008-01-01

Broadband optical reflectors generally function through coherent scattering from systems comprising one of three designs: overlapped; chirped; or chaotic multilayer reflectors. For each, the requirement to scatter a broad band of wavelengths is met through the presence of a variation in nanostructural periodicity running perpendicular to the systems' outer surfaces. Consequently, the requisite total thickness of the multilayer can often be in excess of 50 μm. Here, we report the discovery and the microwave-assisted characterization of a natural system that achieves excellent optical broadband reflectivity but that is less than 1 μm thick. This system, found on the wing scales of the butterfly Argyrophorus argenteus, comprises a distinctive variation in periodicity that runs parallel to the reflecting surface, rather than perpendicular to it. In this way, the requirement for an extensively thick system is removed. PMID:19042180

(012)-cut chalcopyrite ZnGeP2 as a high-bandwidth terahertz electro-optic detection crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnio, B. N.; Greig, S. R.; Firby, C. J.; Zawilski, K. T.; Schunemann, P. G.; Elezzabi, A. Y.

2017-02-01

The detection properties of a chalcopyrite zinc germanium diphosphide (ZnGeP2, ZGP) electro-optic (EO) crystal, having thickness of 1080 μm and cut along the <012> plane, is studied in the terahertz (THz) frequency range. Outstanding phase matching is achieved between the optical probe pulse and the THz frequency components, leading to a large EO detection bandwidth. ZGP has the ability to measure frequencies that are 1.3 and 1.2 times greater than that of ZnTe for crystal thicknesses of 1080 and 500 μm, respectively. Furthermore, the ZGP crystal is able to detect frequency components that are >=4.6 times larger than both ZnSe and GaP (for crystal thicknesses of 1080 μm) and >=2.2 times larger than ZnSe and GaP (for crystal thicknesses of 500 μm).

Magneto-optical microcavity with Au plasmonic layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikhailova, T. V.; Lyashko, S. D.; Tomilin, S. V.; Karavainikov, A. V.; Prokopov, A. R.; Shaposhnikov, A. N.; Berzhansky, V. N.

2017-11-01

Optical and Faraday rotation spectra of magneto-optical microcavity coated with Au plasmonic layer of gradient thickness were investigated theoretically and experimentally. It was shown that the Tamm plasmon-polaritons mode forms near the long-wavelength edge of photonic band gap. The presence of Au coating of thickness of 90.4 nm increase the Faraday rotation at Tamm plasmon-polaritons and cavity resonances in 1.3 and 7 times, respectively. By transfer matrix method it were found that the incorporation of SiO2 buffer layer with a thickness in the range from 155 to 180 nm between microcavity and Au coating leads to the strong coupling between cavity mode and Tamm plasmon-polaritons. In this case, one or two resonances arise in the vicinity of the cavity mode depending on the thickness of plasmonic layer. The Faraday rotation for coupled mode in twice less than the value of rotation for single cavity mode.

Spatial and thickness dependence of coupling interaction of surface states and influence on transport and optical properties of few-layer Bi2Se3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhongjun; Chen, Shi; Sun, Jiuyu; Li, Xingxing; Qiu, Huaili; Yang, Jinlong

2018-02-01

Coupling interaction between the bottom and top surface electronic states and the influence on transport and optical properties of Bi2Se3 thin films with 1-8 quintuple layers (QLs) have been investigated by first principles calculations. Obvious spatial and thickness dependences of coupling interaction are found by analyzing hybridization of two surface states. In the thin film with a certain thickness, from the outer to inner atomic layers, the coupling interaction exhibits an increasing trend. On the other hand, as thickness increases, the coupling interaction shows a disproportionate decrease trend. Moreover, the system with 3 QLs exhibits stronger interaction than that with 2 QLs. The presence of coupling interaction would suppress destructive interference of surface states and enhance resistance in various degrees. In view of the inversely proportional relation to transport channel width, the resistance of thin films should show disproportionate thickness dependence. This prediction is qualitatively consistent with the transport measurements at low temperature. Furthermore, the optical properties also exhibit obvious thickness dependence. Especially as the thickness increases, the coupling interaction results in red and blue shifts of the multiple-peak structures in low and high energy regions of imaginary dielectric function, respectively. The red shift trend is in agreement with the recent experimental observation and the blue shift is firstly predicted by the present calculation. The present results give a concrete understanding of transport and optical properties in devices based on Bi2Se3 thin films with few QLs.

Retinal nerve fiber layer changes after LASIK evaluated with optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Dementyev, Dmitriy D; Kourenkov, Vyacheslav V; Rodin, Alexander S; Fadeykina, Tatyana L; Diaz Martines, Tatyana E

2005-01-01

To determine whether the increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) during LASIK suction can induce a decrease in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Nineteen patients (38 eyes) were enrolled in the study. Intraocular pressure was normal at all pre- and postoperative examinations. Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was measured using OCT-3 Stratus prior to and 1 week and 3 months after LASIK. Laser in situ keratomileusis was performed using the Bausch & Lomb Hansatome microkeratome and the NIDEK EC-5000 excimer laser. Optical coherence tomography mean retinal nerve fiber layer thickness values before and after LASIK were compared using the Student paired t test. Mean patient age was 27.8 years (range: 18 to 33 years). Mean preoperative spherical equivalent refractive error was -4.9 diopters (D) (range: -2.0 to -8.5 D). Mean time of microkeratome suction was 30 seconds (range: 20 to 50 seconds). Preoperatively, the mean retinal nerve fiber layer thickness obtained by OCT was 104.2+/-9.0 microm; at 1 week postoperatively the mean thickness was 101.9+/-6.9 microm, and 106.7+/-6.1 microm at 3 months postoperatively. Mean retinal nerve fiber layer thicknesses obtained by OCT were not significantly different between preoperative and 1 week and 3 months after LASIK (P > or = .05). Laser in situ keratomileusis performed on young myopic patients does not have a significant effect on retinal nerve fiber layer thickness determined by OCT. Further studies are required to reveal the risk of possible optic nerve or retinal nerve fiber layer damage by elevated IOP during LASIK.

Femtomolar Detection by Nanocoated Fiber Label-Free Biosensors.

PubMed

Chiavaioli, Francesco; Zubiate, Pablo; Del Villar, Ignacio; Zamarreño, Carlos R; Giannetti, Ambra; Tombelli, Sara; Trono, Cosimo; Arregui, Francisco J; Matias, Ignacio R; Baldini, Francesco

2018-05-25

The advent of optical fiber-based biosensors combined with that of nanotechnologies has provided an opportunity for developing in situ, portable, lightweight, versatile, and high-performance optical sensing platforms. We report on the generation of lossy mode resonances by the deposition of nanometer-thick metal oxide films on optical fibers, which makes it possible to measure precisely and accurately the changes in optical properties of the fiber-surrounding medium with very high sensitivity compared to other technology platforms, such as long period gratings or surface plasmon resonances, the gold standard in label-free and real-time biomolecular interaction analysis. This property, combined with the application of specialty structures such as D-shaped fibers, permits enhancing the light-matter interaction. SEM and TEM imaging together with X-EDS tool have been utilized to characterize the two films used, i.e., indium tin oxide and tin dioxide. Moreover, the experimental transmission spectra obtained after the deposition of the nanocoatings have been numerically corroborated by means of wave propagation methods. With the use of a conventional wavelength interrogation system and ad hoc developed microfluidics, the shift of the lossy mode resonance can be reliably recorded in response to very low analyte concentrations. Repeated experiments confirm a big leap in performance thanks to the capability to detect femtomolar concentrations in human serum, improving the detection limit by 3 orders of magnitude when compared with other fiber-based configurations. The biosensor has been regenerated several times by injecting sodium dodecyl sulfate, which proves the capability of sensor to be reused.

New features of recording equipment based on photothermoplastic medium for earth observation from space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotaru, V. K.

2017-11-01

Photothermoplastic medium (PTPM) is a non-silver two-layer, semiconductor-thermoplastic, structure for optical data recording, which is radiative resistant. It allows to record photographic, holographic and other kinds of optical data without any wet chemical development that giving the maximal economic effect for Space and airborn usage.

Enhancement of the optical and electrical properties of ITO thin films deposited by electron beam evaporation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, H. M.; Mohamed, H. A.; Mohamed, S. H.

2005-08-01

Indium tin oxide (ITO) is widely utilized in numerous industrial applications due to its unique combined properties of transparency to visible light and electrical conductivity. ITO films were deposited on glass substrates by an electron beam evaporation technique at room temperature from bulk samples, with different thicknesses. The film with 1500 Å thick was selected to perform annealing in the temperature range of 200 400 °C and annealing for varying times from 15 to 120 min at 400 °C. The X-ray diffraction of the films was analyzed in order to investigate its dependence on thickness, and annealing. Electrical and optical measurements were also carried out. Transmittance, optical energy gap, refractive index, carrier concentration, thermal emissivity and resistivity were investigated. It was found that the as-deposited films with different thicknesses were highly absorbing and have relatively poor electrical properties. The films become opaque with increasing the film thickness. After thermal annealing, the resistance decreases and a simultaneous variation in the optical transmission occurs. A transmittance value of 85.5% in the IR region and 82% in the visible region of the spectrum and a resistivity of 2.8 × 10-4 Ω Cm were obtained at annealing temperature of 400 °C for 120 min.

Investigation of Electrical and Optical Properties of Highly Transparent TCO/Ag/TCO Multilayer.

PubMed

Kim, Sunbo; Lee, Jaehyeong; Dao, Vinh Ai; Ahn, Shihyun; Hussain, Shahzada Qamar; Park, Jinjoo; Jung, Junhee; Lee, Chan; Song, Bong-Shik; Choi, Byoungdeog; Lee, Youn-Jung; Iftiquar, S M; Yi, Junsin

2015-03-01

Transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) have been widely used as transparent electrodes for opto-electronic devices, such as solar cells, flat-panel displays, and light-emitting diodes, because of their unique characteristics of high optical transmittance and low electrical resistivity. Among various TCO materials, zinc oxide based films have recently received much attention because they have advantages over commonly used indium and tin-based oxide films. Most TCO films, however, exhibit valleys of transmittance in the wavelength range of 550-700 nm, lowering the average transmittance in the visible region and decreasing short-circuit current (Isc) of solar cells. A TCO/Ag/TCO multi-layer structure has emerged as an attractive alternative because it provides optical characteristics without the valley of transmittance compared with a 100-nm-thick single-layer TCO. In this article, we report the electrical, optical and surface properties of TCO/Ag/TCO. These multi-layers were deposited at room temperature with various Ag film thicknesses from 5 to 15 nm while the thickness of TCO thin film was fixed at 40 nm. The TCO/Ag/TCO multi-layer with a 10-nm-thick Ag film showed optimum transmittance in the visible (400-800 nm) wavelength region. These multi-layer structures have advantages over TCO layers of the same thickness.

Effects of self-absorption on simultaneous estimation of temperature distribution and concentration fields of soot and metal-oxide nanoparticles in nanofluid fuel flames using a spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Guannan; Liu, Dong

2018-06-01

An improved inverse reconstruction model with consideration of self-absorption effect for the temperature distribution and concentration fields of soot and metal-oxide nanoparticles in nanofluid fuel flames was proposed based on the flame emission spectrometry. The effects of self-absorption on the temperature profile and concentration fields were investigated for various measurement errors, flame optical thicknesses and detecting lines numbers. The model neglecting the self-absorption caused serious reconstruction errors especially in the nanofluid fuel flames with large optical thicknesses, while the improved model was used to successfully recover the temperature distribution and concentration fields of soot and metal-oxide nanoparticles for the flames regardless of the optical thickness. Through increasing detecting lines number, the reconstruction accuracy can be greatly improved due to more flame emission information received by the spectrometer. With the adequate detecting lines number, the estimations for the temperature distribution and concentration fields of soot and metal-oxide nanoparticles in flames with large optical thicknesses were still satisfying even from the noisy radiation intensities with signal to noise ratio (SNR) as low as 46 dB. The results showed that the improved reconstruction model was effective and robust to concurrently retrieve the temperature distribution and volume fraction fields of soot and metal-oxide nanoparticles for the exact and noisy data in nanofluid fuel sooting flames with different optical thicknesses.

The Community Cloud retrieval for CLimate (CC4CL) - Part 2: The optimal estimation approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGarragh, Gregory R.; Poulsen, Caroline A.; Thomas, Gareth E.; Povey, Adam C.; Sus, Oliver; Stapelberg, Stefan; Schlundt, Cornelia; Proud, Simon; Christensen, Matthew W.; Stengel, Martin; Hollmann, Rainer; Grainger, Roy G.

2018-06-01

The Community Cloud retrieval for Climate (CC4CL) is a cloud property retrieval system for satellite-based multispectral imagers and is an important component of the Cloud Climate Change Initiative (Cloud_cci) project. In this paper we discuss the optimal estimation retrieval of cloud optical thickness, effective radius and cloud top pressure based on the Optimal Retrieval of Aerosol and Cloud (ORAC) algorithm. Key to this method is the forward model, which includes the clear-sky model, the liquid water and ice cloud models, the surface model including a bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), and the "fast" radiative transfer solution (which includes a multiple scattering treatment). All of these components and their assumptions and limitations will be discussed in detail. The forward model provides the accuracy appropriate for our retrieval method. The errors are comparable to the instrument noise for cloud optical thicknesses greater than 10. At optical thicknesses less than 10 modeling errors become more significant. The retrieval method is then presented describing optimal estimation in general, the nonlinear inversion method employed, measurement and a priori inputs, the propagation of input uncertainties and the calculation of subsidiary quantities that are derived from the retrieval results. An evaluation of the retrieval was performed using measurements simulated with noise levels appropriate for the MODIS instrument. Results show errors less than 10 % for cloud optical thicknesses greater than 10. Results for clouds of optical thicknesses less than 10 have errors up to 20 %.

Aerosol Size Distributions During ACE-Asia: Retrievals From Optical Thickness and Comparisons With In-situ Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzmanoski, M.; Box, M.; Box, G. P.; Schmidt, B.; Russell, P. B.; Redemann, J.; Livingston, J. M.; Wang, J.; Flagan, R. C.; Seinfeld, J. H.

2002-12-01

As part of the ACE-Asia experiment, conducted off the coast of China, Korea and Japan in spring 2001, measurements of aerosol physical, chemical and radiative characteristics were performed aboard the Twin Otter aircraft. Of particular importance for this paper were spectral measurements of aerosol optical thickness obtained at 13 discrete wavelengths, within 354-1558 nm wavelength range, using the AATS-14 sunphotometer. Spectral aerosol optical thickness can be used to obtain information about particle size distribution. In this paper, we use sunphotometer measurements to retrieve size distribution of aerosols during ACE-Asia. We focus on four cases in which layers influenced by different air masses were identified. Aerosol optical thickness of each layer was inverted using two different techniques - constrained linear inversion and multimodal. In the constrained linear inversion algorithm no assumption about the mathematical form of the distribution to be retrieved is made. Conversely, the multimodal technique assumes that aerosol size distribution is represented as a linear combination of few lognormal modes with predefined values of mode radii and geometric standard deviations. Amplitudes of modes are varied to obtain best fit of sum of optical thicknesses due to individual modes to sunphotometer measurements. In this paper we compare the results of these two retrieval methods. In addition, we present comparisons of retrieved size distributions with in situ measurements taken using an aerodynamic particle sizer and differential mobility analyzer system aboard the Twin Otter aircraft.

Quantum optical effective-medium theory and transformation quantum optics for metamaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wubs, Martijn; Amooghorban, Ehsan; Zhang, Jingjing; Mortensen, N. Asger

2016-09-01

While typically designed to manipulate classical light, metamaterials have many potential applications for quantum optics as well. We argue why a quantum optical effective-medium theory is needed. We present such a theory for layered metamaterials that is valid for light propagation in all spatial directions, thereby generalizing earlier work for one-dimensional propagation. In contrast to classical effective-medium theory there is an additional effective parameter that describes quantum noise. Our results for metamaterials are based on a rather general Lagrangian theory for the quantum electrodynamics of media with both loss and gain. In the second part of this paper, we present a new application of transformation optics whereby local spontaneous-emission rates of quantum emitters can be designed. This follows from an analysis how electromagnetic Green functions trans- form under coordinate transformations. Spontaneous-emission rates can be either enhanced or suppressed using invisibility cloaks or gradient index lenses. Furthermore, the anisotropic material profile of the cloak enables the directional control of spontaneous emission.

Instability of fluid flow over saturated porous medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyubimova, Tatyana; Kolchanova, Ekaterina; Lyubimov, Dmitry

2013-04-01

We investigate the stability of a fluid flow over a saturated porous medium. The problem is of importance due to the applications to washing out of contaminants from the bottom layer of vegetation, whose properties are similar to the properties of porous medium. In the case of porous medium with the relatively high permeability and porosity the flow involves a part of the fluid saturating the porous medium, with the tangential fluid velocity drop occurring because of the resistance of the solid matrix. The drop leads to the instability analogous to Kelvin-Helmholtz one accompanied by the formation of travelling waves. In the present paper we consider a two-layer system consisting of a pure fluid layer and a porous layer saturated by the fluid located underneath. The system is bounded by a rigid surface at the bottom and a non-deformable free surface at the top. It is under the gravity and inclined at a slight angle to the horizontal axis. The boundary conditions at the interface between the fluid and porous layers are the continuity of fluid velocities and the balance of normal and tangential stresses taking into account the resistance of the solid matrix with respect to the fluid flow near the interface [1-2]. The problem is solved in the framework of the Brinkman model applying the classical shooting algorithm with orthogonalization. The stability boundaries of the stationary fluid flow over the saturated porous medium with respect to the small oscillatory perturbations are obtained for the various values of the Darcy number and the ratio of the porous layer thickness to the full thickness of the system d. It was shown that at the d > 0.5 with increasing the porous layer thickness (or with decreasing of the fluid layer thickness) the stability threshold rises. This is because of the fact that the instability is primarily caused by perturbations located in the fluid layer. At the d < 0.5 the reduction of the porous layer thickness leads to the stability threshold growth. The numerical calculations were also conducted for nonlinear regimes of the flow applying the finite-element method. Flow characteristics are determined at supercritical values of parameters. The work was made under the financial support of Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Grant 12-01-00795). 1. Ochoa-Tapia J. A. and Whitaker S. Momentum transfer at the boundary between a porous medium and a homogeneous fluid-I. Theoretical development. Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer. 1995. N 38. P. 2635-2646. 2. Ochoa-Tapia J. A. and Whitaker S. Momentum transfer at the boundary between a porous medium and a homogeneous fluid-II. Comparison with experiment. Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer. 1995. N 38. P. 2647-2655.

LASER METHODS IN BIOLOGY: Optical anisotropy of fibrous biological tissues: analysis of the influence of structural properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimnyakov, D. A.; Sinichkin, Yu P.; Ushakova, O. V.

2007-08-01

The results of theoretical analysis of the optical anisotropy of multiply scattering fibrillar biological tissues based on the model of an effective anisotropic medium are compared with the experimental in vivo birefringence data for the rat derma obtained earlier in spectral polarisation measurements of rat skin samples in the visible region. The disordered system of parallel dielectric cylinders embedded into an isotropic dielectric medium was considered as a model medium. Simulations were performed taking into account the influence of a partial mutual disordering of the bundles of collagen and elastin fibres in derma on birefringence in samples. The theoretical optical anisotropy averaged over the spectral interval 550-650 nm for the model medium with parameters corresponding to the structural parameters of derma is in good agreement with the results of spectral polarisation measurements of skin samples in the corresponding wavelength range.

