Browsing by Author "Smith, Daniel"

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4D imaging using accelerating airy beams and nonlinear reconstruction
(2023) Bleahu, Andrei; Gopinath, Shivasubramanian; Anand, Vijayakumar; Rosen, Joseph; Juodkazis, Saulius; Tamm, Aile; Kukli, Kaupo; Rajeswary, Aravind Simon John Francis; Katkus, Tomas; Pristy, Agnes; Ng, Soon Hock; Praveen, P. A.; Kahro, Tauno; Smith, Daniel; Arokiaraj, Francis Gracy; Kumar, Ravi
Computational Imaging at the Infrared Beamline of the Australian Synchrotron Using the Lucy–Richardson–Rosen Algorithm
(2023) Ng, Soon Hock; Anand, Vijayakumar; Han, Molong; Smith, Daniel; Maksimovic, Jovan; Katkus, Tomas; Klein, Annaleise; Bambery, Keith; Tobin, Mark J.; Vongsvivut, Jitraporn; Juodkazis, Saulius
The Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIRm) system of the Australian Synchrotron has a unique optical configuration with a peculiar beam profile consisting of two parallel lines. The beam is tightly focused using a 36× Schwarzschild objective to a point on the sample and the sample is scanned pixel by pixel to record an image of a single plane using a single pixel mercury cadmium telluride detector. A computational stitching procedure is used to obtain a 2D image of the sample. However, if the imaging condition is not satisfied, then the recorded object’s information is distorted. Unlike commonly observed blurring, the case with a Schwarzschild objective is unique, with a donut like intensity distribution with three distinct lobes. Consequently, commonly used deblurring methods are not efficient for image reconstruction. In this study, we have applied a recently developed computational reconstruction method called the Lucy–Richardson–Rosen algorithm (LRRA) in the online FTIRm system for the first time. The method involves two steps: training step and imaging step. In the training step, the point spread function (PSF) library is recorded by temporal summation of intensity patterns obtained by scanning the pinhole in the x-y directions across the path of the beam using the single pixel detector along the z direction. In the imaging step, the process is repeated for a complicated object along only a single plane. This new technique is named coded aperture scanning holography. Different types of samples, such as two pinholes; a number 3 USAF object; a cross shaped object on a barium fluoride substrate; and a silk sample are used for the demonstration of both image recovery and 3D imaging applications.
Computational three-dimensional imaging with near infrared synchrotron beam using Fresnel zone apertures fabricated on barium fluoride windows using femtosecond laser ablation
(2023) Smith, Daniel; Han, Molong; Ng, Soon Hock; Katkus, Tomas; Rajeswary, Aravind Simon John Francis; Tobin, Mark J.; Vongsvivut, Jitraporn; Juodkazis, Saulius; Anand, Vijayakumar
Deep Deconvolution of Object Information Modulated by a Refractive Lens Using Lucy-Richardson-Rosen Algorithm
(2022) Praveen, P.A.; Arockiaraj, Francis Gracy; Gopinath, Shivasubramanian; Smith, Daniel; Kahro, Tauno; Valdma, Sandhra-Mirella; Bleahu, Andrei; Ng, Soon Hock; Reddy, Andra Naresh Kumar; Katkus, Tomas; Rajeswary, Aravind Simon John Francis; Ganeev, Rashid A.; Pikker, Siim; Kukli, Kaupo; Tamm, Aile; Juodkazis, Saulius; Anand, Vijayakumar
A refractive lens is one of the simplest, most cost-effective and easily available imaging elements. Given a spatially incoherent illumination, a refractive lens can faithfully map every object point to an image point in the sensor plane, when the object and image distances satisfy the imaging conditions. However, static imaging is limited to the depth of focus, beyond which the point-to-point mapping can only be obtained by changing either the location of the lens, object or the imaging sensor. In this study, the depth of focus of a refractive lens in static mode has been expanded using a recently developed computational reconstruction method, Lucy-Richardson-Rosen algorithm (LRRA). The imaging process consists of three steps. In the first step, point spread functions (PSFs) were recorded along different depths and stored in the computer as PSF library. In the next step, the object intensity distribution was recorded. The LRRA was then applied to deconvolve the object information from the recorded intensity distributions during the final step. The results of LRRA were compared with two well-known reconstruction methods, namely the Lucy-Richardson algorithm and non-linear reconstruction.
