Optical edge detection with adjustable resolution based on liquid crystal polarization gratings

Optical edge detection, a part of image processing, plays an important role in extracting image information used in optical analog computation. In this Letter, we raise a new way to realize optical edge detection. This design is based on two liquid crystal polarization gratings with a period of 2.2 mm, which function as a spatial differentiator. We experimentally demonstrate broadband optical detection and real-time adjustable resolution.The proposed method takes advantage of the convenience to use, simple fabrication process, and real-time tunable resolution. It may guide more significant applications in the optical field and other practical scenarios like machine vision in computers.

Precision integration of grating-based polarizers onto focal plane arrays of near-infrared photovoltaic detectors for enhanced contrast polarimetric imaging

Polarimetric imaging enhances the ability to distinguish objects from a bright background by detecting their particular polarization status,which offers another degree of freedom in infrared remote sensing.However,to scale up by monolithically integrating grating-based polarizers onto a focal plane array(FPA)of infrared detectors,fundamental technical obstacles must be overcome,including reductions of the extinction ratio by the misalignment between the polarizer and the detector,grating line width fluctuations,the line edge roughness,etc.This paper reports the authors’latest achievements in overcoming those problems by solving key technical issues regarding the integration of large-scale polarizers onto the chips of FPAs with individual indium gallium arsenide/indium phosphide(In Ga As/In P)sensors as the basic building blocks.Polarimetric and photovoltaic chips with divisions of the focal plane of 540×4 pixels and 320×256 superpixels have been successfully manufactured.Polarimetric imaging with enhanced contrast has been demonstrated.The progress made in this work has opened up a broad avenue toward industrialization of high quality polarimetric imaging in infrared wavelengths.

High-Order-Harmonic Generation from a Relativistic Circularly Polarized Laser Interacting with Over-Dense Plasma Grating

The simple surface current model is extended to study the generation of high-order harmonics for a relativistic circularly polarized laser pulse interacting with a plasma grating surface. Both exact relativistic electron dynamics and optical interference of surface periodic structure are considered. It is found that high order harmonics in the specular direction are obviously suppressed whereas the harmonics of the grating periodicity are strongly enhanced and folded into small solid angles with respect to the surface direction. The conversion efficiency of certain harmonics is five orders of magnitude higher than that of the planar target cases. It provides an effective approach to generate a coherent radiation within the so-called ＇water window＇ while maintaining high conversion efficiency and narrow angle spread.

High-reflectivity high-contrast grating focusing reflector on silicon-on-insulator wafer

A high-contrast grating（HCG） focusing reflector providing phase front control of reflected light and high reflectivity is proposed and fabricated.Basic design rules to engineer this category of structures are given in detail.A 1550 nm TM polarized incident light of 11.86 mm in focal length and 0.8320 in reflectivity is obtained in experiment.The wavelength dependence of the fabricated HCGs from 1530 nm to 1580 nm is also tested.The test results show that the focal length is in the range of 11.81-12 mm,which is close to the designed focal length of 15 mm.The reflectivity is almost above 0.56 within a bandwidth of 50 nm.At a distance of 11.86 mm,the light is focused to a round spot with the highest concentration,which is much smaller than the size of the incident beam.The FWHM of the reflected light beam decreases to 120 nm,and the intensity increases to 1.18.

Polarization insensitive arrayed-input spectrometer chip based on silicon-on-insulator echelle grating

Imaging spectrometers are most commonly used on satel- lites and aircrafts, including unmanned aerial vehicles （UAVs）, where the spare volume and weight are limited.

Analysis of Corrugated Long-Period Gratings in Planar Waveguides and Their Polarization Dependence

We present a theoretical analysis of corrugated long-period gratings in planar waveguides. In particular, we calculate the transmission spectra for both the TE and TM polarizations and highlight the polarization-independence conditions.

A position sensor based on grating projection with spatial filtering and polarization modulation

A position sensor based on grating projection with spatial filtering and polarization modulation is presented. A grating is projected onto the object to be measured through a 4f optical system with a spatial filter. After reflected by the object, the grating projection is imaged on a detection grating through another 4f optical system to form moiré fringes, The polarization modulated moiré signal is detected to obtain the position information of the object. In the position sensor, the moiré signal varies sinusoidally with the position of object. The measurement is independent of the incident intensity on the projection grating and the reflectivity of the object to be measured, In experiments, the effectiveness of the position sensor is proved, and the root mean square （RMS） error at each measurement position is less than 13 nm.

A novel tunable polarization mode dispersion compensator with strain chirped fiber Bragg gratings

A tunable polarization mode dispersion (PMD) compensator based on strain-ckirped fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) is proposed. It natures in flexible designing, large tuning range, without using linear or nonlinear chirped phase mask, fast tuning response time, continuously adjustable, all-fiber based, compact, and cheap.

Subwavelength ripple formation on planar and nonplanar surfaces by femtosecond laser scanning

The self-formation of periodic subwavelength ripples by linear polarized femtosecond laser scanning planar and non-planar tungsten targets on the employed laser wavelength, scanning speed, and energy fluence are examined systematically. The results show that, for a certain laser wavelength, the scanning conditions have no obvious effect to the morphological features of grating structures in the threshold range of laser fluence. The spatial structured period of gratings can be self-consistently interpreted by recently presented physical model of surface two-plasmon resonance. The subwavelength structures on cylindrical surface would be a good method to realize unique surface functions on complex surface of micro-devices.