On the mechanical coupling of a fiber optic cable used for distributed acoustic/vibration sensing applications—a theoretical consideration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinsch, Thomas; Thurley, Tom; Jousset, Philippe

2017-12-01

In recent years, fiber optic cables are increasingly used for the acquisition of dynamic strain changes for seismic surveys. When considering seismic amplitudes, one of the first questions arising is the mechanical coupling between optical fiber and the surrounding medium. Here we analyse the interaction of ground movement with a typical telecom-grade fiber optic cable from an existing telecommunication network deployed in a sand filled trench at the surface. Within the cable, the optical fiber is embedded in a gel-filled plastic tube. We apply Hooke’s law to calculate the stress needed to strain the optical fiber throughout the cable structure. In case the stress magnitude at the cable-sand interface as well as the gel-optical fiber interface is below the yield strength of the respective material, sand and gel, it can be regarded as an elastic medium. Hence, a multilayer radial symmetric model can be used to calculate the coupling of the optical fiber with the surrounding medium. We show that the transfer function has a -3 dB lower cut-off wavelength of about 22 m. The magnitude response of this telecom-grade fiber optic cable is therefore almost perfect at typical low frequency seismic waves. The approach presented here can be applied to various cable designs to estimate the strain transfer between ground movement and an optical fiber.

XBAER-derived aerosol optical thickness from OLCI/Sentinel-3 observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mei, Linlu; Rozanov, Vladimir; Vountas, Marco; Burrows, John P.; Richter, Andreas

2018-02-01

A cloud identification algorithm used for cloud masking, which is based on the spatial variability of reflectances at the top of the atmosphere in visible wavelengths, has been developed for the retrieval of aerosol properties by MODIS. It is shown that the spatial pattern of cloud reflectance, as observed from space, is very different from that of aerosols. Clouds show a high spatial variability in the scale of a hundred metres to a few kilometres, whereas aerosols in general are homogeneous. The concept of spatial variability of reflectances at the top of the atmosphere is mainly applicable over the ocean, where the surface background is sufficiently homogeneous for the separation between aerosols and clouds. Aerosol retrievals require a sufficiently accurate cloud identification to be able to mask these ground scenes. However, a conservative mask will exclude strong aerosol episodes and a less conservative mask could introduce cloud contamination that biases the retrieved aerosol optical properties (e.g. aerosol optical depth and effective radii). A detailed study on the effect of cloud contamination on aerosol retrievals has been performed and parameters are established determining the threshold value for the MODIS aerosol cloud mask (3×3-STD) over the ocean. The 3×3-STD algorithm discussed in this paper is the operational cloud mask used for MODIS aerosol retrievals over the ocean.A prolonged pollution haze event occurred in the northeast part of China during the period 16-21 December 2016. To assess the impact of such events, the amounts and distribution of aerosol particles, formed in such events, need to be quantified. The newly launched Ocean Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) onboard Sentinel-3 is the successor of the MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS). It provides measurements of the radiance and reflectance at the top of the atmosphere, which can be used to retrieve the aerosol optical thickness (AOT) from synoptic to global scales. In this study, the recently developed AOT retrieval algorithm eXtensible Bremen AErosol Retrieval (XBAER) has been applied to data from the OLCI instrument for the first time to illustrate the feasibility of applying XBAER to the data from this new instrument. The first global retrieval results show similar patterns of aerosol optical thickness, AOT, to those from MODIS and MISR aerosol products. The AOT retrieved from OLCI is validated by comparison with AERONET observations and a correlation coefficient of 0.819 and bias (root mean square) of 0.115 is obtained. The haze episode is well captured by the OLCI-derived AOT product. XBAER is shown to retrieve AOT well from the observations of MERIS and OLCI.

[Macula study in Stargardt's disease].

PubMed

Maia, Otacílio de Oliveira; Takahashi, Walter Yukihiko; Arantes, Tiago Eugênio Faria e; Barreto, Raquel Barbosa Paes; Andrade Neto, João Lins de

2008-01-01

To evaluate de macular structural damage in Stargardt's disease by optical coherence tomography, correlating with visual acuity and disease duration. Patients with Stargardt's disease were included and submitted to visual acuity (logMAR) measurement and complementary examinations performed were color fundus photographs, fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography. All cases were reexamined for diagnostic confirmation and the duration of symptoms was determined. The control group was composed of the same number of subjects, matched by sex and age, without any ophthalmologic alteration. The sample was composed of 22 patients (44 eyes) with Stargardt's disease, 11 (50%) males and 11 (50%) females. The duration of the disease varied from 3 to 21 years (mean of 11.4 +/- 5.3 years). The groups did not show significant differences in age (p= 0.98) and sex. Concerning the macular thickness in optical coherence tomography, the variation in the study group differed significantly from the control group, presenting smaller values of thickness (p<0.001). There was negative and significant correlation between the duration of disease and the macular thickness assessed by optical coherence tomography (r=-0.57 and p=0.005). There was positive correlation between the duration of the disease and the visual acuity (r=0.50 and p=0.0167) and negative correlation between the visual acuity and the macular thickness in optical coherence tomography (r=-0.83 and p=0.0001). It was evidenced that patients with Stargardt's disease have a thinner macular thickness when compared to normal subjects, and this reduction is related to the duration of symptoms of the disease. Additionally, the thickness and also the duration of the disease influence the visual prognosis of the patients.

Optical coherence tomography in papilledema and pseudopapilledema with and without optic nerve head drusen

PubMed Central

Bassi, Shikha Talwar; Mohana, Kuppuswamy Parthasarthy

2014-01-01

Aim: To compare the spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) findings of the optic disc and the peripapillary retina of patients with a true papilledema and pseudopapilledema with and without optic nerve head drusen (ONHD). Study Design: Retrospective Case Control Study. Subjects and Methods: Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (PPRNFL) thickness as depicted by SD-OCT of 94 eyes of 66 patients with papilledema (30 eyes), pseudopapiledema (31 eyes), and normal controls (33 eyes) was analyzed. The mean RNFL thickness, total retinal thickness (TRT) at a superior and inferior edge of the disc and the quadrant wise topography of increased RNFL were compared in all three groups. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AROC) were calculated for all the parameters. Results: The median RNFL thickness was 185.4 (129.5–349.3 μm), 122.3 (109–156.3 μm) and 91.62 ± 7 μm in papilledema, pseudopapilledema, and controls, respectively. Papilledema group had thicker PPRNFL in all quadrants except temporal quadrant. TRT was thicker in papilledema and pseudopapilledema compared to controls. ONHD could be directly visualized as high reflective clumps in the sub-retinal space or the RNFL in 30 eyes. Increased RNFL thickness in all four quadrants was noted 43.3% in papilledema and 9.7% in pseudopapilledema. Normal RNFL thickness in all four quadrants was noted in 0% in papilledema and 32.3% in pseudopapilledema. Nasal RNFL had the highest AROC (0.792) indicating high diagnostic ability to differentiate papilledema from pseudopapilledema. Conclusion: SD-OCT can be used as a tool to differentiate between papilledema and pseudopapilledema. PMID:25579359

[Retrieval of the Optical Thickness and Cloud Top Height of Cirrus Clouds Based on AIRS IR High Spectral Resolution Data].

PubMed

Cao, Ya-nan; Wei, He-li; Dai, Cong-ming; Zhang, Xue-hai

2015-05-01

A study was carried out to retrieve optical thickness and cloud top height of cirrus clouds from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) high spectral resolution data in 1070~1135 cm-1 IR band using a Combined Atmospheric Radiative Transfer model (CART) by brightness temperature difference between model simulation and AIRS observation. The research is based on AIRS LIB high spectral infrared observation data combined with Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) cloud product data. Brightness temperature spectra based, on the retrieved cirrus optical thickness and cloud top height were simulated and compared with brightness temperature spectra of AIRS observation in the 650~1150 cm-1 band. The cirrus optical thickness and cloud top height retrieved were compared with brightness temperature of AIRS for channel 760 (900.56 cm-1, 11. 1 µm) and cirrus reflectance of MODIS cloud product. And cloud top height retrieved was compared with cloud top height from MODIS. Results show that the brightness temperature spectra simulated were basically consistent with AIRS observation under the condition of retrieval in the 650~1150 cm-1 band. It means that CART can be used to simulate AIRS brightness temperature spectra. The retrieved cirrus parameters are consistent with brightness temperature of AIRS for channel 11. 1 µm with low brightness temperature corresponding to large cirrus optical thickness and high cloud top height. And the retrieved cirrus parameters are consistent with cirrus reflectance of MODIS cloud product with high cirrus reflectance corresponding to large cirrus optical thickness and high cloud top height. Correlation coefficient of brightness temperature between retrieved cloud top height and MODIS cloud top height was relatively high. They are mostly located in the range of 8. 5~11.5 km, and their probability distribution trend is approximately identical. CART model is feasible to retrieve cirrus properties, and the retrieval is reliable.

Multiple scattered radiation emerging from Rayleigh and continental haze layers. 1: Radiance, polarization, and neutral points.

PubMed

Kattawar, G W; Plass, G N; Hitzfelder, S J

1976-03-01

The complete radiation field including polarization is calculated by the matrix operator method for scattering layers of various optical thicknesses. Results obtained for Rayleigh scattering are compared with those for scattering from a continental haze. Radiances calculated using Stokes vectors show differences as large as 23% compared to the approximate scalar theory of radiative transfer, while the same differences are only of the order of 0.1% for a continental haze phase function. The polarization of the reflected and transmitted radiation is given for a wide range of optical thicknesses of the scattering layer, for various solar zenith angles, and various surface albedos. Two entirely different types of neutral points occur for aerosol phase functions. Rayleigh-like neutral points (RNP) arise from the zero polarization in single scattering that occurs for all phase functions at scattering angles of 0 degrees and 180 degrees . For Rayleigh phase functions, the position of the RNP varies appreciably with the optical thickness of the scattering layer. At low solar elevations there may be four RNP. For a continental haze phase function the position of the RNP in the reflected radiation shows only a small variation with the optical thickness, and the RNP exists in the transmitted radiation only for extremely small optical thicknesses. Another type of neutral point (NRNP) exists for aerosol phase functions. It is associated with the zeros of the single scattered polarization, which occur between the end points of the curve; these are called non-Rayleigh neutral points (NRNP). There may be from zero to four of these neutral points associated with each zero of the single scattering curve. They occur over a range of azimuthal angles, unlike the RNP that are in the principal plane only. The position of these neutral points is given as a function of solar angle and optical thickness.

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 the third part, we propose a robust protocol to study the entanglement generation in a hybrid structure consisting of two quantum dots in the proximity of a metallic nanoshell. The entanglement arises impulsively due to common coupling to the plasmonic nanostructure, without demanding postselective measurement or mediating the dissipative environment. The long-lived entangled states can be created deterministically by optimizing the shell thickness as well as the ratio of the distances between the quantum dots and the surface of the shell. The loss of the system is greatly reduced even when the quantum dots are ultraclose to the shell, which signifies a slow decay rate of the coherence information and longtime entanglement preservation.

Chiral photonic crystals with an anisotropic defect layer.

PubMed

Gevorgyan, A H; Harutyunyan, M Z

2007-09-01

In the present paper we consider some properties of defect modes in chiral photonic crystals with an anisotropic defect layer. We solved the problem by Ambartsumian's layer addition method. We investigated the influence of the defect layer thickness variation and its location in the chiral photonic crystal (CPC) and also its optical axes orientation, as well as of CPC thickness variation on defect mode properties. Variations of the optical thickness of the defect layer have its impact on the defect mode linewidth and the light accumulation in the defect. We obtain that CPCs lose their base property at certain defect layer thicknesses; namely, they lose their diffraction reflection dependence on light polarization. We also show that the circular polarization handedness changes from right-handed to left-handed if the defect layer location is changed, and therefore, such systems can be used to create sources of elliptically polarized light with tunable ellipticity. Some nonreciprocity properties of such systems are investigated, too. In particular, it is also shown that such a system can work as a practically ideal wide band optical diode for circularly polarized incident light provided the defect layer thickness is properly chosen, and it can work as a narrow band diode at small defect layer thicknesses.

Optimization of the design of thick, segmented scintillators for megavoltage cone-beam CT using a novel, hybrid modeling technique

PubMed Central

Liu, Langechuan; Antonuk, Larry E.; El-Mohri, Youcef; Zhao, Qihua; Jiang, Hao

2014-01-01

Purpose: Active matrix flat-panel imagers (AMFPIs) incorporating thick, segmented scintillators have demonstrated order-of-magnitude improvements in detective quantum efficiency (DQE) at radiotherapy energies compared to systems based on conventional phosphor screens. Such improved DQE values facilitate megavoltage cone-beam CT (MV CBCT) imaging at clinically practical doses. However, the MV CBCT performance of such AMFPIs is highly dependent on the design parameters of the scintillators. In this paper, optimization of the design of segmented scintillators was explored using a hybrid modeling technique which encompasses both radiation and optical effects. Methods: Imaging performance in terms of the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and spatial resolution of various hypothetical scintillator designs was examined through a hybrid technique involving Monte Carlo simulation of radiation transport in combination with simulation of optical gain distributions and optical point spread functions. The optical simulations employed optical parameters extracted from a best fit to measurement results reported in a previous investigation of a 1.13 cm thick, 1016 μm pitch prototype BGO segmented scintillator. All hypothetical designs employed BGO material with a thickness and element-to-element pitch ranging from 0.5 to 6 cm and from 0.508 to 1.524 mm, respectively. In the CNR study, for each design, full tomographic scans of a contrast phantom incorporating various soft-tissue inserts were simulated at a total dose of 4 cGy. Results: Theoretical values for contrast, noise, and CNR were found to be in close agreement with empirical results from the BGO prototype, strongly supporting the validity of the modeling technique. CNR and spatial resolution for the various scintillator designs demonstrate complex behavior as scintillator thickness and element pitch are varied—with a clear trade-off between these two imaging metrics up to a thickness of ∼3 cm. Based on these results, an optimization map indicating the regions of design that provide a balance between these metrics was obtained. The map shows that, for a given set of optical parameters, scintillator thickness and pixel pitch can be judiciously chosen to maximize performance without resorting to thicker, more costly scintillators. Conclusions: Modeling radiation and optical effects in thick, segmented scintillators through use of a hybrid technique can provide a practical way to gain insight as to how to optimize the performance of such devices in radiotherapy imaging. Assisted by such modeling, the development of practical designs should greatly facilitate low-dose, soft tissue visualization employing MV CBCT imaging in external beam radiotherapy. PMID:24877827

Polarization and Thickness Dependent Absorption Properties of Black Phosphorus: New Saturable Absorber for Ultrafast Pulse Generation

PubMed Central

Li, Diao; Jussila, Henri; Karvonen, Lasse; Ye, Guojun; Lipsanen, Harri; Chen, Xianhui; Sun, Zhipei

2015-01-01

Black phosphorus (BP) has recently been rediscovered as a new and interesting two-dimensional material due to its unique electronic and optical properties. Here, we study the linear and nonlinear optical properties of BP flakes. We observe that both the linear and nonlinear optical properties are anisotropic and can be tuned by the film thickness in BP, completely different from other typical two-dimensional layered materials (e.g., graphene and the most studied transition metal dichalcogenides). We then use the nonlinear optical properties of BP for ultrafast (pulse duration down to ~786 fs in mode-locking) and large-energy (pulse energy up to >18 nJ in Q-switching) pulse generation in fiber lasers at the near-infrared telecommunication band ~1.5 μm. We observe that the output of our BP based pulsed lasers is linearly polarized (with a degree-of-polarization ~98% in mode-locking, >99% in Q-switching, respectively) due to the anisotropic optical property of BP. Our results underscore the relatively large optical nonlinearity of BP with unique polarization and thickness dependence, and its potential for polarized optical pulse generation, paving the way to BP based nonlinear and ultrafast photonic applications (e.g., ultrafast all-optical polarization switches/modulators, frequency converters etc.). PMID:26514090

African Descent and Glaucoma Evaluation Study (ADAGES)

PubMed Central

Girkin, Christopher A.; Sample, Pamela A.; Liebmann, Jeffrey M.; Jain, Sonia; Bowd, Christopher; Becerra, Lida M.; Medeiros, Felipe A.; Racette, Lyne; Dirkes, Keri A.; Weinreb, Robert N.; Zangwill, Linda M.

2010-01-01

Objective To define differences in optic disc, retinal nerve fiber layer, and macular structure between healthy participants of African (AD) and European descent (ED) using quantitative imaging techniques in the African Descent and Glaucoma Evaluation Study (ADAGES). Methods Reliable images were obtained using stereoscopic photography, confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (Heidelberg retina tomography [HRT]), and optical coherence tomography (OCT) for 648 healthy subjects in ADAGES. Findings were compared and adjusted for age, optic disc area, and reference plane height where appropriate. Results The AD participants had significantly greater optic disc area on HRT (2.06 mm2; P<.001) and OCT (2.47 mm2; P<.001) and a deeper HRT cup depth than the ED group (P<.001). Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was greater in the AD group except within the temporal region, where it was significantly thinner. Central macular thickness and volume were less in the AD group. Conclusions Most of the variations in optic nerve morphologic characteristics between the AD and ED groups are due to differences in disc area. However, differences remain in HRT cup depth, OCT macular thickness and volume, and OCT retinal nerve fiber layer thickness independent of these variables. These differences should be considered in the determination of disease status. PMID:20457974

The Use of Remote Sensing to Resolve the Aerosol Radiative Forcing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, Y. J.; Tanre, D.; Remer, Lorraine

1999-01-01

Satellites are used for remote sensing of aerosol optical thickness and optical properties in order to derive the aerosol direct and indirect radiative forcing of climate. Accuracy of the derived aerosol optical thickness is used as a measure of the accuracy in deriving the aerosol radiative forcing. Several questions can be asked to challenge this concept. Is the accuracy of the satellite-derived aerosol direct forcing limited to the accuracy of the measured optical thickness? What are the spectral bands needed to derive the total aerosol forcing? Does most of the direct or indirect aerosol forcing of climate originate from regions with aerosol concentrations that are high enough to be detected from space? What should be the synergism ground-based and space-borne remote sensing to solve the problem? We shall try to answer some of these questions, using AVIRIS airborne measurements and simulations.

Sub-natural width resonances in Cs vapor confined in micrometric thickness optical cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartaleva, S.; Krasteva, A.; Sargsyan, A.; Sarkisyan, D.; Slavov, D.; Vartanyan, T.

2013-03-01

We present here the behavior of Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT), Velocity Selective Optical Pumping (VSOP) resonances and Velocity Selective Excitation (VSE) resonances observed in Cs vapor confined in а micrometric optical cell (MC) with thickness L = 6λ, λ = 852nm. For comparison of behavior of VSE resonance another conventional optical cell with thickness L=2.5 cm is used. Cells are irradiated in orthogonal to their windows directions by probe beam scanned on the Fg = 4 → Fe= 3, 4, 5 set of transitions and pump beam fixed at the Fg = 3 → Fe = 4 transition, on the D2 line of Cs. The enhanced absorption (fluorescence) narrow VSOP resonance at the closed transition transforms into reduced absorption (fluorescence) one with small increase of atomic concentration or light intensity. A striking difference appears between the VSE resonance broadening in L = 6λ and conventional L = 2.5cm cells.

Asymmetric Spherical Coupled Escape Probability: Model and Results for Optically Thick Cometary Comae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gersch, Alan; A'Hearn, M. F.

2012-05-01

We have adapted the Coupled Escape Probability method of radiative transfer calculations for use in asymmetrical spherical situations and applied it to modeling molecular emission spectra of potentially optically thick cometary comae. Recent space missions (e.g. Deep Impact & EPOXI) have provided spectra from comets of unprecedented spatial resolution of the regions of the coma near the nucleus, where the coma may be optically thick. Currently active missions (e.g. Rosetta) and hopefully more in the future will continue the trend and demonstrate the need for better modeling of comae with optical depth effects included. Here we present a brief description of our model and results of interest for cometary studies, especially for space based observations. Although primarily motivated by the need for comet modeling, our (asymmetric spherical) radiative transfer model could be used for studying other astrophysical phenomena as well.

