First commissioning results of the coherent scattering and imaging endstation at the Shanghai soft X-ray free-electron laser facility

The Shanghai soft X-ray free-electron laser(SXFEL)user facility project started in 2016 and is expected to be open to users by 2022.It aims to deliver ultra-intense coherent femtosecond X-ray pulses to five endstations covering a range of 100–620 eV for ultrafast X-ray science.Two undulator lines are designed and constructed,based on different lasing modes:self-amplified spontaneous emission and echo-enabled harmonic generation.The coherent scattering and imaging(CSI)endstation is the first of five endstations to be commissioned online.It focuses on high-resolution single-shot imaging and the study of ultrafast dynamic processes using coherent forward scattering techniques.Both the single-shot holograms and coherent diffraction patterns were recorded and reconstructed for nanoscale imaging,indicating the excellent coherence and high peak power of the SXFEL and the possibility of‘‘diffraction before destruction’’experiments at the CSI endstation.In this study,we report the first commissioning results of the CSI endstation.

A general phase retrieval algorithm based on a ptychographical iterative engine for coherent diffractive imaging

Coherent diffractive imaging （CDI） is a lensless imaging technique and can achieve a resolution beyond the Rayleigh or Abbe limit. The ptychographical iterative engine （PIE） is a CDI phase retrieval algorithm that uses multiple diffraction patterns obtained through the scan of a localized illumination on the specimen, which has been demonstrated successfully at optical and X-ray wavelengths. In this paper, a general PIE algorithm （gPIE） is presented and demonstrated with an He-Ne laser light diffraction dataset. This algorithm not only permits the removal of the accurate model of the illumination function in PIE, but also provides improved convergence speed and retrieval quality.

Anisotropic Total Variation Regularization Based NAS-RIF Blind Restoration Method for OCT Image

Based on anisotropic total variation regularization(ATVR), a nonnegativity and support constraints recursive inverse filtering(NAS-RIF) blind restoration method is proposed to enhance the quality of optical coherence tomography(OCT) image. First, ATVR is introduced into the cost function of NAS-RIF to improve the noise robustness and retain the details in the image.Since the split Bregman iterative is used to optimize the ATVR based cost function, the ATVR based NAS-RIF blind restoration method is then constructed. Furthermore, combined with the geometric nonlinear diffusion filter and the Poisson-distribution-based minimum error thresholding, the ATVR based NAS-RIF blind restoration method is used to realize the blind OCT image restoration. The experimental results demonstrate that the ATVR based NAS-RIF blind restoration method can successfully retain the details in the OCT images. In addition, the signal-to-noise ratio of the blind restored OCT images can be improved, along with the noise robustness.

A study on coherent structures and drag-reduction in the wall turbulence with polymer additives by TRPIV

An experimental measurement was performed us- ing time-resolved particle image velocimetry （TRPIV） to in- vestigate the spatial topological character of coherent struc- tures in wall-bounded turbulence of polymer additive solu- tion. The fully developed near-wall turbulent flow fields with and without polymer additives at the same Reynolds number were measured by TRPIV in a water channel. The compar- isons of turbulent statistics confirm that due to viscoelastic structure of long-chain polymers, the wall-normal velocity fluctuation and Reynolds shear stress in the near-wall region are suppressed significantly. Furthermore, it is noted that such a behavior of polymers is closely related to the decease of the motion of the second and forth quadrants, i.e., the ejection and sweep events, in the near-wall region. The spa- tial topological mode of coherent structures during bursts has been extracted by the new mu-level criteria based on locally averaged velocity structure function. Although the general shapes of coherent structures are unchanged by polymer additives, the fluctuating velocity, velocity gradient, velocity strain rate and vorticity of coherent structures during burst events are suppressed in the polymer additive solution com- pared with that in water. The results show that due to the polymer additives the occurrence and intensity of coherent structures are suppressed, leading to drag reduction.

Wide-Field Vibrational Phase Contrast Imaging Based on Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Holography

We propose and implement a wide-field vibrational phase contrast detection to obtain imaging of imaginary components of third-order nonlinear susceptibility in a coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering （CARS） microscope with full suppression of the non-resonant background. This technique is based on the unique ability of recovering the phase of the generated CARS signal based on holographic recording. By capturing the phase distributions of the generated CARS field from the sample and from the environment under resonant illumination, we demonstrate the retrieval of imaginary components in the CARS microscope and achieve background free coherent Raman imaging.