Extending the Depth of Focus of Infrared Microscope Using a Binary Axicon Fabricated on Barium Fluoride
(2024) Han, Molong; Smith, Daniel; Kahro, Tauno; Stonytė, Dominyka; Kasikov, Aarne; Gailevičius, Darius; Tiwari, Vipin; Xavier, Agnes Pristy Ignatius; Gopinath, Shivasubramanian; Ng, Soon Hock; Rajeswary, Aravind Simon John Francis; Tamm, Aile; Kukli, Kaupo
Axial resolution is one of the most important characteristics of a microscope. In all microscopes, a high axial resolution is desired in order to discriminate information efficiently along the longitudinal direction. However, when studying thick samples that do not contain laterally overlapping information, a low axial resolution is desirable, as information from multiple planes can be recorded simultaneously from a single camera shot instead of plane-by-plane mechanical refocusing. In this study, we increased the focal depth of an infrared microscope non-invasively by introducing a binary axicon fabricated on a barium fluoride substrate close to the sample. Preliminary results of imaging the thick and sparse silk fibers showed an improved focal depth with a slight decrease in lateral resolution and an increase in background noise.
Fraxicon for Optical Applications with Aperture ∼1 mm: Characterisation Study
(2023) Mu, Haoran; Smith, Daniel; Ng, Soon Hock; Anand, Vijayakumar; Le, Nguyen Hoai An; Dharmavarapu, Raghu; Khajehsaeidimahabadi, Zahra; Richardson, Rachael T.; Ruther, Patrick; Stoddart, Paul R.; Gricius, Henrikas; Baravykas, Tomas; Gailevicius, Darius; Seniutinas, Gediminas; Katkus, Tomas; Juodkazis, Saulius
Emerging applications of optical technologies are driving the development of miniaturised light sources, which in turn require the fabrication of matching micro-optical elements with sub-1 mm cross-sections and high optical quality. This is particularly challenging for spatially constrained biomedical applications where reduced dimensionality is required, such as endoscopy, optogenetics, or optical implants. Planarisation of a lens by the Fresnel lens approach was adapted for a conical lens (axicon) and was made by direct femtosecond 780 nm/100 fs laser writing in the SZ2080™ polymer with a photo-initiator. Optical characterisation of the positive and negative fraxicons is presented. Numerical modelling of fraxicon optical performance under illumination by incoherent and spatially extended light sources is compared with the ideal case of plane-wave illumination. Considering the potential for rapid replication in soft polymers and resists, this approach holds great promise for the most demanding technological applications.
Holographic solution to a fundamental problem in diffractive optics: resolution beyond diffraction and lithography limits
(2023) Bleahu, Andrei; Gopinath, Shivasubramanian; Xavier, Agnes Pristy Ignatius; Kahro, Tauno; Reddy, Andra Naresh Kumar; Arockiaraj, Francis Gracy; Smith, Daniel; Ng, Soon Hock; Katkus, Tomas; Rajeswary, Aravind Simon John Francis; Angamuthu, Praveen Periyasami; Pikker, Siim; Kukli, Kaupo; Tamm, Aile; Juodkazis, Saulius; Rosen, Joseph; Anand, Vijayakumar
Imaging with Diffractive Axicons Rapidly Milled on Sapphire by Femtosecond Laser Ablation
(2023) Smith, Daniel; Ng, Soon Hock; Han, Molong; Katkus, Tomas; Anand, Vijayakumar; Juodkazis, Saulius
We show that single-pulse burst fabrication will produce a flatter and smoother profile of axicons milled on sapphire compared to pulse overlapped fabrication which results in a damaged and much rougher surface. The fabrication of large-area (sub-1 cm cross-section) micro-optical components in a short period of time (∼10 min) and with less processing steps is highly desirable and would be cost-effective. Our results were achieved with femtosecond laser fabrication technology which has revolutionized the field of advanced manufacturing. This study compares three configurations of axicons such as the conventional axicon, a photon sieve axicon (PSA) and a sparse PSA directly milled onto a sapphire substrate. Debris of redeposited amorphous sapphire were removed using isopropyl alcohol and potassium hydroxide. A spatially incoherent illumination was used to test the components for imaging applications. Non-linear reconstruction was used for cleaning noisy images generated by the axicons.
