Optics, Volume 2, Issue 4 (December 2021) – 10 articles

Posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens implantation is a refractive technique for the correction of myopia. This study aimed to identify those factors contributing to variability in postoperative refraction. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 73 eyes (one eye per patient) implanted with myopic implantable collamer lenses (ICL). Eyes were divided into two groups, the low myopic group (LMG) (ICL > −9.5 DS) and the high myopic group (HMG) (ICL ≤ −9.5 DS), to compare the predictability, efficacy index, and postoperative refraction between groups. The association of postoperative refraction with anatomical, demographic, and optical features was assessed through correlation analysis and investigated using ray-tracing. Results: Postoperative refraction at 3 months for the whole group was close to emmetropia at −0.02 ± 0.37 DS, the LMG tended toward myopia and the HMG, toward hyperopia. The results showed that 65% and 54% of the eyes had postoperative refraction of within ±0.25 DS, respectively, in the LMG and HMG, and in both groups, 100% were within ±1.00 DS. ICL implantation had a higher efficacy index in the HMG (1.13 ± 0.15) than in the LMG (1.04 ± 0.15). Postoperative refraction was positively associated with the vault (R = 0.408) and negatively correlated with ICL power (R = −0.382). Conclusion: The predictability and effectiveness of ICL implantation is high in a wide range of myopias. Considering the expected vault and including accurate vertex measurements would contribute to improving the predictability of the results. Full article

One-dimensional photonic crystals composed of alternating layers with high- and low-density were fabricated using two-photon polymerization from a single photosensitive polymer for the infrared spectral range. By introducing single high-density layers to break the periodicity of the photonic crystals, a narrow-band defect mode is induced. The defect mode is located in the center of the photonic bandgap of the one-dimensional photonic crystal. The fabricated photonic crystals were investigated using infrared reflection measurements. Stratified-layer optical models were employed in the design and characterization of the spectral response of the photonic crystals. A very good agreement was found between the model-calculated and measured reflection spectra. The geometric parameters of the photonic crystals obtained as a result of the optical model analysis were found to be in good agreement with the nominal dimensions of the photonic crystal constituents. This is supported by complimentary scanning electron microscope imaging, which verified the model-calculated, nominal layer thicknesses. Conventionally, the accurate fabrication of such structures would require layer-independent print parameters, which are difficult to obtain with high precision. In this study an alternative approach is employed, using density-dependent scaling factors, introduced here for the first time. Using these scaling factors a fast and true-to-design method for the fabrication of layers with significantly different surface-to-volume ratios. The reported observations furthermore demonstrate that the location and amplitude of defect modes is extremely sensitive to any layer thickness non-uniformities in the photonic crystal structure. Considering these capabilities, one-dimensional photonic crystals engineered with defect modes can be employed as narrow band filters, for instance, while also providing a method to quantify important fabrication parameters. Full article

As a kind of resonant device, the modulation efficiency of the photo-elastic modulator (PEM) is determined by its inherent resonance characteristics, including the resonance frequency and quality factor (Q-factor). The existing methods used to characterize the resonance performance of the PEM are mainly based on the optical method to measure the vibration parameters, but these methods are more complex, have a high cost, and are not able to accurately measure the quality factor. Therefore, this paper proposes an electrical characterization method based on impedance measurement. In this method, an equivalent circuit model for the PEM is established. By measuring the impedance vs. frequency curve of the PEM and using the equivalent circuit model for fitting analysis, we can obtain the parameters of the equivalent circuit model. With these parameters, we can eventually calculate the natural resonance frequency and quality factor. The above method was applied to some commercial PEM products for experimental verification. The experimental results show that this method can accurately measure the natural resonance frequency and quality factor of the PEM, and the error is less than 0.03%. Full article

Transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (TransPRK) is an established surface ablation technique used to correct refractive errors. Using anterior segment optical coherence (AS-OCT), it is now possible to measure the epithelium thickness and input these data into the laser platform. In this study, we explore whether better results were obtained in this way. To this end, we retrospectively analyze the results from a low-myopia group treated with a customized epithelium thickness, as measured using AS-OCT, and compare them with the results from a group treated with an optimized standard epithelium thickness. The customized epithelium profile group contains more eyes with vision better than 20/20, and more eyes in this group gain one line of corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA). In conclusion, with the customized epithelium thickness, we obtain superior results using TransPRK in low-myopia corrections. Full article

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) have been widely studied for their potential application as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). While numerous efforts have been made to improve the performance, the photothermal (PT) properties of LSCs are rarely investigated. In this report, we studied the PT properties of an LSC with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.27% and a concentration ratio of 1.42. The results showed that the total PT power of the LSC was 13.2 W, and the heat was concentrated on the edge of the luminescent waveguide with a high heat power density of over 200 W m⁻². Full article

