Variable optical attenuators with ability to independently control two orthogonal linearly polarized light amplitudes

New techniques for controlling the amplitudes of two orthogonal linearly polarized light are presented. One is based on adjusting the DC voltage into a Mach–Zehnder modulator（MZM） to alter the amplitude of the light traveling on the slow axis of a fiber into the modulator with little changes in the fast-axis light amplitude.Another is based on adjusting the input DC voltages of a dual-polarization MZM operating in the reverse direction, which enables independent control of the two input orthogonal linearly polarized light amplitudes.Experimental results demonstrate that more than 30 dB difference in slow-and fast-axis light power can be obtained by controlling an MZM input DC voltage, and over 24 dB independent power adjustment for light traveling on the slow and fast axes into a dual-polarization MZM.

Peculiar influence of linearly polarized spectrum illumination patterns on the sensitivity characteristics of locust response to polarized light

This study investigated the influence of different linearly polarized spectrum lights on locusts polartactic response characteristics linearly polarized vector sensitivity mode and polartactic response by using linearly polarized spectrum vector light module and experimental device.The objective was to clarify the vector sensitivity characteristics and functional effect of linearly polarized light spectrum intensity on locusts polartactic response,determine the influence specificity of linearly polarized spectrum illumination properties on locusts polarization-related behavior.When spectrum and illumination were constant,locusts polartactic response,presenting the response feature of sine and cosine function change specificity,was related to spectrum attribute.The visual acuity effect stimulated by violet spectrum was the best,whereas the optical distance modulation effect induced by orange spectrum was the strongest.When illumination was enhanced,locusts vector sensitivity mode shifted to present the specific sensitivity prompted by light intensity at long distance and inhibited by light intensity at short distance.Moreover,the regulating function of violet spectrum was the strongest,and the regulatory mutation effect of orange spectrum was the least significant.Simultaneously,locusts polartactic sensitivity to 300°vector at 100 lx,whereas to 240°vector at 1000 lx of linearly polarized violet light was the strongest.Locusts polartactic aggregation and visual tendency sensitivity to 90°vector at 100 lx,whereas to 270°vector at 1000 lx of linearly polarized violet light was the strongest.The heterogeneous regulation function of different linearly polarized spectrum couplings with light intensity led to significant variations in locusts vector sensitivity mode.This was derived from the antagonistic and specific tuning characteristics of locusts polartactic vision,reflecting the integrated output effect of locusts vector dependence regulated by linearly polarized spectrum intensity attribute.The findings were significant for the construction of pest polarization induction light sources and the investigation of the sensitive physiology pathway of locusts polarization vision.

Influences of DRA and non-DRA vision on the visual responses of locusts stimulated by linearly polarized and unpolarized lights

Locust and grasshopper plagues pose a serious threat to crop production in many areas worldwide.However,there is a lack of effective,quick-acting methods to control such outbreaks.Methods exploiting the phototactic response of these insects are receiving increasing attention.The current study investigated the effect of linearly polarized and unpolarized light on locust phototactic and polarotactic responses,in particular the function of their dorsal rim area(DRA)and non-DRA visual fields.The results showed that the polarotactic function weight of DRA vision was stimulated by linearly polarized ultraviolet(UV)and violet light,the phototactic function weight was induced by blue,green,and orange light,and under linearly polarized light,the functional effect of DRA vision was strongest in response to linearly polarized violet light.Moreover,the locust visual response effect was related to spectral light attributes,with the linear polarization effect intensifying in response to the short-range vision sensitivity of non-DRA visual fields,whereas DRA vision regulated the short-range sensitivity of compound eye vision.When illumination increased,the synergistic enhancement effects of linearly polarized ultraviolet and violet light were significant,whereas the visual sensitivity was restricted significantly by linearly polarized blue,green,or orange light.Thus,non-DRA vision determined,while DRA vision enhanced,the phototactic response sensitivity,whereas,in linearly polarized UV or violet light,non-DRA vision determined,while DRA vision enhanced,the visual trend and polarotaxic aggregation sensitivity,with opposite effects in linearly polarized blue,green,or orange light.When illumination increased,there was a driving effect caused by linearly polarized violet light on non-DRA vision,whereas at short-wave lengths,the control effect induced by linearly polarized orange light was optimal;however,the photo-induced effect of linearly polarized violet light and the visual distance control effect of linearly polarized orange light were optimal.These results provide theoretical support for the photo-induced mechanism of the locust visual response effect and for the development of linearly polarized light sources for the environmentally friendly prevention and control of locust populations.

Light-modulated electron retroreflection and Klein tunneling in a graphene-based n-p-n junction

We investigate the electron retroreflection and the Klein tunneling across a graphene-based n-p-n junction irradiated by linearly polarized off-resonant light with the polarization along the x direction.The linearly polarized off-resonant light modifies the band structure of graphene,which leads to the anisotropy of band structure.By adjusting the linearly polarized light and the direction of n-p-n junction simultaneously,the electron retroreflection appears and the anomalous Klein tunneling,the perfect transmission at a nonzero incident angle regardless of the width and height of potential barrier,happens,which arises from the fact that the light-induced anisotropic band structure changes the relation of wavevector and velocity of electron.Our finding provides an alternative and flexible method to modulate electron retroreflection and Klein tunneling.

Static Laser Light Scattering Studies from Red Blood Cells

A homemade Static Light scattering studies has been used to determine angle resolved scattered intensity for different polarization states of the incident laser light. Classical light scattering set ups are being used to study morphological aspects of scatterers using simple set ups using low power lasers. Red blood cells form rather interesting as well as a challenging system for scattering experiments. The scattering spectrometer consists of a scattering arm, a scattering turn table and collimating arm. Along with polarizers integrated in the collimating arm as well as scattering arms ensures collection of scattered flux with the required polarization state. This technique is being developed for its in vitro studies using fresh red blood cells. A brief review of the theoretical models used for scattering from Red Blood Cells (RBC) has been discussed in the paper. Scattering pattern (scattering plots) as well as polar plots of scattered flux have been determined for different polarization state of the incident light. Insight into the orientation of major axis of particles can be inferred from the polar plots.

UV-Polarizing Linear Polyyne Molecules Aligned in PVA

Electronic absorption bands of conjugated linear carbon chain molecules, namely polyynes H(C≡C)nH (n=5-7), are exploited to devise light-polarizing films applicable to the UV. Laser ablated polyynes are separated in size and dispersed in a film of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), which is stretched to align the trapped linear polyyne molecules inside. As a nature of the structural anisotropy, transition dipole of the UV absorption for polyyne molecules is in parallel with the molecular axis and the absorption occurs only for the electromagnetic wave having the amplitude of its electric vector along the molecular axis. Aligned and fixed orientationally in the solid PVA film, polyyne molecules act as selective absorbers of one of the polarization components of incident light at particular wavelength. Using a light source of linearly polarized UV light, whose direction of polarization is rotatable, angular dependence of the absorption intensity is investigated for the stretched PVA film containing aligned polyyne molecules and analyzed in terms of an order parameter in the theory of linear dichroism.