This PDF file contains the front matter associated with SPIE Proceedings Volume 7008, including the Title Page, Copyright information, Table of Contents, Introduction (if any), and the Conference Committee listing.

We review some new results about recently proposed intrinsic degrees of coherence of partially polarized light. We show that they can be derived from an invariance principle equivalent to that used to derive the standard degree of coherence of scalar fields. We compare them with the degree of coherence recently proposed by Wolf. We illustrate the difference and the complementarity between these two definitions on a simple example of optical experiment.

Time-dependent elliptic light fields were realized and investigated first. They were created by the dynamic system 'laser light>LiNbO₃:Fe crystal' and measured by the elaborated acquit-action (1s) real-time Stokes polarimetry what insures measurements of all Stokes components at practically the same state of dynamic system and investigated field. The interval between cloze-ups (15s) was two orders less then full topological 'life story' of an individual C point pair. Regularities of singularities topological space-time dynamics of azimuth networks, optical diabolos pairs and handedness areas were established. It was found that macroscopic (total) development of singular elliptic speckle patterns is irreversible contrary to fully reversible microscopic (local) transformations of field smooth parts to singular states and back which occur independent in space and time. Their scenarios contain obligatory pre-nucleation ('embryo') and after-annihilation ('decay') states. Elaborated approach and presented results start dynamic singular optics of time-dependent elliptic light fields. It has established topological scenario of singularities nucleation/annihilation processes in developing generic elliptic light fields.

A theoretical approach to the interaction between the polarized light and the polarization devices based on the vectorial and pure operatorial form of the Pauli algebra is presented. Unlike the standard (Jones and Mueller) approaches, this formalism is coordinate-free, i.e. it does not appeal to any matrix representation of the involved operators. This approach addresses to parameters that reveal the internal symmetries of both the polarization devices and the polarization state space. Therefore the final equations giving the three relevant quantities that characterize the interaction - the gain, the Poincare vector of the outgoing light and its degree of polarization - are symmetric, compact and physically expressive.

We review the principle of coherence dynamics proposed recently to explain the origin of coherence vortices, which are the phase singularities in a complex coherence function. Some properties associated with coherence vortex, such as the coherence current describing the circular contrast flow close to a vortex core and conservation laws of coherence, are investigated both theoretically and experimentally.

A general study of beams produced by a computer-generated hologram representing a diffraction grating with fringe bifurcation is presented. Properties of output beams are considered in connection with violation of ideal geometrical conditions: the input beam shape variations, its shifts and inclinations with respect to the grating. The basic consequences are: (i) presence the "ripple" structure in both amplitude and phase distributions (especially in the nearfield zone) caused by diffraction on the phase singularity (bifurcation point); (ii) in contrast to usual Gaussian beams with exponential amplitude fall-off, diffracted beams demonstrate the power-law decay at the beam periphery; (iii) when the incident beam axis is shifted from the grating center, an output beam with off-axial optical vortex is formed whose spatial evolution tends to the pattern of self-similar rotation. Trajectories of featuring points of the generated optical-vortex beam show regular angular deviation from the nominal positions, which grow with the incident beam shift magnitude and with topological charge of the vortex produced.

The splitting of a fundamental vortex beam into four separate beams is theoretically and experimentally described for the propagation of light through a uniaxial crystal. This novel phenomenon opens new opportunities for higher order the entanglement of and correlation of photons.

On the base of solutions to a paraxial wave equation we consider propagation properties of a higher-order singular beam whose axis is tilted relative to the optical axis of a uniaxial crystal.

A great number of problems of modern optics need to record a map of the polarization distribution in a light beam in a real scale of time. At the same time, the conventional ellipsometric techniques [1] do not permit us to solve these tasks. It stimulates development of new approaches for measuring polarization states at each point of an optical image [2,3]. The obtained polarization maps are a good instrument for studying evolution of polarization singularities. The aim of this article is to analyze evolution of polarization singularities in radiation emitted from a 12-modes circular optical fiber under different conditions of its excitation.

In this paper, the chain of mutual transformations of optical singularities is demonstrated, including coherence singularities, polarization singularities of different kinds, and phase singularities. It is shown in what a way one can transform some type of optical singularities into another by changing one of the experimental parameters. Convenient experimental technique for diagnostics of such singularities is also described. It is shown that some of the considered singularities are generic ones, while other are non-generic, implying specific experimental conditions.

Topological structure of the polarization resolved conoscopic patterns, calculated theoretically and measured experimentally for nematic liquid crystal (NLC) cells, is described in terms of polarization singularities, saddle points and bifurcation lines. The parametric dynamics of the topological network, induced by the variation of the incident light ellipticity, is analyzed for the nematic cells with uniform and non-uniform director configuration. Different stages of similar dynamics are observed for homeotropically oriented NLC cell. Non-uniform director configuration within the cell results in broken central symmentry in the arrangement of the topological network. Main features of the experimentally obtained polarization resolved conoscopic patterns are the same to the theoretically predicted ones.

We demonstrated in theory and experiment superluminal properties of optical field propagation in the shadow area behind an opaque disk (Poisson's spot). The wave front of the field in the shadow zone is initially delayed with respect to unperturbed field. This phase shift gradually diminishes along the optical path, and therefore insures variation of the phase velocity of the field at the axis. This fact was verified experimentally by the method of interference with a tilted reference plane wave. A resulting excess of about c×10^-5 was detected. Moreover, the result does not depend on the frequency of light oscillations. It means that a non-monochromatic field (e.g. short light pulse) will propagate without dispersion, what insures the equality of the group velocity to the phase velocity, both exceeding c.

