液晶空间光调制器相位调制特性研究

研究了美国BNS公司生产的Modal P256反射型电寻址液晶空间光调制器的相位调制特性和时间响应特性.采用He-Ne激光作光源,建立迈克尔孙干涉光路观察波前相位变化,给出器件的相位调制特性曲线.分析测量了器件的相位响应不一致性和像素间的相位交连.通过测量液晶器件对方波和正弦控制信号的相位响应延迟,分析了液晶空间光调制器(LC-SLM)的时间响应特性.理论分析与实验结果说明:在特定的入射偏振条件下,LC-SLM实现纯相位调制,可用作高分辨力波前校正器件,然而极慢的响应速度和极低的时间带宽限制了它在动态变化波前相差校正中的应用.     

Applying gray-scaled detour phase hologram on liquid crystal on silicon spatial light modulator (LCoS-SLM)

In order to solve the representation problem of computer-generated holograms, multiple algorithms have been devised. One of which is the well-known detour phase method. This method has recently been modified to be optimized to display the generated hologram on twisted nematic spatial light modulators. In this paper, we apply the modified gray-scaled detour phase holograms on another type of spatial light modulators, which is of utmost importance in the field, namely the reflective liquid crystal on silicon spatial light modulator.     

用多级相位波带片加强空间光调制器的成像

用衍射光学方法研究了加有多级相位菲涅尔波带片(MPFZP)的空间光调制器(SLM)的轴上衍射光强。根据所需要的焦点的数目是一个还是两个以及分辨率的要求来优化选择MPFZP的相位深度和量化级数,可以使想要的焦点得到加强,而其它不想要的焦点的影响得到了抑制。开关SLM的编码态,聚焦点和散焦点的位置交换。     

A spatial light phase modulator with an effective resolution of 4 mega-pixels

We report the design, construction and characterization of a 4 mega-pixel, optically-addressed, spatial light modulator (OSLM). The intensity distribution corresponding to a kinoform is displayed across two wide-screen liquid crystal on silicon displays, the images of which are combined and relayed to the address face of a 40 mm aperture OSLM. This spatially varying intensity profile is converted into a phase hologram on the readout side of the OSLM. When illuminated at 532 nm we measure a first-order diffraction efficiency of ≈50% at 400 line pairs and ≈20% at 900 line pairs. We show that aberration associated with the non-flatness of the device can be corrected within software by modification of the hologram.     

Absolute measurement of the generated aberrations from liquid crystal spatial light modulator using a common-path interferometry

A compact common-path interferometry is proposed to measure the wavefront aberration generated from liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LC-SLM). The LC-SLM is encoded with an aberration pattern and illuminated with a linearly polarized light oriented at ±45° with respect to the fast axis of liquid crystal, which is vertically oriented. The horizontal polarization component of the incident beam is not affected by the driving signal, while the vertical polarization component is modulated to the aberration loaded to the LC-SLM. By imposing a quarter-wave plate and a rotating analyzer, these two waves create four frames of phase-stepped interferograms. The aberration to be measured can be retrieved, and the result does not include any systematic error such as the substrate error of LC-SLM. Therefore, this method can implement absolute measurement, and help us to evaluate perfectly the fitting accuracy of the LC-SLM.     

铁电液晶空间光调制器响应特性的研究

以铁电液晶为非线性介质建立了光寻址空间光调制器的等效电路,并以写入光和擦除光为控制参变量,利用电路分析软件Pspice模拟了该光调制器的光电响应特性。结果表明,电路方法得到的上升时间在微秒(μs)量级上,擦除效应的临界值在毫瓦每平方米(mW／cm^2)量级上;光电响应速度随写入光强(擦除光强)的增大而加快(减慢),均与相关文献的实验结果吻合。     

Lensless broadband diffractive imaging with improved depth of focus: wavefront modulation by multilevel phase masks

This paper introduces a novel lensless full colour diffractive computational imaging system with a planar Multilevel Phase Mask (MPM) as a diffractive optical element (DOE). The novelty concerns: a methodology of MPM design for improved depth of focus (DoF); design of PSFs for RGB imaging and an inverse imaging algorithm with sparse colour image modelling simultaneous for all RGB channels. MPMs are step-wise invariant. The cubic wavefront coding (WFC) is incorporated in MPMs with optimization of number of levels and width of invariant steps. This design of MPM makes the system robust with respect to defocus (improves DoF) and diminish chromatic aberrations typical for DOEs. Broadband multichannel test-images are exploited for design and testing of the lensless system. We consider two alternative optical setups: Wavelength Multiplexing (WM) and Wavelength Division (WD). In WM, the light beam is broadband multichannel with light sources radiating all wavelengths simultaneously and a CMOS sensor is equipped with a Bayer colour filter array (CFA) for registration of spectral measurements. In this setup, a single MPM is designed for the broadband multichannel light beams. In WD, separate exposures of RGB channels are registered by a broadband grey-scale CCD sensor. Different MPMs are designed for each of the RGB channels. Simulation experiments demonstrate the essentially extended DoF of the designed lensless systems and the advanced accuracy and quality of imaging with respect to the corresponding WM and WD systems with refractive lenses. Due to robustness of the designed lensless system to chromatic aberrations, this advantage has a place even with respect to the lens-system.     