The relative importance of aerosol scattering and absorption in remote sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fraser, R. S.; Kaufman, Y. J.

1983-01-01

The relative importance of aerosol optical thickness and absorption is illustrated through computing radiances for radiative transfer models. The radiance of sunlight reflected from models of the earth-atmosphere system is computed as a function of the aerosol optical thickness and its albedo of single scattering; it is noted that the albedo varies from 0.6 in urban environment to nearly 1 in areas with low graphitic carbon content. The calculations are applied to the example of satellite measurements of biomass. It is found that when surface classifications are made by means of clustering techniques the presence of gradients in the aerosol optical properties results in the dispersion of points in the plot correlating radiances viewed in two different directions. Finally, though such a remote sensing parameter as contrast is weakly affected by aerosol absorption, it is highly dependent on its optical thickness.

Evaluation of Retinal and Choroidal Thickness by Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography: Repeatability and Assessment of Artifacts

PubMed Central

Mansouri, Kaweh; Medeiros, Felipe A.; Tatham, Andrew J.; Marchase, Nicholas; Weinreb, Robert N.

2017-01-01

PURPOSE To determine the repeatability of automated retinal and choroidal thickness measurements with swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS OCT) and the frequency and type of scan artifacts. DESIGN Prospective evaluation of new diagnostic technology. METHODS Thirty healthy subjects were recruited prospectively and underwent imaging with a prototype SS OCT instrument. Undilated scans of 54 eyes of 27 subjects (mean age, 35.1 ± 9.3 years) were obtained. Each subject had 4 SS OCT protocols repeated 3 times: 3-dimensional (3D) 6 × 6-mm raster scan of the optic disc and macula, radial, and line scan. Automated measurements were obtained through segmentation software. Interscan repeatability was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). RESULTS ICCs for choroidal measurements were 0.92, 0.98, 0.80, and 0.91, respectively, for 3D macula, 3D optic disc, radial, and line scans. ICCs for retinal measurements were 0.39, 0.49, 0.71, and 0.69, respectively. Artifacts were present in up to 9% scans. Signal loss because of blinking was the most common artifact on 3D scans (optic disc scan, 7%; macula scan, 9%), whereas segmentation failure occurred in 4% of radial and 3% of line scans. When scans with image artifacts were excluded, ICCs for choroidal thickness increased to 0.95, 0.99, 0.87, and 0.93 for 3D macula, 3D optic disc, radial, and line scans, respectively. ICCs for retinal thickness increased to 0.88, 0.83, 0.89, and 0.76, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Improved repeatability of automated choroidal and retinal thickness measurements was found with the SS OCT after correction of scan artifacts. Recognition of scan artifacts is important for correct interpretation of SS OCT measurements. PMID:24531020

Quantifying bone thickness, light transmission, and contrast interrelationships in transcranial photoacoustic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lediju Bell, Muyinatu A.; Ostrowski, Anastasia K.; Li, Ke; Kaanzides, Peter; Boctor, Emad

2015-03-01

We previously introduced photoacoustic imaging to detect blood vessels surrounded by bone and thereby eliminate the deadly risk of carotid artery injury during endonasal, transsphenoidal surgeries. Light would be transmitted through an optical fiber attached to the surgical drill, while a transcranial probe placed on the temporal region of the skull receives photoacoustic signals. This work quantifies changes in photoacoustic image contrast as the sphenoid bone is drilled. Frontal bone from a human adult cadaver skull was cut into seven 3 cm x 3 cm chips and sanded to thicknesses ranging 1-4 mm. For 700-940 nm wavelengths, the average optical transmission through these specimens increased from 19% to 44% as bone thickness decreased, with measurements agreeing with Monte Carlo simulations within 5%. These skull specimens were individually placed in the optical pathway of a 3.5 mm diameter, cylindrical, vessel-mimicking photoacoustic target, as the laser wavelength was varied between 700-940 nm. The mean optical insertion loss and photoacoustic image contrast loss due to the bone specimens were 56-80% and 46-79%, respectively, with the majority of change observed when the bone was <=2 mm thick. The decrease in contrast is directly proportional to insertion loss over this thickness range by factors of 0.8-1.1 when multiple wavelengths are considered. Results suggest that this proportional relationship may be used to determine the amount of bone that remains to be drilled when the thickness is 2 mm or less.

Retrieval of spectral aerosol optical thickness over land using ocean color sensors MERIS and SeaWiFS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Hoyningen-Huene, W.; Yoon, J.; Vountas, M.; Istomina, L. G.; Rohen, G.; Dinter, T.; Kokhanovsky, A. A.; Burrows, J. P.

2011-02-01

For the determination of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) Bremen AErosol Retrieval (BAER) has been developed. Method and main features on the aerosol retrieval are described together with validation and results. The retrieval separates the spectral aerosol reflectance from surface and Rayleigh path reflectance for the shortwave range of the measured spectrum of top-of-atmosphere reflectance for wavelength less than 0.670 μm. The advantage of MERIS (Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer on the Environmental Satellite - ENVISAT - of the European Space Agency - ESA) and SeaWiFS (Sea viewing Wide Field Sensor on OrbView-2 spacecraft) observations is the availability of several spectral channels in the blue and visible range enabling the spectral determination of AOT in 7 (or 6) channels (0.412-0.670 μm) and additionally channels in the NIR, which can be used to characterize the surface properties. A dynamical spectral surface reflectance model for different surface types is used to obtain the spectral surface reflectance for this separation. The normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI), taken from the satellite observations, is the model input. Further surface bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) is considered by the Raman-Pinty-Verstraete (RPV) model. Spectral AOT is obtained from aerosol reflectance using look-up-tables, obtained from radiative transfer calculations with given aerosol phase functions and single scattering albedos either from aerosol models, given by model package "optical properties of aerosol components" (OPAC) or from experimental campaigns. Validations of the obtained AOT retrieval results with data of Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) over Europe gave a preference for experimental phase functions derived from almucantar measurements. Finally long-term observations of SeaWiFS have been investigated for 11 year trends in AOT. Western European regions have negative trends with decreasing AOT with time. For the investigated Asian region increasing AOT have been found.

Photonuclear activation of pure isotopic mediums.

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

Grohman, Mark A.; Lukosi, Eric Daniel

2010-06-01

This work simulated the response of idealized isotopic U-235, U-238, Th-232, and Pu-239 mediums to photonuclear activation with various photon energies. These simulations were conducted using MCNPX version 2.6.0. It was found that photon energies between 14-16 MeV produce the highest response with respect to neutron production rates from all photonuclear reactions. In all cases, Pu-239 responds the highest, followed by U-238. Th-232 produces more overall neutrons at lower photon energies then U-235 when material thickness is above 3.943 centimeters. The time it takes each isotopic material to reach stable neutron production rates in time is directly proportional to themore » material thickness and stopping power of the medium, where thicker mediums take longer to reach stable neutron production rates and thinner media display a neutron production plateau effect, due to the lack of significant attenuation of the activating photons in the isotopic mediums. At this time, no neutron sensor system has time resolutions capable of verifying these simulations, but various indirect methods are possible and should be explored for verification of these results.« less

Achromatic phase-matching second harmonic generation for a tunable laser

DOEpatents

Jacobson, A.G.; Bisson, S.; Trebino, R.

1998-01-20

An optical system uses a nonlinear optical medium to alter the frequency of a relatively narrow band light source tunable over a plurality of different frequencies using an optical system for passively directing light to the nonlinear medium at a correct phase matching angle. In this manner, the light from the tunable light source can be efficiently frequency-doubled or frequency-tripled without the need of moving parts. An all prism design provides a system of optimal efficiency. 6 figs.

Achromatic phase-matching second harmonic generation for a tunable laser

DOEpatents

Jacobson, Alexander Gerson; Bisson, Scott; Trebino, Rick

1998-01-01

An optical system uses a nonlinear optical medium to alter the frequency of a relatively narrow band light source tunable over a plurality of different frequencies using an optical system for passively directing light to the nonlinear medium at a correct phase matching angle. In this manner, the light from the tunable light source can be efficiently frequency-doubled or frequency-tripled without the need of moving parts. An all prism design provides a system of optimal efficiency.

Effect of temperature on the shape of spatial quasi-periodic oscillations of the refractive index of alkali atoms in an optically dense medium with a closed excitation contour of Δ type

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

Barantsev, K A; Litvinov, A N

2014-10-31

A theory of a closed excitation contour (Δ system) of a three-level atom in an optically dense medium is constructed with allowance for temperature. The spatial quasi-periodic oscillations of the refractive index in the system under study are shown to damp with increasing temperature. The range of temperatures at which these oscillations are most pronounced is found. (quantum optics)

Electrical, optical and structural properties of transparent conducting Al doped ZnO (AZO) deposited by sol-gel spin coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tonny, Kaniz Naila; Rafique, Rosaleena; Sharmin, Afrina; Bashar, Muhammad Shahriar; Mahmood, Zahid Hasan

2018-06-01

Al doped ZnO (AZO) films are fabricated by using sol-gel spin coating method and changes in electrical, optical and structural properties due to variation in film thickness is studied. AZO films provide c-axis orientation along the (002) plane and peak sharpness increased with film thickness is evident from XRD analysis. Conductivity (σ) of AZO films has increased from 2.34 (Siemens/cm) to 20156.27 (Siemens/cm) whereas sheet resistance (Rsh) decreases from 606300 (ohms/sq.) to 2.08 (ohm/sq.) with increase of film thickness from 296 nm to 1030 nm. Optical transmittance (T%) of AZO films is decreased from around 82% to 62% in the visible region. And grain size (D) of AZO thin films has been found to increase from 19.59 nm to 25.25 nm with increase of film thickness. Figure of Merit is also calculated for prepared sample of AZO. Among these four sample of AZO thin films, L-15 sample (having thickness in 895 nm) has provided highest figure of merit which is 5.49*10^-4 (Ω-1).

Relationship Between Visual Acuity and Retinal Thickness During Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy for Retinal Diseases.

PubMed

Ou, William C; Brown, David M; Payne, John F; Wykoff, Charles C

2017-08-01

To investigate the relationship between best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) in eyes receiving ranibizumab for 3 common retinal diseases. Retrospective analysis of clinical trial data. Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study BCVA and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography-measured CRT of 387 eyes of 345 patients enrolled in 6 prospective clinical trials for management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), and retinal vein occlusion (RVO) were evaluated by Pearson correlation and linear regression. At baseline, there was a small correlation between BCVA and CRT in pooled AMD trial data (r = -0.24). A medium correlation was identified in pooled DME trial data (r = -0.42). No correlation was found in pooled RVO trial data. At month 12, no correlation was found between changes from baseline in BCVA and CRT in pooled AMD trial data. Medium correlations were identified in both pooled DME (r = -0.45) and pooled RVO (r = -0.35) trial data at month 12. Changes in BCVA and CRT associated with edema recurrence upon transition from monthly to pro re nata (PRN) dosing were correlated in AMD (r = -0.27) and RVO (r = -0.72) trials, but not in DME trial data. DME demonstrated a convincing relationship between BCVA and CRT. Correlations appear to be more complex in AMD and RVO. At the inflection point between monthly and PRN dosing, when recurrence of edema is anticipated in many patients, CRT appears strongly correlated with loss of BCVA in RVO. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Metal-coated magnetic nanoparticles in an optically active medium: A nonreciprocal metamaterial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christofi, Aristi; Stefanou, Nikolaos

2018-03-01

We report on the optical response of a nonreciprocal bianisotropic metamaterial, consisting of spherical, metal-coated magnetic nanoparticles embedded in an optically active medium, thus combining gyrotropy, plasmonic resonances, and chirality in a versatile design. The corresponding effective medium is deduced by an appropriate two-step generalized Maxwell-Garnett homogenization scheme. The associated photonic band structure and transmission spectra are obtained through a six-vector formulation of Maxwell equations, which provides an efficient framework for general bianisotropic structures going beyond existing approaches that involve cumbersome nonlinear eigenvalue problems. Our results, analyzed and discussed in the light of group theory, provide evidence that the proposed metamaterial exhibits some remarkable frequency-tunable properties, such as strong, plasmon-enhanced nonreciprocal polarization azimuth rotation and magnetochiral dichroism.

Controlling the wave propagation through the medium designed by linear coordinate transformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yicheng; He, Chengdong; Wang, Yuzhuo; Liu, Xuan; Zhou, Jing

2015-01-01

Based on the principle of transformation optics, we propose to control the wave propagating direction through the homogenous anisotropic medium designed by linear coordinate transformation. The material parameters of the medium are derived from the linear coordinate transformation applied. Keeping the space area unchanged during the linear transformation, the polarization-dependent wave control through a non-magnetic homogeneous medium can be realized. Beam benders, polarization splitter, and object illusion devices are designed, which have application prospects in micro-optics and nano-optics. The simulation results demonstrate the feasibilities and the flexibilities of the method and the properties of these devices. Design details and full-wave simulation results are provided. The work in this paper comprehensively applies the fundamental theories of electromagnetism and mathematics. The method of obtaining a new solution of the Maxwell equations in a medium from a vacuum plane wave solution and a linear coordinate transformation is introduced. These have a pedagogical value and are methodologically and motivationally appropriate for physics students and teachers at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Optical and morphological properties of Cirrus clouds determined by the high spectral resolution lidar during FIRE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grund, Christian John; Eloranta, Edwin W.

1990-01-01

Cirrus clouds reflect incoming solar radiation and trap outgoing terrestrial radiation; therefore, accurate estimation of the global energy balance depends upon knowledge of the optical and physical properties of these clouds. Scattering and absorption by cirrus clouds affect measurements made by many satellite-borne and ground based remote sensors. Scattering of ambient light by the cloud, and thermal emissions from the cloud can increase measurement background noise. Multiple scattering processes can adversely affect the divergence of optical beams propagating through these clouds. Determination of the optical thickness and the vertical and horizontal extent of cirrus clouds is necessary to the evaluation of all of these effects. Lidar can be an effective tool for investigating these properties. During the FIRE cirrus IFO in Oct. to Nov. 1986, the High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) was operated from a rooftop site on the campus of the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Wisconsin. Approximately 124 hours of fall season data were acquired under a variety of cloud optical thickness conditions. Since the IFO, the HSRL data set was expanded by more than 63.5 hours of additional data acquired during all seasons. Measurements are presented for the range in optical thickness and backscattering phase function of the cirrus clouds, as well as contour maps of extinction corrected backscatter cross sections indicating cloud morphology. Color enhanced images of range-time indicator (RTI) displays a variety of cirrus clouds with approximately 30 sec time resolution are presented. The importance of extinction correction on the interpretation of cloud height and structure from lidar observations of optically thick cirrus are demonstrated.

X-ray diffraction and Raman investigations of thickness dependent stress effects on Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lappalainen, Jyrki; Lantto, Vilho; Frantti, Johannes; Hiltunen, Jussi

2006-06-01

Microstructure, film orientation, and optical transmission spectra of polycrystalline Nd-modified Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3 films were studied as a function of film thickness. Pulsed laser deposition was used for the fabrication of films with thickness from 80to465nm on single-crystal MgO(100) substrates. Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and spectrophotometry measurements were utilized in the film characterization. With the decreasing film thickness, films first oriented with c axis perpendicular to film surface, and then, after some critical thickness, changed to a-axis orientation. At the same time, compressive stress increased up to 1.3GPa and a clear blueshift of the optical absorption edge was found in transmission spectra.

Radiation of a resonant medium excited by few-cycle optical pulses at superluminal velocity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arkhipov, R. M.; Pakhomov, A. V.; Arkhipov, M. V.; Babushkin, I.; Tolmachev, Yu A.; Rosanov, N. N.

2017-05-01

Recent progress in generation of optical pulses of durations comparable to one optical cycle has presented great opportunities for studies of the fundamental processes in matter as well as time-resolved spectroscopy of ultrafast processes in nonlinear media. It opened up a new area of research in modern ultrafast nonlinear optics and led to appearance of the attosecond science. In parallel, a new research area related to emission from resonant media excited by superluminally propagating ultrashort bursts of electromagnetic radiation has been actively developed over the last few years. In this paper, we review our recent results on theoretical analysis of the Cherenkov-type radiation of a resonant medium excited by few-cycle optical pulses propagating at superluminal velocity. This situation can be realized when an electromagnetic pulse with a plane wavefront incidents on a straight string of resonant atoms or a spot of light rotates at very large angular frequency and excites a distant circular string of resonant dipoles. Theoretical analysis revealed some unusual and remarkable features of the Cherenkov radiation generated in this case. This radiation arises in a transient regime which leads to the occurrence of new frequencies in the radiation spectrum. Analysis of the characteristics of this radiation can be used for the study of the resonant structure properties. In addition, a nonlinear resonant medium excited at superluminal velocity can emit unipolar optical pulses, which can be important in ultrafast control of wave-packet dynamics of matter. Specifics of the few-cycle pulse-driven optical response of a resonant medium composed of linear and nonlinear oscillators is discussed.

Effect of silver thickness on structural, optical and morphological properties of nanocrystalline Ag/NiO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jalili, S.; Hajakbari, F.; Hojabri, A.

2018-03-01

Silver (Ag) nanolayers were deposited on nickel oxide (NiO) thin films by DC magnetron sputtering. The thickness of Ag layers was in range of 20-80 nm by variation of deposition time between 10 and 40 s. X-ray diffraction results showed that the crystalline properties of the Ag/NiO films improved by increasing the Ag film thickness. Also, atomic force microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy images demonstrated that the surface morphology of the films was highly affected by film thickness. The film thickness and the size of particles change by elevating the Ag deposition times. The composition of films was determined by Rutherford back scattering spectroscopy. The transmission of light was gradually reduced by augmentation of Ag films thickness. Furthermore; the optical band gap of the films was also calculated from the transmittance spectra.

Early detection of macular and peripapillary changes with spectralis optical coherence tomography in patients with prediabetes.

PubMed

Şahin, Muhammed; Şahin, Alparslan; Kılınç, Faruk; Karaalp, Ümit; Yüksel, Harun; Özkurt, Zeynep Gürsel; Türkcü, Fatih Mehmet; Çaça, İhsan

2018-02-01

To compare the retina ganglion cell complex (GCC) layer and peripapillary nerve fibre layer thickness (pRNFL) in patients with prediabetes and healthy subjects analysed by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). This cross-sectional and comparative study included prediabetic patients and healthy subjects. All participants underwent SD-OCT measurement of pRNFL thickness, and GCC thickness. A total of 30 eyes of the 30 patients with prediabetes and 30 eyes of 30 controls were included. The overall calculated pRNFL thicknesses were similar between the prediabetic and control subjects. The GCC thickness was significantly lower in all quadrants of the inner macula, and outer nasal quadrant in the prediabetes group when compared to the control group. Our study demonstrated that inner macular GCC thickness was significantly thinner in prediabetic subjects. As a result neurodegeneration may play role in the thinning of GCC.

Thick lens chromatic effective focal length variation versus bending

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sparrold, Scott

2017-11-01

Longitudinal chromatic aberration (LCA) can limit the optical performance in refractive optical systems. Understanding a singlet's chromatic change of effective focal leads to insights and methods to control LCA. Long established, first order theory, shows the chromatic change in focal length for a zero thickness lens is proportional to it's focal length divided by the lens V number or inverse dispersion. This work presents the derivation of an equation for a thick singlet's chromatic change in effective focal length as a function of center thickness, t, dispersion, V, index of refraction, n, and the Coddington shape factor, K. A plot of bending versus chromatic focal length variation is presented. Lens thickness does not influence chromatic variation of effective focal length for a convex plano or plano convex lens. A lens's center thickness'influence on chromatic focal length variation is more pronounced for lower indices of refraction.

Comparison of spatially and temporally resolved diffuse transillumination measurement systems for extraction of optical properties of scattering media.

