Optics (physics.optics)

Abstract: Exposure to laser light alters cell culture examination via optical microscopic imaging techniques, also based on label-free coherent digital holography. To mitigate this detrimental feature, researchers tend to use a broader spectrum and lower intensity of illumination, which can decrease the quality of holographic imaging due to lower resolution and higher noise. We study the lensless digital holographic microscopy (LDHM) ability to operate in the low photon budget (LPB) regime to enable imaging of unimpaired live cells with minimized sample interaction. Low-cost off-the-shelf components are used, promoting the usability of such a straightforward approach. We show that recording data in the LPB regime (down to 7 uW of illumination power) does not limit the contrast nor resolution of the hologram phase and amplitude reconstruction compared to the regular illumination. The LPB generates hardware camera shot noise, however, to be effectively minimized via numerical denoising. The ability to obtain high-quality, high-resolution optical complex field reconstruction was confirmed using the USAF 1951 amplitude sample, phase resolution test target, and finally, live glial restricted progenitor cells (as a challenging strongly absorbing and scattering biomedical sample). The proposed approach based on severely limiting the photon budget in lensless holographic microscopy method can open new avenues in high-throughout (optimal resolution, large field-of-view and high signal-to-noise-ratio single-hologram reconstruction) cell culture imaging with minimized sample interaction.

Abstract: Light carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) holds unique properties and boosts myriad applications in diverse fields from micro- to macro-world. Endeavors have been made to manipulate the OAM in order to generate on-demand structured light and to explore novel properties of light. However, the generation of an ultrafast wave packet carrying numerous vortices with various OAM modes, that is vortex string, has been rarely explored and remains a significant challenge. Moreover, methods that enable parallel detection of all vortices in a vortex string are lacking. Here, we demonstrate that a vortex string with 28 spatiotemporal optical vortices (STOVs) can be successfully generated in an ultrafast wave packet. All STOVs in the string can be randomly or orderly arranged. The diffraction rules of STOV strings are also revealed theoretically and experimentally. Following these rules, the topological charges and positions of all STOVs in a vortex string can be easily recognized. The strategy for parallel generation and detection of STOV strings will open up exciting perspectives in STOV-based optical communications and also promote promising applications of the structured light in light-matter interaction, quantum information processing, etc.

Abstract: Discrete vortex, formed by a one-dimensional (1D) ring array of lasers, contains high output power as compared to a conventional continuous vortex, therefore, has attracted considerable interest due to widespread applications in various fields. We present a method for probing the magnitude and sign of the topological charge (TC) of an unknown discrete vortex, by analyzing the interference pattern of a 1D ring array of lasers. The interference pattern of an unknown discrete vortex with TC$\neq 0$ is averaged with the interference pattern of TC= 0, which gives rise to a variation in the fringe visibility as a function of laser number (j) in a 1D ring array. The number of dips observed in the fringe visibility curve is found to be proportional to the magnitude of TC of a discrete vortex. The sign of TC is determined by averaging the interference patterns of unknown discrete vortex (TC$\neq 0$) with known TC= +1. The number of dips in the fringe visibility curve decreases by one for a positive TC, and increases by one for a negative TC. Further, we have verified our method against the phase disorder, and it is found that the phase disorder does not influence an accurate determination of TC of a discrete vortex. The working principle as well as numerical and experimental results are presented for the discrete vortices with TC from small to large values. An excellent agreement between the experimental results and numerical simulations is found. Our method can be useful in the applications of discrete vortices.