Implementation of a Large-Area Diffractive Lens Using Multiple Sub-Aperture Diffractive Lenses and Computational Reconstruction
(Licensee MDPI, 2022) Gopinath, Shivasubramanian; Praveen, Periyasamy Angamuthu; Kahro, Tauno; Bleahu, Andrei-Ioan; Arockiaraj, Francis Gracy; Smith, Daniel; Ng, Soon Hock; Juodkazis, Saulius; Kukli, Kaupo; Tamm, Aile; Anand, Vijayakumar
Direct imaging systems that create an image of an object directly on the sensor in a single step are prone to many constraints, as a perfect image is required to be recorded within this step. In designing high resolution direct imaging systems with a diffractive lens, the outermost zone width either reaches the lithography limit or the diffraction limit itself, imposing challenges in fabrication. However, if the imaging mode is switched to an indirect one consisting of multiple steps to complete imaging, then different possibilities open. One such method is the widely used indirect imaging method with Golay configuration telescopes. In this study, a Golay-like configuration has been adapted to realize a large-area diffractive lens with three sub-aperture diffractive lenses. The sub-aperture diffractive lenses are not required to collect light and focus them to a single point as in a direct imaging system, but to focus independently on different points within the sensor area. This approach of a Large-Area Diffractive lens with Integrated Sub-Apertures (LADISA) relaxes the fabrication constraints and allows the sub-aperture diffractive elements to have a larger outermost zone width and a smaller area. The diffractive sub-apertures were manufactured using photolithography. The fabricated diffractive element was implemented in indirect imaging mode using non-linear reconstruction and the Lucy–Richardson–Rosen algorithm with synthesized point spread functions. The computational optical experiments revealed improved optical and computational imaging resolutions compared to previous studies.
Implementation of a Large-Area Diffractive Lens Using Multiple Sub-Aperture Diffractive Lenses and Computational Reconstruction
(2023) Gopinath, Shivasubramanian; Angamuthu, Praveen Periysamy; Kahro, Tauno; Bleahu, Andrei; Arockiaraj, Francis Gracy; Smith, Daniel; Hock Ng, Soon; Juodkazis, Saulius; Kukli, Kaupo; Tamm, Aile; Anand, Vijayakumar
Direct imaging systems that create an image of an object directly on the sensor in a single step are prone to many constraints, as a perfect image is required to be recorded within this step. In designing high resolution direct imaging systems with a diffractive lens, the outermost zone width either reaches the lithography limit or the diffraction limit itself, imposing challenges in fabrication. However, if the imaging mode is switched to an indirect one consisting of multiple steps to complete imaging, then different possibilities open. One such method is the widely used indirect imaging method with Golay configuration telescopes. In this study, a Golay-like configuration has been adapted to realize a large-area diffractive lens with three sub-aperture diffractive lenses. The sub-aperture diffractive lenses are not required to collect light and focus them to a single point as in a direct imaging system, but to focus independently on different points within the sensor area. This approach of a Large-Area Diffractive lens with Integrated Sub-Apertures (LADISA) relaxes the fabrication constraints and allows the sub-aperture diffractive elements to have a larger outermost zone width and a smaller area. The diffractive sub-apertures were manufactured using photolithography. The fabricated diffractive element was implemented in indirect imaging mode using non-linear reconstruction and the Lucy–Richardson–Rosen algorithm with synthesized point spread functions. The computational optical experiments revealed improved optical and computational imaging resolutions compared to previous studies.
Improved Classification of Blurred Images with Deep-Learning Networks Using Lucy-Richardson-Rosen Algorithm
(Licensee MDPI, 2023) Jayavel, Amudhavel; Gopinath, Shivasubramanian; Angamuthu, Praveen Periyasamy; Arockiaraj, Francis Gracy; Bleahu, Andrei; Xavier, Agnes Pristy Ignatius; Smith, Daniel; Han, Molong; Slobozhan, Ivan; Ng, Soon Hock; Katkus, Tomas; Rajeswary, Aravind Simon John Francis; Sharma, Rajesh; Juodkazis, Saulius; Anand, Vijayakumar
Pattern recognition techniques form the heart of most, if not all, incoherent linear shift-invariant systems. When an object is recorded using a camera, the object information is sampled by the point spread function (PSF) of the system, replacing every object point with the PSF in the sensor. The PSF is a sharp Kronecker Delta-like function when the numerical aperture (NA) is large with no aberrations. When the NA is small, and the system has aberrations, the PSF appears blurred. In the case of aberrations, if the PSF is known, then the blurred object image can be deblurred by scanning the PSF over the recorded object intensity pattern and looking for pattern matching conditions through a mathematical process called correlation. Deep learning-based image classification for computer vision applications gained attention in recent years. The classification probability is highly dependent on the quality of images as even a minor blur can significantly alter the image classification results. In this study, a recently developed deblurring method, the Lucy-Richardson-Rosen algorithm (LR2A), was implemented to computationally refocus images recorded in the presence of spatio-spectral aberrations. The performance of LR2A was compared against the parent techniques: Lucy-Richardson algorithm and non-linear reconstruction. LR2A exhibited a superior deblurring capability even in extreme cases of spatio-spectral aberrations. Experimental results of deblurring a picture recorded using high-resolution smartphone cameras are presented. LR2A was implemented to significantly improve the performances of the widely used deep convolutional neural networks for image classification.
