8,024 research outputs found
A Bright Spatially-Coherent Compact X-ray Synchrotron Source
Each successive generation of x-ray machines has opened up new frontiers in
science, such as the first radiographs and the determination of the structure
of DNA. State-of-the-art x-ray sources can now produce coherent high brightness
keV x-rays and promise a new revolution in imaging complex systems on nanometre
and femtosecond scales. Despite the demand, only a few dedicated synchrotron
facilities exist worldwide, partially due the size and cost of conventional
(accelerator) technology. Here we demonstrate the use of a recently developed
compact laser-plasma accelerator to produce a well-collimated,
spatially-coherent, intrinsically ultrafast source of hard x-rays. This method
reduces the size of the synchrotron source from the tens of metres to
centimetre scale, accelerating and wiggling a high electron charge
simultaneously. This leads to a narrow-energy spread electron beam and x-ray
source that is >1000 times brighter than previously reported plasma wiggler and
thus has the potential to facilitate a myriad of uses across the whole spectrum
of light-source applications.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Shift multiplexing with spherical reference waves
Shift multiplexing is a holographic storage method particularly suitable for the implementation of holographic disks. We characterize the performance of shift-multiplexed memories by using a spherical wave as the reference beam. We derive the shift selectivity, the cross talk, the exposure schedule, and the storage density of the method. We give experimental results to verify the theoretical predictions
The current status of orbital experiments for UHECR studies
Two types of orbital detectors of extreme energy cosmic rays are being
developed nowadays: (i) TUS and KLYPVE with reflecting optical systems
(mirrors) and (ii) JEM-EUSO with high-transmittance Fresnel lenses. They will
cover much larger areas than existing ground-based arrays and almost uniformly
monitor the celestial sphere. The TUS detector is the pioneering mission
developed in SINP MSU in cooperation with several Russian and foreign
institutions. It has relatively small field of view (+/-4.5 deg), which
corresponds to a ground area of 6.4x10^3 sq.km. The telescope consists of a
Fresnel-type mirror-concentrator (~2 sq.m) and a photo receiver (a matrix of
16x16 photomultiplier tubes). It is to be deployed on the Lomonosov satellite,
and is currently at the final stage of preflight tests. Recently, SINP MSU
began the KLYPVE project to be installed on board of the Russian segment of the
ISS. The optical system of this detector contains a larger primary mirror (10
sq.m), which allows decreasing the energy threshold. The total effective field
of view will be at least +/-14 degrees to exceed the annual exposure of the
existing ground-based experiments. Several configurations of the detector are
being currently considered. Finally, JEM-EUSO is a wide field of view (+/-30
deg) detector. The optics is composed of two curved double-sided Fresnel lenses
with 2.65 m external diameter, a precision diffractive middle lens and a pupil.
The ultraviolet photons are focused onto the focal surface, which consists of
nearly 5000 multi-anode photomultipliers. It is developed by a large
international collaboration. All three orbital detectors have multi-purpose
character due to continuous monitoring of various atmospheric phenomena. The
present status of development of the TUS and KLYPVE missions is reported, and a
brief comparison of the projects with JEM-EUSO is given.Comment: 18 pages; based on the rapporteur talk given by M.I. Panasyuk at
ECRS-2014; v2: a few minor language issues fixed thanks to the editor; to be
published in the proceeding
Fresnel Interferometric Imager: ground-based prototype
The Fresnel Interferometric Imager is a space-based astronomical telescope
project yielding milli-arc second angular resolution and high contrast images
with loose manufacturing constraints. This optical concept involves diffractive
focusing and formation flying: a first "primary optics" space module holds a
large binary Fresnel Array, and a second "focal module" holds optical elements
and focal instruments that allow for chromatic dispersion correction.
We have designed a reduced-size Fresnel Interferometric Imager prototype and
made optical tests in our lab, in order to validate the concept for future
space missions. The Primary module of this prototype consists of a square, 8 cm
side, 23 m focal length Fresnel array. The focal module is composed of a
diaphragmed small telescope used as "field lens", a small cophased diverging
Fresnel Zone Lens (FZL) that cancels the dispersion and a detector. An
additional module collimates the artificial targets of various shapes, sizes
and dynamic ranges to be imaged.
In this paper, we describe the experimental setup, different designs of the
primary Fresnel array, and the cophased Fresnel Zone Lens that achieves
rigorous chromatic correction. We give quantitative measurements of the
diffraction limited performances and dynamic range on double sources. The tests
have been performed in the visible domain, lambda = 400 - 700 nm.
