University of Central Florida Research Foundation Inc

Lucent Technologies Inc.

J.m. Huber Corporation

Aristide Dogariu

Gabriel Popescu

Gary M Freeman

Kiminobu Sugaya

Richard Douglas Carter

Erwan Baleine

Glenn D Boreman

Demetrios N Christodoulides

Pieter G Kik

Christos Christodoulou

Gabriel Biener

Georgios Siviloglou

Jeremy Ellis

Raj Rajagopalan

Mahdi Eshaghi

A polarimeter may include a non-polarizing beamsplitter to split an input beam into a first beam and a second beam, a corner-cube retroreflector to retroreflect the first beam as a polarization-split beam, and a mirror to retroreflect the second beam as a retroreflected second beam. A beam profile of the polarization-split beam includes six regions with different states of polarization associated with a different order of reflections in the corner-cube retroreflector. The non-polarizing beamsplitter may combine the polarization-split beam and the retroreflected second beam as an intensity-split beam having six intensity regions associated with interference of the polarization-split beam with the retroreflected second beam. The polarimeter may further include a detector to measure an intensity of at least some of the six intensity regions and a controller to determine a polarization of the input beam based on the intensities of the at least some of the six intensity regions.

Single-shot low-light polarimeter

Systems and methods for controlling an object are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system and method pertain to irradiating the object with polarized electromagnetic radiation for a duration of time sufficient to effect a physical change with the object.

Systems and methods for controlling objects

Methods and systems for Airy waves and Airy wavepackets or Airy beam generation from an input beam or pulse. Airy wavefronts and Airy wavepackets can be generated using Airy beam generation through Fourier synthesis using phase masks or filters in the spatial domain; Airy beam generation using amplitude and phase filters in the spatial domain; and Airy pulse generation through Fourier synthesis using phase and/or amplitude filters in the temporal frequency domain. The Airy waves are highly asymmetric and as a result their energy is more tightly confined in one quadrant thus increasing the energy density in the main lobes. These wavepackets can be one, two, and three-dimensional waves. In addition they tend to self-heal themselves which is important in adverse environments.

Diffraction free, self-bending airy wave arrangement

An optical coagulation monitor and the method of monitoring blood coagulation status are disclosed. The method includes positioning a sample probe containing an optical fiber within a circulating blood; transmitting a low-coherence light through the optical fiber into the blood; detecting dynamic light scatter signals generated by the blood within a coherence volume and received through the optical fiber; analyzing the dynamic light scatter signals in comparison to a predetermined coagulation criterion; and reporting the coagulation status of the blood. The method can be used for monitoring blood coagulation status in vivo or in vitro in real time. Further disclosed is a method of determining blood clotting time in vitro using the optical coagulation monitor.

Optical coagulation monitor and method of use

A light scattering sensing system and method. In one embodiment, the system includes a sample branch configured to collect light signals backscattered from scattering centers contained in a coherence volume of a medium under evaluation, the sample branch including a multi-mode optical waveguide. In one embodiment, the method includes radiating low-coherence light into a scattering medium using a multi-mode optical waveguide, and collecting light signals backscattered by the scattering centers and light reflected by an end surface of the multi-mode optical waveguide using the multi-mode optical waveguide.

Signal analysis using multi-mode, common-path interferometry

Tuning of the resonant state of a structure that scatters optical fields is achieved by varying the effective optical properties of the environment of a small conductive structure. The frequency tunable resonant scatterer includes a medium, a conductive structure within that medium and a second structure in the vicinity of said conductive structure, wherein the plasmon resonance of said conductive structure is tuned by way of the proximity of said second structure to said conductive structure. The second structure is gradually moved away from and closer to the nanoparticle to change the effective dielectric constant for tuning a resonance frequency of the conductive structure to plural excitation wavelengths.

Frequency tunable resonant apparatus

The apparatus, system and method of the present invention provide a three-dimensional polarimeter probe having a coupler for coupling three components of an electromagnetic field that fluctuates in three-dimensions and an emitter for re-emitting a radiation corresponding to said three components. The radiation includes a polarized and an unpolarized component of said electromagnetic field and is used to determine the elements of a field-field correlation martix. In an embodiment, the system includes a detector located a distance from said probe for sensing said re-emitted radiation from said probe and a processor for determining a polarized and an unpolarized component of said electromagnetic field evaluating the polarized component to produce said polarimetry of said three-dimensional optical field.

Polarimetry of three-dimensional optical fields

An integrated optical sensor, using low coherence interferometry, is capable of determining analyte concentration in a material sample based on absorption, scattering and polarization. The sensor includes one or more light collectors, with each collector having a separation distance from the region where the sample is illuminated by the source. The light backscattered from the sample is combined with reference arm light at the same optical path length for each light collector. The intensity of interference may be correlated with the concentration of an analyte in the material, for example the glucose concentration in a turbid medium like skin. The sensor operation can be based on fiber optics technology, integrated optics, or a combination of these. The operation is such that the spectrally resolved scattering and absorption coefficients can be measured simultaneously. In addition, the operation of the sensor can be synchronized with other sensors, for example temperature, pressure, or heartrate.