The polaritons are generated at passage of an electromagnetic beam in dielectric Fabry-Perot resonator. The states of polaritons can be treated as ground and excited ones of the quasi-condensate in one- or two-dimensional models (in a cross plane of the resonator). The spectrum of the weak excitations of the quasi-condensate looks like Bogolubov spectrum. The quantum vortices with different topological charges are formed in the polariton quasi-condensate into the dielectric medium. The excitations of polariton quasi-condensate formed the spatial waves with zeros of amplitude on the transverse axes on the mirrors of dielectric Fabry-Perot resonator. There are the inhomogeneities of the permeability in the shape of a superlattice with variable thickness in the dielectric medium appeared by the powerful electromagnetic pump wave. The shape of the superlattice can be controlled by the external electrostatic field. Impinging on the surface of film the weakly signal wave scatters at the superlattice. The bands of "allowed" and "forbidden" frequencies of the signal wave spectrum take place. Such dielectric film represents one-dimensional controllable photonic crystal. The pump wave shapes the superlattice in the rectangular dielectric resonator, i.e. two-dimensional controllable photonic crystal is formed.

The model of intermediately rough surface as the specific anti-reflection layer is presented for explaining the coloring of the regular component of a white-light beam forward scattered by a colorless glass with such surface. It is shown that this model predicts the sequence of colors of the forward scattered component of a white-light beam that is observed in practice. New experimental arguments supported this approach are provided.

The comparative analysis of several techniques for diagnostics of phase singularities in the optical vortex beams and fields is performed. Both advantages and disadvantages in the implementation and applications of different techniques are discussed.

In the paper, we take it into one's head to show how different singularity systems of different parameters of an optical wave are connected and what follows from this connection. The results of computer simulation are presented.

The connection between vortex network and network of stationary points of intensity is considered. It is stated that most of current gradient lines of intensity with the origin in saddle points are positioned in the areas where phase changes quickly. The results of computer simulation are presented.

In this paper it is shown, that for modulation of path difference it is useful to use symmetrical sawtooth dependence of path difference in time of order about a wavelength of an optical spectrum. The realization of such temporary dependence is carried out with the help of piesoceramics and generator of symmetrical sawtooth impulses. The use of symmetrical impulse essentially simplifies technical realization of phase modulation in a comparison with asymmetric impulse, which was used earlier. It is shown, that the greatest value of a resonance amplification is received when the amplitude of phase modification of path difference is multiple wavelength.

The use of a field of polarization waves for revealing and analysis of optical unhomogeneities that are in volume or on a surface of optically homogeneous mediums is justified in this paper. It is shown, that at the presence of phase and amplitude inhomogeneities the scattered wave accepts a variable component of intensity with the certain spectrum of frequencies, which will depend on a concrete type of phase modulation and scatteriung properties of the medium. The use of this method for anisotropic inhomogeneities monitoring in the small-angle scattering is theoretically investigated. The formation of a scattered wave frequency dependence under two types of phase modulation, described by harmonic and triangle-like dependencies, is analyzed.

We consider experimentally the evolution of polarization singularities in singular beams transmitting at some angle to the optical axis of the LiNb0₃ crystals. We focused our attention on the processes of birth and annihilation of coupled singularities and compared them with those in a computer-simulation experiment. The conditions of the unfolding of the polarization singularities were brought to light. A number of difficulties arising in the course of the experiment are discussed.

The influence of the coaxially imposed reference wave on the spectrum of space frequencies of a restored image is experimentally investigated. It is shown, that the spectrum of space frequencies of a restored field from specklogram without a reference field is characterized by the greatest breadth. At the magnification of intensity of a reference beam the breadth of a space frequency spectrum decreases.

Two issues will be treated in this presentation, both focusing on gaining a deeper understanding of dynamic speckles, aiming at the use for probing dynamical properties of scattering structures. The first issue to be addressed is the dynamics of speckles arising from illuminating a solid surface giving rise to fully developed speckle with two mutually separated beams. It will be shown that usually the speckle pattern will consist of larger speckles with an inherent fine structure, each of which will usually be moving with different velocity. Next, the dynamics of the speckle pattern arising from scattering off a diffuser as seen through a second static diffuser is analyzed. Here, it is shown that the second and static diffuser will act as a pivot point about which the speckles will move. This facilitates a scaling of the speckle displacement facilitating a very minute measurement of the displacement of the first diffuser.

Studies of phase singularities in wavefields typically consider only monochromatic or deterministic wavefields. When the wavefield is partially coherent, field singularities are not well defined and one must turn instead to the study of singularities of correlation functions. It has been demonstrated by a number of researchers that there is an intimate link between correlation singularities and the field singularities of the corresponding fully coherent field. Here we investigate this connection further by theoretically constructing fields which contain both field and correlation singularities.

Light information devices were created a long time before the information theory was developed, and the features of these devices were described by the common optical characteristics. However, these characteristics look insufficient for these devices information abilities definition, and the need for specific information characteristics has become apparant. Along with that, the common methods for optical characteristics estimation must be applied for the definition of information characteristics. It has been necessary to compare some optical characteristics (input signal value expressed in amplitude and phase, resolving power, signal distribution by light wavelengths or color components, by polarization plane position, and by time intervals) with the information ones. In order to come to information characteristics, it was necessary to perform optical signal and object (and image) light field digitization. In this work we discuss and compare different methdos of the signal and image light field division into different componenets (freedom degrees): determined, statistical, and system-based.

The Fraunhofer diffraction on the set of identical holes with the same shape and size is investigated. It is shown that the intensity distribution could be decomposed on two parts. One of them contains information about size and shape of elementary hole. Second one gives information about mutual position of all holes. The spectrum of second component allows to evaluate the degree of holes ordering.

