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A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732). This special issue belongs to the section "New Applications Enabled by Photonics Technologies and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2024) | Viewed by 17073

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Dr. Xing Peng

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Guest Editor

Laboratory of Science and Technology on Integrated Logistics Support, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410003, China
Interests: precision manufacturing; additive manufacturing; defect inspection; optical design; illumination design; visible light communication; machine vision; image processing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Ci Song

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

College of Intelligent Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China
Interests: ultra-precision polishing; magnetorheological finishing; ion beam polishing; AR; precision engineering; ultra smooth; advanced optical fabrication; low damage
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Shuo Qiao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Laboratory of Science and Technology on Integrated Logistics Support, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410003, China
Interests: micro-nano manufacturing; optical components; nanoscale fabrication technologies; process-characterization co-design; precision measurements and metrology; freeform design; manufacturing technology; opto-mechanical design; additive micro-optics; advanced optical manufacturing and detection
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The field of optical design has seen significant advancements in recent years, driven by the increasing demand for high-performance optical systems in various applications. New materials, fabrication techniques, and computational tools are enabling researchers to explore novel approaches to optical design that have the potential to revolutionize the field. This Special Issue showcases the latest research and developments in optical design, highlighting innovative concepts, methodologies, and applications. Key areas covered in this Special Issue include advanced materials, coatings and process technology for optical components, computational methods and algorithms for optical design, integrated optics and photonic devices, and novel optical systems and applications, etc.

We believe that this collection of articles will serve as a valuable resource for those interested in advancing optical design and its applications. We hope that it will inspire further innovation and collaboration in the field, leading to new perspectives and breakthroughs in optical design. It is within this context that we announce the Special Issue of Photonics entitled “New Perspectives in Optical Design”.

This Special Issue intends to provide a timely opportunity for scientists, researchers, and engineers to discuss and summarize the latest inspection methods in industrial applications. We invite papers that include but are not exclusive to the following topics: illumination design, optical design, image fusion, defect inspection, machine learning, hyperspectral imaging algorithms, image super-resolution, machine vision, image synthesis methods, precision measurements and metrology, freeform design, manufacturing technology, opto-mechanical design, thermal/structural/optical integrated analysis, structural optimization design, optical imaging-based measurement and detection, design and optimization of optical meta-surface, novel applications of meta-surface, and metalenes. Both theoretical and experimental studies are welcome, as are comprehensive review and survey papers.

Dr. Xing Peng
Dr. Ci Song
Dr. Shuo Qiao
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Photonics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

illumination design
optical design
image fusion
defect inspection
machine learning
hyperspectral imaging algorithms
image super-resolution
machine vision
image synthesis methods
precision measurements and metrology
freeform design
manufacturing technology
opto-mechanical design
thermal/structural/optical integrated analysis
structural optimization design
optical imaging-based measurement and detection
design and optimization of optical meta-surface
novel applications of meta-surface
metalenes

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Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

8 pages, 4005 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

A New Method to Enhance the Light–Matter Interaction by Controlling the Resonance of Electrons

by Xuefang Hu, Haoyang Mao, Sisi Yang, Changgui Lu, Xiangyue Zhao and Mengjia Lu

Photonics 2025, 12(2), 95; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics12020095 - 22 Jan 2025

Viewed by 2490

Abstract

The manipulation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) plays an essential role in plasmonic science and technology. However, the modulation efficiency and size of the device in the traditional method suffer from weak light–matter interaction. Herein, we propose a new method to enhance the light–matter interaction by controlling the resonance of electrons in a sandwich structure which is composed of an interdigital electrode, dielectric, and doped semiconductor. The numerical results show that the resonance of electrons occurs when their vibrational frequency under electrostatic field matches well with the oscillation frequency of the propagating SPPs. The intensity of the electric field is enhanced about 8%, which can be utilized to improve the modulation efficiency and minimize the footprint of device to a great extent. These findings pave a new way towards higher precision sensor and more compact modulator. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Optical Design)