PubMed

Ortiz-Rascón, E; Bruce, N C; Garduño-Mejía, J; Carrillo-Torres, R; Hernández-Paredes, J; Álvarez-Ramos, M E

2017-11-20

This paper discusses the main differences between two different methods for determining the optical properties of tissue optical phantoms by fitting the spatial and temporal intensity distribution functions to the diffusion approximation theory. The consistency in the values of the optical properties is verified by changing the width of the recipient containing the turbid medium; as the optical properties are an intrinsic value of the scattering medium, independently of the recipient width, the stability in these values for different widths implies a better measurement system for the acquisition of the optical properties. It is shown that the temporal fitting method presents higher stability than the spatial fitting method; this is probably due to the addition of the time of flight parameter into the diffusion theory.

Benzothiazolium Single Crystals: A New Class of Nonlinear Optical Crystals with Efficient THz Wave Generation.

PubMed

Lee, Seung-Heon; Lu, Jian; Lee, Seung-Jun; Han, Jae-Hyun; Jeong, Chan-Uk; Lee, Seung-Chul; Li, Xian; Jazbinšek, Mojca; Yoon, Woojin; Yun, Hoseop; Kang, Bong Joo; Rotermund, Fabian; Nelson, Keith A; Kwon, O-Pil

2017-08-01

Highly efficient nonlinear optical organic crystals are very attractive for various photonic applications including terahertz (THz) wave generation. Up to now, only two classes of ionic crystals based on either pyridinium or quinolinium with extremely large macroscopic optical nonlinearity have been developed. This study reports on a new class of organic nonlinear optical crystals introducing electron-accepting benzothiazolium, which exhibit higher electron-withdrawing strength than pyridinium and quinolinium in benchmark crystals. The benzothiazolium crystals consisting of new acentric core HMB (2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxystyryl)-3-methylbenzo[d]thiazol-3-ium) exhibit extremely large macroscopic optical nonlinearity with optimal molecular ordering for maximizing the diagonal second-order nonlinearity. HMB-based single crystals prepared by simple cleaving method satisfy all required crystal characteristics for intense THz wave generation such as large crystal size with parallel surfaces, moderate thickness and high optical quality with large optical transparency range (580-1620 nm). Optical rectification of 35 fs pulses at the technologically very important wavelength of 800 nm in 0.26 mm thick HMB crystal leads to one order of magnitude higher THz wave generation efficiency with remarkably broader bandwidth compared to standard inorganic 0.5 mm thick ZnTe crystal. Therefore, newly developed HMB crystals introducing benzothiazolium with extremely large macroscopic optical nonlinearity are very promising materials for intense broadband THz wave generation and other nonlinear optical applications. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Optical properties of epitaxial BiFeO3 thin film grown on SrRuO3-buffered SrTiO3 substrate.

PubMed

Xu, Ji-Ping; Zhang, Rong-Jun; Chen, Zhi-Hui; Wang, Zi-Yi; Zhang, Fan; Yu, Xiang; Jiang, An-Quan; Zheng, Yu-Xiang; Wang, Song-You; Chen, Liang-Yao

2014-01-01

The BiFeO3 (BFO) thin film was deposited by pulsed-laser deposition on SrRuO3 (SRO)-buffered (111) SrTiO3 (STO) substrate. X-ray diffraction pattern reveals a well-grown epitaxial BFO thin film. Atomic force microscopy study indicates that the BFO film is rather dense with a smooth surface. The ellipsometric spectra of the STO substrate, the SRO buffer layer, and the BFO thin film were measured, respectively, in the photon energy range 1.55 to 5.40 eV. Following the dielectric functions of STO and SRO, the ones of BFO described by the Lorentz model are received by fitting the spectra data to a five-medium optical model consisting of a semi-infinite STO substrate/SRO layer/BFO film/surface roughness/air ambient structure. The thickness and the optical constants of the BFO film are obtained. Then a direct bandgap is calculated at 2.68 eV, which is believed to be influenced by near-bandgap transitions. Compared to BFO films on other substrates, the dependence of the bandgap for the BFO thin film on in-plane compressive strain from epitaxial structure is received. Moreover, the bandgap and the transition revealed by the Lorentz model also provide a ground for the assessment of the bandgap for BFO single crystals.

Information content in spectral dependencies of optical unit volume parameters under action of He-Ne laser on blood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khairullina, Alphiya Y.; Oleinik, Tatiana V.

1995-01-01

Our previous works concerned with the development of methods for studying blood and action of low-intensity laser radiation on blood and erythrocyte suspensions had shown the light- scattering methods gave a large body of information on a medium studied due to the methodological relationship between irradiation processes and techniques for investigations. Detail analysis of spectral diffuse reflectivities and transmissivities of optically thick blood layers, spectral absorptivities calculated on this basis over 600 - 900 nm, by using different approximations, for a pathological state owing to hypoxia testifies to the optical significance of not only hemoglobin derivatives but also products of hemoglobin decomposition. Laser action on blood is specific and related to an initial state of blood absorption due to different composition of chromoproteids. This work gives the interpretation of spectral observations. Analysis of spectral dependencies of the exinction coefficient e, mean cosine m of phase function, and parameter Q equals (epsilon) (1-(mu) )H/(lambda) (H - hematocrit) testifies to decreasing the relative index of refraction of erythrocytes and to morphological changes during laser action under pathology owing to hypoxia. The possibility to obtain physical and chemical information on the state of blood under laser action in vivo is shown to be based on the method proposed by us for calculating multilayered structures modeling human organs and on the technical implementation of this method.

Analytical optical scattering in clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phanord, Dieudonne D.

1989-01-01

An analytical optical model for scattering of light due to lightning by clouds of different geometry is being developed. The self-consistent approach and the equivalent medium concept of Twersky was used to treat the case corresponding to outside illumination. Thus, the resulting multiple scattering problem is transformed with the knowledge of the bulk parameters, into scattering by a single obstacle in isolation. Based on the size parameter of a typical water droplet as compared to the incident wave length, the problem for the single scatterer equivalent to the distribution of cloud particles can be solved either by Mie or Rayleigh scattering theory. The super computing code of Wiscombe can be used immediately to produce results that can be compared to the Monte Carlo computer simulation for outside incidence. A fairly reasonable inverse approach using the solution of the outside illumination case was proposed to model analytically the situation for point sources located inside the thick optical cloud. Its mathematical details are still being investigated. When finished, it will provide scientists an enhanced capability to study more realistic clouds. For testing purposes, the direct approach to the inside illumination of clouds by lightning is under consideration. Presently, an analytical solution for the cubic cloud will soon be obtained. For cylindrical or spherical clouds, preliminary results are needed for scattering by bounded obstacles above or below a penetrable surface interface.

Dependence of image quality on image operator and noise for optical diffusion tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Jenghwa; Graber, Harry L.; Barbour, Randall L.

1998-04-01

By applying linear perturbation theory to the radiation transport equation, the inverse problem of optical diffusion tomography can be reduced to a set of linear equations, W(mu) equals R, where W is the weight function, (mu) are the cross- section perturbations to be imaged, and R is the detector readings perturbations. We have studied the dependence of image quality on added systematic error and/or random noise in W and R. Tomographic data were collected from cylindrical phantoms, with and without added inclusions, using Monte Carlo methods. Image reconstruction was accomplished using a constrained conjugate gradient descent method. Result show that accurate images containing few artifacts are obtained when W is derived from a reference states whose optical thickness matches that of the unknown teste medium. Comparable image quality was also obtained for unmatched W, but the location of the target becomes more inaccurate as the mismatch increases. Results of the noise study show that image quality is much more sensitive to noise in W than in R, and the impact of noise increase with the number of iterations. Images reconstructed after pure noise was substituted for R consistently contain large peaks clustered about the cylinder axis, which was an initially unexpected structure. In other words, random input produces a non- random output. This finding suggests that algorithms sensitive to the evolution of this feature could be developed to suppress noise effects.

Investigation of percolation thickness of sputter coated thin NiCr films on clear float glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erkan, Selen; Arpat, Erdem; Peters, Sven

2017-11-01

Percolation thickness of reactively sputtered nickel chromium (NiCr) thin films is reported in this study. Nickel-chromium films with the thicknesses in between 1 and 10 nm were deposited on 4 mm clear glass substrate by dc magnetron sputtering. Optical properties such as refractive index, extinction coefficient and also sheet resistance, carrier concentration and mobility of NiCr films were determined by a combination of variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry and four point probe measurements. We show both the percolation phenomena in atmosphere and critical percolation thickness for thin NiCr films by both electrical and optical techniques. The two techniques gave consistent results with each other.

Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness and Characteristics Associated with Glaucoma in Community Living Older Adults: Prelude to a Screening Trial?

PubMed

Klein, Barbara E K; Johnson, Chris A; Meuer, Stacy M; Lee, Kyungmoo; Wahle, Andreas; Lee, Kristine E; Kulkarni, Amruta; Sonka, Milan; Abràmoff, Michael D; Klein, Ronald

2017-04-01

To examine the associations of nerve fiber layer (NFL) thickness with other ocular characteristics in older adults. Participants in the Beaver Dam Eye Study (2008-2010) underwent spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) scans of the optic nerve head, imaging of optic discs, frequency doubling technology (FDT) perimetry, measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP), and an interview concerning their history of glaucoma and use of drops to lower eye pressure. Self-reported histories of glaucoma and the use of drops to lower eye pressure were obtained at follow-up examinations (2014-2016). NFL thickness measured on OCTs varied by location around the optic nerve. Age was associated with mean NFL thickness. Mean NFL was thinnest in eyes with larger cup/disc (C/D) ratios. Horizontal hemifield defects or other optic nerve-field defects were associated with thinner NFL. NFL in persons who reported taking eye drops for high intraocular pressure was thinner compared to those not taking drops. After accounting for the presence of high intraocular pressure, large C/D ratios or hemifield defects, eyes with thinner NFL in the arcades were more likely (OR = 2.3 for 30 micron thinner NFL, p = 0.04) to have incident glaucoma at examination 5 years later. Retinal NFL thickness was associated with a new history of self-reported glaucoma 5 years later. A trial testing the usefulness of NFL as part of a screening battery for predicting glaucoma in those previously undiagnosed might lead to improved case finding and, ultimately, to diminishing the risk of visual field loss.

Optical gradients in a-Si:H thin films detected using real-time spectroscopic ellipsometry with virtual interface analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Junda, Maxwell M.; Karki Gautam, Laxmi; Collins, Robert W.; Podraza, Nikolas J.

2018-04-01

Virtual interface analysis (VIA) is applied to real time spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements taken during the growth of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin films using various hydrogen dilutions of precursor gases and on different substrates during plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. A procedure is developed for optimizing VIA model configurations by adjusting sampling depth into the film and the analyzed spectral range such that model fits with the lowest possible error function are achieved. The optimal VIA configurations are found to be different depending on hydrogen dilution, substrate composition, and instantaneous film thickness. A depth profile in the optical properties of the films is then extracted that results from a variation in an optical absorption broadening parameter in a parametric a-Si:H model as a function of film thickness during deposition. Previously identified relationships are used linking this broadening parameter to the overall shape of the optical properties. This parameter is observed to converge after about 2000-3000 Å of accumulated thickness in all layers, implying that similar order in the a-Si:H network can be reached after sufficient thicknesses. In the early stages of growth, however, significant variations in broadening resulting from substrate- and processing-induced order are detected and tracked as a function of bulk layer thickness yielding an optical property depth profile in the final film. The best results are achieved with the simplest film-on-substrate structures while limitations are identified in cases where films have been deposited on more complex substrate structures.

Changes in the selection differential exerted on a marine snail during the ontogeny of a predatory shore crab.

PubMed

Pakes, D; Boulding, E G

2010-08-01

Empirical estimates of selection gradients caused by predators are common, yet no one has quantified how these estimates vary with predator ontogeny. We used logistic regression to investigate how selection on gastropod shell thickness changed with predator size. Only small and medium purple shore crabs (Hemigrapsus nudus) exerted a linear selection gradient for increased shell-thickness within a single population of the intertidal snail (Littorina subrotundata). The shape of the fitness function for shell thickness was confirmed to be linear for small and medium crabs but was humped for large male crabs, suggesting no directional selection. A second experiment using two prey species to amplify shell thickness differences established that the selection differential on adult snails decreased linearly as crab size increased. We observed differences in size distribution and sex ratios among three natural shore crab populations that may cause spatial and temporal variation in predator-mediated selection on local snail populations.

Evaluation of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in the area of apparently normal hemifield in glaucomatous eyes with optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Kee, Changwon; Cho, Changhwan

2003-06-01

The authors investigated the correlation between visual field defects detected by automated perimetry and the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer measured with optical coherence tomography, and examined whether there is a decrease in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in the apparently normal hemifield of glaucomatous eyes. Forty-one patients with glaucoma and 41 normal control subjects were included in this study. Statistical correlations between the sum of the total deviation of 37 stimuli of each hemifield and the ratio of decrease in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness were evaluated. The statistical difference between the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness of the apparently normal hemifield in glaucomatous eyes and that of the corresponding hemifield in normal subjects was also evaluated. There was a statistically significant correlation in the sum of the total deviation and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness decrease ratio (superior hemifield, P = 0.001; inferior hemifield, P = 0.003). There was no significant decrease in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in the area that corresponded to the normal visual field in the hemifield defect with respect to the horizontal meridian in glaucomatous eyes (superior side, P = 0.148; inferior side, P = 0.341). Optical coherence tomography was capable of demonstrating and measuring retinal nerve fiber layer abnormalities. No changes in the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness of the apparently normal hemifield were observed in glaucomatous eyes.

Dynamic ultrasound modulated optical tomography by self-referenced photorefractive holography.

PubMed

Benoit a la Guillaume, Emilie; Bortolozzo, Umberto; Huignard, Jean-Pierre; Residori, Stefania; Ramaz, Francois

2013-02-01

Photorefractive Bi(12)SiO(20) single crystal is used for acousto-optic imaging in thick scattering media in the green part of the spectrum, in an adaptive speckle correlation configuration. Light fields at the output of the scattering sample exhibit typical speckle grains of 1 μm size within the volume of the nonlinear crystal. This heterogeneous illumination induces a complex refractive index structure without applying a reference beam on the crystal, leading to a self-referenced diffraction correlation scheme. We demonstrate that this simple and robust configuration is able to perform axially resolved ultrasound modulated optical tomography of thick scattering media with an improved optical etendue.

Numerical analysis of the impact of permeability on trailing-edge noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koh, Seong Ryong; Meinke, Matthias; Schröder, Wolfgang

2018-05-01

The impact of porous surfaces on the near-wall turbulent structures and the generated trailing-edge noise is analyzed for several trailing-edge shapes of finite thickness using a high resolution large-eddy simulation (LES)/computational aeroacoustics (CAA) method. The porous surface of the trailing edge is defined by the porosity and the viscous permeability determined by the solution of a turbulent flat plate boundary layer at a Reynolds number 1280 based on the displacement thickness in the inflow cross section. The volume-averaged approach for the homogeneous porous medium shows that the porous impedance scales linearly with the porosity and exponentially with the mean structure size of a porous medium. The drag induced by the porous surface changes the friction velocity and the permeability Reynolds number ReK which determines the porous impedance Rs scaled by ReK-2/3. The trailing-edge noise is analyzed for three solid and three porous trailing edges. The effect of a finite span is investigated by the spanwise correlation model based on the measured coherence distribution. The acoustic prediction shows a good agreement with measurements of the broadband spectrum and the strong tone generated by a finite trailing-edge thickness. The pressure gradient inside the porous media is redistributed by the Darcy drag defined by the viscous permeability and the porosity. The mean pressure increases in the upstream direction inside the porous medium such that the flow acceleration involved in the acoustic generation is reduced inside the porous medium. The noise reduction by a porous medium reaches 11 dB for the trailing-edge shape which possesses a sharp corner for the solid surface. The porous surface applied to a semi-circular trailing edge achieves a 4 dB noise reduction. The directivity pattern for individual components of the acoustic spectrum shows that the massive noise reduction is determined at the tone. Enhanced wave diffraction by the thick flat plate changes the directivity pattern in the high frequency range.

Confocal absorption spectral imaging of MoS2: optical transitions depending on the atomic thickness of intrinsic and chemically doped MoS2.

PubMed

Dhakal, Krishna P; Duong, Dinh Loc; Lee, Jubok; Nam, Honggi; Kim, Minsu; Kan, Min; Lee, Young Hee; Kim, Jeongyong

2014-11-07

We performed a nanoscale confocal absorption spectral imaging to obtain the full absorption spectra (over the range 1.5-3.2 eV) within regions having different numbers of layers and studied the variation of optical transition depending on the atomic thickness of the MoS2 film. Three distinct absorption bands corresponding to A and B excitons and a high-energy background (BG) peak at 2.84 eV displayed a gradual redshift as the MoS2 film thickness increased from the monolayer, to the bilayer, to the bulk MoS2 and this shift was attributed to the reduction of the gap energy in the Brillouin zone at the K-point as the atomic thickness increased. We also performed n-type chemical doping of MoS2 films using reduced benzyl viologen (BV) and the confocal absorption spectra modified by the doping showed a strong dependence on the atomic thickness: A and B exciton peaks were greatly quenched in the monolayer MoS2 while much less effect was shown in larger thickness and the BG peak either showed very small quenching for 1 L MoS2 or remained constant for larger thicknesses. Our results indicate that confocal absorption spectral imaging can provide comprehensive information on optical transitions of microscopic size intrinsic and doped two-dimensional layered materials.

Femtosecond Optoinjection of Intact Tobacco BY-2 Cells Using a Reconfigurable Photoporation Platform

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Claire A.; Kalies, Stefan; Cizmár, Tomás; Heisterkamp, Alexander; Torrance, Lesley; Roberts, Alison G.; Gunn-Moore, Frank J.; Dholakia, Kishan

2013-01-01

A tightly-focused ultrashort pulsed laser beam incident upon a cell membrane has previously been shown to transiently increase cell membrane permeability while maintaining the viability of the cell, a technique known as photoporation. This permeability can be used to aid the passage of membrane-impermeable biologically-relevant substances such as dyes, proteins and nucleic acids into the cell. Ultrashort-pulsed lasers have proven to be indispensable for photoporating mammalian cells but they have rarely been applied to plant cells due to their larger sizes and rigid and thick cell walls, which significantly hinders the intracellular delivery of exogenous substances. Here we demonstrate and quantify femtosecond optical injection of membrane impermeable dyes into intact BY-2 tobacco plant cells growing in culture, investigating both optical and biological parameters. Specifically, we show that the long axial extent of a propagation invariant (“diffraction-free”) Bessel beam, which relaxes the requirements for tight focusing on the cell membrane, outperforms a standard Gaussian photoporation beam, achieving up to 70% optoinjection efficiency. Studies on the osmotic effects of culture media show that a hypertonic extracellular medium was found to be necessary to reduce turgor pressure and facilitate molecular entry into the cells. PMID:24244456

Femtosecond optoinjection of intact tobacco BY-2 cells using a reconfigurable photoporation platform.

PubMed

Mitchell, Claire A; Kalies, Stefan; Cizmár, Tomás; Heisterkamp, Alexander; Torrance, Lesley; Roberts, Alison G; Gunn-Moore, Frank J; Dholakia, Kishan

2013-01-01

A tightly-focused ultrashort pulsed laser beam incident upon a cell membrane has previously been shown to transiently increase cell membrane permeability while maintaining the viability of the cell, a technique known as photoporation. This permeability can be used to aid the passage of membrane-impermeable biologically-relevant substances such as dyes, proteins and nucleic acids into the cell. Ultrashort-pulsed lasers have proven to be indispensable for photoporating mammalian cells but they have rarely been applied to plant cells due to their larger sizes and rigid and thick cell walls, which significantly hinders the intracellular delivery of exogenous substances. Here we demonstrate and quantify femtosecond optical injection of membrane impermeable dyes into intact BY-2 tobacco plant cells growing in culture, investigating both optical and biological parameters. Specifically, we show that the long axial extent of a propagation invariant ("diffraction-free") Bessel beam, which relaxes the requirements for tight focusing on the cell membrane, outperforms a standard Gaussian photoporation beam, achieving up to 70% optoinjection efficiency. Studies on the osmotic effects of culture media show that a hypertonic extracellular medium was found to be necessary to reduce turgor pressure and facilitate molecular entry into the cells.

