Estimating the state of a system from noisy measurements is a problem which arises in a variety of scientific and industrial areas which include signal processing, communications, statistics and econometrics. Recursive filtering is one way to achieve this by incorporating noisy observations as they become available with prior knowledge of the system model. Bayesian methods provide a general framework for dynamic state estimation problems. The central idea behind this recursive Bayesian estimation is computing the probability density function of the state vector of the system conditioned on the measurements. However, the optimal solution to this problem is often intractable because it requires high-dimensional integration. Although we can use the Kalman lter in the case of a linear state space model with Gaussian noise, this method is not optimum for a non-linear and non-Gaussian system model. There are many new methods of filtering for the general case. The main emphasis of this thesis is on one such recently developed filter, the particle lter [2,3,6]. In this thesis, a detailed introduction to particle filters is provided as well as some guidelines for the efficient implementation of the particle lter. The application of particle lters to various communication channels like detection of symbols over the channels, capacity calculation of the channel are discussed.

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells are being studied for use as high efficiency power plants in alternative fuel vehicles. To maintain high efficiency the operating temperatures of the membranes in these fuel cells must be closely monitored and controlled. However, the environment inside of the fuel cell is not favorable for traditional temperature sensing, so a new optical-fiber-based, distributed temperature sensor was proposed to address this need. This thesis investigates the properties of neodymium-doped optical fiber for use as a distributed temperature sensor for PEM fuel cells. The optical absorption spectrum was measured to identify the energy band structure and determine upconversion excitation schemes. The temperature coefficient of the Nd³⁺-doped silica fiber fluorescence decay time was measured for several bands of emission. Finally, two-photon upconversion was attempted from the lower excited states of Nd:YAG and Nd:silica. / Graduation date: 2012

The following work deals with basics of fiber optics, history of fiber optics, and methods of measuring physical quantities with the use of fiber optic sensors. The work includes facts about physics, chemistry and biology - these elements are necessary for a full understanding of the issue. In order to create an optical fiber temperature sensor based on Fabry Perot resonator principle, several methods of manufacturing the optical cavity are investigated. A practical part of paper consist in the manufacturing of the miniature fiber thermometer, its coating and testing.

This master´s thesis deals with of human factor impact on optical fibers manipulation. It describes types and methods used for splicing and placing optical fibers and optical cables. These methods are specified in the chapters; their application in different environments and conditions is accentuated. This paper presents splicing optical fibers. It emphasizes problems which can occur if proper procedures aren´t kept or if improper device is used. In the thesis there is the chapter dealing with problems which can arise during splicing optical fibers - these negative influences are evaluated with educational equipments EF-970-01 PLASTIC by the company MIKROKOM, s.r.o. Another aim of the work is to describe mechanical optical fiber splice 3MTM FibrlokTM. This kind of device was lent for testing optical fibers multiple splicing. It was tested under extreme conditions. Statistically processed values of insertion loss and splice reflectance, measured by OTDR are the results of the test. Comparing measured values, technical report ones, regarding for usage in practice, there is a possibility of 75 multiple reusing of the mechanical optical fiber splice. The prediction of magnitude insertion loss, calculated for thousands splice cycles follows. The next part of the work deals with fusion splices and contains comparison of splices made with two cleavers: CORNING LWL-TRENNGERAT S46999-M9-D12 and the later model - Fitel S325A cleaver. The result is that older S46999-M9-D12 model gained lower attenuation. The results of both previous measurements are influenced by human factor. It appears at mechanical optical fiber splices as growing fluctuate of insertion losses and as the unequal attenuation fusion splices at tested cleavers.

Nowdays, optical fibers are one of important parts of computer networks, especially for their ability to transfer information for long distance. This thesis doesn´t utilize optical fibers as carriers, but as sources of information, specifically as sensors intended to detect physical effects acting on the optical fiber, which is usually used for telecommunication purposes. Linear and nonlinear properties of the fiber are used to gain information about acting effects on the optical fiber.

This semestral work describes key concepts, principles and basic characteristics of optical fibers. Furthermore, the principles of phase mask and subsequent records of perpendicular or tilted structures in fiber are being discussed. The work also introduces the use of such structures in sensorics as well as its connection to Bragg grating. Considerable part of this thesis is dedicated to analysis and production of longitudinal structures in fibers.

This diploma thesis analyzes a structure of spot optical sensors with longitudinal grid and multiple Bragg grating and possibilities of spot optical sensors use and implementation in the industry. Basic principles of light propagation through optical environment are described in the introduction part, followed by description of phenomena in optical fibers and sensors. The distribution of fiber optic sensors and the use of optic fiber in spot mode is described further. The optical sensor system is designed on the basis of analysis with description of its construction at the end of this work. A significant part is devoted to the analysis of longitudinal structures in the fiber in response to multiple Bragg gratings, their subsequent manufacture and suggestion of use in sensors industry.