Dynamics of powerful femtosecond singular-phase pulsed beams in a dielectric medium under the ionization conditions is analyzed numerically. The multiphoton ionization is revealed to contribute to the stable (quasi-soliton) regime of pulse propagation over distances exceeding five diffraction length. Use of the singular beams allows one to reach the larger densities of the light field and generated plasma.

Photon counting type X-ray, gamma-ray detector and imager were developed by using CdTe compound semiconductor. The detector / imager could be applied for practical application and we tried to apply material identificated X-ray CT. The imager has photon energy discriminate function and high linearity between number of incident photons and output counts. It make high contrast image for X-ray penetration image and material identification in X-ray computed tomography (CT) measurement.

3-D optical fluorescent microscopy becomes now an efficient tool for volume investigation of living biological samples. Developments in instrumentation have permit to beat off the conventional Abbe limit, in any case the recorded image can be described by the convolution equation between the original object and the Point Spread Function (PSF) of the acquisition system. If the goal is 3-D quantitative analysis, whether you improve the instrument capabilities, or (and) you restore the data. These last is until now the main task in our laboratory. Based on the knowledge of the optical Transfer Function of the microscope, deconvolution algorithms were adapted to automatic determine the regularisation threshold in order to give less subjective and more reproducible results. The PSF represents the properties of the image acquisition system; we have proposed the use of statistical tools and Zernike moments to describe a 3-D system PSF and to quantify the variation of the PSF. This first step toward standardization is helpful to define an acquisition protocol optimizing exploitation of the microscope depending on the studied biological sample. We have pointed out that automating the choice of the regularization level; if it facilitates the use, it also greatly improves the reliability of the measurements. Furthermore, to increase the quality and the repeatability of quantitative measurements a pre-filtering of images improves the stability of deconvolution process. In the same way, the PSF pre-filtering stabilizes the deconvolution process. We have shown that Zernike polynomials can be used to reconstruct experimental PSF, preserving system characteristics and removing the noise contained in the PSF. Fluorescent microscopes suffer from limitations; photobleaching and phototoxicity effects, or influence of the sample optical properties to 3-D observation. Amplitude and phase of the object can be reached with optical tomography based on a combination of microholography with a tomographic illumination. So indices cartography of the specimen can be obtained, and combined with fluorescence information it will open new possibilities in 3-D optical microscopy.

Analysis of images of moving liquid-gas boundaries in porous samples (sheets of paper) under white light and coherent illumination was used to study the scaling properties of growing interfaces near the pinning condition. The obtained images were digitized and processed in order to obtain the local and global parameters of interface mobility at different stages of interface growth. At early stage of growth, the interface dynamics is characterized by the familiar Lucas-Washburn (LW) equation, which describes continuous-like motion of interface. At the late stage of growth, near the pinning condition, the interface motion exhibits the deviation from LW model, which is the result of pronounced discrete character of interface evolution. The developed technique of imbibition analysis can be applied to structural study of porous media of various nature.

Speckle method of characterization of multiple scattering media with the use of frequency modulation of probe light is considered. This method assumes the analysis of oscillation index of the timeaveraged speckle patterns in the dependence of the frequency modulation depth. In the case of binary modulation, the oscillation index of the detected light is defined by the cosine Fourier transform of the path length density of propagating photons in the medium. Experimental verification of the considered technique with the use of phantom scatterers (Teflon films and rutile powder layers) showed the good agreement between the retrieved and simulated photon path distributions in probed media.

The paper describes the applications of micro- or nano-field emitters to a novel and compact light source. We have developed a compact pulse x-ray tube and demonstrated high-speed x-ray radiography images. We have also developed the electron-beam pumped ultraviolet (UV) light source consisting of a field emitter and a Si electron transparent film. This light source clearly showed a light emission due to Xe excimers in a vacuum UV region. In addition to them, we have successfully demonstrated Smith-Purcell radiation using a field emitter in a near infrared region.

Liquid nematic crystals are nowadays more often used to change the polarization and/or phase and amplitude of impinging light wave. Nematic liquid crystals valves (LCLV) are also called SLM (Spatial Light Modulator) or LCVR (Liquid Crystal Variable Retarder). This paper will show the different steps required to get a procedure (optical mounting and computing software) enabling the use of LCLV in the output beam of the laser coupled with a 3D speckle interferometry set-up. This LCLV generates the phase shifts between the reference and object beams. The calibration set-up is made of a Mach Zender interferometer with the LCLV in one arm. Interference fringes are obtained and recorded with a CCD camera as LCLV voltage is increased. The fringe processing is achieved with a slice analysis in the Fourier domain. Required phase shifts are then implemented in the phase shifting software. The existing set-up already uses a phase shifter composed by a moving mirror driven by a piezoelectric transducer (PZT). Results of the calibration are compared between piezoelectric device and LCVR. The phase shifting rate and resulting phase error shows the main advantages of the LCVR.

A possibility of image recording as a distribution of intrinsic concentration heterogeneities in a photopolymerizable composition was investigated. A diffusion model for process of such heterogeneities self-formation in the PPC was suggested. Both, the process of composition polymerization and nonlinear refraction of influencing radiation were established to accompany the increasing of these heterogeneities amplitude by several orders. At that, their characteristic size, determined by non-stationary diffusion, depends on the intensity of the influencing radiation and varies in the range from some microns up to hundreds of microns. Evolution dynamics of the spatial spectrums of the PPC intrinsic heterogeneities and their dependence on the recording radiation intensity are investigated. Optical schemes for creating and projecting of such polymeric scattering filters are represented.

