Janne Lauri

Doppler OCT imaging of cytoplasm shuttle flow in Physarum polycephalum

The Doppler optical coherence tomography technique was applied to image the oscillatory dynamics of protoplasm in the strands of the plasmodium of slime mould Physarum polycephalum. Radial contractions of the gel-like walls of the strands and the velocity distributions in the sol-like endoplasm streaming along the plasmodial strands are imaged. The motility inhibitor effect of carbon dioxide on the cytoplasm shuttle flow and strand-wall contraction is shown. The optical attenuation coefficient of cytoplasm is estimated.

Experimental study of the multiple scattering effect on the flow velocity profiles measured in Intralipid phantoms by DOCT

Time domain Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography (DOCT) technique was applied to measure flow velocity profiles in highly scattering media. We analyzed the distortions of the measured velocity profiles of the 1% Intralipid solution flow embedded into the scattering medium at different embedding depths. For this purpose a tissue phantom consisting of a plain glass capillary (inner diameter 0.3 mm) embedded into a slab of Intralipid solution mimicking human skin was designed. The measured flow velocity profiles and behavior of distortions caused by multiple scattering are shown.

Measurement of microfluidic flow velocity profile with two Doppler optical coherence tomography systems

Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography (DOCT) is a useful technique for flow measurements. Its potential applications include industrial suspension viscosity measurements and blood flow measurements. In this work, a flow velocity profile of 1% Intralipid was measured in a capillary with an inner diameter of 0.8 mm and in a microfluidic channel with a cross-section of 1000 μmx100 μm. Two different DOCT measurement systems were utilized in the experiments: a commercial conventional OCT system and a laboratory-built DOCT system, intended particularly for flow velocity measurements. In the laboratory-built DOCT system, depth scanning was achieved by moving the whole measurement system with the reference mirror fixed. This modification from a conventional OCT system improves lateral resolution during the scanning process. A syringe pump was used to induce flow in the capillary. Flow velocity was measured with flow rates from 1 ml/min to 3.33 ml/min using both measurement systems. For a flow rate of 3.33 ml/min, both systems gave reasonable results. For flow rates lower than 3.33 ml/min, however, the laboratory-built DOCT system gave much better results. Its mean measurement error was as low as 0.8%, while that of the commercial OCT was 6.8%. Measured with the laboratory-built DOCT system, capillary force-induced flow velocity in the microfluidic channel was around 2 mm/s. The commercial OCT system, on the other hand, proved unsuitable for flow measurements in the microfluidic channel due to its high scanning speed.

Characterization of ink-jet printed RGB color filters with spectral domain optical coherence tomography

We present the use of sub-micron resolution optical coherence tomography (SMR SD-OCT) in volumetric characterization of ink- jet printed color filters, aimed for electronic paper display (EPD). The device used in the study is based on supercontinuum light source, Michelson interferometer centered at 600 nm and employs 400-800 nm spectral region. Spectra are acquired at a continuous rate of 140,000 per second. Color filter array of 143 μm x 141 μm sized and 6 rtm deep ink pools was studied. The volumetric OCT reconstruction was done using the experimental SMR SD-OCT device and a commercial SD-OCT imaging system. The ink layer in the pools was estimated to be 2μm thin. The optical profilometer was used for reference measurements.

Sub-micron resolution high-speed spectral domain optical coherence tomography in quality inspection for printed electronics

We present the use of sub-micron resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) in quality inspection for printed electronics. The device used in the study is based on a supercontinuum light source, Michelson interferometer and high-speed spectrometer. The spectrometer in the presented spectral-domain optical coherence tomography setup (SD-OCT) is centered at 600 nm and covers a 400 nm wide spectral region ranging from 400 nm to 800 nm. Spectra were acquired at a continuous rate of 140,000 per second. The full width at half maximum of the point spread function obtained from a Parylene C sample was 0:98 m. In addition to Parylene C layers, the applicability of sub-micron SD-OCT in printed electronics was studied using PET and epoxy covered solar cell, a printed RFID antenna and a screen-printed battery electrode. A commercial SD-OCT system was used for reference measurements.

