When laser light beams are allowed to propagate from one end of a muti-mode optical fiber to the other end and further to be output onto a screen, irregular patterns called as speckle patterns can be observed in an output light spot. The authors previously reported the rotating phenomenon of such speckle patterns when the optical fiber was placed onto a support plate in a loop-shape and the support plate was tilted. In this paper, the method for estimating tilted angles of the support plate was tried through classification of speckle pattern images by ResNet-18 trained using transfer learning. As a result, the model with a classification accuracy of approximately 99.9% in the measurement range of -10 to +10 degrees of tilted angles was realized.
Demonstration tools were prepared for color changes in polarized visible light beams transmitting in commercially-purchased syrup as optical active material. Predictions of such color changes were successfully realized and satisfactory color matching became possible.
For the purpose of utilizing changes in speckle patterns to be observed in an output light spot from an optical fiber for sensing applications, certain load was applied onto an optical fiber in which laser beams from a laser diode were propagating, and resultant changes in the output light intensity were measured. In order to realize effective load application onto the optical fiber, load application mechanism was employed in which several ridges were intentionally provided onto opposite flat plates. A jacket-covered communication-grade multi-mode glass optical fiber was placed in the load application mechanism so that corrugated bending of the fiber was intentionally induced via load application due to the ridges. Laser beams propagated through the optical fiber was allowed to be output and projected onto a PV cell panel disposed at about 10 cm from the fiber end. The output voltage from the PV cell panel was measured as the output light intensity from the optical fiber. For the load application up to 40 kg, certain changes (reductions and increases) in the output light intensity were measured with increasing or decreasing level of load application with sufficient reproducibility. Even with load application of smaller load level, similar changes were observed. Such changes (reductions and increases) in the output light level with increasing and decreasing load application levels were caused by changes in speckle patterns contained in an output light spot from the optical fiber.
When polarized white-color light beams are allowed to travel in an optically active material, coloration of the polarized light beams can be observed due to optical rotation phenomena of the material. If prediction of colors to be observed becomes possible, it will be advantageous for the purpose of investigations of the material. The authors previously succeeded in establishing a theoretical mathematical expression for realizing predictions of changes in the angle of rotation as well as resultant changes in visible colors of polarized white-color light beams transmitting in sugared water as an optically active material. In this study, for the purpose of confirming whether the mathematical expression is applicable for any other optically active materials, commercially available syrup was employed as the optically active material. The angle of rotation was first determined through measurements, and visible colors of transmitted light beams were observed. In addition, the spectra of transmitted light beams were also measured. On the other hand, the changes in visible colors were predicted by employing the authors’ mathematical expression. As a result, roughly satisfactory matchings were confirmed between the actually measured or observed results and the predictions. Thus, the mathematical expression is believed to be applicable for investigations of any other optically active materials. Such predictions in color changes will be advantageous in science and engineering education.
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) can be used also as a light-receiving element which is less likely to be saturated than photodiodes. The author has actually employed LEDs for the purpose of receiving optical signals in a science demonstration experiment set of optical communication for educational purposes in various ages. In some cases, LEDs as a light-receiving element can realize better quality of reproduced sounds transmitted in the demonstration experiment set via optical transmission, as compared to the case where a normal photodiode is employed as a light-receiving element. Furthermore, by using LEDs both for a light source and a light-receiving component, relationships among color of light (wavelengths or frequencies) and their energies as well as bandgap energies of semiconductor materials can be explained in such demonstration. In this paper, some exemplary data of output voltage characteristics obtained from an LED employed as a light-receiving element, as well as typical demonstration sets for educational purposes, are explained.
Investigations were conducted for the purposes of understanding coloring phenomena to be caused by optical rotation of polarized light beams in sugared water and realizing their applications as educational tools. By allowing polarized laser beams in red, blue or green to travel in sugared water of certain concentrations, changes in their intensities were measured while changing a distance between a pair of polarizing plates in the sugared water. An equation was established for a theoretical value for the angle of rotation for light of any colors (wavelengths) travelling in sugared water of any concentrations. The predicted results exhibited satisfactory matching with the measured values. In addition, the intensities of transmitted laser beams, as well as colors to be observable when a white-color LED torch was employed as a light source, were also become predictable, and the predicted results were well-matched with the observation results.