The need for remote teaching tools in all education levels has experienced a big increase due to COVID-19 pandemic. Laboratory practical sessions have not been an exception, and many online and offline tools have been made available to respond to the lockdown of teaching facilities. This paper presents a software testbed named OPTILAB for teaching diffraction experiments to engineering students. The software simulates classical diffraction apertures (single slit, double slit, circular slit) under a wide variety of conditions. Explanation about the Physics behind the diffraction phenomenon is also included in OPTILAB to increase the students’ self-learning experience. Originally conceived as a complement to on-site teaching, due to COVID-19 pandemic OPTILAB has been adopted as the basic tool to build a brand-new, virtual laboratory session about diffraction in Physics III course (biomedical engineering) at Carlos III University of Madrid. Results obtained by the students taking this virtual lab during Fall 2020 are presented and discussed. Full article

We theoretically analyze the case of noisy Quantum walks (QWs) by introducing four qubit decoherence models into the coin degree of freedom of linear and cyclic QWs. These models include flipping channels (bit flip, phase flip and bit-phase flip), depolarizing channel, phase damping channel and generalized amplitude damping channel. Explicit expressions for the probability distribution of QWs on a line and on a cyclic path are derived under localized and delocalized initial states. We show that QWs which begin from a delocalized state generate mixture probability distributions, which could give rise to useful algorithmic applications related to data encoding schemes. Specifically, we show how the combination of delocalzed initial states and decoherence can be used for computing the binomial transform of a given set of numbers. However, the sensitivity of QWs to noisy environments may negatively affect various other applications based on QWs. Full article

The idea of utilizing game elements in non-gaming situations has sparked a lot of attention in recent years, especially in topics such as education and training. Game-based techniques appear to be an increasing trend in a wide range of learning areas, including health, social policy, and engineering, among others, not only in primary school but also in higher formal education. Using this methodology, the learning process becomes more stimulating while also reaching a competitive level in some circumstances. In the present work, the authors propose a new gamification strategy based on an escape-room in which all the puzzles to be passed are related to the area of optics and photonics and use readily available or low-cost equipment. The major field of application of this novel teaching strategy will be the practical section of a course, that is usually carried out in a laboratory, and will be aimed at both undergraduate and master’s degree students. A coevaluation method is also proposed where the rest of the students will provide valuable feedback to each one of their colleagues and to the instructor. Full article

We report interferometric ice particle imaging and sizing in an icing wind tunnel with wind speeds of 70 m/s. Single particle interferograms are first analysed, size measurements are performed, and examples of possible reconstructed shapes are deduced from the interferometric images. Particle sizing is also performed in the case of ice particles whose out-of-focus images overlap, with or without Moiré phenomena. Results show that the IPI technique can be carried out for irregular rough particles in a critical environment such as in an icing wind tunnel with high wind speeds. Full article

Exposing the retina to a simultaneous myopic defocus is an optical method that has shown a promising effect in slowing the progression of myopia. Optical treatments applying a simultaneous defocus are available in the form of soft contact lenses or multifocal lenses originally designed to correct presbyopia. Orthokeratology is another optical method that slows down the progression of myopia. With orthokeratology, it is hypothesized that a change in peripheral refraction could slow the progression of myopia. We aimed to measure the accommodation response between monofocal and multifocal contact lenses in young subjects. Additionally, we performed a ray-tracing simulation to visualize the quality of the retinal image and the refractive status in the retinal periphery. The accommodation and pupil size measurements were performed on 29 participants aged 24.03 ± 2.73 years with a refractive error (spherical equivalent) of −1.78 ± 1.06 D. With the multifocal lens in situ, our participants showed less accommodation in comparison to the monofocal contact lens (mean difference, 0.576 ± 0.36 D, p > 0.001) when focusing on a near target at 40 cm. Pupil size became smaller in both contact lens groups during an accommodation of 0.29 ± 0.69 mm, p ≤ 0.001 and 0.39 ± 0.46 mm, p ≤ 0.001 for monofocal and multifocal contact lenses, respectively. The ray-tracing model showed a degradation for central and peripheral vision with the multifocal contact lens. The peripheral refraction was relatively myopic in both contact lens conditions up to 30°. Even if the accommodation ability is without fault, parts of simultaneous myopic defocus are used for the near task. The peripheral refraction in the ray-tracing model was not different between the two contact lenses. This is contrary to the proposed hypothesis that myopic peripheral refraction slows down the progression of myopia in current optical methods. Full article