Carl Paterson

Higher-order Bessel waves produced by axicon-type computer-generated holograms

Abstract The waves produced by axicon-type computer-generated holograms designed to produce higher-order Jn-Bessel waves are investigated. A theoretical analysis, whose validity is not confined to the optical axis, is presented and verified. The waves produced by such finite-aperture axicon holograms are compared in detail with their corresponding Bessel waves. The analysis is verified with numerical simulation and experimental results. The performance of axicon holograms depends on the order of the Bessel wave. The waves have a zero of intensity at their centres associated with a spiral wavefront dislocation, making them useful for high accuracy alignment applications. Other characteristics and possible practical applications of such waves are discussed.

A low cost adaptive optics system using a membrane mirror

A low cost adaptive optics system constructed almost entirely of commercially available components is presented. The system uses a 37 actuator membrane mirror and operates at frame rates up to 800Hz using a single processor. Numerical modelling of the membrane mirror is used to optimize parameters of the system. The dynamic performance of the system is investigated in detail using a diffractive wavefront generator based on a ferroelectric spatial light modulator. This is used to produce wavefronts with time-varying aberrations. The ability of the system to correct for Kolmogorov turbulence with different strengths and effective wind speeds is measured experimentally using the wavefront generator.

Adaptive phase compensation for ultracompact laser scanning endomicroscopy

We present an approach to laser scanning endomicroscopy that requires no moving parts and can be implemented with no distal scanners or optics, permitting extremely compact endoscopic probes to be developed. Our approach utilizes a spatial light modulator to correct for phase variations across a fiber imaging bundle and to encode for arbitrary wavefronts at the distal end of the fiber bundle. Thus, it is possible to realize both focusing and beam scanning at the output of the fiber bundle with no distal components. We present proof of principle results to illustrate three-dimensional scanning of the focal spot and exemplar images of a United States Air Force resolution test chart.

Measuring retinal vessel tortuosity in 10-year-old children: validation of the Computer-Assisted Image Analysis of the Retina (CAIAR) program.

PURPOSE To examine the agreement of a novel computer program measuring retinal vessel tortuosity with subjective assessment of tortuosity in school-aged children. METHODS Cross-sectional study of 387 retinal vessels (193 arterioles, 194 veins) from 28 eyes of 14 children (aged 10 years). Retinal digital images were analyzed using the Computer Assisted Image Analysis of the Retina (CAIAR) program, including 14 measures of tortuosity. Vessels were graded (from 0 = none; to 5 = tortuous) independently by two observers. Interobserver agreement was assessed by using kappa statistics. Agreement with all 14 objective measures was assessed with correlation/regression analyses. Intersession repeatability (comparing morning and afternoon sessions) of tortuosity indices was calculated. RESULTS Interobserver agreement of vessel tortuosity within one grade was high (kappa = 0.97), with total agreement in 56% of grades and 42% differing by +/-1 grade. Tortuosity indices based on subdivided chord length methods showed strong log-linear associations with agreed subjective grades (typically r > 0.6; P < 0.001). An approach that averages the distance from the vessel to chord length along the length of the vessel showed best agreement (r = 0.8; P < 0.0001). Tortuosity measures based on curvature performed less well. Intersession repeatability of the vessel to chord technique was good, differing by values equivalent to <1 in subjective grade. CONCLUSIONS Tortuosity indices based on changes in subdivided chord lengths showed optimal agreement with subjective assessment. The relation of these indices to ethnicity and cardiovascular risk factors in childhood should be examined further, as these indices may be a useful indicator of early vascular function.

Helicon waves: propagation-invariant waves in a rotating coordinate system

Abstract The concept of propagation-invariance is extended to discrete-distance propagation-invariant waves, i.e., waves whose intensity distributions are periodic with propagation distance. A new type of wave is presented which has an intensity pattern which rotates at a constant rate about the optical axis as it propagates, but is otherwise unchanged. These waves consist of superpositions of different higher-order Bessel waves. The new waves are referred to as a ‘helicons’ as their lines of constant intensity trace out helices about the optical axis. Methods to produce ‘helicon’ waves are described based upon established techniques for producing Bessel waves approximations with computer-generated holograms. Several such helicon elements are fabricated and tested, and the experimental results are presented. Possible practical applications of such waves, which include alignment and distance/speed measurements are discussed briefly.

