Phase unwrapping using the extracted degree of coherence and phase from phase shifting interferometry systems.

Current phase unwrapping methods for non-scanning interferometry systems with one wavelength are not robust in the presence of high steps while still having a limited step height and range using two wavelengths configurations. Here, a new phase unwrapping method is proposed, allowing imaging steps with a height up to 15 times the wavelength using one wavelength or up to 1500 times using two wavelengths. It is based on a one-time computational model fitting of calibration measurements that allows to extract the degree of coherence and phase from two phase-shifted images per wavelength, perform phase unwrapping and accurately reconstruct the 3D structure of the sample. The proposed method has a nanometric axial accuracy and can operate in real-time. The algorithms and methodology for one and two wavelengths are presented and confirmed experimentally.

Optimized depth of field methodology using annular liquid crystal modulator assisted by image processing.

An optical-digital tunable depth of field (DOF) methodology is presented. The suggested methodology forms a fused image based on the sharpest similar depth regions from a set of source images taken with different phase masks. Each phase mask contains a different degree of DOF extension and is implemented by using an annular liquid crystal spatial light modulator, which consists of 16-ring electrodes positioned in the pupil plane. A detailed description of the optical setup and characterization of selected pupil phase masks as well as optimization of the binary phase mask for maximal DOF extension is presented. Experimental results are investigated both qualitatively and quantitatively. In addition, the algorithm's results are compared with those of some well-known fusion algorithms and proved its supremacy.

Critical-angle-based sensor with improved figure of merit using dip detection.

It is demonstrated theoretically and experimentally that a one-dimensional photonic crystal (1D-PC) made of quarter waves stacked on top of a prism exhibits both TE and TM resonances that coincide with the critical angle θ(c) when the 1D-PC is semi-infinite and with very little deviation from θ(c) for a finite 1D-PC. As a refractive index (RI) sensor, it behaves as a total internal reflection sensor at θ(c) with the advantage of detecting a narrow dip rather than an edge and enhanced figure of merit by increasing the number of periods in the 1D-PC. Using the diverging beam approach on an optical bench, a two channel sensor is demonstrated with a sensitivity of 120.9 deg/RIU and a detection limit of 1.9×10(-5) RIU.