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9 pages, 1632 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Bifunctional Electromagnetic Manipulation of Surface Waves Using Metasurfaces Under One Circularly Polarized Incidence

by Min Kang, Lixing Chen, Shuaipeng Qin, Liang Ma, Aoxiang Rui and Shiqing Li

Photonics 2025, 12(1), 91; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics12010091 - 20 Jan 2025

Viewed by 782

Abstract

The ability to freely manipulate the wavefronts of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) or surface waves (SWs), particularly with multifunctional integration, is of great importance in near-field photonics. However, conventional SPP control devices typically suffer from low efficiency and single-function limitations. Although recent works have proposed metasurfaces that achieve bifunctional SPP manipulation, their implementation relies on the excitations of circularly polarized (CP) light with different helicities. Here, we propose a generic approach to designing bifunctional SPP meta-devices under single-helicity circularly polarized incidence. Constructed using carefully selected and arranged meta-atoms that possess both structural resonance and a geometric phase, this kind of meta-device can exhibit two distinct SPP manipulation functionalities in both co- and cross-polarized output channels under one CP incidence. As proof of this concept, we designed a bifunctional meta-device in the microwave regime and numerically demonstrated that it can convert a normally incident left circularly polarized (LCP) beam into SWs, exhibiting both a focused wavefront in the co-polarized output channel and a deflected wavefront in the cross-polarized output channel. Our findings substantially enrich the capabilities of metasurfaces to manipulate near-field electromagnetic waves, which can find many applications in practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Optical Design)

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19 pages, 11243 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Simple Polarization-Based Fringe Projection Profilometry Method for Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of High-Dynamic-Range Surfaces

by Xiang Sun, Zhenjun Luo, Shizhao Wang, Jianhua Wang, Yunpeng Zhang and Dandan Zou

Photonics 2025, 12(1), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics12010027 - 31 Dec 2024

Viewed by 843

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of high-dynamic-range (HDR) surfaces plays an important role in the fields of computer vision and image processing. Traditional 3D measurement methods often face the risk of information loss when dealing with surfaces that have HDR characteristics. To address this issue, this paper proposes a simple 3D reconstruction method, which combines the features of non-overexposed regions in polarized and unpolarized images to improve the reconstruction quality of HDR surface objects. The optimum fringe regions are extracted from images with different polarization angles, and the non-overexposed regions in normally captured unpolarized images typically contain complete fringe information and are less affected by specular highlights. The optimal fringe information from different polarized image groups is gradually used to replace the incorrect fringe information in the unpolarized image, resulting in a complete set of fringe data. Experimental results show that the proposed method requires only 24~36 images and simple phase fusion to achieve successful 3D reconstruction. It can effectively mitigate the negative impact of overexposed regions on absolute phase calculation and 3D reconstruction when reconstructing objects with strongly reflective surfaces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Optical Design)

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9 pages, 2990 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Double-Sided Metasurfaces for Dual-Band Mid-Wave and Long-Wave Infrared Reflectors

by Yeong Hwan Ko and Robert Magnusson

Photonics 2024, 11(12), 1132; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11121132 - 30 Nov 2024

Viewed by 826

Abstract

We present an innovative method for dual-band mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) reflectors. By using double-sided metasurfaces, two high reflection bands can be generated with a single device. As individual guided-mode resonance (GMR) reflectors are combined with interlayer (or substrate) on the top and bottom sides, we achieved high reflection in the MWIR and LWIR bands simultaneously. Each GMR reflector was optimized as a germanium (Ge) grating structure on a potassium bromide (KBr) substrate. In our analysis, it was found that the transparency of the interlayer is critical to produce the dual-band reflection. The simulation results on the Ge/KBr/Ge double-sided metasurfaces demonstrated wideband reflection from ~3.3 to 4.8 μm and ~8.8 to 11 μm. Additionally, the device exhibited favorable angular tolerance. The work contributes to developing capability of metasurface technologies in various application fields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Optical Design)