Preisach classical and nonlinear modeling of hysteresis in piezoceramic deformable mirrors

In this work the Preisach classical and nonlinear models are used to model the hysteretic response of a piezoceramic deformable mirror for use in adaptive optics. Experimental results show that both models predict the mirror behavior to within 5% root-mean-squared (rms) error. An inversion algorithm of the Preisach classical model for linearization of the mirror response was implemented and tested in an open-loop adaptive optics system using a Shack-Hartmann (SH) sensor. Measured errors were reduced from 20% rms to around 3%.

Weak correlation between the aberration dynamics of the human eye and the cardiopulmonary system.

It is fairly well established that the higher-order aberrations of the eye fluctuate over relatively short time periods, but as yet there is no conclusive evidence regarding the origin of these fluctuations. We measured the aberrations and the pulse pressure wave simultaneously for five subjects. The aberrations were measured by using a Shack-Hartmann sensor sampling at 21.2 Hz. We decomposed the aberration data into Zernike coefficients up to and including fifth order and also calculated the rms wave-front error. From the pulse data the heart rate variability signal was also derived. Coherence function analysis showed that for all subjects there was a weak correlation between many of the aberrations and the pulse and the derived heart rate variability. The pulse and the heart rate variability can account for only 11% +/- 2% and 20% +/- 2%, respectively, of the aberration dynamics.

Quantification of plaque stiffness by Brillouin microscopy in experimental thin cap fibroatheroma.

Plaques vulnerable to rupture are characterized by a thin and stiff fibrous cap overlaying a soft lipid-rich necrotic core. The ability to measure local plaque stiffness directly to quantify plaque stress and predict rupture potential would be very attractive, but no current technology does so. This study seeks to validate the use of Brillouin microscopy to measure the Brillouin frequency shift, which is related to stiffness, within vulnerable plaques. The left carotid artery of an ApoE−/−mouse was instrumented with a cuff that induced vulnerable plaque development in nine weeks. Adjacent histological sections from the instrumented and control arteries were stained for either lipids or collagen content, or imaged with confocal Brillouin microscopy. Mean Brillouin frequency shift was 15.79 ± 0.09 GHz in the plaque compared with 16.24 ± 0.15 (p < 0.002) and 17.16 ± 0.56 GHz (p < 0.002) in the media of the diseased and control vessel sections, respectively. In addition, frequency shift exhibited a strong inverse correlation with lipid area of −0.67 ± 0.06 (p < 0.01) and strong direct correlation with collagen area of 0.71 ± 0.15 (p < 0.05). This is the first study, to the best of our knowledge, to apply Brillouin spectroscopy to quantify atherosclerotic plaque stiffness, which motivates combining this technology with intravascular imaging to improve detection of vulnerable plaques in patients.

Double lateral shearing interferometer for the quantitative measurement of tear film topography

A lateral shearing interferometer designed and built for the study of the precorneal tear film topography dynamics and its effect on visual performance is presented. Simple data processing algorithms are discussed and tested on data illustrating different tear topography features: postblink tear undulation, tear breakup, eyelid-produced bumps and ridges, bubbles, and rough precontact lens tear surfaces.

Spectral broadening in Brillouin imaging

Brillouin microscopy is an emerging imaging modality that provides fundamental information about mechanical properties of media in a non-contact manner. To date, low numerical aperture (NA) optics have been used, due to noticeable angular broadening of the Brillouin spectrum at higher NAs. In this work, we investigate theoretically and experimentally the dependence of spectral broadening effects in Brillouin imaging on system NA, for both 90° and 180° scattering geometries. Lineshape deformations and broadening are found to be minimised in a backscattering geometry, hence paving the way for high resolution in-vivo mechanical imaging.