Optical wavelet transform of fractal aggregates

Pattern detection in colloidal assembly: A mosaic of analysis techniques

Characterization of the morphology, identification of patterns and quantification of order encountered in colloidal assemblies is essential for several reasons. First of all, it is useful to compare different self-assembly methods and assess the influence of different process parameters on the final colloidal pattern. In addition, casting light on the structures formed by colloidal particles can help to get better insight into colloidal interactions and understand phase transitions. Finally, the growing interest in colloidal assemblies in materials science for practical applications going from optoelectronics to biosensing imposes a thorough characterization of the morphology of colloidal assemblies because of the intimate relationship between morphology and physical properties (e.g. optical and mechanical) of a material. Several image analysis techniques developed to investigate images (acquired via scanning electron microscopy, digital video microscopy and other imaging methods) provide variegated and complementary information on the colloidal structures under scrutiny. However, understanding how to use such image analysis tools to get information on the characteristics of the colloidal assemblies may represent a non-trivial task, because it requires the combination of approaches drawn from diverse disciplines such as image processing, computational geometry and computational topology and their application to a primarily physico-chemical process. Moreover, the lack of a systematic description of such analysis tools makes it difficult to select the ones more suitable for the features of the colloidal assembly under examination. In this review we provide a methodical and extensive description of real-space image analysis tools by explaining their principles and their application to the investigation of two-dimensional colloidal assemblies with different morphological characteristics.

High-speed all-optical Haar wavelet transform for real-time image compression

We present a high-speed single pixel flow imager based on an all-optical Haar wavelet transform of moving objects. Spectrally-encoded wavelet measurement patterns are produced by chirp processing of broad-bandwidth mode-locked laser pulses. A complete wavelet pattern set serially illuminates the object via a spectral disperser. This high-rate structured illumination transforms the scene into a set of sparse coefficients. We show that complex scenes can be compressed to less than 30% of their Nyquist rate by thresholding and storing the most significant wavelet coefficients. Moreover by employing temporal multiplexing of the patterns we are able to achieve pixel rates in excess of 360 MPixels/s.

Wavelet-based decomposition of high resolution surface plasmon microscopy V(Z) curves at visible and near infrared wavelengths

Surface plasmon resonance is conventionally conducted in the visible range and, during the past decades, it has proved its efficiency in probing molecular scale interactions. Here we elaborate on the first implementation of a high resolution surface plasmon microscope that operates at near infrared (IR) wavelength for the specific purpose of living matter imaging. We analyze the characteristic angular and spatial frequencies of plasmon resonance in visible and near IR lights and how these combined quantities contribute to the V(Z) response of a scanning surface plasmon microscope (SSPM). Using a space-frequency wavelet decomposition, we show that the V(Z) response of the SSPM for red (632.8 nm) and near IR (1550 nm) lights includes the frequential response of plasmon resonance together with additional parasitic frequencies induced by the objective pupil. Because the objective lens pupil profile is often unknown, this space-frequency decomposition turns out to be very useful to decipher the characteristic frequencies of the experimental V(Z) curves. Comparing the visible and near IR light responses of the SSPM, we show that our objective lens, primarily designed for visible light microscopy, is still operating very efficiently in near IR light. Actually, despite their loss in resolution, the SSPM images obtained with near IR light remain contrasted for a wider range of defocus values from negative to positive Z values. We illustrate our theoretical modeling with a preliminary experimental application to blood cell imaging.

Two-dimensional optical wavelet decomposition with white-light illumination by wavelength multiplexing

We present a novel method for achieving in real time a two-dimensional optical wavelet decomposition with white-light illumination. The underlying idea of the suggested method is wavelength multiplexing. The information in the different wavelet components of an input object is transmitted simultaneously in different wavelengths and summed incoherently at the output plane. Experimental results show the utility of the new proposed method.

Optical computing by a vector holographic memory system

We propose what is to our knowledge a novel holographic memory system that is simultaneously applicable to data storage and optical computing. We introduce a polarization-modulated reference beam into holographic recording. A desired spatial-frequency component of an object beam is recorded as a polarization-modulated grating, and the other component is recorded as an intensity-modulated grating. Since the polarization-modulated grating rotates the polarization axis of the incident light by 90 degrees , it is possible to distinguish the desired spatial-frequency component of the retrieved image. Utilizing this property, we have successfully performed spatial-frequency filtering and frequency-selective matched filtering. The system is capable of a variety of optical computations, depending on the design of the polarization modulation.

Optical implementation of the continuous wavelet transform

A simple optical implementation for the one-dimensional wavelet transform (WT) is proposed. In contrast with previous WT optical implementations, the obtained WT is continuous along both axes (dilation and shift). An optical implementation to the inverse WT is proposed as well. Thus an optical continuous WT processor can be implemented.

Continuous two-dimensional on-axis optical wavelet transformer and wavelet processor with white-light illumination

The wavelet transform can be expressed mathematically as a convolution between the input function and a continuous set of scaled wavelet mother functions. Optics has managed to implement only the hybrid wavelet transform in which the set of scaled wavelet mother functions is discrete but the shift is continuous. White-light illumination is used to obtain a two-dimensional, fully continuous, on-axis wavelet transformer. When the illumination source is also spatially incoherent, a complete wavelet processor may be constructed.