Process of optical creation of relief holograms from photopolymerizable compositions (PPC) was investigated theoretically and experimentally. Additional neutral components were suggested to use in the mix of the PPC. They are not concerned in the polymerization reaction, but allow increase the relief amplitude of polymeric holograms. A diffusion model was constructed for the process of these additives redistribution in not-uniformly polymerizing mediums. The model considers the polymer mobility in the initial stage of photopolymerization. It was shown, that neutral components, such as alcohol, are the most suitable for the optical formation of relief polymeric holograms. At the polymerization they spread themselves effectively, and owing to their high volatility any complementary treatments to make surface relief of a hologram are not necessary. The experimental results are represented for the relief holograms recording in the PPC, containing butyl alcohol.

The method of concrete hydration stages diagnostics was designed. Diagnostics was based on piezoelectric photoacoustic detection. Experimental data, which demonstrate amplitude changing dynamics of photoacoustic signal in concrete during the hydration process, were showed.

The influence of weak external magnetic fields on the conditions of optical bistability (OB) realization in the field of exciton absorption in layer semiconductors has been investigated theoretically. Using the 2H-polytype of PbI₂ as an example, it is shown that by changing the intensity of the external magnetic field it is possible to obtain the OB realization region without changing the excitation laser frequency. It is also possible to control effectively the position and size of the hysteresis absorption loop caused by the existence of several exciton zones and due to the peculiar features of the layer crystal structure.

Spectral characteristics films of amorphous hydrogenated silicon received by a magnetron method with use of an ionic source are investigated. As results of researches of temperature dependences on a condition of hydrogen in argon-hydrogen plasma are resulted and a number of laws influencing on electric and optical properties amorphous films is revealed.

The computer simulation of scattering of light by fractal clusters is carried out. It has been established that temporal space of the scattered radiation field holds the fractal properties of cluster. Empirical diagnostic interconnections have been found between the statistic and stochastic parameters of intensity fluctuation of the scattered radiation field, on the one hand, and the parameters of light-scattering cluster, on the other hand.

The methods of correlation optics are for the first time applied to study structure of liquid crystal (LC) - polymer (P) composites at various concentrations of LC and P. Their phase correlation function (PCF) was obtained considering LC-P composite as a random phase screen. The amplitude of PCF contains information about number of LC domains and structure of LC director inside of them, while a half-width of this function is connected with a size of these domains. We studied unpowered and powered composite layers with a thickness of 5 μm. As liquid crystal and polymer were used nematic LC E7 from Merck and photopolymer composition NOA65 from Norland. Concentration of polymer φ_P was varied in a range 10-55 vol. %. In good agreement with previous studies by SEM technique we detected monotone decrease of LC domains with concentration of polymer. With application of electric field, amplitude of PCF behaves differently for the samples with different polymer content. For the samples with φ_P >35 vol. % (samples having morphology of polymer dispersed LC), this dependence is monotonic. In turn, if φ_P <35 vol. % (samples with polymer network LC morphology), the amplitude of PCF non-monotonically depends on the applied voltage going through a maximum. The latter fact is explained by transformation of orientational defects of LC phase with the applied voltage.

The new approach to the process of spectral sensitization of emulsions created on a basis of heterophase microcrystals of structure "non- photosensitive core - photosensitive silver-haloid shell" is offered. Distinctive technological feature of the given process is introduction of sensitizer dye on border "core-shell". In view of this feature - spatial separation of dye adsorbed on a core by the shell of silver halide, it is offered the mechanism of sensitization providing expansion of area of emulsion spectral sensitivity.

The feasibilities for optical correlation diagnostics of a rough surface with large surface inhomogeneities by determining the transformations of the longitudinal coherence function of the field scattered by such surface are substantiated and implemented. The algorithm of computer processing of the interferograms for reconstruction of the relief of regular surfaces with resolution 0.5 nm is represented.

The results of experimental study of fluctuations of refraction index of water tertiary butanol solutions are presented in this work. It is established that monotonously growing Lyapunov's index dependence of fluctuations of refraction index of water tertiary butanol solutions from concentration in the field of concentration C = 6-8 of % has a twist, and dependence of correlation exhibitor of fluctuations has a minimum at concentration C = 6 of %.

As a result of a wide circulation of various types of biocorrectors for a prevention and treatment of disease of a human body elements of a scientific substantiation of energy-information influence on difficult bioobjects, a technique of their experimental revealing and certain results of the research of the revealed influence of some biocorrectors of pictographic type were considered in this work.

Acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTF) as well as optical components with strong chromatic aberration are used in the mock-up of surface profilometer. The basic parameter of such device is resolving power by z-distance which has to be defined according to certain criterion. This criterion, in its turn, is defined by the admissible probability to miss the information unit regarding the object characterization in z-distance. The results of experiments are discussed from the point of view of the AOTF possibilities to increase the z-distance resolving power in comparison with the existing systems. Such results as the 90%-probability distinguishing of defocusing while electric frequency variation of 200 kHz, can be considered as serious advantage. The perspectives of the further improvement of information transmission by such a device are discusssed. It has been found that this improvement can be attained by means of noise level decreasing to the taking place for electric frequency of 94 MHz.

The precision of lattice parameter determination can be significantly risen providing superposition of closely set maxima at Renninger-scan, which are in addition structure and spectral sensitive. This superposition can be achieved by means of lattice parameters change or wavelenght variation. We have realized that in the cases of coincidental coplanar or noncoplanar multiple x-ray diffraction. We have studied evolution of an angular distance between diffraction maxima near the range of coincidental multiple x-ray diffraction depending on stochiometric composition and temperature of sample. It has been shown that sensitivity of multiple diffraction is Δφ/Δa≈13.3 sec of arc /10^-6 Å in the region of coincidental coplanar or noncoplanar x-ray diffraction.

