ICARUS: imaging pulse compression algorithm through remapping of ultrasound

In this work we tackle the problem of applying to echographic imaging those synthetic aperture focusing techniques (SAFT) in the frequency domain commonly used in the field of synthetic aperture radars (SAR). The aim of this research is to improve echographic image resolution by using chirp transmit signals, and by performing pulse compression in both dimensions (depth and lateral). The curved geometry present in the unfocused radio-frequency (RF) ultrasonic image is the main cause of inaccuracy in the direct application of frequency domain SAFT algorithms to echographic imaging. The focusing method proposed in this work, after pulse compression in the depth dimension, performs lateral focusing in the mixed depth-lateral spatial frequency domain by means of a depth variant remapping followed by lateral pulse compression. This technique has the advantage of providing a resolution that is uniform in nonfrequency selective attenuation media, and improved with respect to conventional time domain SAFT, without requiring the acquisition and processing of channel data necessary for the most advanced synthetic transmit aperture techniques. Therefore, the presented method is suitable for easy real-time implementation with current generation hardware.     

Diffraction theory of optimized low-resolution Fresnel encoded lenses

A mathematical model describing the behavior of low-resolution Fresnel encoded lenses (LRFEL's) encoded in any low-resolution device (e.g., a spatial light modulator) has recently been developed. From this model, an LRFEL with a short focal length was optimized by our imposing the maximum intensity of light onto the optical axis. With this model, analytical expressions for the light-amplitude distribution, the diffraction efficiency, and the frequency response of the optimized LRFEL's are derived.     

数字同轴和数字离轴全息系统分析

利用最高空间频率分析法,通过逐点分析记录在 CCD 上的空间频率信息,研究了物体可允许记录的最大横向尺寸、最小记录距离、全息图的信息量、空间分辨力、再现像的横向分辨力、轴向分辨力及散斑大小,并得到了数学表达式。理论分析和实验结果表明,数字同轴全息系统放宽了对 CCD 分辨力的要求,有较高的分辨力,较低的散斑噪声、灵活、简单的系统结构及较高的 CCD 空间带宽利用率,在增强系统性能方面要优于数字离轴全息系统。这一研究为数字全息系统的设计和操作提供了一定的理论和实验指导。     

Shah and sine convolution Fourier transform detection for microchannel electrophoresis with a charge coupled device

This paper describes an improved format for Shah convolution Fourier transform (SCOFT) detection that utilizes the spatial resolution of a charge-coupled device (CCD) rather than a fixed optical mask to perform a Shah or sine convolution over a fluorescence signal. The laser-induced fluorescence from a 9-mm section of microfabricated channel is collected with a CCD at 28 Hz. Each image frame is multiplied by a convolution function to modulate the collected signal through space. Each frame is then summed to generate an intensity-versus-time data set for Fourier analysis. The fluorescence signal oscillates at a frequency dependent upon both the convolution function multiplied across each data frame and the velocity of fluorescent microspheres or a plug of fluorescent dye flowing through the channel. This SCOFT technique affords more flexibility over formats that employ a physical mask and provides data that can be optimized for signal-to-noise (S/N) or resolution information. A 1,000-fold improvement in S/N is demonstrated for a plug of fluorescein dye. Detection of fluorescent beads exhibited frequency signals that were dependent upon the bead size distribution, the electric field, and the electrophoresis buffer concentration. Data are presented demonstrating the quantitation of fluorescent microspheres.     

Studying emission from a surface discharge in dry air

We have studied the emission from an electric discharge developing in dry air over the surface of a ceramic plate at the edge of a thin aluminum electrode under the action of an ac voltage with a frequency of 5–14 kHz. The intensity of emission from surface microdischarges was measured for the second positive (λ= 337.1 nm) and first negative (λ = 391.5 nm) systems of nitrogen using a monochromator and a photoelectron multiplier. Using a lens and a system of slits, the radiation flux was scanned at a spatial resolution of 0.2 and 2 mm with respect to the width and length, respectively, of the discharge channel, which allowed the structure of emission from microdischarges to be analyzed and the position of the discharge channel relative to the barrier surface to be determined.     

