Measurement of the surface profile of a curved optical surface with rotation phase-shifting lateral shear cyclic path optical configuration

We present a new (to our knowledge) technique for introducing phase shifts between the laterally sheared emergent beam components of a cyclic path optical configuration (CPOC). The phase shifts are introduced by applying a small change in the angle of incidence of the incident beam due to the small angular rotation of the CPOC setup. Phase-shifting interferometry has been applied along with this phase-shifting technique for a CPOC with lateral shear to find the surface slope/profile of curved optical surfaces. Results for a spherical optical surface have been discussed. An optical setup for measurement of the surface profile of toroidal beam line mirrors of synchrotron radiation sources is proposed.     

Optical performance of a diffraction-limited molded-glass biaspheric lens

Optical performance results are reported for a molded-glass biaspheric lens. The 6-mm optical diam lens is intended for use in a laser-based optical disk application. The design with fabrication tolerances has an expected on-axis transmitted wave-front performance of 0.06-wave rms optical path difference (OPD) when tested at 0.6328 ,4m and a numerical aperture of 0.45. Transmitted wave-front aberrations were measured on actual molded lenses using a heterodyne interferometer. Typical performance was 0.05-0.08-wave rms- OPD. Experimental results involving mold rotation indicate that lens performance is primarily limited by a surface figure accuracy of one of the molds.     

单频激光干涉仪条纹的偏振移相细分技术

提出了一种用于单频激光干涉仪条纹细分的偏振移相技术.通过偏振分光镜、波片等光学元器件产生四路依次相差90°相位的激光干涉信号,经过硬件电路的整形、放大和比较后,可以解决常见的光强"零漂"问题.共光路设计有效地消除了由于环境因素给测量带来的误差,提高了干涉系统的稳定性和重复性.移相技术不仅充分地利用光能量,而且四路信号更便于干涉条纹的计数和判向,同时为电子细分技术奠定了基础.     

Birefringence in gradient-index rod lenses: a direct measurement method and interferometric polarization effects

Gradient-index (GRIN) media can contain stress birefringence resulting from the variation in material composition. Anisotropy in a GRIN rod lens affects ray propagation and can degrade image quality. A technique, believed to be new, for measuring birefringence in GRIN rod lenses has been developed. The change in optical path difference (OPD) for orthogonal polarizations is measured directly. With this method, effects on OPD from standard imaging aberrations are excluded. Birefringence measurements for various GRIN rod samples are presented. The data are compared with results obtained previously by use of a Twyman-Green measurement method. Also, the polarization effects on tilt fringes observed with the direct measurement method and the Twyman-Green method are presented and modeled theoretically. Tilt fringes for large birefringence test cases are also modeled.     

Optical tunneling effect calculation of a solid immersion lens for use in optical disk memory

A solid immersion lens (SIL) has the advantage of easily decreasing the spot size for high data density in optical recording. To accurately obtain the optical tunneling effect for a high-N.A. SIL, we calculated the optical tunneling beam characteristics, using electromagnetic theory. Tunneling beam spot-size dependence on polarization direction and energy-transfer efficiency are also clearly shown.     

Generating radial or azimuthal polarization by axial sampling of circularly polarized vortex beams

A laser beam with circular polarization can be converted into either radial or azimuthal polarization by a microfabricated spiral phase plate and a radial (or azimuthal)-type linear analyzer. The resulting polarization is axially symmetric and is able to produce tightly focused light fields beyond the diffraction limit. We describe in detail the theory behind the technique and the experimental verification of the polarization both in the far field and at the focus of a high numerical aperture lens. Vector properties of the beam under strong focusing conditions were observed by comparing the fluorescence images corresponding to the focal intensity distribution for both radial and azimuthal polarizations. The technique discussed here may easily be implemented to a wide range of optical instruments and devices that require the use of tightly focused light beams.     

Fiber-optic polarization and phase modulator utilizing transparent piezofilm with indium tin oxide electrodes

A highly efficient optical polarization and phase modulator formed by the placement of a thin transparent piezofilm with indium tin oxide electrodes directly in the path of the output from an optical fiber is presented. Various configurations that differ in the clamping conditions, utilization of epoxy, and optical arrangement are presented. For a film thickness of 63.9 μm, a linear phase-shifting coefficient of 0.131 rad/voltage peak (Vp) at 2 kHz and of 0.508 rad/Vp at 7.4 kHz is demonstrated. An intrinsic birefringence of 0.0328 between the directions along the stretch and its perpendicular in the plane of the film has been measured. The polarization modulation coefficient was determined to be 0.323 rad/Vp at 8.423 kHz, corresponding to a half-wave voltage of 8.353 Vp. Applications of the device involving concurrent spatiotemporal polarization and phase modulation are indicated.     

