19 research outputs found
Photon-counting-based diffraction phase microscopy combined with single-pixel imaging
We propose a photon-counting (PC)-based quantitative-phase imaging (QPI) method for use in diffraction phase microscopy (DPM) that is combined with a single-pixel imaging (SPI) scheme (PC-SPI-DPM). This combination of DPM with the SPI scheme overcomes a low optical throughput problem that has occasionally prevented us from obtaining quantitative-phase images in DPM through use of a high-sensitivity single-channel photodetector such as a photomultiplier tube (PMT). The introduction of a PMT allowed us to perform PC with ease and thus solved a dynamic range problem that was inherent to SPI. As a proof-of-principle experiment, we performed a comparison study of analogue-based SPI-DPM and PC-SPI-DPM for a 125-nm-thick indium tin oxide (ITO) layer coated on a silica glass substrate. We discuss the basic performance of the method and potential future modifications of the proposed system
Characteristics of nonlinear terahertz-wave radiation generated by mid-infrared femtosecond pulse laser excitation
We report on efficient terahertz-wave generation in organic and inorganic crystals by nonlinear wavelength conversion approach using a 3.3 μm femtosecond pulse laser. Experimental results reveal the relation between pump power and terahertz-wave output power, which is proportional to the square of the pump power at the range of mega- to tera-watt cm−2 class even if the pump wavelength is different. Damage threshold of organic and inorganic crystals are recorded 0.6 and 18 tera-watt cm−2 by reducing several undesirable nonlinear optical effects using mid-infrared source
Multicascade-linked synthetic wavelength digital holography using an optical-comb-referenced frequency synthesizer
Digital holography (DH) is a promising method for non-contact surface
topography because the reconstructed phase image can visualize the nanometer
unevenness in a sample. However, the axial range of this method is limited to
the range of the optical wavelength due to the phase wrapping ambiguity.
Although the use of two different wavelengths of light and the resulting
synthetic wavelength, i.e., synthetic wavelength DH, can expand the axial range
up to a few tens of microns, this method is still insufficient for practical
applications. In this article, a tunable external cavity laser diode
phase-locked to an optical frequency comb, namely, an optical-comb-referenced
frequency synthesizer, is effectively used for multiple synthetic wavelengths
within the range of 32 um to 1.20 m. A multiple cascade link of the phase
images among an optical wavelength (= 1.520 um) and 5 different synthetic
wavelengths (= 32.39 um, 99.98 um, 400.0 um, 1003 um, and 4021 um) enables the
shape measurement of a reflective millimeter-sized stepped surface with the
axial resolution of 34 nm. The axial dynamic range, defined as the ratio of the
maximum axial range (= 0.60 m) to the axial resolution (= 34 nm), achieves
1.7*10^8, which is much larger than that of previous synthetic wavelength DH.
Such a wide axial dynamic range capability will further expand the application
field of DH for large objects with meter dimensions.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figure
Dual-optical-comb spectroscopic ellipsometry
Spectroscopic ellipsometry is a means to investigate optical and dielectric
material responses. Conventional spectroscopic ellipsometry has trade-offs
between spectral accuracy, resolution, and measurement time. Polarization
modulation has afforded poor performance due to its sensitivity to mechanical
vibrational noise, thermal instability, and polarization wavelength dependency.
We equip a spectroscopic ellipsometer with dual-optical-comb spectroscopy, viz.
dual-optical-comb spectroscopic ellipsometry (DCSE). The DCSE directly and
simultaneously obtains amplitude and phase information with ultra-high spectral
precision that is beyond the conventional limit. This precision is due to the
automatic time-sweeping acquisition of the interferogram using Fourier
transform spectroscopy and optical combs with well-defined frequency.
Ellipsometric evaluation without polarization modulation also enhances the
stability and robustness of the system. In this study, we evaluate the DCSE of
birefringent materials and thin films, which showed improved spectral accuracy
and a resolution of up to 1.2x10-5 nm across a 5-10 THz spectral bandwidth
without any mechanical movement.Comment: 30 pages, 4 figure
Dual-comb spectroscopic ellipsometry
Spectroscopic ellipsometry is a means of investigating optical and dielectric material responses. Conventional spectroscopic ellipsometry is subject to trade-offs between spectral accuracy, resolution, and measurement time. Polarization modulation has afforded poor performance because of its sensitivity to mechanical vibrational noise, thermal instability, and polarization-wavelength dependency. We combine spectroscopic ellipsometry with dual-comb spectroscopy, namely, dual-comb spectroscopic ellipsometry. Dual-comb spectroscopic ellipsometry (DCSE). DCSE directly and simultaneously obtains the ellipsometric parameters of the amplitude ratio and phase difference between s-polarized and p-polarized light signals with ultra-high spectral resolution and no polarization modulation, beyond the conventional limit. Ellipsometric evaluation without polarization modulation also enhances the stability and robustness of the system. In this study, we construct a polarization-modulation-free DCSE system with a spectral resolution of up to 1.2 × 10−5 nm throughout the spectral range of 1514–1595 nm and achieved an accuracy of 38.4 nm and a precision of 3.3 nm in the measurement of thin-film samples
Refractive-index-sensing optical comb based on photonic radio-frequency conversion with intracavity multi-mode interference fiber sensor
Optical frequency combs (OFCs) have attracted attention as optical frequency rulers due to their tooth-like discrete spectra together with their inherent mode-locking nature and phase-locking control to a frequency standard. Based on this concept, their applications until now have been demonstrated in the fields of optical frequency metrology. However, if the utility of OFCs can be further expanded beyond their application by exploiting new aspects of OFCs, this will lead to new developments in optical metrology and instrumentation. Here, we report a fiber sensing application of OFCs based on a coherent link between the optical and radio frequencies, enabling high-precision refractive index measurement based on frequency measurement in radio-frequency (RF) region. Our technique encodes a refractive index change of a liquid sample into a repetition frequency of OFC by a combination of an intracavity multi-mode-interference fiber sensor and wavelength dispersion of a cavity fiber. Then, the change in refractive index is read out by measuring the repetition frequency in RF region based on a frequency standard. Use of an OFC as a photonic RF converter will lead to the development of new applications in high-precision fiber sensing with the help of functional fiber sensors and precise RF measurement