Conventional phase-shifting interferometry (PSI) needs at least three interferograms. A novel algorithm of two-step PSI, with an arbitrary known phase step, by which a complex object field can be reconstructed with only two interferograms is proposed. This algorithm is then applied to an information security system based on double random-phase encoding in the Fresnel domain. The feasibility of this method and its robustness against occlusion and additional noise attacks are verified by computer simulations. This approach can considerably improve the efficiency of data transmission and is very suitable for Internet use.

Two-step phase-shifting interferometry and its application in image encryption.

Recently two emerging areas of research, attosecond and nanoscale physics, have started to come together. Attosecond physics deals with phenomena occurring when ultrashort laser pulses, with duration on the femto- and sub-femtosecond time scales, interact with atoms, molecules or solids. The laser-induced electron dynamics occurs natively on a timescale down to a few hundred or even tens of attoseconds, which is comparable with the optical field. On the other hand, the second branch involves the manipulation and engineering of mesoscopic systems, such as solids, metals and dielectrics, with nanometric precision. Although nano-engineering is a vast and well-established research field on its own, the merger with intense laser physics is relatively recent. In this article we present a comprehensive experimental and theoretical overview of physics that takes place when short and intense laser pulses interact with nanosystems, such as metallic and dielectric nanostructures. In particular we elucidate how the spatially inhomogeneous laser induced fields at a nanometer scale modify the laser-driven electron dynamics. Consequently, this has important impact on pivotal processes such as ATI and HHG. The deep understanding of the coupled dynamics between these spatially inhomogeneous fields and matter configures a promising way to new avenues of research and applications. Thanks to the maturity that attosecond physics has reached, together with the tremendous advance in material engineering and manipulation techniques, the age of atto-nano physics has begun, but it is in the initial stage. We present thus some of the open questions, challenges and prospects for experimental confirmation of theoretical predictions, as well as experiments aimed at characterizing the induced fields and the unique electron dynamics initiated by them with high temporal and spatial resolution.

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Attosecond physics at the nanoscale

Digitally sampled in-line holograms may be linearly filtered to reconstruct a representation of the original object distribution, thereby decoding the information contained in the hologram. The decoding process is performed by digital computation rather than optically. Substitution of digital for optical decoding has several advantages, including selective suppression of the twin-image artifact, elimination of the far-field requirement, and automation of the data reduction and analysis process. The proposed filter is a truncated series expansion of the inverse of that operator that maps object opacity function to hologram intensity. The first term of the expansion is shown to be equivalent to conventional (optical) reconstruction, with successive terms increasingly sup-pressing the twin image. The algorithm is computationally efficient, requiring only a single fast Fourier transform pair.

Digital decoding of in-line holograms

Recently two emerging areas of research, attosecond and nanoscale physics, have started to come together. Attosecond physics deals with phenomena occurring when ultrashort laser pulses, with duration on the femto-and sub-femtosecondtime scales, interact with atoms, molecules or solids. The laser-induced electron dynamics occurs natively on a timescale down to a few hundred or even tens of attoseconds (1 attosecond = 1 as = 10-(18)s), which is comparable with the optical field. For comparison, the revolution of an electron on a 1s orbital of a hydrogen atom is similar to 152 as. On the other hand, the second branch involves the manipulation and engineering of mesoscopic systems, such as solids, metals and dielectrics, with nanometric precision. Although nano-engineering is a vast and well-established research field on its own, the merger with intense laser physics is relatively recent. In this report on progress we present a comprehensive experimental and theoretical overview of physics that takes place when short and intense laser pulses interact with nanosystems, such as metallic and dielectric nanostructures. In particular we elucidate how the spatially inhomogeneous laser induced fields at a nanometer scale modify the laser- driven electron dynamics. Consequently, this has important impact on pivotal processes such as above-threshold ionization and high-order harmonic generation. The deep understanding of the coupled dynamics between these spatially inhomogeneous fields and matter configures a promising way to new avenues of research and applications. Thanks to the maturity that attosecond physics has reached, together with the tremendous advance in material engineering and manipulation techniques, the age of atto-nanophysics has begun, but it is in the initial stage. We present thus some of the open questions, challenges and prospects for experimental confirmation of theoretical predictions, as well as experiments aimed at characterizing the induced fields and the unique electron dynamics initiated by them with high temporal and spatial resolution.