Interferometric sensor for characterizing materials

Method of predicting optical properties and physical characteristics of coated paper or other sheet products for the purpose of formulating enhanced coating or sheet forming systems, and in particular to a method, which uses a diffusion approximation model derived from a radiative transfer theory employing various inputs of the properties and/or characteristics to predict coating or sheet system performance.

Method of predicting optical properties and physical characteristics to formulate optimum coating system

Methods and systems for using dynamic light scattering, for investigating local rheological responses of complex fluids over a frequency range larger than that provided by standard instrumentation. A low-coherence radiation source is used with fiber optics to allow measurements of small volume spacing of up to approximately 1/10 of a picoliter. The methods and systems are based on dynamic light scattering, for investigating the local rheological response of a complex fluid over a frequency range larger than that provided by standard mechanical instrumentation. The low-coherence radiation used in a fiber optics configuration allows the measurements to be confined to a small volume around a tenth of a picoliter. The ability of the method to accurately measure both loss and storage moduli has been tested using both simple Newtonian liquids and viscoelastic, complex fluids. Monitoring liquid-gel transitions in polymer solutions has also been demonstrated. The unique capability of the technique to localize the measurement volume can be used for three-dimensional mapping of rheological properties in heterogeneous systems. Other embodiments can use open-air setups instead of optical fibers to transmit and receive the low coherence light.

Microrheology methods and systems using low-coherence dynamic light scattering

This disclosure relates to a laser communication system for transmitting intelligence by means of partially coherent optical energy. The system provides improved transmission of intelligence from a transmitter site through non-confined free space and receiving said intelligence at a receiver site remote from and physically separate from said transmitter by non-confined free space. The system has a optical source at the transmitter site for producing a beam of spatially-coherent monochromatic, aperture limited electromagnetic optical energy as well as a modulator for modulating said beam with intelligence-bearing information to develop wavefronts of mutually-aligned orientation which beam is thereafter modified to partial coherence and a receiver site for both detecting said information in said partially coherent beam and deriving said demodulated information. The partially coherent beam has an a of preferably from 0.05 to 0.5 whereby improved reception is realized from optical communication over free-space of limited distances. Partial coherence of a coherent beam is achieved by numerous ways including passing it through a phase screen, or reflecting it against a rough surface, multimode laser operation or transmission through multimode optical fibers.

Free-space optical communications with partially coherent beams

The disclosure relates to measuring devices that are particularly suited for the purpose of in-situ characterization of particles present in fluid substances or in air using a low-coherence interferometer. Specifically, the characterization includes average size, size distribution, volumetric density, and composition. The low-coherence interferometer utilizes a split band of radiation to illuminate a sample probe and a reference probe then combines the reflected radiation from both probes to determine the photon pathlength distribution of the tested particulate or colloidal containing stream and from this information determine the size characteristics of said stream. The methodology is relevant to possible spatially distributed control of chemical processes such as emulsion polymerization to produce paints, coatings, synthetic rubbers, or crystallization processes in pharmaceuticals, food, and bulk chemicals industries. Another application relates to on-line control of particle size and volumetric density is in combustion for diagnostics. The invention can be used for the characterization of coal particles, dense sprays and solid propellants or any other system, which is too dense for conventional optical measurement techniques. Beside the intrinsic particulate nature of these systems, random index of refraction variations are also created due to turbulence/temperature interactions. The remote optical characterization of systems with high-concentration of suspended solids is also important for water quality control and pollution monitoring.

Non-invasive method and low-coherence apparatus system analysis and process control

An interferometric system includes first, second and third optical fibers with first and second couplers. The first coupler is configured to receive radiation through the first fiber, provide a first radiation portion through the second fiber and provide a second radiation portion through the third fiber to the second coupler. The system also includes fourth and fifth optical fibers each configured to receive radiation from the second coupler and transmit radiation for receipt by the other.

Interferometer with optical fiber interconnected dual arm sampler

In a method for characterizing particles in a colloidal suspension, during a period in which the particles undergo sedimentation, changes are measured in the intensity among interference patterns generated by combining first and second partially coherent radiation portions. Each radiation portion is generated from the same source. The first portion includes a component transmitted through a fraction of the suspension, and the second portion is transmitted through a reference path.

Method for characterizing particles in a liquid medium using interferometry

The specification describes a method for monitoring a characteristic of a mixture of particles suspended in a liquid medium by generating a first interference signal by combining first and second radiation beams after the first beam traverses a reference path and the second beam traverses a path extending into the mixture, allowing the particles in the mixture to partially settle, then generating a second interference signal by the same technique as used for the first. The second interference signal is then compared to the first interference signal to determine a change in, e.g., the particle density.

Growing community of inventors

Winter Springs, FL, United States of America

Aristide Dogariu