For the purpose of investigating possibilities of utilizing, for sensing application, changes in speckle patterns to be observed in an output light spot from an optical fiber due to external disturbance, a certain level of load was applied onto an optical fiber through which laser beams emitted from a laser diode were propagating, and changes in the speckle patterns in the output light spot were investigated. In order to realize effective load application onto the optical fiber, a load application section was provided in which several ridges were intentionally provided onto opposite flat plates. A jacket-covered communication-grade multi-mode glass optical fiber was placed in the load application section so that corrugated bending of the fiber was intentionally induced via load application due to the ridges. A PV cell panel was irradiated with the output light spot from the optical fiber containing the speckle patterns therein. When weights were placed in the load application section, an output voltage from the PV cell panel was changed, indicating that the load application onto the optical fiber can be detected with this detection setup. Removal of the once-placed weights was also detected via changes in the PV cell panel output. Then, the load application onto the optical fiber and its removal was successfully detected via turn-on/off operations of an LED which was controlled in accordance with the changes in the output voltage level from the PV cell panel, in other words, through the changes in the speckle patterns.
The out-of-curriculum project team “Rika-Kobo”, organized by undergraduate students, has been actively engaged in a variety of continuous outreach activities in the fields of science and technology including optics and photonics. The targets of their activities cover wide ranges of generations from kids to parents and elderly people, with aiming to promote their interests in various fields of science and technologies. This is an out-of-curriculum project team with about 30 to 40 undergraduate students in several grades and majors. The total number of their activities per year tends to reach 80 to 90 in recent years. Typical activities to be performed by the project team include science classes in elementary and/or secondary schools, science classes at other educational facilities such as science museums, and experiment demonstrations at science events. Popular topics cover wide ranges from explanations and demonstrations of nature phenomena, such as rainbow colors, blue sky, sunset color, to demonstration experiments related to engineering applications, such as polarization of light, LEDs, and optical communications. Experimental topics in optics and photonics are especially popular to the audiences. Those activities are very effective to enhance interests of the audiences in learning related knowledges, irrespective of their generations. Those activities are also helpful for the student members to achieve and/or renew scientific knowledges. In addition, each of the activities provides the student members with effective and advantageous Project-Based-Learning (PBL) style experiences including manufacturing experiences, which are advantageous to cultivate their engineering skills.
Changes in speckle patterns due to certain external disturbances to be applied onto a multimode optical fiber were observed. In the first attempt, a multimode optical glass fiber was placed onto a support plate and a speckle pattern in an output light spot projected from the fiber was observed while rotating or tilting the support plate. The resultant speckle pattern appeared to be rotating in accordance with the rotation or tilt motion of the support plate, and the pattern rotation angle was almost proportional to the rotation angle of the support plate. In the second attempt, a jacket-covered communication-grade multimode optical glass fiber was placed in a load application section so that corrugated bending of the fiber was intentionally induced by means of alternately disposed plurality of ridges. When a certain level of load (up to 15 kg) was applied onto the fiber in the load application section and then removed, the number of speckles observed in an output light spot projected from the fiber showed decreases upon load application onto the fiber and then recovery with the load removal.
Speckle patterns to be observed in an output light spot from an optical fiber are known to be changed due to external disturbances applied onto the optical fiber. In order to investigate possibilities of utilizing such changes in speckle patterns for sensing application, a certain load was applied onto a jacket-covered communication-grade multi-mode glass optical fiber through which laser beams emitted from a laser diode were propagating, and observed changes in speckle patterns in the output light spot from the optical fiber were investigated both as image data via a CCD camera and as an output voltage from a photovoltaic panel irradiated with the output light spot. The load was applied via a load application mechanism in which several ridges were provided onto opposite flat plates and a certain number of weights were placed there so that corrugated bending of the optical fiber was intentionally induced via load application due to the ridges. The obtained results showed that the number of speckles in the observed pattern in the output light spot as well as the output voltage from the photovoltaic panel irradiated with the output light spot showed decreases upon load application with relatively satisfactory repeatability. When the load was reduced, i.e., the weights were removed, the number of speckles then showed recovery. These results indicate there is a certain possibility of utilizing changes in speckle patterns for sensing of load application onto the optical fiber.