In this work on the basis of numerical solution of Takagi's equations the diffraction images of various types possible in silicon dislocation loops and barriers are constructed in the case of transmission geometry. The three-dimensional total misorientation functions of dislocation loops and barriers are calculated and its cross sections are analysed. X-ray images of dislocation loops and barriers are simulated in the cases of "thin" (μt<1) and "thick" (μt>10) crystals.

Methods of two- and three-crystal X-ray high-resolution diffractometry were used to investigate structural changes in Cz-Si single crystals irradiated with high-energy electrons (E=18 MeV). The results of experimental investigation were interpreted by means of a generalized dynamic theory of X-ray diffraction in real crystals with randomly distributed microdefects of various types and a damaged surface layer. As dominant defects, disc-shaped and spherical clusters - SiO₂ precipitates, as well as dislocation loops were used.

The results of X-ray AFM, SEM, and SIMS studies of near-surface regions of HgCdTe graded-gap epitaxial layers obtained by high-temperature annealing in vapour of the main components have been presented. We used ISOVPE layers of HgCdTe grown on CdTe substrates the surface of which was implanted by As ions. The AFM investigation has shown that the morphology of surfaces of HgCdTe structures obtained at the same conditions is significantly influenced by the crystal orientation of the initial substrates of CdTe. By means of SIMS and SEM analysis a substantial increase of the molar content of HgCdTe solid solution on the surface of ion-implanted epitaxial layers after high-temperature annealing has been observed. It is shown that large gradients of composite HgCdTe solid solution are formed in the near-surface regions of the epitaxial layers due to small changes in the thermodynamically equilibrium conditions of the process of high-temperature annealing.

The paper studies the influence of mechanical treatment-deformed near-surface crystal layer of silicon surfaces on photoelectric properties of semiconductor optical radiation detectors made on the above surfaces. This layer is removed by the method of ion etching of surfaces by vacuum glow discharge. The basic parameters and characteristics of detectors made on reconstructed surfaces are studied, namely: power characteristic nonlinearity and its dynamic range, luxampere characteristic, dark current and spectral characteristic. Considerable positive effect of such etching on the above parameters and characteristics is established, allowing widely expanded application of these photodetectors in optical investigations.

Uses of correlation functions of speckle patterns and the complex amplitude reconstructed by digital holography in measurements of shape and deformation of rough surfaces are described. First, theoretical relationships for correlation properties of the scattered light are surveyed. They consist of speckle displacement and decorrelation. Speckle displacement is applied to measurement of strain by a laser-speckle strain gauge and a speckle extensometer. Speckle decorrelation is used for the measurements of surface roughness and monitoring of paint drying process. The cross-correlation coefficient of the complex amplitude, named here, the complex coherence factor can be calculated in digital holography and used for measurement of surface shape and deformation. It is shown that these approaches are immune to speckle noise.

Conventional optics is diffraction limited to about half of the effective optical wavelength. However the current trend towards miniaturization of optical elements and devices requires methods of observation with high spatial resolutions adapted to the micrometer and submicrometer optical regime. More specifically, the use of Scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM or NSOM) in various domains is overviewed. Basically an optical tip with a subwavelength aperture at its apex scans over a surface with a spatial resolution, which is not limited by light diffraction. This characteristic makes SNOM a valuable tool to perform various optical or spectroscopic studies on nanoobjects, such as semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), or to address them optically. The paper reviews different methods of far-field and near-field approach to visualize nano-size objects.

We raise an issue whether phase singularities are foes or friends in optical metrology, and give an answer by introducing the principle and applications of a new technique which we recently proposed for displacement and flow measurements. The technique is called optical vortex metrology because it makes use of the unique characteristics of phase singularities as markers or tracers for the displacement and flow measurements. The phase singularities are created in the complex signal representation of a speckle-like random pattern, which is generated by means of a vortex filer operating a Riesz or Laguerre-Gauss transform to the random pattern.

The X-ray 3D CT data were detected by the CdTe semiconductor special detector which can obtain the energy information of X-ray photon, and it is developed by our laboratory. In order to display this complete 3D information with internal data of objects, the multi-color holographic reconstruction system was composed, and the reconstruction of X-ray 3D CT data were examined in this paper. In this system, the electro-holography and the computer generated holography was employed to display holographic images. In this case, we used the liquid crystal display panel as the spatial light modulator for displaying a hologram, and we developed the simulator to calculate a hologram of an X-ray 3D CT input data. Finally, it could represent effectively with three primary colors, and understand easier the internal structure of objects.

In this paper the theoretical background and basic principles of Low Coherence Speckle Interferometry (LCSI) are described. Furthermore the main parts of our research work are briefly introduced; (1) the development of a dual wavelength, open-path LCSI setup (2) the introduction of a new method for the detection of zero path length difference for temporal phase shifting (3) the optimisation of the optical parameters of LCSI to increase the probing depth (beam ratio, position of the coherence layer and imaging parameters) (4) the fundamental understanding of the measurement effect and quantification of the measurements using a one-dimensional transmission line model. Finally, LCSI is introduced as a tool for characterisation of adhesion. In this work fundamental studies on interfacial instabilities in adhesive bonded aluminium joints are carried out. The basic hypothesis is that low adhesion is due to the existence of microscopic delaminations at the interface between the substrate and the adhesive. These delaminations can be caused by imperfect pre-treatment, surface topography or other surface phenomena (e.g. corrosion, inter-metallic particles, etc.).

We analyse the silver multilayer superlens as a modulating photonic device for spatial reshapment of circularly polarised light beams. The silver flat lens of Pendry and its generalisations to multilayer structures have been primarily introduced for in-plane perfect near-field imaging that includes a limited range of evanescent spatial harmonics of the field. In this paper, using the fully vectorial transfer matrix method we analyse the two-dimensional impulse response of the imperfect superlens for spatial and temporal filtering of the optical signal and on this basis investigate the way it modifies the shape of the beam.

