Biomedical subjects

Sheila Galt

Publications and source records attributed to Sheila Galt.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Three-level phase modulator based on orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystals.

Surface-stabilized orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystals (OAFLCs) have a director tilt of theta = 45 degrees and are, with no field applied, negatively uniaxial with the optic axis perpendicular to the cell substrates. We demonstrate that OAFLCs can be utilized to achieve lossless phase modulation with three almost equidistant phase levels. This turns out to be true also for polymer-stabilized OAFLCs, where the polymer network increases the switching speed of the device without affecting the phase modulation appreciably.

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PubMed2006

Diffraction-based determination of the phase modulation for general spatial light modulators.

We describe a characterization method based on diffraction for obtaining the phase response of spatial light modulators (SLMs), which in general exhibit both amplitude and phase modulation. Compared with the conventional interferometer-based approach, the method is characterized by a simple setup that enables in situ measurements, allows for substantial mechanical vibration, and permits the use of a light source with a fairly low temporal coherence. The phase determination is possible even for a SLM with a full amplitude modulation depth, i.e., even if there are nulls in the amplitude transmission characteristic of the SLM. The method successfully determines phase modulation values in the full 2pi rad range with high accuracy. The experimental work includes comparisons with interferometer measurements as well as a SLM characterization with a light-emitting diode (LED).

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PubMed2006

Analog low-loss full-range phase modulation by utilizing a V-shaped switched ferroelectric liquid-crystal cell in reflective mode.

We have studied the analog (V-shaped switching) mode in ferroelectric liquid crystals in reflective mode for analog phase modulation applications. We have found that several combinations of cell thicknesses and input polarization states exist for which near-lossless analog phase modulation with a range of approximately 2pi rad is obtained, and we demonstrate one such combination experimentally. Despite a slight deviation from the ideal conditions, e.g., the tilt angle was 38 degrees instead of the desired 45 degrees , virtually pure 1.6pi rad phase modulation was obtained; the measured values agree very well with our numerical simulations of the real device.

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PubMed2006

Near-lossless continuous phase modulation using the analog switching mode (V-shaped switching) in ferroelectric liquid crystals.

The analog switching mode in ferroelectric liquid crystals, sometimes referred to as 'V-shaped switching,' has, thanks to its submillisecond switching capability, attracted much interest for future fast electro-optic displays where it is to be used for amplitude modulation. We have studied this mode for analog phase-only modulation. As V-shaped switching is based on a conical motion of the index ellipsoid this presents a challenging problem since both the orientation of the slow and fast axes, as well as the amount of birefringence varies in the switching process. We show theoretically, partly by means of Poincaré sphere analysis, that it is in fact possible to obtain near-lossless analog phase modulation between zero and pi radians in an ideal V-shaped switching cell through careful tuning of the polarization state of the input light. Furthermore, we were able to demonstrate this experimentally in a fabricated cell. Although this cell deviated slightly from the ideal conditions, e.g., the tilt cone half-angle was 38 degrees instead of the desired 45 degrees , we still obtained a continuous phase modulation between zero and 0.78pi rad with less than 2% modulation of the amplitude; the measured values agree very well with our numerical simulations of the real device.

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PubMed2006

Analysis of the resolution-bandwidth-noise trade-off in wavelength-based photonic analog-to-digital converters.

The performance of wavelength-based photonic analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) is theoretically analyzed in terms of resolution and bandwidth as well as of noise tolerance. The analysis applies to any photonic ADC in which the analog input signal is converted into the wavelength of an optical carrier, but special emphasis is put on the spectrometerlike setup in which the wavelength is mapped to a spatial spot position. The binary output signals are then retrieved by an array of fan-out diffractive optical elements that redirect the beam onto the correct detectors. In particular, the case when the input signal controls the wavelength directly such that it will chirp in frequency during each sampling pulse or interval is studied. This chirping obviously broadens the spot on the diffractive optical element array; the effect of this broadening on noise tolerance and comparator accuracy is analytically analyzed, and accurate numerical calculations of the probability of error are presented.

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PubMed2003

Optical breakdown in fused silica and argon gas: application to Nd:YAG laser limiter.

A gas cell filed with argon gas under pressure is placed in a tightly focused laser beam to provide a limiter for laser pulses above a certain peak power, corresponding to the optical breakdown threshold for the creation of a laser-induced plasma. Measurements of the threshold intensity as a function of argon gas pressure are given for a laser wavelength of 1.064 microm (Nd:YAG) and a pulse length of 6.4 ns. Threshold intensities for optical breakdown in fused silica were measured with the same optical system, enabling a relative comparison of breakdown thresholds, of interest for protecting fused-silica optical components in fiber-optic delivery systems for laser material processing applications. The threshold intensity was measured to 220 GW/cm2 in Ar at 1.0 x 10(5) N/m2 (1 atm), 80 GW/cm2 in Ar at 8.0 x 10(5) N/m2 (7.9 atm), and 55 GW/cm2 in fused silica. Even though the threshold in argon is higher than that in fused silica, the limiter will protect the optical components if the laser beam is focused to a tighter spot in the gas cell than at the input end of the fiber.

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PubMed2003

Dynamic demonstration of diffractive optic analog-to-digital converter scheme.

Dynamic behavior of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) based on diffractive optical element(s) (DOE)(s) was studied and found to be in agreement with predictions. The analog signal was translated to an angular deflection of a laser beam by means of an acousto-optic (AO) cell. The number of bits in this experimental demonstration was three, using an eight-element DOE array. The maximum sample rate was found to be 2.5 MS/s, the limiting factor being the transit time for the acoustic wave across the width of the laser beam in the AO cell. The study is intended as a first dynamic demonstration of a proposed ADC scheme previously demonstrated in a quasi-static version. The full potential of the ADC scheme will require the use of a fast tunable diode laser to replace the AO deflection scheme used here.

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