Tomographic PIV investigation on coherent vortex structures over shark-skin-inspired drag-reducing riblets

Nature has shown us that the microstructure of the skin of fast-swimming sharks in the ocean can reduce the skin friction drag due to the well-known shark-skin effect.In the present study,the effect of shark-skin-inspired riblets on coherent vortex structures in a turbulent boundary layer（TBL） is investigated.This is done by means of tomographic particle image velocimetry（TPIV） measurements in channel fl ws over an acrylic plate of drag-reducing riblets at a friction Reynolds number of 190.The turbulent fl ws over drag-reducing riblets are verifie by a planar time-resolved particle image velocimetry（TRPIV） system initially,and then the TPIV measurements are performed.Two-dimensional（2D） experimental results with a dragreduction rate of around 4.81% are clearly visible over triangle riblets with a peak-to-peak spacing s＋of 14,indicating from the drag-reducing performance that the buffer layer within the TBL has thickened;the logarithmic law region has shifted upward and the Reynolds shear stress decreased.A comparison of the spatial topological distributions of the spanwise vorticity of coherent vortex structures extracted at different wall-normal heights through the improved quadrant splitting method shows that riblets weaken the amplitudesof the spanwise vorticity when ejection（Q2） and sweep（Q4） events occur at the near wall,having the greatest effect on Q4 events in particular.The so-called quadrupole statistical model for coherent structures in the whole TBL is verified Meanwhile,their spatial conditional-averaged topological shapes and the spatial scales of quadrupole coherent vortex structures as a whole in the overlying turbulent fl w over riblets are changed,suggesting that the riblets dampen the momentum and energy exchange between the regions of near-wall and outer portion of the TBL by depressing the bursting events（Q2 and Q4）,thereby reducing the skin friction drag.

Compressed sensing sparse reconstruction for coherent field imaging

Return signal processing and reconstruction plays a pivotal role in coherent field imaging, having a significant in- fluence on the quality of the reconstructed image. To reduce the required samples and accelerate the sampling process, we propose a genuine sparse reconstruction scheme based on compressed sensing theory. By analyzing the sparsity of the received signal in the Fourier spectrum domain, we accomplish an effective random projection and then reconstruct the return signal from as little as 10% of traditional samples, finally acquiring the target image precisely. The results of the numerical simulations and practical experiments verify the correctness of the proposed method, providing an efficient processing approach for imaging fast-moving targets in the future.

Three-dimensional coherent diffraction imaging of Mie-scattering spheres by laser single-orientation measurement

Three-dimensional imaging with single orientation is a potential and novel technique. We successfully demonstrate that three-dimensional（3D） structure can be determined by a single orientation diffraction measurement for a phase object of double-layer Mie-scattering silica spheres on a Si3N4 membrane. Coherent diffraction pattern at high numerical aperture was acquired with an optical laser, and the oversampled pattern was projected from a planar detector onto the Ewald sphere.The double-layered spheres are reconstructed from the spherical diffraction pattern and a 2D curvature-corrected pattern,which improve convergence speed and stability of reconstruction.

Optical coherence tomography enhanced depth imaging of chorioretinal folds in patients with orbital tumors

AIM:To characterize spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT)features of chorioretinal folds in orbital mass imaged using enhanced depth imaging(EDI).METHODS:Prospective observational case-control study was conducted in 20 eyes of 20 patients,the uninvolved eye served as a control.All the patients underwent clinical fundus photography,computed tomography,EDI SDOCT imaging before and after surgery.Two patients with cavernous hemangiomas underwent intratumoral injection of bleomycin A5;the remaining patients underwent tumor excision.Patients were followed 1 to 14mo following surgery(average follow up,5.8mo).RESULTS:Visual acuity prior to surgery ranged from 20/20 to 20/200.Following surgery,5 patients’visual acuity remained unchanged while the remaining 15 patients had a mean letter improvement of 10(range 4 to 26 letters).Photoreceptor inner/outer segment defects were found in 10 of 15 patients prior to surgery.Following surgical excision,photoreceptor inner/outer segment defects fully resolved in 8 of these 10 patients.CONCLUSION:Persistence of photoreceptor inner/outer segment defects caused by compression of the globe by an orbital mass can be associated with reduced visual prognosis.Our findings suggest that photoreceptor inner/outer segment defects on EDI SD-OCT could be an indicator for immediate surgical excision of an orbital mass causing choroidal compression.