单频激光干涉仪四通道信号接收系统

在单频激光干涉仪四通道信号接收系统原理基础上,提出一种采用Wollaston棱镜的四通道信号接收系统。当使用偏振分光镜的四通道信号接收系统时,由于偏振混合现象,在信号接收的过程中会增加额外的误差。而Wollaston棱镜的自然物理特性提供了更好的分光性能,从而能降低偏振混合所带来的影响,提高了信号输出质量,并能简化接收系统中的光学元件。     

Propagation of cylindrically symmetric fields in uniaxial crystals

We investigate the paraxial propagation along the optical axis of a uniaxially anisotropic crystal of a general paraxial beam whose boundary Cartesian components possess cylindrical symmetry. This property allows us to obtain expressions whose dependence on the azimuth angle phi (in cylindrical coordinates) is fully described and very simple. We also find that the beam loses its boundary cylindrical symmetry during propagation, as a consequence of medium anisotropy. Further, these expressions elucidate the way in which the anisotropy changes the state of polarization. As an example, we discuss the case of a Gaussian beam focused into the crystal by a thin spherical lens.     

Planar-structure microscope-lens for simultaneous acoustic and optical imaging

A new type of combined acoustic and optical microscope lens with a planar structure is proposed. It can meet the demand for simultaneously obtaining both an acoustic image and its optical counterpart. The lens is composed by uniting a Fresnel-zone-type acoustic lens developed by the authors with a rod-type gradient-index optical lens (SELFOC). An acoustic beam is converged to a focal point in water by an acoustic planar lens that is composed of annular grooves formed on the end of the SELFOC rod. An optical beam, emitted by a He-Ne laser source and guided into the rod, converges due to the gradient of the refractive index and focuses on a spot in water. By designing the length of the rod properly, the focal spot of the optical beam is set to coincide with that of an acoustic beam. The design and fabrication of the lens are described, and results of some preliminary experiments for simultaneous observation of acoustic and optical images of the same portion of a specimen are shown.     

Principle and analysis of the moving-optical-wedge interferometer

A new type of interferometer, the moving-optical-wedge interferometer, is presented, and its principle and properties are studied. The novel interferometer consists of one beam splitter, two flat fixed mirrors, two fixed compensating plates, one fixed optical wedge, and one moving optical wedge. The optical path difference (OPD) as a function of the displacement of the moving optical wedge from the zero path difference position is accomplished by the straight reciprocating motion of the moving optical wedge. A large physical shift of the moving optical wedge corresponds to a very short OPD value of the new interferometer if the values of the wedge angle and the refractive index of the two optical wedges are given properly. The new interferometer is not so sensitive to the velocity variation of the moving optical wedge and the mechanical disturbances compared with the Michelson interferometer, and it is very applicable to low-spectral-resolution application for any wavenumber region from the far infrared down to the ultraviolet.     

Thickness measurement of transparent glass plates using a lateral shearing cyclic path optical configuration setup and polarization phase shifting interferometry

We present a measurement technique to determine the thickness of a transparent glass plate (GP) by using a lateral shearing cyclic path optical configuration (CPOC) setup and polarization phase shifting interferometry (PPSI). In the technique, the GP introduces a longitudinal shift in the focus of the beam and, as a result, a spherical wavefront emerges from the lens, which is otherwise set for producing a collimated beam. Using CPOC, two laterally sheared orthogonally polarized beams are generated from the incident spherical wavefront. By applying PPSI, the slope of the optical path difference variation between the laterally sheared interfering beams is evaluated, and the radius of the spherical wavefront and the longitudinal shift of the beam focus are calculated. The thickness of the GP is determined from the standard relation between the longitudinal shift of the focus introduced by the GP and the thickness of the GP. Results obtained for a GP of 9.810mm thickness are presented.     

A compact,automated and long working distance optical tweezer system

We demonstrate a compact, automated, long working distance optical tweezer system using a novel mechanism for controlling the position of the optical trap. Our system uses a single focusing lens with a working distance of 4.5?mm and the trapping beam is steered by moving the lens with a miniature coil-magnet assembly. The sample is imaged through a 100×?microscope objective and a CCD camera captures the magnified image. A custom image processing software detects the position of the laser beam and identifies the sample objects. This information is used to generate appropriate electrical signals to drive the coils which move the focusing lens along the desired path. The system is fairly simple and power efficient due to minimal usage of optical elements in the laser path; hence our setup is simple, low-cost and requires low optical power. Computer-generated arbitrary trapping paths and time-shared trapping patterns are successfully demonstrated. Efficient trapping of micron size spheres with laser powers as low as 1.5?mW is observed.     