/pdf/attosecond-physics-at-the-nanoscale-4ta5xxe2cj.pdf

We propose what we believe is a new method for color image encryption by use of wavelength multiplexing based on lensless Fresnel transform holograms. An image is separated into three channels: red, green, and blue, and each channel is independently encrypted. The system parameters of Fresnel transforms and random phase masks in each channel are keys in image encryption and decryption. An optical color image coding configuration with multichannel implementation and an optoelectronic color image encryption architecture with single-channel implementation are presented. The keys can be added by iteratively employing the Fresnel transforms. Computer simulations are given to prove the possibility of the proposed idea.

Optical color image encryption by wavelength multiplexing and lensless Fresnel transform holograms

We present a simple technique to encrypt a digital hologram of a three-dimensional (3-D) object into a stationary white noise by use of virtual optics and then to decrypt it digitally. In this technique the digital hologram is encrypted by our attaching a computer-generated random phase key to it and then forcing them to Fresnel propagate to an arbitrary plane with an illuminating plane wave of a given wavelength. It is shown in experiments that the proposed system is robust to blind decryptions without knowing the correct propagation distance, wavelength, and phase key used in the encryption. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and mean-square-error (MSE) of the reconstructed 3-D object are calculated for various decryption distances and wavelengths, and partial use of the correct phase key.

Encryption of digital hologram of 3-D object by virtual optics.

Quantitative phase (QP) images of red blood cells (RBCs), which are obtained by off-axis digital holographic microscopy, can provide quantitative information about three-dimensional (3D) morphology of human RBCs and the characteristic properties such as mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and MCH surface density (MCHSD). In this paper, we investigate modifications of the 3D morphology and MCH in RBCs induced by the period of storage time for the purpose of classification of RBCs with different periods of storage by using off-axis digital holographic microscopy. The classification of RBCs based on the duration of storage is highly relevant because a long storage of blood before transfusion may alter the functionality of RBCs and, therefore, cause complications in patients. To analyze any changes in the 3D morphology and MCH of RBCs due to storage, we use data sets from RBC samples stored for 8, 13, 16, 23, 27, 30, 34, 37, 40, 47, and 57 days, respectively. The data sets consist of more than 3,300 blood cells in eleven classes, with more than 300 blood cells per class. The classes indicate the storage period of RBCs and are listed in chronological order. Using the RBCs donated by healthy persons, the off-axis digital holographic microscopy reconstructs several quantitative phase images of RBC samples stored for eleven different periods. We employ marker-controlled watershed transform to remove the background in the RBC quantitative phase images obtained by the off-axis digital holographic microscopy. More than 300 single RBCs are extracted from the segmented quantitative phase images for each class. Such a large number of RBC samples enable us to obtain statistical distributions of the characteristic properties of RBCs after a specific period of storage. Experimental results show that the 3D morphology of the RBCs, in contrast to MCH, is essentially related to the aging of the RBCs.

Automated quantitative analysis of 3D morphology and mean corpuscular hemoglobin in human red blood cells stored in different periods

Hermite-Gaussian and Laguerre-Gaussian beams beyond the paraxial approximation

We report on a CEP-stable OPCPA system reaching multi-GW peak powers at 300 kHz repetition rate. It delivers 15 W of average power, over 50 µJ of compressed pulse energy and a pulse duration below 6 fs. By implementing an additional pump-seed-synchronization, the output parameters are stabilized over hours with power fluctuations of less than 1.5%.

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CEP-stable, sub-6 fs, 300-kHz OPCPA system with more than 15 W of average power.

The optimum condition for watermarking the digital hologram of a 3-D host object is analyzed. It is shown in the experiment that the digital hologram watermarked with the optimum weighting factor produces the least errors in the reconstructed 3-D host object and the decoded watermark even in the presence of an occlusion attack.

Yeon H. Lee

Papers

Encryption of digital hologram of 3-D object by virtual optics.

Automated quantitative analysis of 3D morphology and mean corpuscular hemoglobin in human red blood cells stored in different periods

Hermite-Gaussian and Laguerre-Gaussian beams beyond the paraxial approximation

CEP-stable, sub-6 fs, 300-kHz OPCPA system with more than 15 W of average power.

Optimal watermarking of digital hologram of 3-D object.