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Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: Melinda K. Duncan, Dept. of Biological Sciences. Includes bibliographical references.

Free-space imaging with a resolution beyond that dictated by the classical diffraction limit may be achieved with a `Veselago-Pendry' superlens made from a metamaterial possessing a number of specific properties, including a negative refractive index (NRI). Although a planar NRI transmission-line (NRI-TL) metamaterial based on the periodic lumped loading of a host TL network has successfully verified the phenomenon of superlensing in a 2D microstrip environment, a true Veselago-Pendry superlens capable of interacting with and manipulating fields in free space remained elusive, largely due to the difficulty of meeting its stringent design constraints and also to the problem of realizing a full 3D isotropic, polarization-independent structure. This work presents the first experimental verification of free-space Veselago-Pendry superlensing using a new class of volumetric metamaterials based on 2D NRI-TL layers that, although polarization-specific, may be easily constructed using available lithographic techniques to interact with free-space sources. An equivalent-circuit model is developed to enable accurate design of the metamaterial's dispersion and transmission characteristics, including those associated with Veselago-Pendry superlensing, and is validated using full-wave simulations. First, a volumetric NRI-TL metamaterial employing fully printed loading elements is fabricated to verify the salient properties of a free-space metamaterial-slab lens. This lens demonstrates diffraction-limited focusing at X-band and, thus, affirms theoretical results that suggest that electrically thick and lossy metamaterials are unable to perform superlensing. Thereafter, a volumetric NRI-TL metamaterial based on discrete lumped elements is designed to meet the conditions of the Veselago-Pendry superlens at 2.40GHz, and experimentally demonstrates a resolution ability over three times better than that afforded by the classical diffraction limit. A microwave superlens designed in this fashion can be particularly useful for illumination and discrimination of closely spaced buried objects over practical distances by way of back-scattering, for example, in tumour or landmine detection, or for targeted irradiation over electrically small regions in tomography or hyperthermia applications. Possible optical implementations of the volumetric topology are also suggested, and finally, a fully isotropic, polarization-independent 3D metamaterial structure related to the volumetric NRI-TL structure is proposed.

Free-space imaging with a resolution beyond that dictated by the classical diffraction limit may be achieved with a `Veselago-Pendry' superlens made from a metamaterial possessing a number of specific properties, including a negative refractive index (NRI). Although a planar NRI transmission-line (NRI-TL) metamaterial based on the periodic lumped loading of a host TL network has successfully verified the phenomenon of superlensing in a 2D microstrip environment, a true Veselago-Pendry superlens capable of interacting with and manipulating fields in free space remained elusive, largely due to the difficulty of meeting its stringent design constraints and also to the problem of realizing a full 3D isotropic, polarization-independent structure. This work presents the first experimental verification of free-space Veselago-Pendry superlensing using a new class of volumetric metamaterials based on 2D NRI-TL layers that, although polarization-specific, may be easily constructed using available lithographic techniques to interact with free-space sources. An equivalent-circuit model is developed to enable accurate design of the metamaterial's dispersion and transmission characteristics, including those associated with Veselago-Pendry superlensing, and is validated using full-wave simulations. First, a volumetric NRI-TL metamaterial employing fully printed loading elements is fabricated to verify the salient properties of a free-space metamaterial-slab lens. This lens demonstrates diffraction-limited focusing at X-band and, thus, affirms theoretical results that suggest that electrically thick and lossy metamaterials are unable to perform superlensing. Thereafter, a volumetric NRI-TL metamaterial based on discrete lumped elements is designed to meet the conditions of the Veselago-Pendry superlens at 2.40GHz, and experimentally demonstrates a resolution ability over three times better than that afforded by the classical diffraction limit. A microwave superlens designed in this fashion can be particularly useful for illumination and discrimination of closely spaced buried objects over practical distances by way of back-scattering, for example, in tumour or landmine detection, or for targeted irradiation over electrically small regions in tomography or hyperthermia applications. Possible optical implementations of the volumetric topology are also suggested, and finally, a fully isotropic, polarization-independent 3D metamaterial structure related to the volumetric NRI-TL structure is proposed.

