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Results for “numerical aperture”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Large‐Area, High‐Numerical‐Aperture, Freeform Metasurfaces

Abstract Nanophotonic devices are optical platforms capable of unprecedented wavefront control. To push the limits of experimental device performance, scalable design methodologies that combine the simplicity and fabricability of conventional design paradigms with the extended capabilities of freeform optimization are required. A novel gradient‐based design framework for large‐area freeform metasurfaces is introduced in which nonlocal interactions between simply shaped nanostructures, placed on an irregular lattice, are tailored to produce high‐order hybridized modes that support customizable large‐angle scattering profiles. Utilizing this approach, multifunctional super‐dispersive metalenses are designed and experimentally demonstrated. The approach to high‐numerical‐aperture radial metalenses capable of diffraction limited focusing and the generation of donut‐shaped point spread functions is also extended. It is anticipated that these concepts will have utility in super‐resolution microscopy, particle trapping, additive manufacturing, and metrology applications that require ultra‐high numerical apertures.

Optics↗
DOE OSTI2016

Highly uniform parallel microfabrication using a large numerical aperture system

In this letter, we report an improved algorithm to produce accurate phase patterns for generating highly uniform diffraction-limited multifocal arrays in a large numerical aperture objective system. It is shown that based on the original diffraction integral, the uniformity of the diffraction-limited focal arrays can be improved from ∼75% to >97%, owing to the critical consideration of the aperture function and apodization effect associated with a large numerical aperture objective. The experimental results, e.g., 3 × 3 arrays of square and triangle, seven microlens arrays with high uniformity, further verify the advantage of the improved algorithm. This algorithm enables the laser parallel processing technology to realize uniform microstructures and functional devices in the microfabrication system with a large numerical aperture objective.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1994

Numerical aperture limits on efficient ball lens coupling of laser diodes to single-mode fibers with defocus to balance spherical aberration

The potential capabilities and limitations of single ball lenses for coupling laser diode radiation to single-mode optical fibers have been analyzed; parameters important to optical communications were specifically considered. These parameters included coupling efficiency, effective numerical apertures, lens radius, lens refractive index, wavelength, magnification in imaging the laser diode on the fiber, and defocus to counterbalance spherical aberration of the lens. Limiting numerical apertures in object and image space were determined under the constraint that the lens perform to the Rayleigh criterion of 0.25-wavelength (Strehl ratio = 0.80). The spherical aberration-defocus balance to provide an optical path difference of 0.25 wavelength units was shown to define a constant coupling efficiency (i.e., 0.56). The relative numerical aperture capabilities of the ball lens were determined for a set of wavelengths and associated fiber-core diameters of particular interest for single-mode fiber-optic communication. The results support general continuing efforts in the optical fiber communications industry to improve coupling links within such systems with emphasis on manufacturing simplicity, system packaging flexibility, relaxation of assembly alignment tolerances, cost reduction of opto-electronic components and long term reliability and stability.

Wilson, R. Gale↗
DOE OSTI2023

Hybrid achromatic microlenses with high numerical apertures and focusing efficiencies across the visible

Abstract Compact visible wavelength achromats are essential for miniaturized and lightweight optics. However, fabrication of such achromats has proved to be exceptionally challenging. Here, using subsurface 3D printing inside mesoporous hosts we densely integrate aligned refractive and diffractive elements, forming thin high performance hybrid achromatic imaging micro-optics. Focusing efficiencies of 51–70% are achieved for 15μm thick, 90μm diameter, 0.3 numerical aperture microlenses. Chromatic focal length errors of less than 3% allow these microlenses to form high-quality images under broadband illumination (400–700 nm). Numerical apertures upwards of 0.47 are also achieved at the cost of some focusing efficiency, demonstrating the flexibility of this approach. Furthermore, larger area images are reconstructed from an array of hybrid achromatic microlenses, laying the groundwork for achromatic light-field imagers and displays. The presented approach precisely combines optical components within 3D space to achieve thin lens systems with high focusing efficiencies, high numerical apertures, and low chromatic focusing errors, providing a pathway towards achromatic micro-optical systems.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS1991

Practical design considerations and performance characteristics of high numerical aperture holographic lenses

The diffraction efficiency of interferometrically formed holographic lenses is influenced by the recording geometry and properties of the recording material. Variations in efficiency increase when attempting to make high numerical aperture elements. The factors which influence the diffraction efficiency of high numerical aperture holographic lenses are examined.