High-spatial-resolution sub-surface imaging using a laser-based acoustic microscopy technique.

PubMed

Balogun, Oluwaseyi; Cole, Garrett D; Huber, Robert; Chinn, Diane; Murray, Todd W; Spicer, James B

2011-01-01

Scanning acoustic microscopy techniques operating at frequencies in the gigahertz range are suitable for the elastic characterization and interior imaging of solid media with micrometer-scale spatial resolution. Acoustic wave propagation at these frequencies is strongly limited by energy losses, particularly from attenuation in the coupling media used to transmit ultrasound to a specimen, leading to a decrease in the depth in a specimen that can be interrogated. In this work, a laser-based acoustic microscopy technique is presented that uses a pulsed laser source for the generation of broadband acoustic waves and an optical interferometer for detection. The use of a 900-ps microchip pulsed laser facilitates the generation of acoustic waves with frequencies extending up to 1 GHz which allows for the resolution of micrometer-scale features in a specimen. Furthermore, the combination of optical generation and detection approaches eliminates the use of an ultrasonic coupling medium, and allows for elastic characterization and interior imaging at penetration depths on the order of several hundred micrometers. Experimental results illustrating the use of the laser-based acoustic microscopy technique for imaging micrometer-scale subsurface geometrical features in a 70-μm-thick single-crystal silicon wafer with a (100) orientation are presented.

Retrieval of aerosol optical properties using MERIS observations: Algorithm and some first results.

PubMed

Mei, Linlu; Rozanov, Vladimir; Vountas, Marco; Burrows, John P; Levy, Robert C; Lotz, Wolfhardt

2017-08-01

The MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) instrument on board ESA Envisat made measurements from 2002 to 2012. Although MERIS was limited in spectral coverage, accurate Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) from MERIS data are retrieved by using appropriate additional information. We introduce a new AOT retrieval algorithm for MERIS over land surfaces, referred to as eXtensible Bremen AErosol Retrieval (XBAER). XBAER is similar to the "dark-target" (DT) retrieval algorithm used for Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), in that it uses a lookup table (LUT) to match to satellite-observed reflectance and derive the AOT. Instead of a global parameterization of surface spectral reflectance, XBAER uses a set of spectral coefficients to prescribe surface properties. In this manner, XBAER is not limited to dark surfaces (vegetation) and retrieves AOT over bright surface (desert, semiarid, and urban areas). Preliminary validation of the MERIS-derived AOT and the ground-based Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) measurements yield good agreement, the resulting regression equation is y = (0.92 × ± 0.07) + (0.05 ± 0.01) and Pearson correlation coefficient of R = 0.78. Global monthly means of AOT have been compared from XBAER, MODIS and other satellite-derived datasets.

The Properties of Outer Retinal Band Three Investigated With Adaptive-Optics Optical Coherence Tomography.

PubMed

Jonnal, Ravi S; Gorczynska, Iwona; Migacz, Justin V; Azimipour, Mehdi; Zawadzki, Robert J; Werner, John S

2017-09-01

Optical coherence tomography's (OCT) third outer retinal band has been attributed to the zone of interdigitation between RPE cells and cone outer segments. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the structure of this band with adaptive optics (AO)-OCT. Using AO-OCT, images were obtained from two subjects. Axial structure was characterized by measuring band 3 thickness and separation between bands 2 and 3 in segmented cones. Lateral structure was characterized by correlation of band 3 with band 2 and comparison of their power spectra. Band thickness and separation were also measured in a clinical OCT image of one subject. Band 3 thickness ranged from 4.3 to 6.4 μm. Band 2 correlations ranged between 0.35 and 0.41 and power spectra of both bands confirmed peak frequencies that agree with histologic density measurements. In clinical images, band 3 thickness was between 14 and 19 μm. Measurements of AO-OCT of interband distance were lower than our corresponding clinical OCT measurements. Band 3 originates from a structure with axial extent similar to a single surface. Correlation with band 2 suggests an origin within the cone photoreceptor. These two observations indicate that band 3 corresponds predominantly to cone outer segment tips (COST). Conventional OCT may overestimate both the thickness of band 3 and outer segment length.

The Properties of Outer Retinal Band Three Investigated With Adaptive-Optics Optical Coherence Tomography

PubMed Central

Jonnal, Ravi S.; Gorczynska, Iwona; Migacz, Justin V.; Azimipour, Mehdi; Zawadzki, Robert J.; Werner, John S.

2017-01-01

Purpose Optical coherence tomography's (OCT) third outer retinal band has been attributed to the zone of interdigitation between RPE cells and cone outer segments. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the structure of this band with adaptive optics (AO)-OCT. Methods Using AO-OCT, images were obtained from two subjects. Axial structure was characterized by measuring band 3 thickness and separation between bands 2 and 3 in segmented cones. Lateral structure was characterized by correlation of band 3 with band 2 and comparison of their power spectra. Band thickness and separation were also measured in a clinical OCT image of one subject. Results Band 3 thickness ranged from 4.3 to 6.4 μm. Band 2 correlations ranged between 0.35 and 0.41 and power spectra of both bands confirmed peak frequencies that agree with histologic density measurements. In clinical images, band 3 thickness was between 14 and 19 μm. Measurements of AO-OCT of interband distance were lower than our corresponding clinical OCT measurements. Conclusions Band 3 originates from a structure with axial extent similar to a single surface. Correlation with band 2 suggests an origin within the cone photoreceptor. These two observations indicate that band 3 corresponds predominantly to cone outer segment tips (COST). Conventional OCT may overestimate both the thickness of band 3 and outer segment length. PMID:28877320

Coherent and incoherent imaging through scattering media (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edrei, Eitan

2017-02-01

The shower-curtain effect is a familiar phenomenon, routinely observed in our everyday life: an object placed behind a scattering layer appears blurred but if the object is attached to the scattering layer it can be clearly resolved. The optical system we developed takes advantage of the shower-curtain effect properties and generalizes them to achieve high-resolution imaging of objects placed at a nearly arbitrary distance behind the scattering medium. The imaging procedure is based on retrieving the object Fourier transform from the turbid medium (used as the shower-curtain) through a correlography technique based on speckle illumination. Illuminating the object with a speckle pattern rather than a coherent beam, we show that the correlography principles can be effectively applied in the near field. While the far-field condition is usually known as z<(2D^2)⁄λ (D, size of the object; λ wavelength); by tuning the spatial coherence of the illumination beam, as one can do with speckle illumination, the "far-field" condition can be written as z<(2DRc)⁄λ where Rc is the correlation radius of the speckle pattern. Using our method we present high-resolution imaging of objects hidden behind millimeter-thick tissue or dense lens cataracts, and demonstrate our imaging technique to be insensitive to rapid medium movements (<5 m/s) beyond any biologically relevant motion. Furthermore, we show this method can be extended to several contrast mechanisms and imaging configurations.

Investigation of optical properties of multilayer dielectric structures using prism-coupling technique

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

Sokolov, V I; Glebov, V N; Malyutin, A M

2015-09-30

A method based on resonant excitation of waveguide modes with a prism coupler is proposed for measuring the thickness and refractive index of thin-film layers in multilayer dielectric structures. The peculiarities of reflection of TE- and TM-polarised light beams from a structure comprising eleven alternating layers of zinc sulfide (ZnS) and magnesium barium fluoride (MgBaF{sub 4}), whose thicknesses are much less than the wavelength of light, are investigated. Using the mathematical model developed, we have calculated the coefficients of reflection of collimated TE and TM light beams from a multilayer structure and determined the optical constants and thicknesses of themore » structure layers. The refractive indices of the layers, obtained for TE and TM polarisation of incident light, are in good agreement. The thicknesses of ZnS and MgBaF{sub 4} layers, found for different polarisations, coincide with an accuracy of ±1%. Thus, we have demonstrated for the first time that the prism-coupling technique allows one to determine the optical properties of thin-film structures when the number of layers in the structure exceeds ten layers. (integrated optics)« less

Development of the α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO Triple-Layer Structure Films for the Application of Transparent Electrode

PubMed Central

Chen, Kun-Neng; Yang, Cheng-Fu; Wu, Chia-Ching; Chen, Yu-Hsin

2017-01-01

We investigated the structural, optical, and electrical properties of amorphous IGZO/silver/amorphous IGZO (α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO) triple-layer structures that were deposited at room temperature on Eagle XG glass and flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrates through the sputtering method. Thin Ag layers with different thicknesses were inserted between two IGZO layers to form a triple-layer structure. Ag was used because of its lower absorption and resistivity. Field emission scanning electron microscopy measurements of the triple-layer structures revealed that the thicknesses of the Ag layers ranged from 13 to 41 nm. The thickness of the Ag layer had a large effect on the electrical and optical properties of the electrodes. The optimum thickness of the Ag metal thin film could be evaluated according to the optical transmittance, electrical conductivity, and figure of merit of the electrode. This study demonstrates that the α-IGZO/Ag/α-IGZO triple-layer transparent electrode can be fabricated with low sheet resistance (4.2 Ω/□) and high optical transmittance (88.1%) at room temperature without postannealing processing on the deposited thin films. PMID:28772586

Optical properties of thickness-controlled MoS2 thin films studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Dahai; Song, Xiongfei; Xu, Jiping; Wang, Ziyi; Zhang, Rongjun; Zhou, Peng; Zhang, Hao; Huang, Renzhong; Wang, Songyou; Zheng, Yuxiang; Zhang, David Wei; Chen, Liangyao

2017-11-01

As a promising candidate for applications in future electronic and optoelectronic devices, MoS2 has been a research focus in recent years. Therefore, investigating its optical properties is of practical significance. Here we synthesized different MoS2 thin films with quantitatively controlled thickness and sizable thickness variation, which is vital to find out the thickness-dependent regularity. Afterwards, several characterization methods, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), optical absorption spectra, and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), were systematically performed to character the optical properties of as-grown samples. Accurate dielectric constants of MoS2 are obtained by fitting SE data using point-by-point method, and precise energies of interband transitions are directly extracted from the Lorentz dispersion model. We assign these energies to different interband electronic transitions between the valence bands and conduction bands in the Brillouin zone. In addition, the intrinsic physical mechanisms existing in observed phenomena are discussed in details. Results derived from this work are reliable and provide a better understanding of MoS2, which can be expected to help people fully employ its potential for wider applications.

Effects of film thickness on the linear and nonlinear refractive index of p-type SnO films deposited by e-beam evaporation process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Gendy, Y. A.

2017-12-01

Tin monoxide (SnO) films of different thickness have been deposited onto glass substrates at vacuum pressure of ∼ 8 × 10-6 mbar using an e-beam evaporation system. A hot probe test revealed that the deposited films showed p-type conduction. The structure characterization and phase purity of the deposited films was confirmed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The optical transmission and reflection spectra of the deposited films recorded in the wavelength range 190-2500 nm were used to calculate the optical constants employing the Murmann's exact equations. The refractive index dispersion was adequately described by the well-known effective-single-oscillator model proposed by Wemple-DiDomenico, whereby the dispersion parameters were calculated. The nonlinear refractive index and nonlinear optical susceptibility of the deposited films were successfully evaluated using the Miller empirical relations. The lattice dielectric constant and the carrier concentration to the effective mass ratio were also calculated as a function of film thickness using the Spitzer and Fan model. The variation of the optical band gap of the deposited films as a function of film thickness was also presented.

3D Cloud Radiative Effects on Aerosol Optical Thickness Retrievals in Cumulus Cloud Fields in the Biomass Burning Region in Brazil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wen, Guo-Yong; Marshak, Alexander; Cahalan, Robert F.

2004-01-01

Aerosol amount in clear regions of a cloudy atmosphere is a critical parameter in studying the interaction between aerosols and clouds. Since the global cloud cover is about 50%, cloudy scenes are often encountered in any satellite images. Aerosols are more or less transparent, while clouds are extremely reflective in the visible spectrum of solar radiation. The radiative transfer in clear-cloudy condition is highly three- dimensional (3D). This paper focuses on estimating the 3D effects on aerosol optical thickness retrievals using Monte Carlo simulations. An ASTER image of cumulus cloud fields in the biomass burning region in Brazil is simulated in this study. The MODIS products (i-e., cloud optical thickness, particle effective radius, cloud top pressure, surface reflectance, etc.) are used to construct the cloud property and surface reflectance fields. To estimate the cloud 3-D effects, we assume a plane-parallel stratification of aerosol properties in the 60 km x 60 km ASTER image. The simulated solar radiation at the top of the atmosphere is compared with plane-parallel calculations. Furthermore, the 3D cloud radiative effects on aerosol optical thickness retrieval are estimated.

Dynamic ultraslow optical-matter wave analog of an event horizon.

PubMed

Zhu, C J; Deng, L; Hagley, E W; Ge, Mo-Lin

2014-08-29

We investigate theoretically the effects of a dynamically increasing medium index on optical-wave propagation in a rubidium condensate. A long pulsed pump laser coupling a D2 line transition produces a rapidly growing internally generated field. This results in a significant optical self-focusing effect and creates a dynamically growing medium index anomaly that propagates ultraslowly with the internally generated field. When a fast probe pulse injected after a delay catches up with the dynamically increasing index anomaly, it is forced to slow down and is prohibited from crossing the anomaly, thereby realizing an ultraslow optical-matter wave analog of a dynamic white-hole event horizon.

Prediction of the limit of detection of an optical resonant reflection biosensor.

PubMed

Hong, Jongcheol; Kim, Kyung-Hyun; Shin, Jae-Heon; Huh, Chul; Sung, Gun Yong

2007-07-09

A prediction of the limit of detection of an optical resonant reflection biosensor is presented. An optical resonant reflection biosensor using a guided-mode resonance filter is one of the most promising label-free optical immunosensors due to a sharp reflectance peak and a high sensitivity to the changes of optical path length. We have simulated this type of biosensor using rigorous coupled wave theory to calculate the limit of detection of the thickness of the target protein layer. Theoretically, our biosensor has an estimated ability to detect thickness change approximately the size of typical antigen proteins. We have also investigated the effects of the absorption and divergence of the incident light on the detection ability of the biosensor.

3D Aerosol-Cloud Radiative Interaction Observed in Collocated MODIS and ASTER Images of Cumulus Cloud Fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wen, Guoyong; Marshak, Alexander; Cahalan, Robert F.; Remer, Lorraine A.; Kleidman, Richard G.

2007-01-01

3D aerosol-cloud interaction is examined by analyzing two images containing cumulus clouds in biomass burning regions in Brazil. The research consists of two parts. The first part focuses on identifying 3D clo ud impacts on the reflectance of pixel selected for the MODIS aerosol retrieval based purely on observations. The second part of the resea rch combines the observations with radiative transfer computations to identify key parameters in 3D aerosol-cloud interaction. We found that 3D cloud-induced enhancement depends on optical properties of nearb y clouds as well as wavelength. The enhancement is too large to be ig nored. Associated biased error in 1D aerosol optical thickness retrie val ranges from 50% to 140% depending on wavelength and optical prope rties of nearby clouds as well as aerosol optical thickness. We caution the community to be prudent when applying 1D approximations in comp uting solar radiation in dear regions adjacent to clouds or when usin g traditional retrieved aerosol optical thickness in aerosol indirect effect research.

120nm resolution in thick samples with structured illumination and adaptive optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Benjamin; Sloan, Megan; Wolstenholme, Adrian J.; Kner, Peter

2014-03-01

μLinear Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) provides a two-fold increase over the diffraction limited resolution. SIM produces excellent images with 120nm resolution in tissue culture cells in two and three dimensions. For SIM to work correctly, the point spread function (PSF) and optical transfer function (OTF) must be known, and, ideally, should be unaberrated. When imaging through thick samples, aberrations will be introduced into the optical system which will reduce the peak intensity and increase the width of the PSF. This will lead to reduced resolution and artifacts in SIM images. Adaptive optics can be used to correct the optical wavefront restoring the PSF to its unaberrated state, and AO has been used in several types of fluorescence microscopy. We demonstrate that AO can be used with SIM to achieve 120nm resolution through 25m of tissue by imaging through the full thickness of an adult C. elegans roundworm. The aberrations can be corrected over a 25μm × 45μm field of view with one wavefront correction setting, demonstrating that AO can be used effectively with widefield superresolution techniques.

Multi-pass light amplifier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plaessmann, Henry (Inventor); Grossman, William M. (Inventor); Olson, Todd E. (Inventor)

1996-01-01

A multiple-pass laser amplifier that uses optical focusing between subsequent passes through a single gain medium so that a reproducibly stable beam size is achieved within the gain region. A resonator or a White Cell cavity is provided, including two or more mirrors (planar or curvilinearly shaped) facing each other along a resonator axis and an optical gain medium positioned on a resonator axis between the mirrors or adjacent to one of the mirrors. In a first embodiment, two curvilinear mirrors, which may include adjacent lenses, are configured so that a light beam passing through the gain medium and incident on the first mirror is reflected by that mirror toward the second mirror in a direction approximately parallel to the resonator axis. A light beam translator, such as an optical flat of transparent material, is positioned to translate this light beam by a controllable amount toward or away from the resonator axis for each pass of the light beam through the translator. A second embodiment uses two curvilinear mirrors and one planar mirror, with a gain medium positioned in the optical path between each curvilinear mirror and the planar mirror. A third embodiment uses two curvilinear mirrors and two planar mirrors, with a gain medium positioned adjacent to a planar mirror. A fourth embodiment uses a curvilinear mirror and three planar mirrors, with a gain medium positioned adjacent to a planar mirror. A fourth embodiment uses four planar mirrors and a focusing lens system, with a gain medium positioned between the four mirrors. A fifth embodiment uses first and second planar mirrors, a focusing lens system and a third mirror that may be planar or curvilinear, with a gain medium positioned adjacent to the third mirror. A sixth embodiment uses two planar mirrors and a curvilinear mirror and a fourth mirror that may be planar or curvilinear, with a gain medium positioned adjacent to the fourth mirror. In a seventh embodiment, first and second mirrors face a third mirror, all curvilinear, in a White Cell configuration, and a gain medium is positioned adjacent to one of the mirrors.

Clinical validity of macular ganglion cell complex by spectral domain-optical coherence tomography in advanced glaucoma.

PubMed

Sung, Mi-Sun; Kang, Byung-Wan; Kim, Hwang-Gyun; Heo, Hwan; Park, Sang-Woo

2014-08-01

To evaluate the repeatability and diagnostic power of macular ganglion cell complex (mGCC) thickness and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness using a spectral domain-optical coherence tomography in advanced glaucoma. Forty advanced glaucoma patients were enrolled. Patients were divided into 2 groups of 20 patients each, according to the MD between -20 and -10 dB, and <-20 dB. The thickness of mGCC and pRNFL were measured with spectral domain-optical coherence tomography in both the groups. The repeatability of each parameter was assessed in both the groups, and the diagnostic power of each parameter was compared with the normal controls. Comparison of diagnostic power between the pRNFL and mGCC parameters revealed that the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was not significantly different in patients with advanced glaucoma. The repeatability of pRNFL parameters was similar, irrespective of the severity of glaucoma. However, the repeatability of mGCC parameters became lower as the severity increased in patients with advanced glaucoma. In advanced glaucoma, the measurement of mGCC thickness has similar diagnostic power as the measurement of pRNFL thickness. However, the measurement of mGCC thickness showed a lower repeatability as MD decreased.