We present a review of recent achievements in nanoscale optical devices based on energy transport with surface plasmon-polaritons and localized surface plasmons. Chains of metal subwavelength-size particles and stripes are used to build straight waveguides, s-bends, y-junctions and beam shaping devices. Strong enhancement of near-field in nanogaps between particles leads to efficient light emission from such nanoantennas. Development of surface plasmon nanoptics stimulates further progress in near-field imaging. To improve resolution of scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM) it is necessary to improve light throughput in tapered metal-coated SNOM probes. This is achievable due to resonant surface plasmons that propagate in corrugated probes.

The novel results of the R & D activity of TDI SIE SB RAS in the field of the optical measuring and laser technologies, for solving safety problems in atomic and oil industry, as well as in railway transport are presented. 3D profilometer with submicron and nanometer resolution using Linnik white-light interferometer and testing results of industrial system for measuring surface defects of fuel elements are given. The metrological characterization of a perspective Fresnel method for high precision measuring the dimensions of objects is investigated. Results of development and testing the industrial system prototype for 3D inspection of nuclear grid spacers with micron resolution based on DOE structured illumination are presented. We have developed an optical structured light method and an optical-electronic system for automatic noncontact distant measurements of wear and defects detection for a contact wire electro-supply network. For permanent noncontact bearing position inspection of oil-drilling platforms on Sakhalin coast (Russia) we have developed optical-electronic method and produce system SAKHALIN. Experimental results and technical performances are presented.

The optical vortex interferometer (OVI) generates regular lattice of optical vortices. As in standard two beam interferometry the sample under measurements is introduced into one of the interferometer arm, which changes the vortex lattice geometry and position. These changes can be measured and recomputed to the values of physical quantities characterizing the sample. In this paper an overview of OVI configurations as well as basic properties is given. The other solutions based on the three or more plane waves' interference field are also presented in brief.

We conduct a theoretical analysis of two models of transformation the spatial coherency transformation of the radiation propagating in the multi-mode waveguide. For each of them we obtain analytical relations connecting the number of spatially-coherent modes of the radiation appearing in the waveguide, parameters of the incoming radiation and the characteristics of the waveguide. We assess the efficiency of the radiation de correlation at various initial spatial statistics of the radiation and its quasi-nonstationary non-linear interaction with the waveguide's core. We find that the main factor limiting the de-correlation level of the light beams in the multi-mode waveguide with quartz core is the excitation of the Raman scattering. Raman scattering decreases the effective intensity of the radiation at the original frequency and the changes the dynamics of the phase-amplitude transformation of light.

We conduct a theoretical analysis of the Stokes component mode structure of the Raman scattering. The Raman scattering is excited in a multimode waveguide with pump radiation having statistics corresponding to the model of the narrow-band Gaussian noise. We obtain an analytical relation connecting the number of spatially coherent modes of the Stokes component, characteristics of the waveguide and conditions of the Raman scattering excitation. It follows from the obtained relation that the Raman scattering spatial coherency degree at the waveguide's exit is determined by the number of the spatial modes of pump radiation and the amplification of the Stokes radiation throughout the waveguide's length. There exists a threshold in the amplification corresponding to the unlimited increase of the number of the spatially coherent modes of the Raman scattering and therefore to a zero of spatial coherency. Conducted estimations show that at the Raman scattering threshold value of the radiation intensity the number of the spatially coherent modes of the Raman scattering Stokes component should be comparable to that of the thermal source. Experimentally, measured dispersion of the spatial intensity fluctuations of the Stokes component isolated with an interference filter (spectral bandwidth ~ 1nm, λ = 620nm) is three time smaller than that of the luminescent lamp radiation.

One of the main constituent parts of optical coherent measuring apparatus is laser as source with stable performance of frequency, radiation intensity, and light beam uniformity. At present time semiconductor lasers are rather attractive devices in view of there low prices, small size, serviceability. Progress in its quality leads to including them not only in lightheads, but as lighting unit in measuring apparatus. In order to guarantee accuracy of measuring instruments, all parts of them must have stable performance, and in this respect semiconductor laser demand stabilization more that one characteristic quantity at once. And frequency stability on the one hand is overwhelmingly important for constancy of optical measuring instruments, on the other hand our investigations show that its regulatory control is very arduous task. Both holographic methods and phase modulated speckle interferometry clearly recognize smooth frequency shift and frequency jumping depending on pumping current and temperature. And for repeatability it's required to return both of them. So it is necessary laser frequency testing during working. For interferometric comparison circuit it is frequency variation that exerts influence on fringes pattern generation, so just this parameter should be traced in the course of measuring. Specially prepared test object, introduced in holographic scheme, allows to uncover frequency variation, if they had have place, and to reproduce coherence function of laser source. Complicated coherence function of semiconductor lasers can destroy interference pattern or foul the interpretation of it. So this coherence calibration is also very useful for results validity. Phase modulated speckle interferometry method allows to build phase correlation portraits, analogical to interferograms, hence multiwavelength contour generation masks the picture of intrinsic object information too. Both real wavelength change and nonresolution area, when coherence length is less then path-length difference, may be obtained with the help of known wedge incline near the measured object. Since measured and testing image will be entered at the same time, test results will be applied in interpretation of measurement results. Thus on-line testing of laser characteristic quantities allows using unstable sources and increasing of measurement precision.

On the basis of explicit expression for the transmission function of PSA (polarizer-specimen-analyzer) system main geometrical parameters of equiintensity ellipses were calculated on basis of HAUP-maps. Quantitative results, using high-accuracy polarimeter for non-dichroic birefringent crystals, and also for optically active crystals with own linear dichroism on wave-length λ = 632.8 nm, are obtained.