Potential steps at C₆₀-TiOPc-Ag(111) interfaces: ultrahigh-vacuum-noncontact scanning probe metrology

Nanoscale structure-electric potential relations in films of the organic molecular semiconductors C(60) and titanyl phthalocyanine (TiOPc) on Ag(111) have been measured under UHV conditions. Noncontact force methods were utilized to image domain structures and boundaries with molecular resolution, while simultaneously quantifying the local surface electric potential. Sensitivity and spatial resolution for the local potential measurement were first established on Ag(111) through direct observation of the electrical dipole and potential step, φ(step) = 10 ± 3 mV, of monatomic crystallographic steps. A local surface potential increase of 27 ± 11 mV occurs upon crossing the boundary between the neat Ag(111) surface and C(60) islands. Potential steps in binary C(60)-TiOPc films, nanophase-separated into crystalline C(60) and TiOPc domains, were then mapped quantitatively. The 207 ± 66 mV potential step across the C(60)-to-TiOPc domain boundary exhibits a 3.6 nm width that reflects the spatial resolution for electric potential across a material interface. The absence of potential asymmetry across this lateral interface sets the upper bound for the C(60)-TiOPc interface dipole moment as 0.012 e nm.     

Optimization of a phased-array transducer for multiple harmonic imaging in medical applications: frequency and topology

Second-harmonic imaging is currently one of the standards in commercial echographic systems for diagnosis, because of its high spatial resolution and low sensitivity to clutter and near-field artifacts. The use of nonlinear phenomena mirrors is a great set of solutions to improve echographic image resolution. To further enhance the resolution and image quality, the combination of the 3rd to 5th harmonics--dubbed the superharmonics--could be used. However, this requires a bandwidth exceeding that of conventional transducers. A promising solution features a phased-array design with interleaved low- and high-frequency elements for transmission and reception, respectively. Because the amplitude of the backscattered higher harmonics at the transducer surface is relatively low, it is highly desirable to increase the sensitivity in reception. Therefore, we investigated the optimization of the number of elements in the receiving aperture as well as their arrangement (topology). A variety of configurations was considered, including one transmit element for each receive element (1/2) up to one transmit for 7 receive elements (1/8). The topologies are assessed based on the ratio of the harmonic peak pressures in the main and grating lobes. Further, the higher harmonic level is maximized by optimization of the center frequency of the transmitted pulse. The achievable SNR for a specific application is a compromise between the frequency-dependent attenuation and nonlinearity at a required penetration depth. To calculate the SNR of the complete imaging chain, we use an approach analogous to the sonar equation used in underwater acoustics. The generated harmonic pressure fields caused by nonlinear wave propagation were modeled with the iterative nonlinear contrast source (INCS) method, the KZK, or the Burger's equation. The optimal topology for superharmonic imaging was an interleaved design with 1 transmit element per 6 receive elements. It improves the SNR by ~5 dB compared with the interleaved (1/2) design reported in literature. The optimal transmit frequency for superharmonic echocardiography was found to be 1.0 to 1.2 MHz. For superharmonic abdominal imaging this frequency was found to be 1.7 to 1.9 MHz. For 2nd-harmonic echocardiography, the optimal transmit frequency of 1.8 MHz reported in the literature was corroborated with our simulation results.     

Miniaturized three-dimensional endoscopic imaging system based on active stereovision

A miniaturized three-dimensional endoscopic imaging system is presented. The system consists of two imaging in channels that can be used to obtain an image from an object of interest and to project as tructured light onto the imaged object to measure the surface topology. The structured light was generated with a collimated monochromatic light source and a holographic binary phase grating. The imaging and projection channels were calibrated by use of a modified pinhole camera. The surface profile was extracted by use of triangulation between the projected feature points and the two channel ofthe endoscope. The imaging system was evaluated in three-dimensional measurements of several objects with known geometries. The results show that surface profiles of the objects with different surfaces and dimensions can be obtained at high accuracy. The in vivo measurements at tissue sites of human skin and an oral cavity demonstrated the potential of the technique for clinical applications.     

Energy analyzer for spectrometers with high spatial resolution

A new energy analyzer compatible with high spatial resolution spectrometers is proposed. The analyzer accepts electrons emitted with polar angles from 90.5° to 98.5° in the full azimuth range. A position-sensitive detector collects these electrons in the parallel mode of registration by 30 virtual channels; each channel has the resolution of 0.2% and the entrance solid angle of 0.87 steradians. The proposed analyzer provides high lateral resolution due to its compatibility with extremely short-focused microscope lenses, and, at the same time, the system offers high spatial resolution in the normal direction due to its ability to register electrons emitted with grazing angles.     