Effect of copper phthalocyanine thickness on surface morphology, optical and electrical properties of Au/CuPc/n-Si heterojunction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, P. R. Sekhar; Janardhanam, V.; Jyothi, I.; Harsha, Cirandur Sri; Reddy, V. Rajagopal; Lee, Sung-Nam; Won, Jonghan; Choi, Chel-Jong

2018-02-01

Effects of the thickness of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) film (2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 nm) on the surface morphology, optical and electrical properties of Au/CuPc/n-Si heterojunction have been investigated. The optical band gap of CuPc film was increased with increase in the thickness of the CuPc film. The electrical properties of the Au/n-Si Schottky junction and Au/CuPc/n-Si heterojunctions were characterized by current-voltage ( I-V) and capacitance-voltage ( C-V) measurements. The barrier height, ideality factor and series resistance were estimated based on the I-V, Cheung's and Norde's methods. The barrier heights increased with increasing CuPc interlayer thickness up to 15 nm and remained constant for thickness above 20 nm, associated with the incapability of the generated carriers to reach the interface. The discrepancy in the barrier heights obtained from I-V and C-V measurements indicates the presence of barrier inhomogeneity at the interface as evidenced by higher ideality factor values. It can be concluded that the electrical properties of Au/n-Si Schottky junction can be significantly altered with the variation of CuPc thickness as interlayer.

Application of maximum-likelihood estimation in optical coherence tomography for nanometer-class thickness estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jinxin; Yuan, Qun; Tankam, Patrice; Clarkson, Eric; Kupinski, Matthew; Hindman, Holly B.; Aquavella, James V.; Rolland, Jannick P.

2015-03-01

In biophotonics imaging, one important and quantitative task is layer-thickness estimation. In this study, we investigate the approach of combining optical coherence tomography and a maximum-likelihood (ML) estimator for layer thickness estimation in the context of tear film imaging. The motivation of this study is to extend our understanding of tear film dynamics, which is the prerequisite to advance the management of Dry Eye Disease, through the simultaneous estimation of the thickness of the tear film lipid and aqueous layers. The estimator takes into account the different statistical processes associated with the imaging chain. We theoretically investigated the impact of key system parameters, such as the axial point spread functions (PSF) and various sources of noise on measurement uncertainty. Simulations show that an OCT system with a 1 μm axial PSF (FWHM) allows unbiased estimates down to nanometers with nanometer precision. In implementation, we built a customized Fourier domain OCT system that operates in the 600 to 1000 nm spectral window and achieves 0.93 micron axial PSF in corneal epithelium. We then validated the theoretical framework with physical phantoms made of custom optical coatings, with layer thicknesses from tens of nanometers to microns. Results demonstrate unbiased nanometer-class thickness estimates in three different physical phantoms.

Retinal thickness changes after phacoemulsification

PubMed Central

Pardianto, Gede; Moeloek, Nila; Reveny, Julia; Wage, Sutarman; Satari, Imsyah; Sembiring, Rosita; Srisamran, Nuttamon

2013-01-01

Purpose To determine the effect of phacoemulsification on macular volume and thickness using spectral domain optical coherence tomography examinations. Methods Twenty-seven eyes of 27 subjects who underwent phacoemulsification were studied. All nine areas of the macula were examined by spectral domain optical coherence tomography preoperatively and 2 months postoperatively. Effective phacoemulsification time and absolute phacoemulsification time were also recorded. Results There were statistically significant differences in macular thickness between preoperative and postoperative spectral domain optical coherence tomography examinations in nine areas including macular volume. In the paracentral macular area, the thickness of three quadrants significantly increased (superior P=0.015; temporal P=0.001; and nasal P=0.023). Peripheral macular thickness also increased significantly in the superior (P=0.05) and temporal macular areas (P<0.001). The macular volume increased significantly after phacoemulsification (P<0.001). There were no correlations between absolute/effective phacoemulsification time and macular cellular structures (P>0.05), but a significant correlation (P=0.011) was found between absolute phacoemulsification time and change in macular volume. Conclusion Macular thickness changes in the nasal, superior, and temporal quadrants of the paracentral area and the superior and temporal quadrants of the peripheral area, as well as macular volume, may be used as detailed biomarkers to measure the effects of intraocular pressure fluctuations and maneuvers in phacoemulsification intraocular surgeries. PMID:24235812

Control of optical bistability and third-order nonlinearity via tunneling induced quantum interference in triangular quantum dot molecules

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

Tian, Si-Cong, E-mail: tiansicong@ciomp.ac.cn; Tong, Cun-Zhu, E-mail: tongcz@ciomp.ac.cn; Zhang, Jin-Long

The optical bistability of a triangular quantum dot molecules embedded inside a unidirectional ring cavity is studied. The type, the threshold and the hysteresis loop of the optical bistability curves can be modified by the tunneling parameters, as well as the probe laser field. The linear and nonlinear susceptibilities of the medium are also studied to interpret the corresponding results. The physical interpretation is that the tunneling can induce the quantum interference, which modifies the linear and the nonlinear response of the medium. As a consequence, the characteristics of the optical bistability are changed. The scheme proposed here can bemore » utilized for optimizing and controlling the optical switching process.« less

Parallel Optical Random Access Memory (PORAM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alphonse, G. A.

1989-01-01

It is shown that the need to minimize component count, power and size, and to maximize packing density require a parallel optical random access memory to be designed in a two-level hierarchy: a modular level and an interconnect level. Three module designs are proposed, in the order of research and development requirements. The first uses state-of-the-art components, including individually addressed laser diode arrays, acousto-optic (AO) deflectors and magneto-optic (MO) storage medium, aimed at moderate size, moderate power, and high packing density. The next design level uses an electron-trapping (ET) medium to reduce optical power requirements. The third design uses a beam-steering grating surface emitter (GSE) array to reduce size further and minimize the number of components.

Convection induced by radiative cooling of a layer of participating medium

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

Prasanna, Swaminathan, E-mail: prasannaswam@gmail.com; Venkateshan, S. P., E-mail: spv@iitm.ac.in

2014-05-15

Simulations and experiments have been conducted to study the effect of radiative cooling on natural convection in a horizontal layer of a participating medium enclosed between isothermal opaque wall and radiatively transparent wall and exposed to a cold background. The study is of relevance to a nocturnal boundary layer under clear and calm conditions. The focus of the study is to capture the onset of convection caused by radiative cooling. The experiments have been designed to mimic the atmospheric radiative boundary conditions, and hence decoupling convection and radiation boundary conditions. Planck number Pl and optical thickness of the layer τ{submore » H} are the two important parameters that govern the interaction between radiation and convection. The radiation-convection coupling is a strong function of length scale. Convection sets up within first few seconds for all the experiments. Strong plume like convection is observed for the experimental conditions used in the present study. Both simulations and experiments confirm that radiative cooling increases substantially with decrease in emissivity of the bottom wall. Radiative cooling is strongly influenced by the nongray nature of the participating medium, especially when strong emission from the medium escapes to space, in the window region of the atmosphere. Accurate representation of radiative properties is critical. Linear stability analysis of onset of convection indicates that radiation stabilizes convection as Pl decreases. The observations are similar to the case of Rayleigh Bénard convection in a radiating gas. However, for both experimental and numerical conditions, the observed Rayleigh numbers are much greater than the critical Rayleigh number. To conclude, the role of radiation is to drive and sustain convection in the unstable layer.« less

Full-thickness skin wound healing using autologous keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts with fibrin: bilayered versus single-layered substitute.

PubMed

Idrus, Ruszymah Bt Hj; Rameli, Mohd Adha bin P; Low, Kiat Cheong; Law, Jia Xian; Chua, Kien Hui; Latiff, Mazlyzam Bin Abdul; Saim, Aminuddin Bin

2014-04-01

Split-skin grafting (SSG) is the gold standard treatment for full-thickness skin defects. For certain patients, however, an extensive skin lesion resulted in inadequacies of the donor site. Tissue engineering offers an alternative approach by using a very small portion of an individual's skin to harvest cells for propagation and biomaterials to support the cells for implantation. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of autologous bilayered tissue-engineered skin (BTES) and single-layer tissue-engineered skin composed of only keratinocytes (SLTES-K) or fibroblasts (SLTES-F) as alternatives for full-thickness wound healing in a sheep model. Full-thickness skin biopsies were harvested from adult sheep. Isolated fibroblasts were cultured using medium Ham's F12: Dulbecco modified Eagle medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, whereas the keratinocytes were cultured using Define Keratinocytes Serum Free Medium. The BTES, SLTES-K, and SLTES-F were constructed using autologous fibrin as a biomaterial. Eight full-thickness wounds were created on the dorsum of the body of the sheep. On 4 wounds, polyvinyl chloride rings were used as chambers to prevent cell migration at the edge. The wounds were observed at days 7, 14, and 21. After 3 weeks of implantation, the sheep were euthanized and the skins were harvested. The excised tissues were fixed in formalin for histological examination via hematoxylin-eosin, Masson trichrome, and elastin van Gieson staining. The results showed that BTES, SLTES-K, and SLTES-F promote wound healing in nonchambered and chambered wounds, and BTES demonstrated the best healing potential. In conclusion, BTES proved to be an effective tissue-engineered construct that can promote the healing of full-thickness skin lesions. With the support of further clinical trials, this procedure could be an alternative to SSG for patients with partial- and full-thickness burns.

Cloud-radiation interactions - Effects of cirrus optical thickness feedbacks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Somerville, Richard C. J.; Iacobellis, Sam

1987-01-01

The paper is concerned with a cloud-radiation feedback mechanism which may be an important component of the climate changes expected from increased atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and other trace greenhouse gases. A major result of the study is that cirrus cloud optical thickness feedbacks may indeed tend to increase the surface warming due to trace gas increases. However, the positive feedback from cirrus appears to be generally weaker than the negative effects due to lower clouds. The results just confirm those of earlier research indicating that the net effect of cloud optical thickness feedbacks may be a negative feedback which may substantially (by a factor of about 2) reduce the surface warming due to the doubling of CO2, even in the presence of cirrus clouds.

Effects of spatial variation of skull and cerebrospinal fluid layers on optical mapping of brain activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shuping; Shibahara, Nanae; Kuramashi, Daishi; Okawa, Shinpei; Kakuta, Naoto; Okada, Eiji; Maki, Atsushi; Yamada, Yukio

2010-07-01

In order to investigate the effects of anatomical variation in human heads on the optical mapping of brain activity, we perform simulations of optical mapping by solving the photon diffusion equation for layered-models simulating human heads using the finite element method (FEM). Particularly, the effects of the spatial variations in the thicknesses of the skull and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) layers on mapping images are investigated. Mapping images of single active regions in the gray matter layer are affected by the spatial variations in the skull and CSF layer thicknesses, although the effects are smaller than those of the positions of the active region relative to the data points. The increase in the skull thickness decreases the sensitivity of the images to active regions, while the increase in the CSF layer thickness increases the sensitivity in general. The images of multiple active regions are also influenced by their positions relative to the data points and by their depths from the skin surface.

Mathematical modeling and statistical analysis of SPE-OCDMA systems utilizing second harmonic generation effect in thick crystal receivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matinfar, Mehdi D.; Salehi, Jawad A.

2009-11-01

In this paper we analytically study and evaluate the performance of a Spectral-Phase-Encoded Optical CDMA system for different parameters such as the user's code length and the number of users in the network. In this system an advanced receiver structure in which the Second Harmonic Generation effect imposed in a thick crystal is employed as the nonlinear pre-processor prior to the conventional low speed photodetector. We consider ASE noise of the optical amplifiers, effective in low power conditions, besides the multiple access interference (MAI) noise which is the dominant source of noise in any OCDMA communications system. We use the results of the previous work which we analyzed the statistical behavior of the thick crystals in an optically amplified digital lightwave communication system to evaluate the performance of the SPE-OCDMA system with thick crystals receiver structure. The error probability is evaluated using Saddle-Point approximation and the approximation is verified by Monte-Carlo simulation.

Correlation of film thickness to optical band gap of Sol-gel derived Ba0.9Gd0.1TiO3 thin films for optoelectronic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teh, Yen Chin; Saif, Ala'eddin A.; Azhar Zahid Jamal, Zul; Poopalan, Prabakaran

2017-11-01

Ba0.9Gd0.1TiO3 thin films have been fabricated on SiO2/Si and fused silica by sol-gel method. The films are prepared through a spin coating process and annealed at 900 °C to obtain crystallized films. The effect of film thickness on the microstructure and optical band gap has been investigated using X-ray diffractometer, atomic force microscope and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, respectively. XRD patterns confirm that the films crystallized with tetragonal phase perovskite structure. The films surface morphology is analysed through amplitude parameter analysis to find out that the grain size and surface roughness are increased with the increase of films thickness. The transmittance and absorbance spectra reveal that all films exhibit high absorption in UV region. The evaluated optical band gap is obtained in the range of 3.67 - 3.78 eV and is found to be decreased as the thickness increase.

Measurement of refractive index of photopolymer for holographic gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Eriko; Mizuno, Jun; Fujikawa, Chiemi; Kodate, Kashiko

2007-02-01

We have made attempts to measure directly the small-scale variation of optical path lengths in photopolymer samples. For those with uniform thickness, the measured quantity is supposed to be proportional to the refractive index of the photopolymer. The system is based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer using phase-locking technique and measures the change in optical path length during the sample is scanned across the optical axis. The spatial resolution is estimated to be 2μm, which is limited by the sample thickness. The path length resolution is estimated to be 6nm, which corresponds to the change in refractive index less than 10 -3 for the sample of 10μm thick. The measurement results showed clearly that the refractive index of photopolymer is not simply proportional to the exposure energy, contrary to the conventional photosensitive materials such as silver halide emulsion and dichromated gelatine. They also revealed the refractive index fluctuation in uniformly exposed photopolymer sample, which explains the milky appearance that sometimes observed in thick samples.

Correlation between corneal thickness and optic disc morphology in normal tension glaucoma using modern technical analysis.

PubMed

Coman, Laurenţiu; Costescu, Monica; Alecu, Mihail; Coman, Oana Andreia

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between central corneal thickness (CCT) and optic disc morphology in normal tension glaucoma (NTG). Patients with NTG underwent eye examination, optic disc imaging with Heildelberg Retina Tomograph II (HRT II) and ultrasound corneal pachymetry. The morphological parameters of the optic discs were used to classify the eyes into four groups: generalized enlargement (GE) type, myopic glaucomatous (MY) type, focal ischemic (FI) type and senile sclerotic (SS) type. A correlation between CCT and optic disc morphology obtained by HRT II was calculated. Multiple comparison and post hoc tests were performed in order to determine the significance of the differences between the four groups. The strongest correlation was between CCT and the parameters of optic disc imaging obtained at HRT II in the GE type of optic disc.

Multiple sclerosis and optic nerve: an analysis of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and color Doppler imaging parameters

PubMed Central

Akçam, H T; Capraz, I Y; Aktas, Z; Batur Caglayan, H Z; Ozhan Oktar, S; Hasanreisoglu, M; Irkec, C

2014-01-01

Purpose To compare both retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and orbital color Doppler ultrasonography parameters in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) versus healthy controls. Methods This is an observational case–control study. Forty eyes from MS patients and twenty eyes from healthy volunteers were examined. Eyes were classified into three groups as group 1, eyes from MS patients with previous optic neuritis (n=20); group 2, eyes from MS patients without previous optic neuritis (n=20); and group 3, eyes from healthy controls (n=20). Following complete ophthalmologic examination and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurement for each group, blood flow velocities of posterior ciliary arteries, central retinal artery, ophthalmic artery, and superior ophthalmic vein were measured. Pourcelot index (resistive index), an indicator of peripheral vascular resistance, was also calculated. The statistical assessment was performed with the assistance of Pearson's Chi-square test, Mann–Whitney U-test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and Spearman's correlation test. Results The studied eyes exposed similar values in terms of intraocular pressure and central corneal thickness, implying no evidence in favor of glaucoma. All nerve fiber layer thickness values, except superior nasal quadrants, in group 1 were found to be significantly thinner than groups 2 and 3. Blood flow velocity and mean resistivity index parameters were similar in all the groups. Conclusions In MS patients, especially with previous optic neuritis, diminished retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was observed. Contrary to several studies in the current literature, no evidence supporting potential vascular origin of ocular involvement in MS was found. PMID:25081285

Peripapillary nerve fiber layer thickness measurement reproducibility using optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Villain, Max A; Greenfield, David S

2003-01-01

To assess reproducibility of quadrantic and clock hour sectors of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in normal eyes using optical coherence tomography. Normal eyes of healthy volunteers meeting eligibility criteria were imaged by two inexperienced operators. Six 360 degrees circular scans with a diameter of 3.4 mm centered on the optic disc were obtained during each scanning session, and a baseline image was formed using 3 high-quality images defined by the software. Images were obtained on three different days within a 4-week period. Variance and coefficient of variation (CV) were calculated for quadrantic and retinal nerve fiber layer clock hour sectors obtained from the baseline image. Five normal eyes were scanned. Intraoperator reproducibility was high. The mean (+/- SD) CV for total retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was 5.3 +/- 3.82% and 4.33 +/- 3.7% for operators 1 and 2, respectively. Interoperator reproducibility was good with statistically similar variance for all quadrantic and clock hour retinal nerve fiber layer parameters (P = .42 to .99). The nasal retinal nerve fiber layer was the most variable sector for both operators (mean CV: 10.42% and 7.83% for operators 1 and 2, respectively). Differences in mean total, nasal, temporal, and superior retinal nerve fiber layer thickness were not statistically significant between operators for all eyes; however, for inferior retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, there was a significant (P = .0007) difference between operators in one eye. Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness assessments using optical coherence tomography have good intraoperator and interoperator reproducibility. Inexperienced operators can generate useful measurement data with acceptable levels of variance.

Application of shift-and-add algorithms for imaging objects within biological media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aizert, Avishai; Moshe, Tomer; Abookasis, David

2017-01-01

The Shift-and-Add (SAA) technique is a simple mathematical operation developed to reconstruct, at high spatial resolution, atmospherically degraded solar images obtained from stellar speckle interferometry systems. This method shifts and assembles individual degraded short-exposure images into a single average image with significantly improved contrast and detail. Since the inhomogeneous refractive indices of biological tissue causes light scattering similar to that induced by optical turbulence in the atmospheric layers, we assume that SAA methods can be successfully implemented to reconstruct the image of an object within a scattering biological medium. To test this hypothesis, five SAA algorithms were evaluated for reconstructing images acquired from multiple viewpoints. After successfully retrieving the hidden object's shape, quantitative image quality metrics were derived, enabling comparison of imaging error across a spectrum of layer thicknesses, demonstrating the relative efficacy of each SAA algorithm for biological imaging.

Dielectric function of two-phase colloid-polymer nanocomposite.

PubMed

Mitzscherling, S; Cui, Q; Koopman, W; Bargheer, M

2015-11-28

The plasmon resonance of metal nanoparticles determines their optical response in the visible spectral range. Many details such as the electronic properties of gold near the particle surface and the local environment of the particles influence the spectra. We show how the cheap but highly precise fabrication of composite nanolayers by spin-assisted layer-by-layer deposition of polyelectrolytes can be used to investigate the spectral response of gold nanospheres (GNS) and gold nanorods (GNR) in a self-consistent way, using the established Maxwell-Garnett effective medium (MGEM) theory beyond the limit of homogeneous media. We show that the dielectric function of gold nanoparticles differs from the bulk value and experimentally characterize the shape and the surrounding of the particles thoroughly by SEM, AFM and ellipsometry. Averaging the dielectric functions of the layered surrounding by an appropriate weighting with the electric field intensity yields excellent agreement for the spectra of several nanoparticles and nanorods with various cover-layer thicknesses.