Application of the Shack-Hartmann sensor with holographic lenslet array is offered for wavefront aberrations measurements in speckle field. The main feature of the method is that the tested wave front can be compared with the arbitrary wave front preliminary recorded to holographic memory of the array. The sensor iterative work algorithm for measuring of the variable speckled wave fronts is offered. Experimental results of the curvature measurements for spherical speckled wave are presented. The possibility to use the method proposed for surface deformation analysis is shown.

The modification of the wavefront registration scheme for the purpose of the sensor spatial resolution improvement is considered. It's proposed to use the focused laser beam for illumination of the separate area of the surface, which after the optical transformation in Fourier optics scheme forms the signal in the sensors plane that is proportional to the spectrum of the spatial frequencies of the surface shape. At the same time the spatial resolution in the surface plane is determined by the sensor aperture, but not the spatial resolution of its lenslet array. The theoretical analysis and computer simulation of the wavefront sensor work for the local inhomogeneities determination of thereflective surface is realized. For obtaining the submicron spatial resolution of the sensor it is proposed to classify the surface micro areas by the multidimensional statistical analysis methods.

Considered is a correlation method of forming of specified distribution of radiation energy over the target, particularly in the optical tweezers wand. The method exploits an interaction of beforehand spatially modulated in phase wand beam with synthesized hologram specific to the modulation. The specified energy distribution is obtained as the convolution of the required field distribution and of cross-correlation function of the ideal wand beam and the real one. Because of beams wave fronts modulation the result of such a convolution is weakly dependent on the difference of the ideal and the real beams. Examined is the possibility of dynamic operation mode involving the spatial light modulation (SLM) device.

Influence of non-stationary phase distortions in a transmitting part of holographic interferometer on quality of formation interference pattern was investigated. Conducted in the work were experiments with holographic interferometer with flexible lightguiding bundles and etalons of roughness as a source of statistical phase distortions. Were simulated the phase distortions of various statistical distributions together with their effect to the contrast of the interference pattern. Considered here is a model of interferometer as a correlator random phase distributions with a signal in the form of ideal interference pattern.

The algorithm of decomposition of a real complex signal into signals with low and high correlation dimensions is presented. The method is approved on test signals (mixes of a chaotic signal of Chua generator and white noise, chaotic signals of Resler and Lorentz systems) and experimental optical signals.

A modified IFT-algorithm of synthesis of a kinoform is presented. In this method, two object-dependent filters (the amplitude (A) filter and the phase (P) one) are formed in the object plane in the process of iteration, rather than one phase filter, as usual. Both these filters participate in the formation of the phase structure of a kinoform. The use of two degrees of freedom (A, P) in the object plane instead of one degree (P) accelerates the convergence of the IFT-algorithm and allows one to reach significantly less values of the amplitude variance in a reconstructed image as compared with those within the available methods. The results of optical and model experiments confirming the efficiency of the method are given. It is found that the method is most efficient for binary objects. The method is generalized to the case of off-axis kinoforms. A simple method to introduce the carrier frequency into the structure of an axial kinoform is proposed. An image reconstructed by an off-axis kinoform is free from the noises with zero and close frequencies caused by the nonideality of both the phase mode of operation of a SLM and the effects of quantization of the registered phase.

The paper presents a practical study of several methods of image analysis applied to polarimetric images of regular and malignant human tissues. The images of physiological and pathologically changed tissues from body and cervix of uterus, intestine, kidneys and breast were recorded in transmitted light of different polarization state. The set up of the conventional optical microscope with CCD camera and rotating polarizer's were used for analysis of the polarization state of the light transmitted through the tissue slice for each pixel of the camera image. The set of images corresponding to the different coefficients of the Stockes vectors, a 3×3 subset of the Mueller matrix as well as the maps of the magnitude and in-plane direction of the birefringent components in the sample were calculated. Then, the statistical analysis and the Fourier transform as well as the autocorrelation methods were used to analyze spatial distribution of birefringent elements in the tissue samples. For better recognition of tissue state we proposed a novel method that takes advantage of multiscale image data decomposition The results were used for selection of the optical characteristics with significantly different values for regular and malignant tissues.

There have been theoretically analyzed the ways of the formation of the polarization singularities of the biological tissues images of various morphological structures. There have been also experimentally examined the coordinate distributions of a single and doubly degenerated polarization singularities of the physiologically normal and pathologically changed biological tissues.

The possibilities for the application of CdTe layer with a Schottky barrier as an X-ray photoconductor in direct-conversion flat-panel X-ray image detectors for digital fluoroscopy and radiography are analyzed. Conditions for obtaining a low dark current, high charge collection and detection efficiency of X-ray radiation are investigated in the photon energy range of 10-100 keV.

The interrelation between the state of polarization of local zones of object field and the value of inclination angle of skin epidermis plates has been found in the single scattering approximation. The technique of polarization reconstruction of coordinate distribution of inclination angles of surface micro-irregularities of skin epidermis has been suggested. Statistics of the 1st-4th orders of optical-geometric properties of rough surface of physiologically normal and pathologically changed skin has been analyzed. It was shown that microrelief of the sound skin surface has fractal angular structure. Pathological changes cause random distribution of inclination angles of micro-irregularities of the skin surface.

The correlation between the topological and the statistical approaches to describe inhomogeneously polarized optical fields is considered. Two main models describing coordinate distributions of polarization parameters within the topological approach, viz. the "island" model and the "toy-in-toy" one are experimentally proven. It is shown that the correlation length of polarization parameters of the field is comparable with the mean distance between points with orthogonal states of polarization.