Method of all-optical frequency encoded decimal to binary and binary coded decimal, binary to gray, and gray to binary data conversion using semiconductor optical amplifiers

Conversion of optical data from decimal to binary format is very important in optical computing and optical signal processing. There are many binary code systems to represent decimal numbers, the most common being the binary coded decimal (BCD) and gray code system. There are a wide choice of BCD codes, one of which is a natural BCD having a weighted code of 8421, by means of which it is possible to represent a decimal number from 0 to 9 with a combination of 4 bit binary digits. The reflected binary code, also known as the Gray code, is a binary numeral system where two successive values differ in only 1 bit. The Gray code is very important in digital optical communication as it is used to prevent spurious output from optical switches as well as to facilitate error correction in digital communications in an optical domain. Here in this communication, the author proposes an all-optical frequency encoded method of ":decimal to binary, BCD," "binary to gray," and "gray to binary" data conversion using the high-speed switching actions of semiconductor optical amplifiers. To convert decimal numbers to a binary form, a frequency encoding technique is adopted to represent two binary bits, 0 and 1. The frequency encoding technique offers advantages over conventional encoding techniques in terms of less probability of bit errors and greater reliability. Here the author has exploited the polarization switch made of a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and a property of nonlinear rotation of the state of polarization of the probe beam in SOA for frequency conversion to develop the method of frequency encoded data conversion.     

Three-dimensional confocal microscopy of colloids

Confocal microscopy is used in the study of colloidal gels, glasses, and binary fluids. We measure the three-dimensional positions of colloidal particles with a precision of approximately 50 nm (a small fraction of each particle's radius) and with a time resolution sufficient for tracking the thermal motions of several thousand particles at once. This information allows us to characterize the structure and the dynamics of these materials in qualitatively new ways, for example, by quantifying the topology of chains and clusters of particles as well as by measuring the spatial correlations between particles with high mobilities. We describe our experimental technique and describe measurements that complement the results of light scattering.     

Adaptive aperture defocused digital speckle photography

Speckle photography can be used to monitor deformations of solid surfaces. Its measuring characteristics, such as range or lateral resolution, depend heavily on the optical recording and illumination setup. I show how, by the addition of two suitably perforated masks, the effective optical aperture of the system may vary from point to point of the surface, accordingly adapting the range and resolution to local requirements. Furthermore, by illuminating narrow areas, speckle size can be chosen independently from the optical aperture, thus lifting an important constraint on the choice of the latter. The technique, which I believe to be new, is described within the framework of digital defocused speckle photography under normal collimated illumination. Mutually limiting relations between the range of measurement and the spatial frequency resolution turn up both locally and when the whole surface under study is considered. They are deduced and discussed in detail. Finally, experimental results are presented.     

The emergence of multifrequency force microscopy

In atomic force microscopy a cantilever with a sharp tip attached to it is scanned over the surface of a sample, and information about the surface is extracted by measuring how the deflection of the cantilever - which is caused by interactions between the tip and the surface - varies with position. In the most common form of atomic force microscopy, dynamic force microscopy, the cantilever is made to vibrate at a specific frequency, and the deflection of the tip is measured at this frequency. But the motion of the cantilever is highly nonlinear, and in conventional dynamic force microscopy, information about the sample that is encoded in the deflection at frequencies other than the excitation frequency is irreversibly lost. Multifrequency force microscopy involves the excitation and/or detection of the deflection at two or more frequencies, and it has the potential to overcome limitations in the spatial resolution and acquisition times of conventional force microscopes. Here we review the development of five different modes of multifrequency force microscopy and examine its application in studies of proteins, the imaging of vibrating nanostructures, measurements of ion diffusion and subsurface imaging in cells.     

基于表面形貌空间频率特征的AFM操作模式

恒力模式和恒高模式是原子力显微镜的两种主要操作模式．前一种模式通常用于成像在垂直方向变化大的表面,但仅对低空间频率表面有效．后一种模式仅对光滑表面在高分辨率高扫描速度下的成像有用．为克服这些缺点,提出了组合恒高和恒力的新操作模式．使用这个模式,表面形貌的低空间频率成分利用垂直压电扫描器及其控制信号跟踪并测量,高空间频率成分利用悬臂信号测量．然后,表面形貌图像利用组合低频和高频成分得到．仿真结果证明了这种新的操作模式具有高速和高分辨率的优点．     

Development of a pulsed radio frequency glow discharge for three-dimensional elemental surface imaging. 1. Application to biopolymer analysis

Glow discharge optical emission spectrometry has cemented itself as an important surface elemental analysis technique in part because of its superb depth resolution (on the order of single nanometers). However, very few studies have explored the ability of the glow discharge to provide laterally resolved elemental information. In the present study, an end-on-viewed pulsed radio frequency glow discharge is coupled to a monochromatic imaging spectrometer to provide lateral surface imaging. The performance of the technique is demonstrated with etched copper circuits on fiber-glass substrates, and it is shown how several operating parameters including pressure, pulsed mode operation, and time-resolved detection affect the lateral surface resolution. In addition, because a pulsed radio frequency glow discharge offers elemental information on nonconducting samples, the technique is applied to the three-dimensional elemental analysis of proteins on blotting substrates. Several alternative sample types are also examined, including photographic film and glass.     