Radiation-viscous boundary layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arav, Nahum; Begelman, Mitchell C.

1992-01-01

A viscous boundary layer (BL) is studied which is most likely to occur in astrophysical systems dominated by radiation pressure, in particular compact objects surrounded by a very optically thick envelope and radiating at close to the Eddington limit. Calculations are reported which show that a BL due to radiation viscosity behaves very differently from a 'classical' incompressible BL for flows with Mach number M much greater than unity far from the BL. In these flows the width of the BL is much larger than its incompressible value and scales as M-squared times the width of the imcompressible BL. The density inside the BL is much lower than that in the undisturbed fluid and scales as 1/M-squared with respect to the value far away from the BL. It is concluded that under certain circumstances a cocoon of low-density material will develop between a jet and its surrounding medium.

Impact of pentacene film thickness on the photoresponse spectra: Determination of the photocarrier generation mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorgolis, S.; Giannopoulou, A.; Anastassopoulos, D.; Kounavis, P.

2012-07-01

Photocurrent response, optical absorption, and x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements in pentacene films grown on glass substrates are performed in order to obtain an insight into the mobile photocarriers generation mechanism. For film thickness of the order of 50 nm and lower, the photocurrent response spectra are found to follow the optical absorption spectra demonstrating the so-called symbatic response. Upon increasing the film thickness, the photoresponse demonstrates a transition to the so-called antibatic response, which is characterized by a maximum and minimum photocurrent for photon energies of minimum and maximum optical absorption, respectively. The experimental results are not in accordance with the model of important surface recombination rate. By taking into account the XRD patterns, the experimental photoresponse spectra can be reproduced by model simulations assuming efficient exciton dissociation at a narrow layer of the order of 20 nm near the pentacene-substrate interface. The simulated spectra are found sensitive to the film thickness, the absolute optical absorption coefficient, and the diffusion exciton length. By comparing the experimental with the simulated spectra, it is deduced that the excitons, which are created by optical excitation in the spectral region of 1.7-2.2 eV, diffuse with a diffusion length of the order of 10-80 nm to the pentacene-substrate interface where efficiently dissociate into mobile charge carriers.

FIBER AND INTEGRATED OPTICS: Optimization of optical film waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamson, P. V.

1990-10-01

Theoretical investigations were made of the possibility of optimization of the effective thickness, of the optical confinement factor Γ1, and of the birefringence of a planar dielectric waveguide as a function of the waveguide parameter V and the waveguide asymmetry. For a given value of V it is possible to ensure higher values of Γ1, for an asymmetric waveguide than for a symmetric one. An approximate expression is proposed for the factor Γ1, of an asymmetric waveguide directly in terms of its thickness and the refractive indices of the layers.

Automated Quantification of Volumetric Optic Disc Swelling in Papilledema Using Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

PubMed Central

Wang, Jui-Kai; Kardon, Randy H.; Kupersmith, Mark J.; Garvin, Mona K.

2012-01-01

Purpose. To develop an automated method for the quantification of volumetric optic disc swelling in papilledema subjects using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and to determine the extent that such volumetric measurements correlate with Frisén scale grades (from fundus photographs) and two-dimensional (2-D) peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and total retinal (TR) thickness measurements from SD-OCT. Methods. A custom image-analysis algorithm was developed to obtain peripapillary circular RNFL thickness, TR thickness, and TR volume measurements from SD-OCT volumes of subjects with papilledema. In addition, peripapillary RNFL thickness measures from the commercially available Zeiss SD-OCT machine were obtained. Expert Frisén scale grades were independently obtained from corresponding fundus photographs. Results. In 71 SD-OCT scans, the mean (± standard deviation) resulting TR volumes for Frisén scale 0 to scale 4 were 11.36 ± 0.56, 12.53 ± 1.21, 14.42 ± 2.11, 17.48 ± 2.63, and 21.81 ± 3.16 mm3, respectively. The Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was 0.737. Using 55 eyes with valid Zeiss RNFL measurements, Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) between the TR volume and the custom algorithm's TR thickness, the custom algorithm's RNFL thickness, and Zeiss' RNFL thickness was 0.980, 0.929, and 0.946, respectively. Between Zeiss' RNFL and the custom algorithm's RNFL, and the study's TR thickness, r was 0.901 and 0.961, respectively. Conclusions. Volumetric measurements of the degree of disc swelling in subjects with papilledema can be obtained from SD-OCT volumes, with the mean volume appearing to be roughly linearly related to the Frisén scale grade. Using such an approach can provide a more continuous, objective, and robust means for assessing the degree of disc swelling compared with presently available approaches. PMID:22599584

Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measured with optical coherence tomography is related to visual function in glaucomatous eyes.

PubMed

El Beltagi, Tarek A; Bowd, Christopher; Boden, Catherine; Amini, Payam; Sample, Pamela A; Zangwill, Linda M; Weinreb, Robert N

2003-11-01

To determine the relationship between areas of glaucomatous retinal nerve fiber layer thinning identified by optical coherence tomography and areas of decreased visual field sensitivity identified by standard automated perimetry in glaucomatous eyes. Retrospective observational case series. Forty-three patients with glaucomatous optic neuropathy identified by optic disc stereo photographs and standard automated perimetry mean deviations >-8 dB were included. Participants were imaged with optical coherence tomography within 6 months of reliable standard automated perimetry testing. The location and number of optical coherence tomography clock hour retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measures outside normal limits were compared with the location and number of standard automated perimetry visual field zones outside normal limits. Further, the relationship between the deviation from normal optical coherence tomography-measured retinal nerve fiber layer thickness at each clock hour and the average pattern deviation in each visual field zone was examined by using linear regression (R(2)). The retinal nerve fiber layer areas most frequently outside normal limits were the inferior and inferior temporal regions. The least sensitive visual field zones were in the superior hemifield. Linear regression results (R(2)) showed that deviation from the normal retinal nerve fiber layer thickness at optical coherence tomography clock hour positions 6 o'clock, 7 o'clock, and 8 o'clock (inferior and inferior temporal) was best correlated with standard automated perimetry pattern deviation in visual field zones corresponding to the superior arcuate and nasal step regions (R(2) range, 0.34-0.57). These associations were much stronger than those between clock hour position 6 o'clock and the visual field zone corresponding to the inferior nasal step region (R(2) = 0.01). Localized retinal nerve fiber layer thinning, measured by optical coherence tomography, is topographically related to decreased localized standard automated perimetry sensitivity in glaucoma patients.

Optical rogue waves associated with the negative coherent coupling in an isotropic medium.

PubMed

Sun, Wen-Rong; Tian, Bo; Jiang, Yan; Zhen, Hui-Ling

2015-02-01

Optical rogue waves of the coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations with negative coherent coupling, which describe the propagation of orthogonally polarized optical waves in an isotropic medium, are reported. We construct and discuss a family of the vector rogue-wave solutions, including the bright rogue waves, four-petaled rogue waves, and dark rogue waves. A bright rogue wave without a valley can split up, giving birth to two bright rogue waves, and an eye-shaped rogue wave can split up, giving birth to two dark rogue waves.

A polarization measurement method for the quantification of retardation in optic nerve fiber layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukuma, Yasufumi; Okazaki, Yoshio; Shioiri, Takashi; Iida, Yukio; Kikuta, Hisao; Ohnuma, Kazuhiko

2008-02-01

The thickness measurement of the optic nerve fiber layer is one of the most important evaluations for carrying out glaucoma diagnosis. Because the optic nerve fiber layer has birefringence, the thickness can be measured by illuminating eye optics with circular polarized light and analyzing the elliptical rate of the detected polarized light reflected from the optic nerve fiber layer. In this method, the scattering light from the background and the retardation caused by the cornea disturbs the precise measurement. If the Stokes vector expressing the whole state of polarization can be detected, we can eliminate numerically the influence of the background scattering and of the retardation caused by the cornea. Because the retardation process of the eye optics can be represented by a numerical equation using the retardation matrix of each component and also the nonpolarized background scattering light, it can be calculated by using the Stokes vector. We applied a polarization analysis system that can detect the Stokes vector onto the fundus camera. The polarization analysis system is constructed with a CCD area image sensor, a linear polarizing plate, a micro phase plate array, and a circularly polarized light illumination unit. With this simply constructed system, we can calculate the retardation caused only by the optic nerve fiber layer and it can predict the thickness of the optic nerve fiber layer. We report the method and the results graphically showing the retardation of the optic nerve fiber layer without the retardation of the cornea.

Characterization of AVHRR global cloud detection sensitivity based on CALIPSO-CALIOP cloud optical thickness information: demonstration of results based on the CM SAF CLARA-A2 climate data record

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karlsson, Karl-Göran; Håkansson, Nina

2018-02-01

The sensitivity in detecting thin clouds of the cloud screening method being used in the CM SAF cloud, albedo and surface radiation data set from AVHRR data (CLARA-A2) cloud climate data record (CDR) has been evaluated using cloud information from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) onboard the CALIPSO satellite. The sensitivity, including its global variation, has been studied based on collocations of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and CALIOP measurements over a 10-year period (2006-2015). The cloud detection sensitivity has been defined as the minimum cloud optical thickness for which 50 % of clouds could be detected, with the global average sensitivity estimated to be 0.225. After using this value to reduce the CALIOP cloud mask (i.e. clouds with optical thickness below this threshold were interpreted as cloud-free cases), cloudiness results were found to be basically unbiased over most of the globe except over the polar regions where a considerable underestimation of cloudiness could be seen during the polar winter. The overall probability of detecting clouds in the polar winter could be as low as 50 % over the highest and coldest parts of Greenland and Antarctica, showing that a large fraction of optically thick clouds also remains undetected here. The study included an in-depth analysis of the probability of detecting a cloud as a function of the vertically integrated cloud optical thickness as well as of the cloud's geographical position. Best results were achieved over oceanic surfaces at mid- to high latitudes where at least 50 % of all clouds with an optical thickness down to a value of 0.075 were detected. Corresponding cloud detection sensitivities over land surfaces outside of the polar regions were generally larger than 0.2 with maximum values of approximately 0.5 over the Sahara and the Arabian Peninsula. For polar land surfaces the values were close to 1 or higher with maximum values of 4.5 for the parts with the highest altitudes over Greenland and Antarctica. It is suggested to quantify the detection performance of other CDRs in terms of a sensitivity threshold of cloud optical thickness, which can be estimated using active lidar observations. Validation results are proposed to be used in Cloud Feedback Model Intercomparison Project (CFMIP) Observation Simulation Package (COSP) simulators for cloud detection characterization of various cloud CDRs from passive imagery.

Fiber-Optic Sensor Would Monitor Growth of Polymer Film

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beamesderfer, Michael

2005-01-01

A proposed optoelectronic sensor system would measure the increase in thickness of a film of parylene (a thermoplastic polymer made from para-xylene) during growth of the film in a vapor deposition process. By enabling real-time monitoring of film thickness, the system would make it possible to identify process conditions favorable for growth and to tailor the final thickness of the film with greater precision than is now possible. The heart of the sensor would be a pair of fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometers, depicted schematically in the figure. (In principle, a single such interferometer would suffice. The proposal calls for the use of two interferometers for protective redundancy and increased accuracy.) Each interferometer would include a light source, a fiber-optic coupler, and photodetectors in a control box outside the deposition chamber. A single-mode optical fiber for each interferometer would run from inside the control box to a fused-silica faceplate in a sensor head. The sensory tips of the optical fibers would be polished flush with the free surface of the faceplate. In preparation for use, the sensor head would be mounted with a hermetic seal in a feed-through port in the deposition chamber, such that free face of the faceplate and the sensory tips of the optical fibers would be exposed to the deposition environment. During operation, light would travel along each optical fiber from the control box to the sensor head. A small portion of the light would be reflected toward the control box from the end face of each fiber. Once growth of the parylene film started, a small portion of the light would also be reflected toward the control box from the outer surface of the film. In the control box, the two reflected portions of the light beam would interfere in one of the photodetectors. The difference between the phases of the interfering reflected portions of the light beam would vary in proportion to the increasing thickness of the film and the known index of refraction of the film, causing the photodetector reading to vary in proportion to a known sinusoidal function of film thickness. Electronic means of monitoring this variation and the corresponding variation in phase and thickness are well established in the art of interferometry. Hence, by tracking the cumulative change in phase difference from the beginning of deposition, one could track the growing thickness of the film to within a small fraction of a wavelength of light.

Effect of race, age, and axial length on optic nerve head parameters and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measured by Cirrus HD-OCT.

PubMed

Knight, O'Rese J; Girkin, Christopher A; Budenz, Donald L; Durbin, Mary K; Feuer, William J

2012-03-01

To determine the effect of race, demographic, and ocular variables on optic nerve head and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurements using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. In a cross-sectional observational study, 284 normal subjects aged 18 to 84 years were evaluated at 7 sites using Cirrus HD-OCT. Disc area, rim area, average cup-disc ratio, vertical cup-disc ratio, cup volume, and average, temporal, superior, nasal, and inferior RNFL thicknesses were calculated. The main outcome measures were associations between Cirrus HD-OCT optic nerve head and RNFL measurements and age, sex, and race. The 284 subjects self-identified as being of European (122), Chinese (63), African (51), or Hispanic (35) descent. After adjusting for the effect of age, there was a statistically significant difference among racial groups for all optic nerve head and RNFL parameters (all P ≤ .005) except rim area (P = .22). Rim area, average cup-disc ratio, vertical cup-disc ratio, and cup volume were moderately associated with disc area (r(2) = 0.15, 0.33, 0.33, and 0.37, respectively). After a linear adjustment for disc area, there was no statistically significant difference among racial groups for any optic nerve head parameter. Individuals of European descent had thinner RNFL measurements except in the temporal quadrant. There are racial differences in optic disc area, average cup-disc ratio, vertical cup-disc ratio, cup volume, and RNFL thickness as measured by Cirrus HD-OCT. These differences should be considered when using Cirrus HD-OCT to assess for glaucomatous damage in differing population groups.

Effect of Race, Age, and Axial Length on Optic Nerve Head Parameters and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness Measured by Cirrus HD-OCT

PubMed Central

Knight, O’Rese J.; Girkin, Christopher A.; Budenz, Donald L.; Durbin, Mary K.; Feuer, William J.

2017-01-01

Objective To determine the effect of race, demographic, and ocular variables on optic nerve head and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurements using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Methods In a cross-sectional observational study, 284 normal subjects aged 18 to 84 years were evaluated at 7 sites using Cirrus HD-OCT. Disc area, rim area, average cup-disc ratio, vertical cup-disc ratio, cup volume, and average, temporal, superior, nasal, and inferior RNFL thicknesses were calculated. The main outcome measures were associations between Cirrus HD-OCT optic nerve head and RNFL measurements and age, sex, and race. Results The 284 subjects self-identified as being of European (122), Chinese (63), African (51), or Hispanic (35) descent. After adjusting for the effect of age, there was a statistically significant difference among racial groups for all optic nerve head and RNFL parameters (all P≤.005) except rim area (P=.22). Rim area, average cup-disc ratio, vertical cup-disc ratio, and cup volume were moderately associated with disc area (r2=0.15, 0.33, 0.33, and 0.37, respectively). After a linear adjustment for disc area, there was no statistically significant difference among racial groups for any optic nerve head parameter. Individuals of European descent had thinner RNFL measurements except in the temporal quadrant. Conclusions There are racial differences in optic disc area, average cup-disc ratio, vertical cup-disc ratio, cup volume, and RNFL thickness as measured by Cirrus HD-OCT. These differences should be considered when using Cirrus HD-OCT to assess for glaucomatous damage in differing population groups. PMID:22411660

Imaging of optically diffusive media by use of opto-elastography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bossy, Emmanuel; Funke, Arik R.; Daoudi, Khalid; Tanter, Mickael; Fink, Mathias; Boccara, Claude

2007-02-01

We present a camera-based optical detection scheme designed to detect the transient motion created by the acoustic radiation force in elastic media. An optically diffusive tissue mimicking phantom was illuminated with coherent laser light, and a high speed camera (2 kHz frame rate) was used to acquire and cross-correlate consecutive speckle patterns. Time-resolved transient decorrelations of the optical speckle were measured as the results of localised motion induced in the medium by the radiation force and subsequent propagating shear waves. As opposed to classical acousto-optic techniques which are sensitive to vibrations induced by compressional waves at ultrasonic frequencies, the proposed technique is sensitive only to the low frequency transient motion induced in the medium by the radiation force. It therefore provides a way to assess both optical and shear mechanical properties.

FIBER AND INTEGRATED OPTICS: Waveguide characteristics of real optical strip waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shmal'ko, A. V.; Frolov, V. V.

1990-01-01

A study is reported of the influence of the parameters of real thin-film optical strip waveguides on their waveguide characteristics (propagation constants, localization of the mode field, etc.) allowing for the presence of transition layers in a transverse cross section of the base planar waveguide, for the real geometry of this section (which is nearly trapezoidal), and for the thickness of the guiding strip. Analytic expressions are obtained for the optical confinement coefficient and the effective mode format of a weakly guiding symmetric strip waveguide. It is shown that the coefficient representing the fundamental E11x(y) mode is practically independent of the relative thickness t /h (h is the thickness of the base planar waveguide) of the guiding strip provided t /h>=0.5. The corrections to the normalized effective refractive indices of the base planar and strip waveguides are found in order to allow for the real geometry and for the refractive index profile in the strip waveguide.

Fiber optic interferometry for industrial process monitoring and control applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcus, Michael A.

2002-02-01

Over the past few years we have been developing applications for a high-resolution (sub-micron accuracy) fiber optic coupled dual Michelson interferometer-based instrument. It is being utilized in a variety of applications including monitoring liquid layer thickness uniformity on coating hoppers, film base thickness uniformity measurement, digital camera focus assessment, optical cell path length assessment and imager and wafer surface profile mapping. The instrument includes both coherent and non-coherent light sources, custom application dependent optical probes and sample interfaces, a Michelson interferometer, custom electronics, a Pentium-based PC with data acquisition cards and LabWindows CVI or LabView based application specific software. This paper describes the development evolution of this instrument platform and applications highlighting robust instrument design, hardware, software, and user interfaces development. The talk concludes with a discussion of a new high-speed instrument configuration, which can be utilized for high speed surface profiling and as an on-line web thickness gauge.

Variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometric characterization of HfO2 thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, M.; Kumari, N.; Karar, V.; Sharma, A. L.

2018-02-01

Hafnium Oxide film was deposited on BK7 glass substrate using reactive oxygenated E-Beam deposition technique. The film was deposited using in-situ quartz crystal thickness monitoring to control the film thickness and rate of evaporation. The thin film was grown with a rate of deposition of 0.3 nm/s. The coated substrate was optically characterized using spectrophotometer to determine its transmission spectra. The optical constants as well as film thickness of the hafnia film were extracted by variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry with Cauchy fitting at incidence angles of 65˚, 70˚ and 75˚.

Thermal annealing induced the tunable optical properties of silver thin films with linear variable thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Ruijin; Shao, Wen; Ji, Jialin; Tao, Chunxian; Zhang, Dawei

2018-06-01

Silver thin films with linear variable thickness were deposited at room temperature. The corresponding tunability of optical properties and Raman scattering intensity were realized by thermal annealing process. With the thickness increasing, the topography of as-annealed silver thin films was observed to develop from discontinued nanospheres into continuous structure with a redshift of the surface plasmon resonance wavelength in visible region. Both the various nanosphere sizes and states of aggregation of as-annealed silver thin films contributed to significantly increasing the sensitivity of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS).

