Jicheng Cui

Illumination system using LED sources for pocket-size projectors

An illumination system using LED sources for pocket-size projectors is designed. Its color gamut is much larger than the sRGB standard. The maximum theoretical efficiency of this system is 29.98% by non-imaging theory-based calculations. To analyze the system model, 1.5 x 10(6) rays are traced by using the LightTools software. The total light flux that illuminates the digital micromirror device is 44 lm and the American National Standards Institute 13-point uniformity on the surface is 91.55%, -91.15% with a system efficiency of 28.3%. The calculations are in good agreement with the simulation results. The illumination system can be used for personal pocket-size projectors providing a 15-20 in. (38-51 cm) color display with the brightness comparable with a laptop.

High-accuracy spectral reduction algorithm for the échelle spectrometer.

A spectral reduction algorithm for an échelle spectrometer with spherical mirrors that builds a one-to-one correspondence between the wavelength and pixel position is proposed. The algorithm accuracy is improved by calculating the offset distance of the principal ray from the center of the image plane in the two-dimensional vertical direction and compensating the spectral line bending from the reflecting prism. The simulation and experimental results verify that the maximum deviation of the entire image plane is less than one pixel. This algorithm ensures that the wavelengths calculated from spectrograms have a high spectral resolution, meaning the precision from the spectral analysis reaches engineering standards of practice.

Enhancement of Raman scattering by field superposition of rough submicrometer silver particles

Wavelength-dependent surface-enhanced Raman spectra of methylene blue adsorbed on rough submicrometer silver particles were measured. Results revealed a high enhancement factor (105 ∼ 107), especially in the long-wavelength region. Investigation on the far- and near-field optical properties of the particles showed a remarkably enhanced dipole plasmon resonance due to the presence of a rough particle surface. Through analyzing the plasmon resonance modes and the superposition of radiation fields, we found that the rough surface-induced field superposition results in the redistribution of optical fields around the particle, which becomes a key factor responsible for the high enhancement effect of metal particles.

Wavelength calibration model for prism-type echelle spectrometer byreversely solving prism’s refractive index in real time

In an echelle spectrometer equipped with a prism cross-dispersion element, wavelength calibration is very difficult because of the complex, nonlinear interaction between the prism and the echelle grating. From the spectrometer geometry and the dispersion equations for the prism and the grating, a detailed mathematical model for wavelength calibration is derived that fits the refractive index of the prism in real time. An expression relating the refractive index, wavelength, and image coordinates is constructed, and standard wavelength sources and image positions are adopted to timely calculate the refractive index, which is affected by ambient factors such as temperature and air pressure. Experimental results indicate that the fitting accuracy of the refractive index in real time approaches 10−4, while the wavelength accuracy approaches 10−3  nm for the entire spectral range.

Real-time monitoring of ruling grating resolution by digital wavefront

In order to solve the problem that the grating quality cannot be monitored directly in real time, we provided a method based on Rayleigh criterion with our designing optical measurement structure to measure yaw and displacement errors of a grating ruling machine feeding system. Gratings are ruled with or without errors correction by the real-time monitoring system . It shows that the resolution obtained without errors correction is reduced from 99.97% to 87.47% of theoretical value, while the resolution obtained with errors correction is stable, remaining at 99.99%–97.21%. The experimental result is that the grating quality can be guaranteed by monitoring grating resolution in real time.

Narcissus analysis for cooled staring IR system

Narcissus can have a deleterious effect on image quality for cooled infrared imaging systems. Therefore, analysis of narcissus is important for designing both scanning and staring optics. Narcissus is generally assumed to be negligible in staring IR optical designs because the shading effects can be removed by calibration of the detector array data. However, the calibration usually decreases sensitiveness of the system and Narcissus variation may be noticeable for sensors when the conditions changes as follows: 1. warming and cooling the optical housing, 2. zooming optical elements, 3. movement of lenses for focus. In that case, it will result in shading and other image defects even after calibration. To minimize these effects, narcissus should be assessed and controlled during the design of staring array IR system. We provided a direct and fast method for analyzing the narcissus variation in the presence of software such as LightTools, TracePro and ASAP, and proposed the principles in optical design of staring IR systems to reduce narcissus. A cooled staring IR system with serious narcissus was estimated and reoptimized. Narcissus analysis of this IR system confirmed the efficiency of the analysis method.

Use of metal-enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy for detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in diesel oil emulsions in artificial seawater.

In this study, we employed the metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF) method for the detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in diesel oil emulsions in artificial seawater. Silver nanoparticles with an average diameter of 80 nm were immobilized onto silanized quartz as MEF substrates. Excited by illumination at 355 nm, a 4.6-fold increase in the fluorescence signals of PAHs was recorded when MEF substrates were used. The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method was used to provide mechanistic insights into the fluorescence enhancement. Monitoring water pollution has environmental significance and MEF spectroscopy is finding direct applications in this field.

Design and analysis of a worm gear turntable off-axis assembly method in a three-grating monochromator

To solve the problem where the actual grating aperture decreases with an increasing scanning angle during the scanning of a three-grating monochromator, we propose an off-axis assembly method for the worm gear turntable that makes it possible to suppress this aperture reduction. We simulated and compared the traditional assembly method with the off-axis assembly method in the three-grating monochromator. Results show that the actual grating aperture can be improved by the off-axis assembly method. In fact, for any one of the three gratings, when the monochromator outputs the longest wavelength in the corresponding wavelength band, the actual grating aperture increases by 45.93%. Over the entire monochromator output band, the actual grating aperture increased by an average of 32.56% and can thus improve the monochromators output energy. Improvement of the actual grating aperture can also reduce the stray light intensity in the monochromator and improve its output signal-to-noise ratio.