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15 pages, 11880 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Objective Evaluation Method for Image Sharpness Under Different Illumination Imaging Conditions

by Huan He, Benchi Jiang, Chenyang Shi, Yuelin Lu and Yandan Lin

Photonics 2024, 11(11), 1032; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11111032 - 1 Nov 2024

Viewed by 1098

Abstract

Blurriness is troublesome in digital images when captured under different illumination imaging conditions. To obtain an accurate blurred image quality assessment (IQA), a machine learning-based objective evaluation method for image sharpness under different illumination imaging conditions is proposed. In this method, the visual saliency, color difference, and gradient information are selected as the image features, and the relevant feature information of these three aspects is extracted from the image as the feature value for the blurred image evaluation under different illumination imaging conditions. Then, a particle swarm optimization-based general regression neural network (PSO-GRNN) is established to train the above extracted feature values, and the final blurred image evaluation result is determined. The proposed method was validated based on three databases, i.e., BID, CID2013, and CLIVE, which contain real blurred images under different illumination imaging conditions. The experimental results showed that the proposed method has good performance in evaluating the quality of images under different imaging conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Optical Design)

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20 pages, 11342 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Accurate Inspection and Super-Resolution Reconstruction for Additive Manufactured Defects Based on Stokes Vector Method and Deep Learning

by Shangrongxi Sun, Xing Peng and Hongbing Cao

Photonics 2024, 11(9), 874; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11090874 - 18 Sep 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1344

Abstract

Defects in additive manufacturing processes are closely related to the mechanical and physical properties of the components. However, the extreme conditions of high temperatures, intense light, and powder during the manufacturing process present significant challenges for defect detection. Additionally, the high reflectivity of metallic components can cause pixels in image sensors to become overexposed, resulting in the loss of many defect signals. Thus, this paper mainly focuses on proposing an accurate inspection and super-resolution reconstruction method for additive manufactured defects based on Stokes vector and deep learning, where the Stokes vectors, polarization degree, and polarization angles of the inspected defects are effectively utilized to suppress the high reflectivity of metallic surfaces, enhance the contrast of defect regions, and highlight the boundaries of defects. Furthermore, a modified SRGAN model designated SRGAN-H is presented by employing an additional convolutional layer and activation functions, including Harswish and Tanh, to accelerate the convergence of the SRGAN-H network and improve the reconstruction of the additive manufactured defect region. The experiment results demonstrated that the SRGAN-H model outperformed SRGAN and traditional SR reconstruction algorithms in terms of the images of Stokes vectors, polarization degree, and polarization angles. For the scratch and hole test sets, the PSNR values were 33.405 and 31.159, respectively, and the SSIM values were 0.890 and 0.896, respectively. These results reflect the effectiveness of the SRGAN-H model in super-resolution reconstruction of scratch and hole images. For the scratch and hole images chosen in this study, the PSNR values of SRGAN-H for single image super-resolution reconstruction ranged from 31.86786 to 43.82374, higher than the results obtained by the pre-improvement SRGAN algorithm. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Optical Design)

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15 pages, 4724 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Distortion Control in Off-Axis Three-Mirror Astronomical Telescope Systems

by En Liu, Yuquan Zheng, Chao Lin, Jialun Zhang, Yanlin Niu and Lei Song

Photonics 2024, 11(8), 686; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11080686 - 23 Jul 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 864

Abstract

With off-axis reflection systems with specific distortion values serving as objectives or collimators, it is possible to compensate and correct for spectral line bending in spectroscopic instruments. However, there is limited research on the precise control of distortion, which poses particular challenges in large field-of-view optical systems. This paper presents a method for controlling distortion in off-axis reflection systems. Based on Seidel aberration theory and the relationship between distortion wavefront error and primary ray error, we construct objective functions with structural constraints and aberration constraints. The initial structure with specific distortion values is then solved using a differential evolution algorithm. The effectiveness and reliability of this method are verified through the design of an off-axis three-reflection system. The method provided in this study facilitates the design of remote sensing instruments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Optical Design)

