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1. Needle-based deep-neural-network camera

   https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.415059  

   Guo, Ruipeng ; Nelson, Soren ; Menon, Rajesh ( March 2021 , Applied Optics)

   We experimentally demonstrate a camera whose primary optic is a cannula/needle ($\mathrm{d}\mathrm{i}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{m}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{t}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{r}=0.22\mathrm{m}\mathrm{m}$and$\mathrm{l}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{g}\mathrm{t}\mathrm{h}=12.5\mathrm{m}\mathrm{m}$) that acts as a light pipe transporting light intensity from an object plane (35 cm away) to its opposite end. Deep neural networks (DNNs) are used to reconstruct color and grayscale images with a field of view of 18° and angular resolution of$\sim <\#comment/>{0.4}^{\circ <\#comment/>}$. We showed a large effective demagnification of$127\times <\#comment/>$. Most interestingly, we showed that such a camera could achieve close to diffraction-limited performance with an effective numerical aperture of 0.045, depth of focus$\sim <\#comment/>16\text{µ<\#comment/>}\mathrm{m}$, and resolution close to the sensor pixel size (3.2 µm). When trained on images with depth information, the DNN can create depth maps. Finally, we show DNN-based classification of the EMNIST dataset before and after image reconstructions. The former could be useful for imaging with enhanced privacy.

    

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2. Millisecond exoplanet imaging: I. method and simulation results

   https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAA.426046  

   Rodack, Alexander T. ; Frazin, Richard A. ; Males, Jared R. ; Guyon, Olivier ( September 2021 , Journal of the Optical Society of America A)

   One of the top priorities in observational astronomy is the direct imaging and characterization of extrasolar planets (exoplanets) and planetary systems. Direct images of rocky exoplanets are of particular interest in the search for life beyond the Earth, but they tend to be rather challenging targets since they are orders-of-magnitude dimmer than their host stars and are separated by small angular distances that are comparable to the classical$\mathrm{\lambda <\#comment/>}/D$diffraction limit, even for the coming generation of 30 m class telescopes. Current and planned efforts for ground-based direct imaging of exoplanets combine high-order adaptive optics (AO) with a stellar coronagraph observing at wavelengths ranging from the visible to the mid-IR. The primary barrier to achieving high contrast with current direct imaging methods is quasi-static speckles, caused largely by non-common path aberrations (NCPAs) in the coronagraph optical train. Recent work has demonstrated that millisecond imaging, which effectively “freezes” the atmosphere’s turbulent phase screens, should allow the wavefront sensor (WFS) telemetry to be used as a probe of the optical system to measure NCPAs. Starting with a realistic model of a telescope with an AO system and a stellar coronagraph, this paper provides simulations of several closely related regression models that take advantage of millisecond telemetry from the WFS and coronagraph’s science camera. The simplest regression model, called the naïve estimator, does not treat the noise and other sources of information loss in the WFS. Despite its flaws, in one of the simulations presented herein, the naïve estimator provides a useful estimate of an NCPA of$\sim <\#comment/>0.5$radian RMS ($\approx <\#comment/>\mathrm{\lambda <\#comment/>}/13$), with an accuracy of$\sim <\#comment/>0.06$radian RMS in 1 min of simulated sky time on a magnitude 8 star. Thebias-corrected estimatorgeneralizes the regression model to account for the noise and information loss in the WFS. A simulation of the bias-corrected estimator with 4 min of sky time included an NCPA of$\sim <\#comment/>0.05$radian RMS ($\approx <\#comment/>\mathrm{\lambda <\#comment/>}/130$) and an extended exoplanet scene. The joint regression of the bias-corrected estimator simultaneously achieved an NCPA estimate with an accuracy of$\sim <\#comment/>5\times <\#comment/>{10}^{-<\#comment/>3}$radian RMS and an estimate of the exoplanet scene that was free of the self-subtraction artifacts typically associated with differential imaging. The$5\mathrm{\sigma <\#comment/>}$contrast achieved by imaging of the exoplanet scene was$\sim <\#comment/>1.7\times <\#comment/>{10}^{-<\#comment/>4}$at a distance of$3\mathrm{\lambda <\#comment/>}/D$from the star and$\sim <\#comment/>2.1\times <\#comment/>{10}^{-<\#comment/>5}$at$10\mathrm{\lambda <\#comment/>}/D$. These contrast values are comparable to the very best on-sky results obtained from multi-wavelength observations that employ both angular differential imaging (ADI) and spectral differential imaging (SDI). This comparable performance is despite the fact that our simulations are quasi-monochromatic, which makes SDI impossible, nor do they have diurnal field rotation, which makes ADI impossible. The error covariance matrix of the joint regression shows substantial correlations in the exoplanet and NCPA estimation errors, indicating that exoplanet intensity and NCPA need to be estimated self-consistently to achieve high contrast.