A fatigue test has been performed on 7075-T651 aluminum specimens which were bonded with polyimide coated optical fibers with discrete Bragg gratings. These fibers were bonded with AE-10 strain gage adhesive. The results indicate that lower strain amplitudes do not produce cause for concern, but that larger strain amplitudes (on the order of 3500 μ) may cause some sensors to become unreliable. The strain response of acrylate coated optical fiber strain sensors bonded to aluminum specimens with AE-10 and M-Bond 200 strain gage adhesives was investigated with both axial and cantilever beam tests. These results were compared to both the strain response of conventional strain gages and to model predictions. The results indicate that only about 82.6% of the strain in the specimen was transferred through the glue line and fiber coating into the fiber. Thus, multiplying by a strain transfer factor of approximately 1.21 was sufficient to correct the optical fiber strain output. This effect was found to be independent of the adhesive used and independent of the three-dimensional profile of the glue line used to attach the fiber. Finally, this effect did not depend on whether the fiber had a polyimide or an acrylate coating. Further investigation was conducted on the feasibility of using optical fiber strain sensors for monitoring subcritical damage (such as matrix cracks) in fiber reinforced composite materials. These results indicate that an array of optical fibers which monitor the strain profile on both sides of a composite panel may be sufficient for these purposes / Master of Science

Optical transfection is a promising technique for the delivery of foreign genetic material into cells by transiently changing the permeability of the cell membrane. Of the different optical light sources that have been used, femtosecond laser based transfection has been one of the most effective methods for optical transfection which is generally implemented using a free-space bulk optical setup. Here in this thesis, a few novel fabrication methods are devised to obtain easy and inexpensive fabrication of microlensed optical fibers, which can be used to replace traditional optical setup and perform femtosecond optical transfection. These fabrication methods offer the flexibility to fabricate a microlens which can focus femtosecond laser pulses at 800 nm to a small focal spot whilst keeping a relatively large working distance. In conventional optical transfection methods the foreign genetic material to be transfected is homogenously mixed in the medium. This thesis reports the first realization of an integrated optical transfection system which can achieve transfection along with localized drug delivery by combining lensed fiber based optical transfection system with a micro-capillary based microfluidic system. Finally, based on an imaging fiber (coherent optical fiber bundle), the first endoscope-like integrated system for optical transfection with subcellular resolution epifluorescence imaging was built. The transfection efficiency of these fiber based systems is comparable to that of a standard free-space transfection system. Also the use of integrated system for localized gene delivery resulted in a reduction of the required amount of genetic material for transfection. The miniaturized, integrated design opens a range of exciting experimental possibilities, such as the dosing of tissue slices to study neuron activities, targeted drug delivery, and in particular for using endoscope-like integrated systems for targeted in vivo optical microsurgery.

Compact high power fiber lasers and the vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VECSELs) are promising candidates for high power laser sources with diffraction-limited beam quality and are currently the subject of intensive research and development. Here three large mode area fiber lasers, namely, the photonic crystal fiber (PCF) laser, the multicore fiber (MCF) laser, and the multimode interference (MMI) fiber laser, as well as the VECSEL are modeled and designed.For the PCF laser, the effective refractive index and the effective core radius of the PCF are investigated using vectorial approaches and reformulated. Then, the classical step-index fiber theory is extended to PCFs, resulting in a highly efficient vectorial effective-index method for the design and analysis of PCFs. The new approach is employed to analyze the modal properties of the PCF lasers with depressed-index cores and to effectively estimate the number of guided modes for PCFs.The MCF laser, consisting of an active MCF and a passive coreless fiber, is modeled using the vectorial mode expansion method developed in this work. The results illustrate that the mode selection in the MCF laser by the coreless fiber section is determined by the MMI effect, not the Talbot effect. Based on the MMI and self-imaging in multimode fibers, the vectorial mode expansion approach is employed to design the first MMI fiber laser demonstrated experimentally.For the design and modeling of VECSELs, the optical, thermal, and structural properties of common material systems are investigated and the most reliable material models are summarized. The nanoscale heat transport theory is applied for the first time, to the best of my knowledge, to design and model VECSELs. In addition, the most accurate strain compensation approach is selected for VECSELs incorporating strained quantum wells to maintain structural stability. The design principles for the VECSEL subcavity are elaborated and applied to design a 1040nm VECSEL subcavity that has been demonstrated for high power operation of VECSELs where near diffraction-limited output over 20 W is obtained. Physical modeling of the VECSEL is also discussed and used to compare VECSEL subcavity designs on the laser level.