Kostuk, Raymond K.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Focus optimization at relativistic intensity with high numerical aperture and adaptive optics

Improved focusing of laser beams using high numerical aperture systems is an efficient route to increasing intensities in the ultrafast regime to relativistic levels. We experimentally demonstrate a new method of optimizing the focus of a high-power laser, using second harmonic generation at full intensity in a low-pressure gas to provide a figure of merit for optimizing the shape of a deformable mirror via a genetic algorithm. Nonlinear and thermal aberrations are corrected, and aberrations introduced by filters are avoided. Furthermore, the method is applied to focus a millijoule, short pulse (30 fs), high repetition rate laser system to relativistic intensity in both near IR and mid IR regimes.

Lin, Jinpu↗
NASA NTRS1987

Effect of numerical aperture on signal level in cylindrical waveguide evanescent fluorosensors

The effect of numerical aperture on signal level from fluorescent substances or solutions in the evanescent zone of a cylindrical waveguide is analyzed. The analysis applies to the case in which the fluorescence is excited by the evanescent wave of a fiber and the fluorescence signal is that which tunnels back into the same fiber. The analysis is for two cases: bulk fluorescence and fluorescence of a thin film layer. Experimental results are also presented.

Glass, Thomas R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The 3D modeling of high numerical aperture imaging in thin films

A modelling technique is described which is used to explore three dimensional (3D) image irradiance distributions formed by high numerical aperture (NA is greater than 0.5) lenses in homogeneous, linear films. This work uses a 3D modelling approach that is based on a plane-wave decomposition in the exit pupil. Each plane wave component is weighted by factors due to polarization, aberration, and input amplitude and phase terms. This is combined with a modified thin-film matrix technique to derive the total field amplitude at each point in a film by a coherent vector sum over all plane waves. Then the total irradiance is calculated. The model is used to show how asymmetries present in the polarized image change with the influence of a thin film through varying degrees of focus.

Flagello, D. G.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Extreme ultraviolet mask roughness effects in high numerical aperture lithography

Given the reflective nature of extreme ultraviolet lithography and its extremely short operational wavelength, roughness of the optical surfaces is of significant concern. In particular, roughness in the mask multilayer leads to image plane speckle and ultimately patterned line-edge or line-width variability in the imaging process. Here we consider the implications of this effect for future high numerical aperture (NA) systems that are assumed to require anamorphic magnification projection optics. The results show significant anisotropic behavior at high NA as well as a substantial increase in relative patterned line variability in the shadowed direction when comparing 0.55 NA to 0.33 NA, despite the assumption of an anamorphic magnification system. In conclusion, the shadowed-direction patterned line variability is 2× larger than for unshadowed lines, and the majority of the increase in variability occurs in the low frequency regime.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Ion trap with in-vacuum high numerical aperture imaging for a dual-species modular quantum computer

Photonic interconnects between quantum systems will play a central role in both scalable quantum computing and quantum networking. Entanglement of remote qubits via photons has been demonstrated in many platforms; however, improving the rate of entanglement generation will be instrumental for integrating photonic links into modular quantum computers. We present an ion trap system that has the highest reported free-space photon collection efficiency for quantum networking. We use a pair of in-vacuum aspheric lenses, each with a numerical aperture of 0.8, to couple 10(1)% of the 493 nm photons emitted from a 138Ba+ ion into single-mode fibers. We also demonstrate that proximal effects of the lenses on the ion position and motion can be mitigated.