Nonlinear Reconstruction of Images from Patterns Generated by Deterministic or Random Optical Masks—Concepts and Review of Research
(Journal of Imaging, 2022) Smith, Daniel; Gopinath, Shivasubramanian; Arockiaraj, Francis Gracy; Reddy, Andra Naresh Kumar; Balasubramani, Vinoth; Kumar, Ravi; Dubey, Nitin; Ng, Soon Hock; Katkus, Tomas; Selva, Shakina Jothi; Renganathan, Dhanalakshmi; Kamalam, Manueldoss Beaula Ruby; Rajeswary, Aravind Simon John Francis; Navaneethakrishnan, Srinivasan; Inbanathan, Stephen Rajkumar; Valdma, Sandhra-Mirella; Praveen, Periyasamy Angamuthu; Amudhavel, Jayavel; Kumar, Manoj; Ganeev, Rashid A.; Magistretti, Pierre J.; Depeursinge, Christian; Juodkazis, Saulius; Rosen, Joseph; Anand, Vijayakumar
Indirect-imaging methods involve at least two steps, namely optical recording and computational reconstruction. The optical-recording process uses an optical modulator that transforms the light from the object into a typical intensity distribution. This distribution is numerically processed to reconstruct the object’s image corresponding to different spatial and spectral dimensions. There have been numerous optical-modulation functions and reconstruction methods developed in the past few years for different applications. In most cases, a compatible pair of the optical-modulation function and reconstruction method gives optimal performance. A new reconstruction method, termed nonlinear reconstruction (NLR), was developed in 2017 to reconstruct the object image in the case of optical-scattering modulators. Over the years, it has been revealed that the NLR can reconstruct an object’s image modulated by an axicons, bifocal lenses and even exotic spiral diffractive elements, which generate deterministic optical fields. Apparently, NLR seems to be a universal reconstruction method for indirect imaging. In this review, the performance of NLR is investigated for many deterministic and stochastic optical fields. Simulation and experimental results for different cases are presented and discussed
Preface: International Conference on Holography Meets Advanced Manufacturing (HMAM2)
(2023) Anand, Vijayakumar; Jayavel, Amudhavel; Palm, Viktor; Gopinath, Shivasubramanian; Bleahu, Andrei; Rajeswary, Aravind Simon John Francis; Kukli, Kaupo; Balasubramani, Vinoth; Smith, Daniel; Ng, Soon Hock; Juodkazis, Saulius
The CIPHR group, Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Estonia, and Optical Sciences Center, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia, jointly organized the interdisciplinary online conference “Holography Meets Advanced Manufacturing” during 20–22 February 2023.
Realizing large-area diffractive lens using multiple subaperture diffractive lenses and computational reconstruction
(2023) Gopinath, Shivasubramanian; Xavier, Agnes Pristy Ignatius; Angamuthu, Praveen Periyasamy; Kahro, Tauno; Tamm, Oskar; Bleahu, Andrei; Arockiaraj, Francis Gracy; Smith, Daniel; Ng, Soon Hock; Juodkazis, Saulius; Kukli, Kaupo; Tamm, Aile; Anand, Vijayakumar
Si-Cr Nano-Alloys Fabricated by Direct Femtosecond Laser Writing
(2023) Maksimovic, Jovan; Mu, Haoran; Han, Molong; Smith, Daniel; Katkus, Tomas; Anand, Vijayakumar; Nishijima, Yoshiaki; Hock Ng, Soon; Juodkazis, Saulius
Ultra-short 230 fs laser pulses of 515 nm wavelength were tightly focused into 700 nm focal spots and utilised in opening ∼400 nm nano-holes in a Cr etch mask that was tens-of-nm thick. The ablation threshold was found to be 2.3 nJ/pulse, double that of plain silicon. Nano-holes irradiated with pulse energies below this threshold produced nano-disks, while higher energies produced nano-rings. Both these structures were not removed by either Cr or Si etch solutions. Subtle sub-1 nJ pulse energy control was harnessed to pattern large surface areas with controlled nano-alloying of Si and Cr. This work demonstrates vacuum-free large area patterning of nanolayers by alloying them at distinct locations with sub-diffraction resolution. Such metal masks with nano-hole opening can be used for formation of random patterns of nano-needles with sub-100 nm separation when applied to dry etching of Si.