Prediction of Outdoor Noise Propagation Induced By Single-Phase Power Transformers

Outdoor power transformers are one of the most pervasive noise sources in power transmission and distribution systems.Accurate prediction of outdoor noise propagation plays a dominant role for the evaluation and control of noise relevant to the transformer stations.In this paper surface vibration tests are carried out on a scale model of a single-phase transformer tank wall at different excitation frequencies.The phase and amplitude of test data are found to be randomly distributed when the excitation frequency exceeds the seventh mode frequency,which allows the single-phase power transformer to be simplified as incoherent point sources.An outdoor-coherent model is subsequently developed and incorporated with the image source method to investigate noise propagation from single-phase power transformers,due to the occurrence of multiple reflections and diffractions in the propagation path of each point source.The proposed model is used to calculate the sound field of the power transformer group by exploiting the additional phase information.In comparison with the ISO9613 model and the boundary element method,it is found that the proposed coherent image source method leads to more accurate prediction results,and hence better performance for the prediction of the outdoor noise induced by single-phase power transformers.

Area and volume ratios for prediction of visual outcome in idiopathic macular hole

AIM： To predict the visual outcome in patients undergoing macular hole surgery by two novel three-dimensional morphological parameters on optical coherence tomography （OCT）： area ratio factor （ARF） and volume ratio factor （VRF）. METHODS： A clinical case series was conducted, including 54 eyes of 54 patients with an idiopathic macular hole （IMH）. Each patient had an OCT examination before and after surgery. Morphological parameters of the macular hole, such as minimum diameter, base diameter, and height were measured. Then, the macular hole index （Mill）, tractional hole index （THI）, and hole form factor （HFF） were calculated. Meanwhile, novel postoperative macular hole （MH） factors, ARF and VRF were calculated by three-dimensional morphology. Bivariate correlations were performed to acquire asymptotic significance values between the steady best corrected visual acuity （BCVA） after surgery and 2D/3D arguments of MH by the Pearson method with two-tailed test. All significant factors were analyzed by the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve analysis of SPSS software which were responsible for vision recovery. ROC curves analyses were performed to further discuss the different parameters on the prediction of visual outcome. RESULTS： The mean and standard deviation values of patients＇ age, symptoms duration, and follow-up time were 64.8＋8.9y （range： 28-81）, 18.6＋11.5d （range： 2-60）, and 11.4＋0.4mo （range： 6-24）, respectively. Steady-post-BCVA analyzed with bivariate correlations was found to be significantly correlated with base diameter （r＇0.521, P〈0.001）, minimum diameter （r=0.514, P〈0.001）, MHI （r -0.531, P〈0.001）, THI （r=-0.386, P=-0.004）, HFF （r=-0.508, P〈0.001）, and ARF （r=-0.532, P〈0.001）. Other characteristic parameters such as age, duration of surgery, height, diameter hole index, and VRF were not statistically significant with steady-post-BCVA. According to area under the curve （AUC） values, values of ARF, MHI, HFF, minimum diameter, THI, and base diameter are 0.806, 0.772, 0.750, 0.705, 0.690, and 0.686, respectively. However, Steady-post-BCVA analysis with bivariate correlations for VRF was no statistical significance. Results of ROC curve analysis indicated that the MHI value, HFF, and ARF was greater than 0.427, 1.027 and 1.558 respectively which could correlate with better visual acuity. CONCLUSION： Compared with MHI and HFF, ARF could effectively express three-dimensional characteristics of macular hole and achieve better sensitivity and specificity. Thus, ARF could be the most effective parameter to predict the visual outcome in macular hole surgery.