The interconnection between geometry of biotissue structure with their polarization properties has been studied. It has been shown that for physiologically normal biotissues polarization properties of radiation scattered on architectonic nets formed by protein fibrils possess the fractal character. Pathological changes of biotissues architectonics are accompanied with the transformation of self-similar structure of Mueller-matrix images into stochastic and statistic ones.

The interrelations between statistics of the 1st-4th orders of the ensemble of Mueller-matrix images and geometric structure of birefringent architectonic nets of different morphological structure have been analyzed. The sensitivity of asymmetry and excess of statistic distributions of matrix elements C_ik to changing of orientation structure of optically anisotropic protein fibrils of physiologically normal and pathologically changed biological tissues architectonics has been shown.

Among inorganic components of urine are salts of oxalate, urate and phosphatic compositions. The investigation of this components is of a great importance for preventing or medical treatment of kidney stone disease. Wide used for today infrared and Raman spectroscopy have a limited application. It is connected with such aspects as: time-consuming, often hampered by pellet breakage and interpretation of spectra for quantifying urinary calculus constituents in mixtures is difficult, requiring expert knowledge by trained technicians, can not be applied to the substances that consist of light mass atoms. We propose a new method for detection of kidney stones type. It is based on luminescent properties of inorganic components of urine. The luminescent and IR spectra of dry phosphatic tailings of urine are analyzed. The explanation of the nature of watched luminescence is proposed.

The thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) of normal and pathological urine was studied. The presence of pathological salts leads to extinguishing of TSL intensity and to the appearance of additional stripes with maxima nearly 118 and 205K, except of characteristic stripes with the maxima nearly 173 and 260K. TSL stripes depend on urine constituents. The comparison of TSL intensity of normal and pathological urine is carried out and energies of thermal activation are determined for most intensive TSL stripes.

There have been given the results of the investigating the reflection coefficients of some plants' leaves with very smooth surfaces in the polarized light for those wave lengths for which the inner composition in the reflected emission does not practically exist. The optical constants for the mentioned objects of investigation have been defined, also Fresnel formulas as well as the method of the determination of the optical constants based on the measuring the reflection coefficients of the polarized emission for the definite fixed angles of incidence.

There have been given the results of the spectrophotometric examination of the dogs' and rats' venous and whole blood plasma taken in the process of the peritonitis progressing within the spectral interval λ = 220 - 320 nm (for plasma) and λ = 350 - 610 nm (for the whole blood). It has been defined that D-optical density values in the field of the long-waved maximum of plasma absorption intensity of the venous blood at λ = 280 nm depend upon the intensity of the inflammatory process and also upon the circumstances against the background of which it started to progress. It was found out that the dynamics of D= values changes for λ = 540 (or 570) nm in the process of the peritonitis progressing in case of the whole blood taken from a portal vein is a mirror symmetrical if to compare to the same dynamics for the blood from cava inferior. The defined conformities with regularities may have a diagnostic meaning. It was also found out that the biggest influence upon the dynamics of D-values at λ = 280nm of the venous blood plasma has the content of the circulating immune complexes, necrosis factor of α-tumors and interleukin - 2, the changes of which explain for almost on 100% the distribution of the optical density parameters and what proves a possible immunologic explanation of its changes.

A new mechanism of memory cell formation on structural biological units of the α-helical protein molecules is suggested in this work. The role of Frenkel excitons and "Davydov splitting" in the resonance mechanism of external excitation energy transmission along peptide groups is defined. Using the Green function method was obtained the theoretical bases of the protein cell absorptive power formation under external laser irradiation. The polarization peculiarities of α - protein exciton excitations at such levels of pumping, which allow to obtain a complex outlet signal reaction, were studied. Protein molecules can serve as perspective material for observing the effect of optical bistability. The results of the performed investigations permit to develop one of the lines of the molecular engineering technologies - the creation of molecular memory devices by controlling the laser radiation of the outlet protein molecule.

Considering propagation of radiation through light-scattering layers (such as paints, photomaterials, foils, skin etc.), one usually finds out the total energy absorbed by the layer using any experimental, analytical or computational methods. It is insufficient for solving some practical problems. It is important to know the distribution of the absorbed energy among disperse layer components, i.e. among a disperse phase and a bulk. The results of computation by Monte-Carlo technique of absorption of radiation for a blood as a whole, and separately for plasma and for erythrocyte. Computations were performed for wavelength λ=633 nm.

The interrelation of orientation, anisotropy structure of biotissue architectonics and topological element distribution of John's Matrices is investigated here. It is researched the analytical correlation of bioobject John's Matrices microstructure with matrix element indices measured in the far field of Fraunhofer's diffraction. The investigation is also dealt with the computer modeling and experimental researching the structure of matrix operator of multifractal amorphous - crystalline organization of different morphological structure biotissues.

The phenomenon of a laser light scattering on calf eye lenses at the diminution of their temperature is investigated in this paper. It is shown, that at the cooling of eye lens nucleus cytoplasm the scattered light speckle patterns change from small-sized speckles two large-sized speckles. Between those two phases the intermediate phase with elongated oriented speckles is observed. The possibility of using of autocorrelation function and its integration sum for scatterd laser light speckle pattern investigation is analyzed.

This work is directed to the investigation of the scope of the technique of laser polarimetry of oncological changes of the human prostate tissue under the conditions of multiple scattering, which presents a more general and real experimental clinical situation. To compare the above mentioned scope of biotissue laser polarimetry on the first stage the research of human prostate tissue in the conditions of single scattering was performed.

Our research was directed to determining the potentialities of laser polarimetry in diagnostics of oncological changes of optically thick, multilayer tissues of human prostate. The analysis of the obtained results showed high diagnostic sensitivity of statistic moments of the 3rd and 4th orders of coordinate distributions of matrix elements of both types of biotissues to the changes of optical-geometric structure.