An ocular wavefront sensor based on binary phase element: design and analysis

A modal wavefront sensor for ocular aberrations exhibits two main advantages compared to a conventional Shack–Hartmann sensor. As the wavefront is detected in the Fourier plane, the method is robust against local loss of information (e.g. local opacity of ocular lens as in the case of cataract), and is not dependent on the spatial distribution of wavefront sampling. We have proposed a novel method of wavefront sensing for ocular aberrations that directly detects the strengths of Zernike aberrations. A multiplexed Fourier computer-generated hologram has been designed as the binary phase element (BPE) for the detection of second-order and higher-order ocular aberrations (HOAs). The BPE design has been validated by comparing the simulated far-field pattern with the experimental results obtained by displaying it on a spatial light modulator. Simulation results have demonstrated the simultaneous wavefront detection with an accuracy better that ～λ/30 for a measurement range of ±2.1λ with reduced cross-talk. Sensor performance is validated by performing a numerical experiment using the City data set for test waves containing second-order and HOAs and measurement errors of 0.065?µm peak-to-valley (PV) and 0.08?µm (PV) have been obtained, respectively.     

Effect of a spoke surface error on a phase mask in a computational imaging system

The effect of a spoke surface error on a phase mask in a computational imaging system was analyzed by combining the similarity of the point spread function (PSF) and the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of de-convoluted images. The spoke surface error was applied on a phase mask with different peak-to-valley (P-V) values with various numbers of spoke rings in simulation. The minimum requirement of PSF similarity will be determined by a given PSNR threshold, which relates the defocus aberration. Finally, it can be concluded that a low-spatial frequency surface error is critical for a cubic phase mask in a computational imaging system with lower P-V error.     

Stability of higher order optical vortices produced by spatial light modulators

The stability of higher charge optical vortices generated with a spatial light modulator is investigated. It is observed that higher charge vortices split into an array of unit charge vortices with the tilting of a spatial light modulator. An interferometric method is used to show the exact location of split unit charge vortices. The rotation dynamics of generated unit charge vortices is visualized from the recorded images. A symmetric high charge vortex can be produced with a normal incidence of input laser beam to the spatial light modulator.     

Multi-receivers and sparse-pixel pseudo-thermal light source for compressive ghost imaging against turbulence

For remote sensing with computational ghost imaging, the atmospheric turbulence will influence much on the performance since the transmitted patterns from the pseudo-thermal source will be distorted. As the distribution of refractive index on the propagation path varies with time, reducing the time consumption of data acquisition will be an effective way for mitigating the influence. We propose using fewer pixels of spatial light modulator to increase the modulation rate of the pseudo-thermal source, with the positions of pixels being randomly distributed. Multi-bucket detectors are employed for further reducing of the data acquisition time. The sparse recovery algorithm from compressed sensing is employed to enhance the quality of image. The performance of this system is demonstrated by comprehensive numerical analyses.     

Efficient implementation of a spatial light modulator as a diffractive optical microlens array in a digital Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor

A traditional Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWS) uses a physical microlens array to sample the incoming wavefront into a number of segments and to measure the phase profile over the cross section of a given light beam. We customized a digital SHWS by encoding a spatial light modulator (SLM) with a diffractive optical lens (DOL) pattern to function as a diffractive optical microlens array. This SHWS can offer great flexibility for various applications. Through fast-Fourier-transform (FFT) analysis and experimental investigation, we studied three sampling methods to generate the digitized DOL pattern, and we compared the results. By analyzing the diffraction efficiency of the DOL and the microstructure of the SLM, we proposed three important strategies for the proper implementation of DOLs and DOL arrays with a SLM. Experiments demonstrated that these design rules were necessary and sufficient for generating an efficient DOL and DOL array with a SLM.     

Polarization properties of a nematic liquid-crystal spatial light modulator for phase modulation

The polarization properties of a nematic zero-twist liquid-crystal (NLC) spatial light modulator (SLM) were studied. A large ratio between the liquid-crystal (LC) layer thickness and the pixel pitch combined with spatial variations in the applied electric field causes fringing fields between pixels. Depending on the LC alignment, the electric field components within the LC layer can result in a twist deformation. The produced inhomogeneous optical anisotropy affects the polarization of light propagating through the device. We experimentally examined polarization effects in different diffraction orders for both binary and blazed phase gratings. Simulations of the LC deformation together with finite-difference time-domain simulations for the optical propagation were used to calculate the corresponding far-field intensities. It was demonstrated how rigorous simulations of the NLC SLM properties can be used to understand the polarization features of different diffraction orders.     