Influence of the illumination coherency and illumination aperture on the ptychographic iterative microscopy

While ptychography is an algorithm based on coherent illumination,satisfactory reconstructions can still be generated in most experiments,even though the radiation sources that are used are not ideally coherent.The underlying physics of this phenomenon is that the diffraction patterns of partially coherent illumination can be treated as those of purely coherent illumination by altering the intensities of the diffracted beams relative to their real values.On the other hand,due to the inconsistency in the altering interference among all the diffraction beams,noise/distortion is always involved in the reconstructed images.Furthermore,for a weak object,the noise/distortion in the reconstruction can be mostly reduced by using a highly curved beam for illumination in the data recording and forcing the dark field diffraction to be zero in the reconstruction.

Optical coherence tomography with or without enhanced depth imaging for peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer and choroidal thickness

AIM：To assess peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer（RNFL）and choroidal thickness obtained with enhanced depth imaging（EDI）mode compared with those obtained without EDI mode using Heidelberg Spectralis optical coherence tomography（OCT）.METHODS：Fifty eyes of 25 normal healthy subjects and32 eyes of 20 patients with different eye diseases were included in the study.All subjects underwent 3.4 mm diameter peripapillary circular OCT scan centered on the optic disc using both the conventional and the EDI OCT protocols.The visualization of RNFL and choroidoscleral junction was assessed using an ordinal scoring scale.The paired t-test,intraclass correlation coefficient（ICC）,95%limits of agreement（LoA）,and Bland and Altman plots were used to test the agreement of measurements.RESULTS：The visibility score of RNFL obtained with and without EDI was of no significant difference（P=0.532）,the visualization of choroidoscleral junction was better using EDI protocol than conventional protocol（P〈0.001）.Peripapillary RNFL thickness obtained with EDI was slightly thicker than that obtained without EDI（103.25±9.42μm vs 101.87±8.78μm,P=0.010）.The ICC of the two protocols was excellent with the value of 0.867 to 0.924,the 95%LoA of global RNFL thickness was between-10.0 to 7.4μm.Peripapillary choroidal thickness obtained with EDI was slightly thinner than that obtained without EDI（147.23±51.04μm vs 150.90±51.84μm,P〈0.001）.The ICC was also excellent with the value of 0.960 to 0.987,the 95%LoA of global choroidal thickness was between-12.5 to 19.8μm.CONCLUSION：Peripapillary circular OCT scan with or without EDI mode shows comparable results in the measurement of peripapillary RNFL and choroidal thickness.

PRELIMINARY STUDY ON SKIN CANCER DETECTION IN SENCAR MICE USING MUELLER OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY

We report on the use of a fiber-based Mueller-matrix optical coherence tomography(OCT)system with continuous source-polarization modulation for in vivo imaging of early stages of skin cancer in SENCAR mice.A homemade hand-held probe with integrated optical scanning and beam delivering optics was coupled in the sample arm.The OCT images show the morphological changes in skin resulting from pre-cancerous papilloma formations that are consistent with histology,thus demonstrating the system’s potential for early skin cancer detection.

Peripapillary choroidal thickness in Chinese children using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography

AIM：To evaluate the peripapillary choroidal thickness（PPCT） in Chinese children,and to analyze the influencing factors.METHODS： PPCT was measured with enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography（EDI-OCT） in 70children（53 myopes and 17 non-myopes） aged 7 to 18 y,with spherical equivalent refractive errors between 0.50and-5.87 diopters（D）.Peripapillary choroidal imaging was performed using circular scans of a diameter of 3.4 mm around the optic disc.PPCT was measured by EDI-OCT in six sectors： nasal（N）,superonasal（SN）,superotemporal（ST）,temporal（T）,inferotemporal（IT）and inferonasal（IN）,as well as global RNFL thickness（G）.RESULTS： The mean global PPCT was 165.49±33.76 μm.The temporal,inferonasal,inferotemporal PPCT were significantly thinner than the nasal,superonasal,superotemporal segments PPCT were significantly thinner in the myopic group at temporal,superotemporal and inferotemporal segments.The axial length was significantly associated with the average global（β=-0.419,P =0.014）,superonasal（β=-2.009,P=0.049） and inferonasal（β=-2.000,P=0.049） PPCT.The other factors（gender,age,SE） were not significantly associated with PPCT.CONCLUSION： PPCT was thinner in the myopic group at temporal,superotemporal and inferotemporal segments.The axial length was found to be negatively correlated to PPCT.We need more further studies about the relationship between PPCT and myopia.