Abstract: We numerically and experimentally study the autofocusing and self-healing of partially blocked circular Airy derivative beams (CADBs). The CADB consists of multiple rings, and partial blocking of CADB with different kinds is achieved by using symmetric and asymmetric binary amplitude masks, enabling blocking of inner/outer rings and sectorially. The CADB blocked with different types possesses the ability to autofocus, however, the required propagation distance for abrupt autofocusing vary with the amount and types of blocking. The abrupt autofocusing is quantified by a maximum k-value, and how fast it changes around the autofocusing distance ($z_{af}$). In particular, CADB blocked with inner rings (first/two/three) exhibits an abrupt autofocusing, as the k-value sharply increases [decreases] just before [after] $z_{af}$. The maximum k-value always occurs at $z_{af}$, which decreases as the number of blocked inner rings increases. For CADB blocked with outer rings, the k-value gradually changes around $z_{af}$, indicating a lack of abrupt autofocusing. The value of $z_{af}$ increases with the number of blocked outer rings. This suggests that although outer rings contain low intensities, these play an important role in autofocusing. A sectorially blocked CADB possesses an abrupt autofocusing, and maximum k-value depends on the amount of blocking. The CADB blocked with different types possesses good self-healing abilities, where blocked parts reappear as a result of redistribution of intensity. The maximum self-healing occurs at $z_{af}$, where an overlap integral approaches a maximum value. Finally, we have compared ideal CADB and partially blocked CADB having the same radii, and found that an ideal CADB possesses better abrupt autofocusing. We have found a good agreement between the numerical simulations and experimental results.

Abstract: The study's primary goal is to reveal the generic effects of the problem symmetry, its violation, and energy conservation law on the Pointing vector field singularities based on the study of resonant scattering of a linearly polarized plane electromagnetic wave by an infinite right cylinder. The polarization plane of the incident wave has an arbitrary orientation against the cylinder axis ($z$-axis), and the wave vector is antiparallel to the $x$-axis. The angle between the polarization plane and the $z$-axis plays the role of a bifurcation parameter. We show that any deviation of the incident wave from the pure TE or TM orientations makes the pattern of the Poynting vector field lines three-dimensional. Meanwhile, the translational symmetry along the $z$-axis remains. Accordingly, all singular points of the Pointing vector field, but the ones lying on the $x$-axis, become ``false'' singularities. They are singular in the projection of the field lines on the plane $xy$. However, in the three-dimensional space, these points are regular owing to the finiteness of the Pointing vector $z$-component. In contrast, the singularities belonging to the $x$-axis remain the actual singular points at any angle between the $z$-axis and the polarization plane since the $z$-component of the Poynting vector for them vanishes owing to the problem symmetry. We study the bifurcations related to the creation (annihilation) of the false and actual singular points due to their splitting (merger) because of the bifurcation parameter variations. In all inspected cases, a pitchfork bifurcation occurs: the distance between the diverging (converging) singularities as well as the corresponding roots of the characteristic equation vary as the square root of a normalized deviation of the bifurcation parameter from its critical value. We present a phenomenological theory, explaining all observed bifurcations.

Abstract: Advanced digital signal processing techniques in combination with ultra-wideband balanced coherent detection have enabled a new generation of ultra-high speed fiber-optic communication systems, by moving most of the processing functionalities into digital domain. In this paper, we demonstrate how digital signal processing techniques, in combination with ultra-wideband balanced coherent detection can enable optical frequency comb noise characterization techniques with novel functionalities. We propose a measurement method based on subspace tracking, in combination with multi-heterodyne coherent detection, for independent phase noise sources identification, separation and measurement. Our proposed measurement technique offers several benefits. First, it enables the separation of the total phase noise associated with a particular comb-line or -lines into multiple independent phase noise terms associated with different noise sources. Second, it facilitates the determination of the scaling of each independent phase noise term with comb-line number. Our measurement technique can be used to: identify the most dominant source of phase noise; gain a better understanding of the physics behind the phase noise accumulation process; and confirm, already existing, and enable better phase noise models. In general, our measurement technique provides new insights into noise behavior of optical frequency combs.

Abstract: When light scatters off an object its polarization, in general, changes - a transformation described by the object's Mueller matrix. Mueller matrix imaging polarimetry is an important technique in science and technology to image the spatially varying polarization response of an object of interest, to reveal rich information otherwise invisible to traditional imaging. In this work, we conceptualize, implement and demonstrate a compact and minimalist Mueller matrix imaging system - composed of a metasurface to produce structured polarization illumination, and a metasurface for polarization analysis - that can, in a single shot, acquire images for all sixteen components of an object's spatially varying Mueller matrix. Our implementation, which is free of any moving parts or bulk polarization optics, should enable and empower applications in real-time medical imaging, material characterization, machine vision, target detection, and other important areas.