Purpose: To examine the variables that influence lipid deposition on conventional and silicone hydrogel contact lens materials and to build a physiologically relevant in vitro model of lipid deposition on contact lenses. Methods: Lipid deposition on contact lens materials can lead to discomfort and vision difficulty for lens wearers. Using a variety of radiochemical experiments and two model lipids (cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine), a number of clinically significant parameters that may influence lipid deposition were examined. • The optimization and characterization of a novel artificial tear solution (ATS) was examined (Chapter 3) • Optimization of an extraction system to remove deposited cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine from various contact lens materials (Chapter 4) • The influence of different tear film components on lipid deposition was researched (Chapter 5) • The efficiency of hydrogen peroxide disinfecting solutions to remove deposited lipid from contact lenses was investigated (Chapter 6) • The effect of intermittent air exposure on lipid deposition was examined through the use of a custom built “model blink cell” (Chapter 7) Results: A novel complex ATS designed for in-vial incubations of contact lens materials was developed. This solution was stable and did not adversely affect the physical parameters of the contact lenses incubated within it. An efficient extraction protocol for deposited cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine was optimized based on chloroform and methanol with the addition of water and acetic acid for phosphatidylcholine extraction. Overall, cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine deposition is cumulative over time and found to deposit in greater masses on silicone-containing hydrogels. Cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine deposition is influenced by the composition of the incubation medium and air exposure which occurs during the inter-blink period. Hydrogen peroxide disinfecting solutions were able to remove only marginal amounts of lipid from the contact lenses, with the surfactant containing solution removing more. Conclusion: This thesis has provided hitherto unavailable information on the way in which lipid interacts with conventional and silicone hydrogel contact lens materials and the in vitro model built here can be utilized in various ways in the future to assess other aspects and variables of lipid and protein deposition on a variety of biomaterials.

The fiber grating external cavity laser (FGECL) module packaged with fiber bragg grating and FP laser diode is investigated. The optical spectrum of FGECL is single longitudinal mode. In order to get stable single longitudinal mode, the FP laser diode coated with an AR-coating (reflectivity is 0.5%). To achieve higher coupling efficiency between laser diode and fiber, the hyperbolic-end lensed fiber is used. A coupling efficiency of up to 86% has been demonstrated. The alignment and fix between laser diode and fiber are accomplished by laser welding technology. The results of FGECL module show that the output power and side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) are more than 2mW and 44dB, respectively. Comparing to the non-AR coated FGECL, the result of SMSR is 5 dB improved. Dynamic tests of the FGECL module operate at 2.5Gbps, including the eye diagram, bit error rates, impedance matching of laser diode, signal current, and the limit of the dispersion in the optical communication system has been measured. The FGECL module can meet the ITU-T G.957 standard.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2004. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains x, 201 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 185-201).

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1979.

Section to section alignment is a preliminary step to the creation of three dimensional reconstructions from serial section electron micrographs. Typically, the micrograph of one section is aligned to its neighbors by analyzing a set of fiducial points to calculate an appropriate polynomial transform. This transform is then used to map all of the pixels of the micrograph into alignment. Such transforms are usually linear or piecewise linear in order to limit the accumulation of small errors, which may occur with the use of higher–order approximations. Linear alignment is unable to correct common higher order geometric distortions, such as lens distortion in the case of TEM, and scan distortion in the case of transmission-mode SEM. Here, we attempt to show that standard calibration replicas may be used to calculate a high order distortion model despite the irregularities that are often present in them. We show that SEM scan distortion has much less of an effect than TEM lens distortion; however, the effect of TEM distortion on prior geometric measurements made over three-dimensional reconstructions of dendrites, axons, and synapses and their subcellular compartments is negligible. / text