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17 pages, 4183 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Wavelength Dependence of Modal Bandwidth of Multimode Fibers for High Data Rate Transmission and Its Implications

by Xin Chen, Hao Dong, Hao Chen, Jason E. Hurley, Zoren D. Bullock and Ming-Jun Li

Photonics 2024, 11(7), 667; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11070667 - 17 Jul 2024

Viewed by 1597

Abstract

Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL)-based transmission over multimode fiber (MMF) has achieved data rates of 100G per lane and is progressing towards 200G per lane. Recently, high-data-rate MMFs derived from OM3 and OM4 have been proposed. These fibers exhibit higher effective modal bandwidths at 910 nm, leading to a different wavelength dependence compared to conventional OM3 and OM4 MMFs. Understanding the wavelength dependence of these fibers is crucial to address their utilization in a broader range of applications. Through Monte Carlo simulations, we have obtained the low-end boundary of the effective modal bandwidths (EMBs) for these fibers, revealing capability improvements over the existing OM3 and OM4. The high-data-rate OM4 performs the same as or better than OM5 from 840 nm to 920 nm, while also showing a high bandwidth for the 850–870 nm wavelength window, favoring VCSELs with center wavelengths shifted toward 860 nm. We also obtained the link bandwidth, which includes both modal bandwidth and chromatic dispersion contributions, and the transmission reaches for various types of transceivers. We find that for both high-data-rate OM3 and high-data-rate OM4, the link bandwidth stays above the value at 850 nm until around 910 nm, delivering a similar transmission performance from 850 to 910 nm without declining towards longer wavelengths, unlike the standard OM3 and OM4. This characteristic favors a wider range of wavelength choices for VCSELs and enables optimal deployments for various applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Optical Design)

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15 pages, 6286 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lights off the Image: Highlight Suppression for Single Texture-Rich Images in Optical Inspection Based on Wavelet Transform and Fusion Strategy

by Xiang Sun, Lingbao Kong, Xiaoqing Wang, Xing Peng and Guangxi Dong

Photonics 2024, 11(7), 623; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11070623 - 28 Jun 2024

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1099

Abstract

A wavelet-transform-based highlight suppression method is presented, aiming at suppressing the highlights of single image with complex texture. The strategy involves the rough extraction of specular information, followed by extracting the high-frequency information in specular information based on multi-level wavelet transform to enhance the texture information in the original images by fusion strategy, and fusing with the same-level specular information to achieve the highlight suppression image. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method effectively removed large-area highlights while preserving texture details, and demonstrated the authenticity of the highlight estimation and the ‘lights off’ effect in the highlight-suppressed images. Overall, the method offers a feasibility for addressing the challenges of highlight suppression for visual detection image with rich texture and large-area highlights. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Optical Design)

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14 pages, 3246 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nanosensor Based on the Circular Ring with External Rectangular Ring Structure

by Shuwen Chang, Shubin Yan, Yiru Su, Jin Wang, Yuhao Cao, Yi Zhang, Taiquan Wu and Yifeng Ren

Photonics 2024, 11(6), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11060568 - 17 Jun 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 983

Abstract

This paper presents a novel nanoscale refractive index sensor, which is produced by using a metal–insulator–metal (MIM) waveguide structure coupled with the circular ring with an external rectangular ring (CRERR) structure with the Fano resonance phenomenon. In this study, COMSOL software was used to model and simulate the structure, paired with an analysis of the output spectra to detail the effect of constructional factors on the output Fano curve as measured from a finite element method. After a series of studies, it was shown that an external rectangular ring is the linchpin of the unsymmetrical Fano resonance, while the circular ring’s radius strongly influences the transducer’s capability to achieve a maximum for 3180 nm/RIU sensitivity and a FOM of 54.8. The sensor is capable of achieving sensitivities of 0.495 nm/mgdL⁻¹ and 0.6375 nm/mgdL⁻¹ when detecting the concentration of the electrolyte sodium and potassium ions in human blood and is expected to play an important role in human health monitoring. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Optical Design)