Single Shot Lensless Interferenceless Phase Imaging of Biochemical Samples Using Synchrotron near Infrared Beam
(Licensee MDPI, 2022) Han, Molong; Smith, Daniel; Ng, Soon Hock; Katkus, Tomas; Rajeswary, Aravind Simon John Francis; Praveen, Periyasamy Angamuthu; Bambery, Keith R.; Tobin, Mark J.; Vongsvivut, Jitraporn; Juodkazis, Saulius; Anand, Vijayakumar
Phase imaging of biochemical samples has been demonstrated for the first time at the Infrared Microspectroscopy (IRM) beamline of the Australian Synchrotron using the usually discarded near-IR (NIR) region of the synchrotron-IR beam. The synchrotron-IR beam at the Australian Synchrotron IRM beamline has a unique fork shaped intensity distribution as a result of the gold coated extraction mirror shape, which includes a central slit for rejection of the intense X-ray beam. The resulting beam configuration makes any imaging task challenging. For intensity imaging, the fork shaped beam is usually tightly focused to a point on the sample plane followed by a pixel-by-pixel scanning approach to record the image. In this study, a pinhole was aligned with one of the lobes of the fork shaped beam and the Airy diffraction pattern was used to illuminate biochemical samples. The diffracted light from the samples was captured using a NIR sensitive lensless camera. A rapid phase-retrieval algorithm was applied to the recorded intensity distributions to reconstruct the phase information. The preliminary results are promising to develop multimodal imaging capabilities at the IRM beamline of the Australian Synchrotron.
Single Shot Multispectral Multidimensional Computational Imaging Using Quasi-Random Lenses
(Imaging and Applied Optics Congress 2022 (3D, AOA, COSI, ISA, pcAOP), 2022) Smith, Daniel; Gopinath, Shivasubramanian; Hock Ng, Soon; Katkus, Tomas; Renganathan, Dhanalakshmi; Navaneethakrishnan, Srinivasan; Juodkazis, Saulius; Anand, Vijayakumar
Quasi-random lenses (QRLs) were fabricated using electron beam lithography and conventional lens grinding to map every object point to a unique random intensity distribution. Multidimensional and multispectral computational imaging has been demonstrated using the QRLs.
Statement of Peer Review
(2023) Anand, Vijayakumar; Jayavel, Amudhavel; Palm, Viktor; Gopinath, Shivasubramanian; Bleahu, Andrei; Rajeswary, Aravind Simon John Francis; Kukli, Kaupo; Balasubramani, Vinoth; Kumar, Ravi; Smith, Daniel; Ng, Soon Hock; Juodkazis, Saulius
Three-dimensional phase imaging with near infrared synchrotron beam using phase-retrieval algorithm
(2023) Han, Molong; Anand, Vijayakumar; Juodkazis, Saulius; Vongsvivut, Jitraporn; Tobin, Mark J.; Praveen, Periyasamy Angamuthu; Rajeswary, Aravind Simon John Francis; Katkus, Tomas A.; Ng, Soon Hock; Smith, Daniel
THz Filters Made by Laser Ablation of Stainless Steel and Kapton Film
(2022) Han, Molong; Smith, Daniel; Hock Ng, Soon; Vilagosh, Zoltan; Anand, Vijayakumar; Katkus, Tomas; Reklaitis, Ignas; Mu, Haoran; Ryu, Meguya; Morikawa, Junko; Vongsvivut, Jitraporn; Appadoo, Dominique; Juodkazis, Saulius
THz band-pass filters were fabricated by femtosecond-laser ablation of 25-μm-thick micro-foils of stainless steel and Kapton film, which were subsequently metal coated with a ∼70 nm film, closely matching the skin depth at the used THz spectral window. Their spectral performance was tested in transmission and reflection modes at the Australian Synchrotron’s THz beamline. A 25-μm-thick Kapton film performed as a Fabry–Pérot etalon with a free spectral range (FSR) of 119 cm−1, high finesse Fc≈17, and was tuneable over ∼10μm (at ∼5 THz band) with β=30∘ tilt. The structure of the THz beam focal region as extracted by the first mirror (slit) showed a complex dependence of polarisation, wavelength and position across the beam. This is important for polarisation-sensitive measurements (in both transmission and reflection) and requires normalisation at each orientation of linear polarisation.