Noniterative spatially partially coherent diffractive imaging using pinhole array mask

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a noniterative diffractive imaging method for reconstructing the complex-valued transmission function of an object illuminated by spatially partially coherent light from the far-field diffraction pattern.Our method is based on a pinhole array mask,which is specially designed such that the correlation function in the mask plane can be obtained directly by inverse Fourier transforming the diffraction pattern.Compared to the traditional iterative diffractive imaging methods using spatially partially coherent illumination,our method is noniterative and robust to the degradation of the spatial coherence of the illumination.In addition to diffractive imaging,the proposed method can also be applied to spatial coherence property characterization,e.g.,free-space optical communication and optical coherence singularity measurement.

Shedding light on electrodeposition dynamics tracked in situ via soft X-ray coherent diffraction imaging

The in situ physicochemical analysis of nanostructured functional materials is crucial for advances in their design and production. X-ray coherent diffraction imaging （CDI） methods have recently demonstrated impressive potential for characterizing such materials with a high spatial resolution and elemental sensitivity; however, moving from the current ex situ static regime to the in situ dynamic one remains a challenge. By combining soft X-ray ptychography and single-shot keyhole CDI, we performed the first in situ spatiotemporal study on an electrodeposition process in a sealed wet environment, employed for the fabrication of oxygen-reduction catalysts, which are key components for alkaline fuel cells and metal-air batteries. The results provide the first experimental demonstration of theoretically predicted Turing-Hopf electrochemical pattern formation resulting from morphochemical coupling, adding a new dimension for the in-depth in situ characterization of electrodeposition processes in space and time.

Lensless diffractive imaging with ultra-broadbandtable-top sources: from infrared to extreme-ultravioletwavelengths

Lensless imaging is an approach to microscopy in which a high-resolution image of an object is reconstructed from one or more measured diffraction patterns,providing a solution in situations where the use of imaging optics is not possible.However,current lensless imaging methods are typically limited by the need for a light source with a narrow,stable and accurately known spectrum.We have developed a general approach to lensless imaging without spectral bandwidth limitations or sample requirements.We use two time-delayed coherent light pulses and show that scanning the pulse-to-pulse time delay allows the reconstruction of diffraction-limited images for all the spectral components in the pulse.In addition,we introduce an iterative phase retrieval algorithm that uses these spectrally resolved Fresnel diffraction patterns to obtain high-resolution images of complex extended objects.We demonstrate this two-pulse imaging method with octave-spanning visible light sources,in both transmission and reflection geometries,and with broadband extreme-ultraviolet radiation from a high-harmonic generation source.Our approach enables effective use of low-flux ultra-broadband sources,such as table-top high-harmonic generation systems,for high-resolution imaging.

3D imaging by two-color Ewald spheres with optical lasers

3D imaging techniques such as computed tomography,ultrasonography,and magnetic resonance imaging usually combine many scans computationally.Here,we report a 3D imaging approach using an optical-laser diffraction microscope with two different wavelength lasers in the same orientation.A double-layered sample constructed of silica spheres is used for coherent diffraction imaging;with two lasers at 543 and 432 nm.The diffraction patterns obtained using a planar detector at a high numerical a pert are arc projected onto the Ewald spheres.3D images of the double-layered sample are successfully reconstructed from the two-color spherical diffraction patterns.

Solution of the effects of twinning in femtosecond X-ray protein nanocrystallography

With the development of the XFEL （X-ray free electron laser）, high quality diffraction patterns from nanocrystals have been achieved. The nanocrystals with different sizes and random orientations are injected to the XFEL beams and the diffraction patterns can be obtained by the so-called ＂diffraction-and-destruction＂ mode. The recovery of orientations is one of the most critical steps in reconstructing the 3D structure of nanocrystals. There is already an approach to solve the orientation problem by using the automated indexing software in crystallography. However, this method cannot distinguish the twin orientations in the cases of the symmetries of Bravais lattices higher than the point groups. Here we propose a new method to solve this problem. The shape transforms of nanocrystals can be determined from all of the intensities around the diffraction spots, and then Fourier transformation of a single crystal cell is obtained. The actual orientations of the patterns can be solved by comparing the values of the Fourier transformations of the crystal cell on the intersections of all patterns. This so-called ＂multiple-common-line＂ method can distinguish the twin orientations in the XFEL diffraction patterns successfully.