High-throughput measurement of polymer film thickness using optical dyes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grunlan, Jaime C.; Mehrabi, Ali R.; Ly, Tien

2005-01-01

Optical dyes were added to polymer solutions in an effort to create a technique for high-throughput screening of dry polymer film thickness. Arrays of polystyrene films, cast from a toluene solution, containing methyl red or solvent green were used to demonstrate the feasibility of this technique. Measurements of the peak visible absorbance of each film were converted to thickness using the Beer-Lambert relationship. These absorbance-based thickness calculations agreed within 10% of thickness measured using a micrometer for polystyrene films that were 10-50 µm. At these thicknesses it is believed that the absorbance values are actually more accurate. At least for this solvent-based system, thickness was shown to be accurately measured in a high-throughput manner that could potentially be applied to other equivalent systems. Similar water-based films made with poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) dyed with malachite green oxalate or congo red did not show the same level of agreement with the micrometer measurements. Extensive phase separation between polymer and dye resulted in inflated absorbance values and calculated thickness that was often more than 25% greater than that measured with the micrometer. Only at thicknesses below 15 µm could reasonable accuracy be achieved for the water-based films.

Wall thickness measuring method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Salzer, L.J.; Bergren, D.A.

1987-10-06

An apparatus for measuring the wall thickness of a nonmagnetic article having a housing supporting a magnet and a contiguous supporting surface. The tubular article and the housing are releasably secured to the supporting surface and a support member of an optical comparator, respectively. To determine the wall thickness of the article at a selected point, a magnetically responsive ball is positioned within the tubular article over said point and retained therein by means of a magnetic field produced by the magnet. Thereafter, an optical comparator is employed to project a magnified image of the ball on a screen and the wall thickness at the selected point is calculated by using a ball surface measurement taken with the comparator in conjunction with a previously determined base line measurement.

Wall thickness measuring method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Salzer, Leander J.; Bergren, Donald A.

1989-01-01

An apparatus for measuring the wall thickness of a nonmagnetic article having a housing supporting a magnet and a contiguous supporting surface. The tubular article and the housing are releasably secured to the supporting surface and a support member of an optical comparator, respectively. To determine the wall thickness of the article at a selected point, a magnetically responsive ball is positioned within the tubular article over said point and retained therein by means of a magnetic field produced by the magnet. Thereafter, an optical comparator is employed to project a magnified image of the ball on a screen and the wall thickness at the selected point is calculated by using a ball surface measurement taken with the comparator in conjunction with a previously determined base line measurement.

Optical response of two coupled optomechanical systems in the presence of nonlinear mediums

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asghari Nejad, A.; Askari, H. R.; Baghshahi, H. R.

2018-01-01

In this paper, we investigate response of a hybrid optomechanical system in different situations. This system is composed of two coupled optomechanical cavities, which one of them is filled with an optical parametric amplifier (OPA) and the other one encompasses a nonlinear Kerr medium. The Hamiltonian of the system is written in a rotating frame. The dynamics of the system is obtained by the quantum Langevin equations of motion in a steady state regime. The results show that the presence of OPA and the Kerr medium in the system can considerably change the behavior of both cavities. For this reason, we show that by choosing different values for the optical parameters of the system, one can switches the behaviors of the cavities between mono-, bi- and tristability. Also, we show that by changing the detunings of the cavities, one can obtain uncommon responses from the system. Furthermore, we show that it is possible to create proper optical multistability regions for both cavities.

ALMA Survey of Lupus Protoplanetary Disks. II. Gas Disk Radii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ansdell, M.; Williams, J. P.; Trapman, L.; van Terwisga, S. E.; Facchini, S.; Manara, C. F.; van der Marel, N.; Miotello, A.; Tazzari, M.; Hogerheijde, M.; Guidi, G.; Testi, L.; van Dishoeck, E. F.

2018-05-01

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/Sub-Millimeter Array (ALMA) Band 6 observations of a complete sample of protoplanetary disks in the young (∼1–3 Myr) Lupus star-forming region, covering the 1.33 mm continuum and the 12CO, 13CO, and C18O J = 2–1 lines. The spatial resolution is ∼0.″25 with a medium 3σ continuum sensitivity of 0.30 mJy, corresponding to M dust ∼ 0.2 M ⊕. We apply Keplerian masking to enhance the signal-to-noise ratios of our 12CO zero-moment maps, enabling measurements of gas disk radii for 22 Lupus disks; we find that gas disks are universally larger than millimeter dust disks by a factor of two on average, likely due to a combination of the optically thick gas emission and the growth and inward drift of the dust. Using the gas disk radii, we calculate the dimensionless viscosity parameter, α visc, finding a broad distribution and no correlations with other disk or stellar parameters, suggesting that viscous processes have not yet established quasi-steady states in Lupus disks. By combining our 1.33 mm continuum fluxes with our previous 890 μm continuum observations, we also calculate the millimeter spectral index, α mm, for 70 Lupus disks; we find an anticorrelation between α mm and millimeter flux for low-mass disks (M dust ≲ 5), followed by a flattening as disks approach α mm ≈ 2, which could indicate faster grain growth in higher-mass disks, but may also reflect their larger optically thick components. In sum, this work demonstrates the continuous stream of new insights into disk evolution and planet formation that can be gleaned from unbiased ALMA disk surveys.

Ice Cloud Optical Thickness and Extinction Estimates from Radar Measurements.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matrosov, Sergey Y.; Shupe, Matthew D.; Heymsfield, Andrew J.; Zuidema, Paquita

2003-11-01

A remote sensing method is proposed to derive vertical profiles of the visible extinction coefficients in ice clouds from measurements of the radar reflectivity and Doppler velocity taken by a vertically pointing 35-GHz cloud radar. The extinction coefficient and its vertical integral, optical thickness τ, are among the fundamental cloud optical parameters that, to a large extent, determine the radiative impact of clouds. The results obtained with this method could be used as input for different climate and radiation models and for comparisons with parameterizations that relate cloud microphysical parameters and optical properties. An important advantage of the proposed method is its potential applicability to multicloud situations and mixed-phase conditions. In the latter case, it might be able to provide the information on the ice component of mixed-phase clouds if the radar moments are dominated by this component. The uncertainties of radar-based retrievals of cloud visible optical thickness are estimated by comparing retrieval results with optical thicknesses obtained independently from radiometric measurements during the yearlong Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean (SHEBA) field experiment. The radiometric measurements provide a robust way to estimate τ but are applicable only to optically thin ice clouds without intervening liquid layers. The comparisons of cloud optical thicknesses retrieved from radar and from radiometer measurements indicate an uncertainty of about 77% and a bias of about -14% in the radar estimates of τ relative to radiometric retrievals. One possible explanation of the negative bias is an inherently low sensitivity of radar measurements to smaller cloud particles that still contribute noticeably to the cloud extinction. This estimate of the uncertainty is in line with simple theoretical considerations, and the associated retrieval accuracy should be considered good for a nonoptical instrument, such as radar. This paper also presents relations between radar-derived characteristic cloud particle sizes and effective sizes used in models. An average relation among τ, cloud ice water path, and the layer mean value of cloud particle characteristic size is also given. This relation is found to be in good agreement with in situ measurements. Despite a high uncertainty of radar estimates of extinction, this method is useful for many clouds where optical measurements are not available because of cloud multilayering or opaqueness.

Quantitative investigation on the critical thickness of the dielectric shell for metallic nanoparticles determined by the plasmon decay length.

PubMed

Li, Anran; Lim, Xinyi; Guo, Lin; Li, Shuzhou

2018-04-20

Inert dielectric shells coating the surface of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) are important for enhancing the NPs' stability, biocompatibility, and realizing targeting detection, but they impair NPs' sensing ability due to the electric fields damping. The dielectric shell not only determines the distance of the analyte from the NP surface, but also affects the field decay. From a practical point of view, it is extremely important to investigate the critical thickness of the shell, beyond which the NPs are no longer able to effectively detect the analytes. The plasmon decay length of the shell-coated NPs determines the critical thickness of the coating layer. Extracting from the exponential fitting results, we quantitatively demonstrate that the critical thickness of the shell exhibits a linear dependence on the NP volume and the dielectric constants of the shell and the surrounding medium, but only with a small variation influenced by the NP shape where the dipole resonance is dominated. We show the critical thickness increases with enlarging the NP sizes, or increasing the dielectric constant differences between the shell and surrounding medium. The findings are essential for applications of shell-coated NPs in plasmonic sensing.

Quantitative investigation on the critical thickness of the dielectric shell for metallic nanoparticles determined by the plasmon decay length

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Anran; Lim, Xinyi; Guo, Lin; Li, Shuzhou

2018-04-01

Inert dielectric shells coating the surface of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) are important for enhancing the NPs’ stability, biocompatibility, and realizing targeting detection, but they impair NPs’ sensing ability due to the electric fields damping. The dielectric shell not only determines the distance of the analyte from the NP surface, but also affects the field decay. From a practical point of view, it is extremely important to investigate the critical thickness of the shell, beyond which the NPs are no longer able to effectively detect the analytes. The plasmon decay length of the shell-coated NPs determines the critical thickness of the coating layer. Extracting from the exponential fitting results, we quantitatively demonstrate that the critical thickness of the shell exhibits a linear dependence on the NP volume and the dielectric constants of the shell and the surrounding medium, but only with a small variation influenced by the NP shape where the dipole resonance is dominated. We show the critical thickness increases with enlarging the NP sizes, or increasing the dielectric constant differences between the shell and surrounding medium. The findings are essential for applications of shell-coated NPs in plasmonic sensing.

Fabrication of a Quartz-Crystal-Microbalance/Optical-Waveguide Hybrid Sensor and In situ Evaluation of Vacuum-Evaporated Lead Phthalocyanine Thin Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinbo, Kazunari; Uno, Akihiro; Hirakawa, Ryo; Baba, Akira; Ohdaira, Yasuo; Kato, Keizo; Kaneko, Futao

2013-05-01

In this study, we fabricated a novel quartz-crystal-microbalance (QCM)/optical-waveguide hybrid sensor. An in situ observation of a lead phthalocyanine (PbPc) thin-film deposition was conducted during vacuum evaporation, and the effectiveness of the sensor was demonstrated. The film thickness was obtained from the QCM frequency, and the optical absorption of the film was observed by optical waveguide spectroscopy using part of the QCM substrate without the electrode. The film absorption depends on the polarization direction, substrate temperature and deposition rate, owing to aggregate formation. The thickness dependence of the absorption property was also investigated.

NONLINEAR OPTICAL EFFECTS AND FIBER OPTICS: Theory of four-wave mixing in photorefractive media when the response of a medium is nonlinear in respect of the modulation parameter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zozulya, A. A.

1988-12-01

A theoretical model is constructed for four-wave mixing in a photorefractive crystal where a transmission grating is formed by the drift-diffusion nonlinearity mechanism in the absence of an external electrostatic field and the response of the medium is nonlinear in respect of the modulation parameter. A comparison is made with a model in which the response of the medium is linear in respect of the modulation parameter. Theoretical models of four-wave and two-wave mixing are also compared with experiments.

Self-repeating properties of four-petal Gaussian vortex beams in quadratic index medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Defeng; Li, Xiaohui; Chai, Tong; Zheng, Hairong

2018-05-01

In this paper, we investigate the propagation properties of four-petal Gaussian vortex (FPGV) beams propagating through the quadratic index medium, obtaining the analytical expression of FPGV beams. The effects of beam order n, topological charge m and beam waist ω0 are investigated. Results show that quadratic index medium support periodic distributions of FPGV beams. A hollow optical wall or an optical central principal maximum surrounded by symmetrical sidelobes will occur at the center of a period. At length, they will evolve into four petals structure, exactly same as the intensity distributions at source plane.

Experimental results for characterization of a tapered plastic optical fiber sensor based on SPR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cennamo, N.; Galatus, R.; Zeni, L.

2015-05-01

The experimental results obtained with two different Plastic Optical Fiber (POF) geometries, tapered and not-tapered, for a sensor based on Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) are presented. SPR is used for determining the refractive index variations at the interface between a gold layer and a dielectric medium (aqueous medium). In this work SPR sensors in POF configurations, useful for bio-sensing applications, have been realized for the optimization of the sensitivity and experimentally tested. The results show as the sensitivity increases with the tapered POF configuration, when the refractive index of aqueous medium increases.

Synthesis of Mn-doped ZnS thin films by chemical bath deposition: Optical properties in the visible region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erken, Ozge; Gunes, Mustafa; Gumus, Cebrail

2017-04-01

Transparent ZnS:Mn thin films were produced by chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique at 80 °C for 4h, 6h and 8h durations. The optical properties such as optical transmittance (T %), reflectance (R %), extinction coefficient (k) and refractive index (n) were deeply investigated in terms of contribution ratio, wavelength and film thickness. The optical properties of ZnS:Mn thin films were determined by UV/vis spectrophotometer transmittance measurements in the range of λ=300-1100 nm. Optical transmittances of the films were found from 12% to 92% in the visible region. The refractive index (n) values for visible region were calculated as 1.34-5.09. However, film thicknesses were calculated between 50 and 901 nm by gravimetric analysis.

Reflectometry-Ellipsometry Reveals Thickness, Growth Rate, and Phase Composition in Oxidation of Copper.

PubMed

Diaz Leon, Juan J; Fryauf, David M; Cormia, Robert D; Zhang, Min-Xian Max; Samuels, Kathryn; Williams, R Stanley; Kobayashi, Nobuhiko P

2016-08-31

The oxidation of copper is a complicated process. Copper oxide develops two stable phases at room temperature and standard pressure (RTSP): cuprous oxide (Cu2O) and cupric oxide (CuO). Both phases have different optical and electrical characteristics that make them interesting for applications such as solar cells or resistive switching devices. For a given application, it is necessary to selectively control oxide thickness and cupric/cuprous oxide phase volume fraction. The thickness and composition of a copper oxide film growing on the surface of copper widely depend on the characteristics of as-deposited copper. In this Research Article, two samples, copper films prepared by two different deposition techniques, electron-beam evaporation and sputtering, were studied. As the core part of the study, the formation of the oxidized copper was analyzed routinely over a period of 253 days using spectroscopic polarized reflectometry-spectroscopic ellipsometry (RE). An effective medium approximation (EMA) model was used to fit the RE data. The RE measurements were complemented and validated by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Our results show that the two samples oxidized under identical laboratory ambient conditions (RTSP, 87% average relative humidity) developed unique oxide films following an inverse-logarithmic growth rate with thickness and composition different from each other over time. Discussion is focused on the ability of RE to simultaneously extract thickness (i.e., growth rate) and composition of copper oxide films and on plausible physical mechanisms responsible for unique oxidation habits observed in the two copper samples. It appears that extended surface characteristics (i.e., surface roughness and grain boundaries) and preferential crystalline orientation of as-deposited polycrystalline copper films control the growth kinetics of the copper oxide film. Analysis based on a noncontact and nondestructive measurement, such as RE, to extract key material parameters is beneficial for conveniently understanding the oxidation process that would ultimately enable copper oxide-based devices at manufacturing scales.

Chip-to-chip optical link by using optical wiring method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, In-Kui; Ahn, Seoung Ho; Jeong, Myung-Yung; Rho, Byung Sup; Park, Hyo Hoon

2008-01-01

A practical optical link system was prepared with a transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx). The optical TRx module consisted of a metal optical bench, a module printed circuit board (PCB), a driver/receiver IC, a VCSEL/PD array, and an optical link block composed of plastic optical fiber (POF). For the optical interconnection between the light-sources and detectors, an optical wiring method has been proposed to enable easy assembly. This paper provides a method for optical interconnection between an optical Tx and an optical Rx, comprising the following steps: (a) forming a light source device, an optical detection device, and an optical transmission unit on a substrate (metal optical bench (MOB)); (b) preparing a flexible optical transmission-connection medium (optical wiring link) to optically connect the light source device formed on the substrate with the optical detection device; and (c) directly connecting one end of the surface-finished optical transmission connection medium with the light source device and the other end with the optical detection device. A chip-to-chip optical link system constructed with TRx modules was fabricated and the optical characteristics were measured. The results clearly demonstrate that the use of an optical wiring method can provide robust and cost-effective assembly for vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) and photodiodes (PDs). We successfully achieved a 5 Gb/s data transmission rate with this optical link.

Thickness dependent charge transfer states and dark carriers density in vacuum deposited small molecule organic photocell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shekhar, Himanshu; Tzabari, Lior; Solomeshch, Olga; Tessler, Nir

2016-10-01

We have investigated the influence of the active layer thickness on the balance of the internal mechanisms affecting the efficiency of copper phthalocyanine - fullerene (C60) based vacuum deposited bulk heterojunction organic photocell. We fabricated a range of devices for which we varied the thickness of the active layer from 40 to 120 nm and assessed their performance using optical and electrical characterization techniques. As reported previously for phthalocyanine:C60, the performance of the device is highly dependent on the active layer thickness and of all the thicknesses we tried, the 40 nm thin active layer device showed the best solar cell characteristic parameters. Using the transfer matrix based optical model, which includes interference effects, we calculated the optical power absorbed in the active layers for the entire absorption band, and we found that this cannot explain the trend with thickness. Measurement of the cell quantum efficiency as a function of light intensity showed that the relative weight of the device internal processes changes when going from 40 nm to 120 nm thick active layer. Electrical modeling of the device, which takes different internal processes into account, allowed to quantify the changes in the processes affecting the generation - recombination balance. Sub gap external quantum efficiency and morphological analysis of the surface of the films agree with the model's result. We found that as the thickness grows the density of charge transfer states and of dark carriers goes up and the uniformity in the vertical direction is reduced.

THICKNESS OF THE MACULA, RETINAL NERVE FIBER LAYER, AND GANGLION CELL-INNER PLEXIFORM LAYER IN THE AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION: The Repeatability Study of Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

PubMed

Shin, Il-Hwan; Lee, Woo-Hyuk; Lee, Jong-Joo; Jo, Young-Joon; Kim, Jung-Yeul

2018-02-01

To determine the repeatability of measuring the thickness of the central macula, retinal nerve fiber layer, and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL) using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (Cirrus HD-OCT) in eyes with age-related macular degeneration. One hundred and thirty-four eyes were included. The measurement repeatability was assessed by an experienced examiner who performed two consecutive measurements using a 512 × 128 macular cube scan and a 200 × 200 optic disk cube scan. To assess changes in macular morphology in patients with age-related macular degeneration, the patients were divided into the following three groups according to the central macular thickness (CMT): A group, CMT < 200 μm; B group, 200 μm ≤ CMT < 300 μm; and C group, CMT > 300 μm. Measurement repeatability was assessed using test-retest variability, a coefficient of variation, and an intraclass correlation coefficient. The mean measurement repeatability for the central macular, retinal nerve fiber layer, and GC-IPL thickness was high in the B group. The mean measurement repeatability for both the central macula and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was high in the A and C groups, but was lower for the GC-IPL thickness. The measurement repeatability for GC-IPL thickness was high in the B group, but low in the A group and in the C group. The automated measurement repeatability for GC-IPL thickness was significantly lower in patients with age-related macular degeneration with out of normal CMT range. The effect of changes in macular morphology should be considered when analyzing GC-IPL thicknesses in a variety of ocular diseases.

New nonlinear optical effect: self-reflection phenomenon due to exciton-biexciton-light interaction in semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khadzhi, P. I.; Lyakhomskaya, K. D.; Nadkin, L. Y.; Markov, D. A.

2002-05-01

The characteristic peculiarities of the self-reflection of a strong electromagnetic wave in a system of coherent excitons and biexcitons due to the exciton-photon interaction and optical exciton-biexciton conversion in semiconductors were investigated as one of the manifestations of nonlinear optical Stark-effect. It was found that a monotonously decreasing standing wave with an exponential decreasing spatial tail is formed in the semiconductor. Under the action of the field of a strong pulse, an optically homogeneous medium is converted, into the medium with distributed feedback. The appearance of the spatially separated narrow pears of the reflective index, extinction and reflection coefficients is predicted.