In addition, we present computer simulations of the prototype optics based on
Fresnel propagation, that corroborate the optical tests. This numerical tool
has been used to simulate the large aperture Fresnel arrays that could be sent
to space with diameters of 3 to 30 m, foreseen to operate from Lyman-alpha (121
nm) to mid I.R. (25 microns).Comment: 10 pages, 13 figures; accepted for publication in Applied Optic
High resolution imaging with Fresnel interferometric arrays: suitability for exoplanet detection
We propose a new kind of interferometric array that yields images of high
dynamic range and large field. The numerous individual apertures in this array
form a pattern related to a Fresnel zone plate. This array can be used for
astrophysical imaging over a broad spectral bandwidth spanning from the U.V.
(50 nanometers) to the I.R. (20 microns). Due to the long focal lengths
involved, this instrument requires formation-flying of two space borne vessels.
We present the concept and study the S/N ratio in different situations, then
apply these results to probe the suitability of this concept to detect
exoplanets.Comment: 12 pages, 19 figures, to be published in A&
Regularized Newton Methods for X-ray Phase Contrast and General Imaging Problems
Like many other advanced imaging methods, x-ray phase contrast imaging and
tomography require mathematical inversion of the observed data to obtain
real-space information. While an accurate forward model describing the
generally nonlinear image formation from a given object to the observations is
often available, explicit inversion formulas are typically not known. Moreover,
the measured data might be insufficient for stable image reconstruction, in
which case it has to be complemented by suitable a priori information. In this
work, regularized Newton methods are presented as a general framework for the
solution of such ill-posed nonlinear imaging problems. For a proof of
principle, the approach is applied to x-ray phase contrast imaging in the
near-field propagation regime. Simultaneous recovery of the phase- and
amplitude from a single near-field diffraction pattern without homogeneity
constraints is demonstrated for the first time. The presented methods further
permit all-at-once phase contrast tomography, i.e. simultaneous phase retrieval
and tomographic inversion. We demonstrate the potential of this approach by
three-dimensional imaging of a colloidal crystal at 95 nm isotropic resolution.Comment: (C)2016 Optical Society of America. One print or electronic copy may
be made for personal use only. Systematic reproduction and distribution,
duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial
purposes, or modifications of the content of this paper are prohibite
Optical memory disks in optical information processing
We describe the use of optical memory disks as elements in optical information processing architectures. The optical disk is an optical memory devicew ith a storage capacity approaching 1010b its which is naturally suited to parallel access. We discuss optical disk characteristics which are important in optical computing systems such as contrast, diffraction efficiency, and phase uniformity. We describe techniques for holographic storage on optical disks and present reconstructions of several types of computer-generated holograms. Various optical information processing architectures are described for applications such as database retrieval, neural network implementation, and image correlation. Selected systems are experimentally demonstrated
Optical diffraction for measurements of nano-mechanical bending
Micromechanical transducers such as cantilevers for AFM often rely on optical
readout methods that require illumination of a specific region of the
microstructure. Here we explore and exploit the diffraction effects that have
been previously neglected when modeling cantilever bending measurement
techniques. The illumination of a cantilever end causes an asymmetric
diffraction pattern at the photodetector that significantly affects the
calibration of the signal in the popular optical beam deflection technique
(OBDT). Conditions for optimized linear signals that avoid detection artifacts
conflict with small numerical aperture illumination and narrow cantilevers
which are softer and therefore more sensitive. Embracing diffraction patterns
as a physical measurable allows a richer detection technique that decouples
measurements of tilt and curvature and simultaneously relaxes the requirements
on the alignment of illumination and detector. We show analytical results,
numerical simulations and physiologically relevant experimental data
demonstrating the usefulness of these diffraction features. We offer
experimental design guidelines and identify and quantify possible sources of
systematic error of up to 10% in OBDT. We demonstrate a new nanometre
resolution detection method that can replace OBDT, where Frauenhofer and Bragg
diffraction effects from finite sized and patterned cantilevers are exploited.
Such effects are readily generalized to arrays, and allow transmission
detection of mechanical curvature, enabling in-line instruments. In particular,
a cantilever with a periodic array of slots produces Bragg peaks which can be
analyzed to deduce the cantilever curvature. We highlight the comparative
advantages over OBDT by detecting molecular activity of antibiotic Vancomycin,
with an RMS noise equivalent to less than (1.5 nm), as example of
possible multi-maker bio-assays.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure
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