Sensing array for coherence analysis of modulated aquatic chemical plumes

Here we show that an array of sensors can provide information about the spatial and temporal distribution of chemicals in liquid turbulent plumes. Planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) and amperometric sensor arrays were used to record signals from modulated chemical plumes released into a recirculating flume. Coherence analysis was applied to extract the frequency components contained in the sensor response. Effects due to release distance, modulation frequency, and array orientation were investigated. This study has demonstrated that frequency encoded information can be extracted from a turbulent chemical plume using an array of amperometric sensors with optimized three-dimensional geometry and tuning.     

Multitrack Digital Data Storage: A Reduced Complexity Architecture

We describe a low-complexity noniterative detector for magnetic and optical multitrack high-density data storage. The detector is based on the M-algorithm architecture. It performs limited breadth-first detection on the equivalent one-dimensional (1-D) channel obtained by column-by-column helical unwinding of the two-dimensional (2-D) channel. The detection performance is optimized by the use of a specific 2-D minimum-phase factorization of the channel impulse response by the equalizer. An optimized path selection scheme maintains the complexity close to practical 1-D Viterbi. This scheme is based on an approximate path metric parallel sort network, taking advantage of the metrics' residual ordering from previous M-algorithm iterations. Such an architecture approaches maximum-likelihood performance on a high areal density uncoded channel for a practical number of retained paths M and bit error rate (BER) below 10^-4. The performance of the system is evaluated when the channel is encoded with multi-parity check (MPC) block inner code and an outer interleaved Reed-Solomon code. The inner code enhances the minimum error distance of the equalized channel and reduces the correct path losses of the M-algorithm path buffer. The decoding is performed noniteratively. Here, we compare the performance of the system to the soft iterative joint decoding of the read channels for data pages encoded with low-density parity check (LDPC) codes with comparable rates and block length. We provide an approximation of the 2-D channel capacity to further assess the performance of the system     

Topology optimization for unsteady flow

A computational methodology for optimizing the conceptual layout of unsteady flow problems at low Reynolds numbers is presented. The geometry of the design is described by the spatial distribution of a fictitious material with continuously varying porosity. The flow is predicted by a stabilized finite element formulation of the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations. A Brinkman penalization is used to enforce zero‐velocities in solid material. The resulting parameter optimization problem is solved by a non‐linear programming method. The paper studies the feasibility of the material interpolation approach for optimizing the topology of unsteady flow problems. The derivation of the governing equations and the adjoint sensitivity analysis are presented. A design‐dependent stabilization scheme is introduced to mitigate numerical instabilities in porous material. The emergence of non‐physical artifacts in the optimized material distribution is observed and linked to an insufficient resolution of the flow field and an improper representation of the pressure field within solid material by the Brinkman penalization. Two numerical examples demonstrate that the designs optimized for unsteady flow differ significantly from their steady‐state counterparts. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Molecular surface sampling and chemical imaging using proximal probe thermal desorption/secondary ionization mass spectrometry

Proximal probe thermal desorption/secondary ionization mass spectrometry was studied and applied to molecular surface sampling and chemical imaging using printed patterns on photopaper as test substrates. With the use of a circular cross section proximal probe with a tip diameter of 50 μm and fixed temperature (350 °C), the influence of probe-to-surface distance, lane scan spacing, and surface scan speed on signal quality and spatial resolution were studied and optimized. As a compromise between signal amplitude, signal reproducibility, and data acquisition time, a surface scan speed of 100 μm/s, probe-to-paper surface distance of 5 μm, and lane spacing of 10 μm were used for imaging. Under those conditions the proximal probe thermal desorption/secondary ionization mass spectrometry method was able to achieve a spatial resolution of about 50 μm as determined by the ability to distinguish surface patterns of known dimensions that were printed on the paper substrate. It is expected that spatial resolution and chemical image quality could be further improved by using probes of smaller cross section size and by incorporating a means to maintain a fixed optimal probe-to-surface distance real time, continuously adapting to the changing topography of the surface during a lane scan.