Binary spatial amplitude modulation of continuous transverse modal electric field using a single lens for mode selectivity in multimode fiber

The demand for portable real-time optical applications such as medical optical sensors and optical transceivers instigate the need for compact optical designs. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate a new, compact design for binary spatial amplitude modulation in a mode-selective transmitter in a multimode fiber, adapted from microscopy. Results show that it is possible to retrieve the original continuous-amplitude transverse modal electric field from the binary amplitude-modulated image using a single lens. The retrieved image is in good agreement with the original image.     

Calibration and performance of a pyramid wavefront sensor for the eye

We describe the calibration and performance of a pyramid wavefront sensor designed for use in a retinal imaging camera. The effect of the image modulation and the sensor binning on the measurements are explained in detail and various tests to validate the performance are described. The wavefront sensor was incorporated into an adaptive optics system that used a magnetically actuated deformable mirror, and results on static test optics are shown.     

Optimal linear phase mask for the singular beam synthesis from a Gaussian beam and the scheme of its experimental realisation

The functions of phase wedge and symmetric phase mask for optical vortex synthesised from a Gaussian beam are carefully analysed. The optimal linear phase dependence in the cross-section of a Gaussian beam for the singular beam with a single charge synthesis is found. The similarity of the obtained beam phase and intensity distributions in the singular beam depending on the distance of the resulting field observation is investigated. The simple original technique of the experimental realisation of the necessary phase mask for the singular beam synthesis with the help of two inclined mirrors is offered.     

Evaluation of tracking ability of a phase conjugate mirror using a CCD array and spatial light modulator for optical energy transmission

We investigate the tracking ability of an optical phase conjugator using a commercial CCD array and a projector LCD panel. This system allows one to use two separate laser oscillators for capturing interference patterns and generating phase conjugate light. Since a long coherence length is not required for the latter part, amplification of the phase conjugate light can be easily attained by using a laser oscillator for high-power applications such as machining. The wavelengths of the two laser oscillators can be independently chosen. For our experimental configuration an amplification factor of 7.8×10(4) is theoretically possible. Also, a formula for the maximum tracking range is derived. The proposed system is particularly suitable for power transmission by light.     

Compression and localization of an atomic cloud in a time dependent optical lattice

We analyze a method of compressing a cloud of cold atoms by dynamic control of a far off-resonance optical lattice. We show that by reducing the lattice spacing either continuously or in discrete steps while cooling the atoms with optical molasses large compression factors can be achieved. Particle motion in the time-dependent lattice is studied numerically using a three-dimensional semiclassical model. Two experimentally realistic models are analyzed. In the first we continuously vary the lattice beam angles to compress atoms initially in a Gaussian distributed cloud with standard deviation of 250 µm into a single site of a two-dimensional lattice of area A ～ 35 × 35λ², with λ the wavelength of the lattice beams. This results in an optical depth for an on-resonant probe beam >80 which is an increase by a factor of about 1800 compared to the uncompressed cloud. In the second approach we use a discrete set of lattice beam angles to decrease the spatial scale of the cloud by a factor of 500, and localize a few atoms to a single lattice site with an area A ? λ².     

Optical properties of Si–O–N–F films as a phase shift mask material for 157 nm optical lithography

Si–O–N–F has been studied as a new candidate material for a high transmittance attenuated phase shift mask (HT-Att-PSM). The requirements of HT-Att-PSM are 20 ± 5% transmittance and 180° phase shift at the exposure wavelength (157 nm) and less than 40% transmittance at the inspection wavelength (193 nm). Si–O–N–F films were deposited with varying process parameters, such as gas flow rate and deposition time, to find optimum conditions to meet the above requirements. In this study, the effects of process parameters on the optical properties and the degradation of Si–O–N–F films were examined. To satisfy the requirements of HT-Att-PSM, a new mask structure was suggested and analyzed.     

Modelling of spatial causality among distinctive properties of an image using conditional random field for image classification

In this paper, we proposed an ordered patch-based method using conditional random field (CRF) in order to encode local properties and their spatial relationship in the images to address texture classification, face recognition and scene classification problems. Typical image classification approaches classify images without considering spatial causality among distinctive properties of an image to represent it in the feature space. In this method first, each image is encoded as a sequence of ordered patches including local properties. Second, the sequence of these ordered patches is modelled as a probabilistic feature vector using CRF to model spatial relationship of these local properties; and finally, image classification is performed on such probabilistic image representation. Experimental results on several standard image datasets indicate that the proposed method outperforms some of existing image classification methods.