Influences of the thickness, misalignment, and dispersion of the Savart polariscope on the optical path difference and spectral resolution in the polarization interference imaging spectrometer

After reviewing the spectrum-dividing principle of the Savart polariscope (SP) in the polarization interference imaging spectrometer (PIIS) that we developed, we analyze the influences of the thickness, misalignment, and dispersion of the SP on the optical path difference (OPD). The theoretical expression of the OPD for the misalignment of the SP optical axis is deduced, and the OPD is analyzed when the incident plane is parallel, at 45°, or orthogonal to the principal section of the left plate of the SP. The selective thickness of the single Savart plate is analyzed when it is placed at the ideal and misalignment positions. The influence of dispersion of the SP on the OPD is analyzed when the misalignment error is ±1'. The relationships between the OPD and wavelength are simulated and validated with experiments. This work can provide theoretical and practical guidance for the design, calibration, modulation, innovation, experiment, and engineering of the PIIS.     

Laser-induced anisotropy in Ag<Superscript>+</Superscript>-doped glasses

An induced optical anisotropy is observed as a result of interaction of a high-power CW Ar⁺ laser beam, with silver-ion-exchanged glasses. We have shown that the absorption of the beam by the thin layer of Ag⁺ produces a temperature gradient resulting in a radial stress on the surface of the sample. The induced anisotropy makes the sample behave as a thin uniaxial optical medium with axis along the direction of the beam propagation. For the polarized light, the induced anisotropy restricts the application of micro-lenses, which are made by this method. The average refraction index of the interaction area is measured.     

Partially coherent dark hollow beams propagating through real ABCD optical systems in a turbulent atmosphere

A closed-form analytical expression is derived for a partially coherent dark hollow beam (DHB) propagating through an arbitrary real ABCD optical system in a turbulent atmosphere. The average intensity of the beam in the output plane is investigated in the presence of, respectively, a thin lens image system and a two-lens system along the optical path. For a special thin lens image system, the partially coherent DHB and the fully coherent DHB have the same evolution properties, and the comparative analysis is made between the propagation of the focused DHB and the collimated DHB for direct propagation in turbulence to show the effect of the thin lens on the average intensity. As for the two-lens system, the effects of the lens systems, the structure constant in the turbulent medium and the parameters of the incident beam on the average intensity are evaluated and illustrated. The result shows that different lens systems and propagation parameters can evidently affect the evolution properties of the beam.     

Elastic deformation of the rotating functionally graded annular disk with rigid casing

An accurate solution for a rotating functionally graded annular disk is presented. Material properties of the present annular disk are assumed to be graded in the radial direction according to a simple exponential-law distribution. The inner surface of the disk is pure metal whereas the outer surface of the disk is pure ceramic. The boundary condition of rigid casing is considered herein, that is the vanishing of the radial displacement at the outer surface. The boundary condition at the inner surface of the disk is taken to be vanishing either radial displacement or radial stress. Analytical solutions for the elastic deformation of the rotating functionally graded annular disks subjected to these boundary conditions are obtained. Numerical results for radial displacement, circumferential and radial stresses are presented. Comparisons between the different rotating homogeneous and functionally graded annular disks are made at the same angular velocity. The results show that distributions of stresses and displacement through the radial direction of the rotating annular disk vary with different parameters.     

Transmission laser microscope using the phase-shifting technique and its application to measurement of optical waveguides

A type of a transmission phase-shifting laser microscope, believed to be new, has been developed. In this microscope a biprism located between a magnifying lens and an observation plane was used as a beam splitter. The biprism is laterally translated to introduce phase shifts required for quantitative phase measurement with a phase-shifting technique. The disturbance caused by a Fresnel-diffracted wave from the splitting edge of the biprism is reduced by placement of a linear beam stopper at the center of an intermediate image plane. As the first application, the developed microscope is used to measure a refractive-index distribution in optical waveguides. A difference of refractive indices of less than 6 x 10(-5) is clearly measured in the submicrometer region.     

Possibility of an optical focal shift with polarization masks

The polarization phase shift (PPS) has emerged as an important analytical tool in optical metrology. The present study utilizes the concept of controlling the polarization phase in applications such as focal shift and automatic focusing. When elliptically polarized light, in general, is incident upon a circularly symmetric polarization mask consisting of circular and annular zones with each zone having a unique linear polarizability, the polarization-phase difference introduced between the polarization-masked zones is also circularly symmetric. With the mask at the lens aperture, the polarization phase introduced is multiplicative with the lens function and is shown to result in a shift of the Gaussian focus plane. Because the polarization phase can be controlled by variation of the polarization parameters, the effective focal length of the imaging system can be varied within a small range. A study of the point-spread functions at the shifted focal planes has shown that the quality of the focal patch in these planes is comparable with that produced by a diffraction-limited imaging system at Gaussian focus. The shift of focus can be achieved by control of the polarization of the input beam. It is anticipated that this technique may find application in areas for which dynamic focusing within a small range is required.