Determination of suspension viscosity from the flow velocity profile measured by Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography

The paper presents the way that colour can serve solving the problem of calibration points indexing in a camera geometrical calibration process. We propose a technique in which indexes of calibration points in a black-and-white chessboard are represented as sets of colour regions in the neighbourhood of calibration points. We provide some general rules for designing a colour calibration chessboard and provide a method of calibration image analysis. We show that this approach leads to obtaining better results than in the case of widely used methods employing information about already indexed points to compute indexes. We also report constraints concerning the technique. Nowadays we are witnessing an increasing need for camera geometrical calibration systems. They are vital for such applications as 3D modelling, 3D reconstruction, assembly control systems, etc. Wherever possible, calibration objects placed in the scene are used in a camera geometrical calibration process. This approach significantly increases accuracy of calibration results and makes the calibration data extraction process easier and universal. There are many geometrical camera calibration techniques for a known calibration scene [1]. A great number of them use as an input calibration points which are localised and indexed in the scene. In this paper we propose the technique of calibration points indexing which uses a colour chessboard. The presented technique was developed by solving problems we encountered during experiments with our earlier methods of camera calibration scene analysis [2]-[3]. In particular, the proposed technique increases the number of indexed points points in case of local lack of calibration points detection. At the beginning of the paper we present a way of designing a chessboard pattern. Then we describe a calibration point indexing method, and finally we show experimental results. A black-and-white chessboard is widely used in order to obtain sub-pixel accuracy of calibration points localisation [1]. Calibration points are defined as corners of chessboard squares. Assuming the availability of rough localisation of these points, the points can be indexed. Noting that differences in distances between neighbouring points in calibration scene images differ slightly, one of the local searching methods can be employed (e.g. [2]). Methods of this type search for a calibration point to be indexed, using a window of a certain size. The position of the window is determined by a vector representing the distance between two previously indexed points in the same row or column. However, experiments show that this approach has its disadvantages, as described below. * E-mail: A.Nowakowski@ire.pw.edu.pl Firstly, there is a danger of omitting some points during indexing in case of local lack of calibration points detection in a neighbourhood (e.g. caused by the presence of non-homogeneous light in the calibration scene). A particularly unfavourable situation is when the local lack of detection effects in the appearance of separated regions of detected calibration points. It is worth saying that such situations are likely to happen for calibration points situated near image borders. Such points are very important for the analysis of optical nonlinearities, and a lack of them can significantly influence the accuracy of distortion modelling. Secondly, such methods may give wrong results in the case of optical distortion with strong nonlinearities when getting information about the neighbouring index is not an easy task. Beside this, the methods are very sensitive to a single false localisation of a calibration point. Such a single false localisation can even result in false indexing of a big set of calibration points. To avoid the above-mentioned problems, we propose using a black-and-white chessboard which contains the coded index of a calibration point in the form of colour squares situated in the nearest neighbourhood of each point. The index of a certain calibration point is determined by colours of four nearest neighbouring squares (Fig.1). An order of squares in such foursome is important. Because the size of a colour square is determined only by the possibility of correct colour detection, the size of a colour square can be smaller than the size of a black or white square. The larger size of a black or white square is determined by the requirements of the exact localisation step which follows the indexing of calibration points [3]. In this step, edge information is extracted from a blackand-white chessboard. This edge information needs larger Artur Nowakowski, Wladyslaw Skarbek Institute of Radioelectronics, Warsaw University of Technology, Nowowiejska 15/19, 00-665 Warszawa, A.Nowakowski@ire.pw.edu.pl Received February 10, 2009; accepted March 27, 2009; published March 31, 2009 http://www.photonics.pl/PLP

Evaluation of microfluidic channels with optical coherence tomography

Application of time domain, ultra high resolution optical coherence tomography (UHR-OCT) in evaluation of microfluidic channels is demonstrated. Presented study was done using experimental UHR-OCT device based on a Kerr-lens mode locked Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser, a photonic crystal fibre and modified, free-space Michelson interferometer. To show potential of the technique, microfluidic chip fabricated by VTT Center for Printed Intelligence (Oulu, Finland) was measured. Ability for full volumetric reconstruction in non-contact manner enabled complete characterization of closed entity of a microfluidic channel without contamination and harm for the sample. Measurement, occurring problems, and methods of postprocessing for raw data are described. Results present completely resolved physical structure of the channel, its spatial dimensions, draft angles and evaluation of lamination quality.