Speckle patterns observed in an output light spot from an optical fiber are likely to be changed due to external disturbances applied to the fiber, and such changes can be utilized for sensing applications. In this paper, certain load was applied onto an optical fiber through which laser beams emitted from a laser diode were propagating, and changes in speckle patterns observed in the output light spot from the optical fiber were investigated as image data via a CCD camera. For the purpose of realizing effective load application onto an optical fiber, a load application section was employed in which several ridges were provided onto opposite flat plates. A jacket-covered communication-grade multi-mode glass optical fiber was placed in the load application section so that corrugated bending of the fiber was intentionally induced via load application due to the ridges. The obtained results from appropriate image processing showed that the number of speckles in the observed patterns decreased upon load application (up to 15kg) onto the optical fiber with satisfactory repeatability. The load was then reduced from the total of 15kg, and the number of speckles was found to recover. With different arrangements of the optical fiber in the load application section in which the number of load application points was altered, slight differences in the observed characteristics were recognized. Thus, there are possibilities of utilizing changes in speckle patterns observed in an output light spot from an optical fiber for sensing of load application onto the optical fiber by employing appropriate load application arrangements.
When coherent light beams, i.e., laser beams are transmitted in an optical fiber and exit from one end to form an output light spot on a screen, non-uniform intensity distribution called speckle patterns is often recognized in the output light spot. The authors have confirmed that when a multimode optical fiber is placed in a loop or a U-shape onto a support plate and the support plate is rotated or tilted with the diameter of the loop or the longitudinal axis of the U-shape as the axis of the rotation or tilting motion, the speckle patterns appear to rotate in a certain direction. Such rotation phenomena of speckle pattern are observed with relatively good reproducibility, and the rotation angle of the speckle pattern is almost in proportion to the rotation or tilting angle of the support plate. In the authors’ previous reports, a rotation angle of speckle pattern was detected by manual work, which was tiresome and time-consuming task. This was also unrealistic if we are going to utilize the phenomena for some kinds of sensing application. In this paper, a new scheme for semi-automatically detecting the rotation angle of speckle pattern from image data before and after the pattern rotation is being tried. With this scheme, detection of the pattern rotation angle upon rotation or tilting of the support plate can be realized easily in a short period of time. The semi-automatic detection scheme has been actually employed to investigate rotation characteristics of speckle pattern in several different conditions.
When coherent light beams, i.e., laser beams, are incident on one end of an optical fiber and transmitted to another end to exit from there so as to form an output light spot on a screen, non-uniform intensity distribution called a speckle pattern is often recognized in the output light spot. The authors confirmed that when a multimode optical bare fiber is placed in a loop onto a support plate, the speckle pattern in the output light spot appears to rotate while rotating or tilting the support plate. When an optical fiber is placed in a U-shape, instead of a loop, onto the support plate, the similar rotation of speckle pattern can also be observed. It was further confirmed that a distance between the optical fiber placed in parallel at the edge of the support plate provides certain influences on the observed rotating characteristics of the speckle pattern. The pattern rotation seems to be caused by upward and downward displacements of the optical fiber at the edge of the support plate. In addition, even in the case where a jacket-covered and connector-attached optical fiber is placed in the U-shape on the support plate and a laser diode is employed as a light source, similar speckle pattern rotation can be recognized. Such rotation phenomena of speckle patterns are observed with relatively good reproducibility, and therefore, there is a possibility of employing these phenomena for sensing purpose.
For the purpose of investigating possibilities of utilizing changes of speckle patterns, to be observed in an output light spot from an optical fiber, due to external disturbance for sensing application, a certain load was applied onto an optical fiber through which laser beams emitted from a laser diode were propagating, and the resultant changes in the speckle patterns were observed. The obtained results showed that when the load was applied onto the optical fiber via a flat plate placed over the fiber, no significant changes were recognized in the speckle pattern. However, in the case where the optical fiber was placed so that corrugated bending of the fiber was induced by the load application via ridges, the number of speckles in the pattern decreased upon load application. Influences of a contact area size between the ridges and the optical fiber were also confirmed by employing several different arrangements for the load application. From these results, it was confirmed that observation of speckle patterns in an output light spot from an optical fiber can be utilized to realize sensing of load application onto the optical fiber by employing arrangements with ridges of suitable dimensions alternately disposed against the optical fiber to enhance effects of load application.
We experimentally and theoretically studied interpretation of the waveform signal which was obtained by the fiber-optic probe method during Ho:YAG laser ablation. We monitored behavior of the ablation bubble which occurs at the fiber tip during the ablation by means of developed fiber-optic probe method as well as time-resolved photography to investigate the information which involves the waveform signal. We used water and agar as model materials for different purposes. We determined that the waveform signal from the fiber-optic probe method is mainly attributed to the reflection of the boundary between the water-vapor bubble and surrounding material/tissue. We also found that the intensive shockwave which is induced may be monitored by our method.
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