Instruments & Instrumentation↗
DOE OSTI2023

Sharp, high numerical aperture (NA), nanoimprinted bare pyramid probe for optical mapping

The ability to correlate optical hyperspectral mapping and high resolution topographic imaging is critically important to gain deep insight into the structure–function relationship of nanomaterial systems. Scanning near-field optical microscopy can achieve this goal, but at the cost of significant effort in probe fabrication and experimental expertise. To overcome these two limitations, we have developed a low-cost and high-throughput nanoimprinting technique to integrate a sharp pyramid structure on the end facet of a single-mode fiber that can be scanned with a simple tuning-fork technique. The nanoimprinted pyramid has two main features: (1) a large taper angle (~70°), which determines the far-field confinement at the tip, resulting in a spatial resolution of 275 nm, an effective numerical aperture of 1.06, and (2) a sharp apex with a radius of curvature of ~20 nm, which enables high resolution topographic imaging. Optical performance is demonstrated through evanescent field distribution mapping of a plasmonic nanogroove sample, followed by hyperspectral photoluminescence mapping of nanocrystals using a fiber-in-fiber-out light coupling mode. Through comparative photoluminescence mapping on 2D monolayers, we also show a threefold improvement in spatial resolution over chemically etched fibers. These results show that the bare nanoimprinted near-field probes provide simple access to spectromicroscopy correlated with high resolution topographic mapping and have the potential to advance reproducible fiber-tip-based scanning near-field microscopy.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2016

One dimensional focusing with high numerical aperture multilayer Laue lens

Multilayer Laue lenses (MLLs) capitalize on the developments in multilayer deposition technologies for fabricating reflective coatings, specifically undertaken for EUV lithography, where layer thicknesses of several nanometers can be achieved. MLLs are deposited layer by layer, with their thicknesses following the zone plate law, and then pieces are sliced and extracted for use in focusing. Rays are reflected in the Laue geometry. The efficiency of a MLL can be very high, and is maximized by making the slice equal to about a half Pendellosung period so that most energy is transferred from the undiffracted to the diffracted beam, and by ensuring that the Bragg condition is met at each point in the zone plate. This latter condition requires that the layers are tilted to the beam by an amount that varies with layer position; e.g. for focusing a collimated beam, the layers should be normal to a cylinder of radius of twice the focal length. We have fabricated such tilted-zone MLLs and find that they exhibit improved efficiency across their entire pupil as compared with parallel-zone MLLs. This leads to a higher effective NA of the optic and hence higher resolution.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Low vibration high numerical aperture automated variable temperature Raman microscope

Raman micro-spectroscopy is well suited for studying a variety of properties and has been applied to wide- ranging areas. Combined with tuneable temperature, Raman spectra can offer even more insights into the properties of materials. However, previous designs of variable temperature Raman microscopes have made it extremely challenging to measure samples with low signal levels due to thermal and positional instability as well as low collection efficiencies. Thus, contemporary Raman microscope has found limited applicability to probing the subtle physics involved in phase transitions and hysteresis. This paper describes a new design of a closed-cycle, Raman microscope with full polarization rotation. High collection efficiency, thermal and mechanical stability are ensured by both deliberate optical, cryogenic, and mechanical design. Measurements on two samples, Bi 2 Se 3 and V 2 O 3 , which are known as challenging due to low thermal conductivities, low signal levels and/or hysteretic effects, are measured with previously undemonstrated temperature resolution.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS1996

Collection of Light From an Optical Fiber With a Numerical Aperture Greater Than One

In an optical fiber having NA greater than 1, light may be internally reflected when it strikes the fiber end at a fiber-air interface. This problem may be overcome by modification of the fiber by reverse tapering the core. Light is redirected by the taper to strike the interface at an angle closer to normal. This allows light to exit the fiber end that would by internally reflected in an untapered fiber of NA greater than 1. The novelty of the present invention lies in the tapering of the fiber core for increased through transmission of light. Prior art devices have made use of fiber tapers to achieve mode control or fiber coupling. The problem of internal reflection has not been addressed as it is one that is not as important in fibers having NA less than 1, which are more common. In chemical sensing it is advantageous to make use of fibers having higher NA due to an increased sensitivity. However the advantages in sensitivity are diminished due to the loss of signal at the fiber-air interface. The present invention overcomes the problem of loss at the interface, thus facilitating the use of high NA fibers for chemical sensing.

Egalon, Claudio O.↗