Effect of light scattering superficial layer on the accuracy of flow velocity profiles measurements by Doppler optical coherence tomography

Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography (DOCT) is a modern technique used for accurate measurements of blood flow in the superficial layers of human skin, retina or other tissues and their phantoms. In this work, we considered the effect of both static and dynamic superficial layer of the scattering medium on the measured velocity of a flow located beneath this layer. In the case of static layer a tissue phantom consisting of a plain glass capillary (inner size 0.3 × 3 mm) embedded into a slab of Intralipid solution mimicking human skin was designed. Flow velocity profiles were measured at different embedding depths and Intralipid concentrations. The obtained results show a decrease in the measured peak velocity value of the flow in the embedded capillary with increasing the embedding depth and/or concentration of the Intralipid solution in the static layer. A dynamic superficial layer was considered in the case with two plain glass capillaries (inner size 0.2 × 2 mm) attached together. Flow rate of the lower capillary was fixed to 100 ml/h, while the parameters of the upper flow were varied (concentration from 1 % to 4 % and flow rate from 0 to 200 ml/h). The results obtained with the above parameters do not show significant distortions in the measured flow velocity profile, only false velocity peaks arising at the rear flow boundaries.

Fiber-optic biosensor based on self-mixing interferometry

Self-mixing interferometry is a promising technique for a variety of measurement applications. Using a laser diode with an external cavity as interferometer, the technique offers several advantages over traditional interferometric configurations. This research used a self-mixing interferometer built in our own laboratory. It is based on a blue emitting GaN laser diode with a wavelength of 405 nm. Light is directed through an optical fiber from which a 1-cm section of cladding has been removed, and a cuvette for holding the sample is fixed around this part. Interference patterns, created in the laser cavity, are acquired with a computer-based data acquisition system and later processed using Matlab software. Since samples with different refractive indices create interference patterns with different phases, even small changes in sample concentrations can be measured. However, coupling light into a single-mode optical fiber is a very challenging task, and the setup is very sensitive to external interference like airflows or vibrations. Experiments with the device showed that, in stability measurements, the standard deviation of the recorded fringe pattern shifts was only 1.7 nm. In sample measurements, the refractive index change in the sample chamber varied from 1.0029 to 1.33, corresponding to a fringe pattern shift of 297±4 nm.

Prototype of an opto-capacitive probe for non-invasive sensing cerebrospinal fluid circulation

In brain studies, the function of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) awakes growing interest, particularly related to studies of the glymphatic system in the brain, which is connected with the complex system of lymphatic vessels responsible for cleaning the tissues. The CSF is a clear, colourless liquid including water (H2O) approximately with a concentration of 99 %. In addition, it contains electrolytes, amino acids, glucose, and other small molecules found in plasma. The CSF acts as a cushion behind the skull, providing basic mechanical as well as immunological protection to the brain. Disturbances of the CSF circulation have been linked to several brain related medical disorders, such as dementia. Our goal is to develop an in vivo method for the non-invasive measurement of cerebral blood flow and CSF circulation by exploiting optical and capacitive sensing techniques simultaneously. We introduce a prototype of a wearable probe that is aimed to be used for long-term brain monitoring purposes, especially focusing on studies of the glymphatic system. In this method, changes in cerebral blood flow, particularly oxy- and deoxyhaemoglobin, are measured simultaneously and analysed with the response gathered by the capacitive sensor in order to distinct the dynamics of the CSF circulation behind the skull. Presented prototype probe is tested by measuring liquid flows inside phantoms mimicking the CSF circulation.