    

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3. Mid-IR spectroscopy of Er 3+ doped low-phonon CsCdCl 3 and CsPbCl 3 crystals

   https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.470152  

   Brown, Ei Ei ; Fleischman, Zackery D. ; McKay, Jason ; Hommerich, Uwe ; Kabir, Al Amin ; Riggins, Jazmine ; Trivedi, Sudhir ; Dubinskii, Mark ( September 2022 , Journal of the Optical Society of America B)

   The mid-IR spectroscopic properties of${\mathrm{E}\mathrm{r}}^{3+}$doped low-phonon${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{d}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{l}}_3$and${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{P}\mathrm{b}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{l}}_3$crystals grown by the Bridgman technique have been investigated. Using optical excitations at$\sim <\#comment/>800\mathrm{n}\mathrm{m}$and$\sim <\#comment/>660\mathrm{n}\mathrm{m}$, both crystals exhibited IR emissions at$\sim <\#comment/>1.55$,$\sim <\#comment/>2.75$,$\sim <\#comment/>3.5$, and$\sim <\#comment/>4.5\text{µ<\#comment/>}\mathrm{m}$at room temperature. The mid-IR emission at 4.5 µm, originating from the${}^4{\mathrm{I}}_{9/2}\to <\#comment/>{}^4{\mathrm{I}}_{11/2}$transition, showed a long emission lifetime of$\sim <\#comment/>11.6\mathrm{m}\mathrm{s}$for${\mathrm{E}\mathrm{r}}^{3+}$doped${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{d}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{l}}_3$, whereas${\mathrm{E}\mathrm{r}}^{3+}$doped${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{P}\mathrm{b}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{l}}_3$exhibited a shorter lifetime of$\sim <\#comment/>1.8\mathrm{m}\mathrm{s}$. The measured emission lifetimes of the${}^4{\mathrm{I}}_{9/2}$state were nearly independent of the temperature, indicating a negligibly small nonradiative decay rate through multiphonon relaxation, as predicted by the energy-gap law for low-maximum-phonon energy hosts. The room temperature stimulated emission cross sections for the${}^4{\mathrm{I}}_{9/2}\to <\#comment/>{}^4{\mathrm{I}}_{11/2}$transition in${\mathrm{E}\mathrm{r}}^{3+}$doped${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{d}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{l}}_3$and${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{P}\mathrm{b}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{l}}_3$were determined to be$\sim <\#comment/>0.14\times <\#comment/>{10}^{-<\#comment/>20}{\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m}}^2$and$\sim <\#comment/>0.41\times <\#comment/>{10}^{-<\#comment/>20}{\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m}}^2$, respectively. The results of Judd–Ofelt analysis are presented and discussed.

    

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4. Monolithic all-silicon flat lens for broadband LWIR imaging

   https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.426384  

   Kigner, Orrin ; Meem, Monjurul ; Baker, Brian ; Banerji, Sourangsu ; Hon, Philip W. C. ; Sensale-Rodriguez, Berardi ; Menon, Rajesh ( August 2021 , Optics Letters)

   We designed, fabricated, and characterized a flat multi-level diffractive lens comprised of only silicon with$\mathrm{d}\mathrm{i}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{m}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{t}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{r}=15.2\mathrm{m}\mathrm{m}$, focal$\mathrm{l}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{g}\mathrm{t}\mathrm{h}=19\mathrm{m}\mathrm{m}$, numerical aperture of 0.371, and operating over the long-wave infrared (LWIR)$\mathrm{s}\mathrm{p}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{c}\mathrm{t}\mathrm{r}\mathrm{u}\mathrm{m}=8\text{µ<\#comment/>}\mathrm{m}$to 14 µm. We experimentally demonstrated a field of view of 46°, depth of focus$><\#comment/>5\mathrm{m}\mathrm{m}$, and wavelength-averaged Strehl ratio of 0.46. All of these metrics were comparable to those of a conventional refractive lens. The active device thickness is only 8 µm, and its weight (including the silicon substrate) is less than 0.2 g.

    

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5. Design of infrared microspectrometer based on phase-modulated axilenses

   https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.390610  

   Chen, Yuyao ; Britton, Wesley A. ; Dal Negro, Luca ( June 2020 , Applied Optics)

   We design and characterize a novel axilens-based diffractive optics platform that flexibly combines efficient point focusing and grating selectivity and is compatible with scalable top-down fabrication based on a four-level phase mask configuration. This is achieved using phase-modulated compact axilens devices that simultaneously focus incident radiation of selected wavelengths at predefined locations with larger focal depths compared with traditional Fresnel lenses. In addition, the proposed devices are polarization-insensitive and maintain a large focusing efficiency over a broad spectral band. Specifically, here we discuss and characterize modulated axilens configurations designed for long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) in the 6 µm–12 µm wavelength range and in the 4 µm–6 µm midwavelength infrared (MWIR) range. These devices are ideally suited for monolithic integration atop the substrate layers of infrared focal plane arrays and for use as compact microspectrometers. We systematically study their focusing efficiency, spectral response, and cross-talk ratio; further, we demonstrate linear control of multiwavelength focusing on a single plane. Our design method leverages Rayleigh–Sommerfeld diffraction theory and is validated numerically using the finite element method. Finally, we demonstrate the application of spatially modulated axilenses to the realization of a compact, single-lens spectrometer. By optimizing our devices, we achieve a minimum distinguishable wavelength interval of$\mathrm{\Delta <\#comment/>}\mathrm{\lambda <\#comment/>}=240\mathrm{n}\mathrm{m}$at${\mathrm{\lambda <\#comment/>}}_c=8\text{µ<\#comment/>}\mathrm{m}$and$\mathrm{\Delta <\#comment/>}\mathrm{\lambda <\#comment/>}=165\mathrm{n}\mathrm{m}$at${\mathrm{\lambda <\#comment/>}}_c=5\text{µ<\#comment/>}\mathrm{m}$. The proposed devices add fundamental spectroscopic capabilities to compact imaging devices for a number of applications ranging from spectral sorting to LWIR and MWIR phase contrast imaging and detection.

    

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