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13 pages, 6278 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study on Evolution of Chemical Structure Defects and Secondary Contaminative Deposition during HF-Based Etching

by Xiao Shen, Feng Shi, Shuo Qiao, Xing Peng and Ying Xiong

Photonics 2024, 11(5), 479; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11050479 - 20 May 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1183

Abstract

Post-processing based on HF etching has become a highly preferred technique in the fabrication of fused silica optical elements in various high-power laser systems. Previous studies have thoroughly examined and confirmed the elimination of fragments and contamination. However, limited attention has been paid to nano-sized chemical structural defects and secondary precursors that arise during the etching process. Therefore, in this paper, a set of fused silica samples are prepared and undergo the etching process under different parameters. Subsequently, an atomic force microscope, scanning electron microscope and fluorescence spectrometer are applied to analyze sample surfaces, and then an LIDT test based on the R-on-1 method is applied. The findings revealed that appropriate etching configurations will lead to certain LIDT improvement (from initial 7.22 J/cm² to 10.76 J/cm²), and HF-based etching effectively suppresses chemical structural defects, while additional processes are recommended for the elimination of micron- to nano-sized secondary deposition contamination. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Optical Design)

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14 pages, 3319 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Application of Optical Sensors with Built-in Anchor-like Cavities in the Detection of Hemoglobin Concentration

by Wen Jiang, Shubin Yan, Yiru Su, Chong Wang, Taiquan Wu, Yang Cui, Chuanhui Zhu, Yi Zhang, Xiangyang Mu and Guowang Gao

Photonics 2024, 11(5), 402; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11050402 - 26 Apr 2024

Viewed by 1405

Abstract

This paper introduces a refractive index sensor based on Fano resonance, utilizing a metal–insulator–metal (MIM) waveguide structure with an Anchor-like cavity. This study utilizes the finite element method (FEM) for analyzing the propagation characteristics of the structure. The evaluation concentrated on assessing how the refractive index and the structure’s geometric parameters affect its sensing characteristics. The designed structure demonstrates optimum performance, achieving a maximum sensitivity of 2440 nm/RIU and an FOM of 63. Given its high sensitivity, this nanoscale refractive index sensor is ideal for detecting hemoglobin concentrations in blood, and the sensor’s sensitivity is 0.6 nm·g/L, aiding in clinical prevention and treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Optical Design)

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14 pages, 4536 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Nanosensor Based on Optical Principles for Temperature Detection Using a Gear Ring Model

by Lei Li, Shubin Yan, Yang Cui, Taiquan Wu, Chuanhui Zhu, Yi Zhang, Yiru Su, Qizhi Zhang and Guowang Gao

Photonics 2024, 11(4), 311; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11040311 - 28 Mar 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1299

Abstract

Based on the characteristics of plasmonic waveguides and resonators, we propose a refractive index (RI) sensor that couples a gear ring with a metal–insulator–metal (MIM) waveguide. Using the finite element method (FEM), we conduct extensive spectral analysis of the sensor’s properties in the near-infrared spectrum. Furthermore, we investigate the structural parameters affecting the refractive index sensing characteristics. This study reveals that the complexity of the ring cavity edge can significantly enhance the sensitivity of the nanosensor. Optimal structural performance parameters are selected when the number of gears is six, resulting in a sensitivity of 3102 nm/RIU and a Figure of Merit (FOM) of 57.4 for the sensing characteristics of the gear ring. It possesses the advantages of small size and high sensitivity. This nanoscale sensor design demonstrates high sensitivity in the field of industrial material temperature detection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives in Optical Design)

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