Optical wavelet-matched filtering with bacteriorhodopsin films

We present here the experimental and numerical results to demonstrate the superior performance of optical wavelet-matched filtering over conventional matched filtering. For this purpose, the biomolecule material bacteriorhodopsin (bR) as the recording media and the improved dual-axis joint transform correlator configuration as the preferred optical setup have been used. Compared with the dual-axis joint Fourier transform correlator, the dual-axis joint wavelet transform correlator provides better correlation performance.

Fractional wavelet transform

The wavelet transform, which has had a growing importance in signal and image processing, has been generalized by association with both the wavelet transform and the fractional Fourier transform. Possible implementations of the new transformation are in image compression, image transmission, transient signal processing, etc. Computer simulations demonstrate the abilities of the novel transform. Optical implementation of this transform is briefly discussed.

Optical wavelet processor by holographic bipolar encoding and joint-transform correlation

A novel optical wavelet processor based on the techniques of the joint-transform correlator and computer-generated holograms is proposed. A coding technique that is a simplified version of Lee's hologram [Appl. Opt. 9, 639 (1970)] is used to represent positive and negative values for the object signal and wavelet functions. We experimentally demonstrate that wavelet transforms of two different daughter wavelet functions can be simultaneously obtained by the appropriate arrangement of the daughter wavelet functions and the object signal on the input plane.

Two-dimensional wavelet transform by wavelength multiplexing

The wavelet transform is a useful tool for data compression, analysis of short transient pulses, optical correlators, etc. This transform was obtained optically by the use of the spatial or temporal multiplexing approaches. A two-dimensional wavelet transform is obtained with only one spatial channel. The information of the different scalings is carried in different wavelengths and summed incoherently at the output plane. Laboratory experimental results are demonstrated.

Two-dimensional wavelet processor

An optical implementation of the two-dimensional (2-D) wavelet transform and inverse wavelet transform is performed in real time by the exploitation of a new multichannel system that processes the different daughter wavelets separately. The so-coined wavelet-processor system relies on a multichannel replication array generated that uses a Dammann grating and is able to handle every wavelet function. All channels process in parallel using a conventional 2-D correlator. Experimental results applying the Mexican-hat wavelet-decomposition technique are presented.

Wavelet-transform-based composite filters for invariant pattern recognition

A wavelet-transformation-based optical processor for performing invariant pattern recognition is suggested. It contains a composite filter that consists of several wavelet daughter functions derived from the reference object. The intensity of the correlation peak is determined to be invariant to various deformations of the reference object. Computer simulations show explicitly the promising capability of the new technique. Laboratory experimental results are given.

Two-dimensional wavelet transform achieved by computer-generated multireference matched filter and Dammann grating

A two-dimensional wavelet transform is optically performed in real time by use of a new multichannel system that processes the different daughter wavelets separately. The system, which is able to handle every wavelet function, relies on a Dammann grating for generating a multichannel array. All channels are processed in parallel by a conventional two-dimensional correlator. Experimental results applying Morlet-wavelet decomposition are presented.

Optical implementation of a wavelet transform by the use of dynamic holographic recording in a photorefractive material

An optical system that employs holographic recording in a photorefractive material is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for the implementation of a wavelet transform of two-dimensional mages. A scaling operation, to derive the family of wavelet filters from a mother wavelet filter, is performed by the use of an optical feedback loop. The selection of a desired wavelet filter from the family and the correlation for a wavelet transformation are made by the use of a holographic recording in a photorefractive material. The principle of operation of the system relies on the frequency detuning introduced inside the loop and the subsequent variation in the holographic grating diffraction. Experimental results on wavelet-filter selection and wavelet transformation are presented. This nonlinear optical wavelet-transform system is advantageous for pattern recognition applications.

Joint wavelet-transform correlator for image feature extraction

We describe a joint wavelet-transform correlator in which the wavelet function is combined with the input image as the input joint image to realize the wavelet transform of the objective image. The Haar wavelet and the Roberts filter are chosen as the wavelet functions to extract the features of the objective image. The relationship of the Haar wavelet and the Roberts filter is analyzed mathematically based on admissible condition of the wavelet. Computer simulations are provided to verify the theory and to illustrate the performance of this correlator.

Two-dimensional wavelet transform and application to holographic particle velocimetry

<p>The goal of holographic particle velocimetry is to infer fluid velocity patterns from images reconstructed from doubly exposed holograms of fluid volumes seeded with small particles. The advantages offered by in-line holography in this context usually make it the method of choice, but seeding densities sufficient to achieve high spatial resolution in the sampling of the velocity fields cause serious degradation, through speckle, of the signal-to-noise ratio in the reconstructed images. The in-line method also leads to a great depth of field in paraxial viewing of reconstructed images, making it essentially impossible to estimate particle depth with useful accuracy. We present here an analysis showing that these limitations can be circumvented by variably scaled correlation, or wavelet transformation. The shift variables of the wavelet transform are provided automatically by the optical correlation methodology. The variable scaling of the wavelet transform derives, in this case, directly from the need to accommodate varying particle depths. To provide such scaling, we use a special optical system incorporating prescribed variability in spacings and focal length of lenses to scan through the range of particle depths.</p><p>Calculation shows, among other benefits, improvement by approximately two orders of magnitude in depth resolution. A much higher signal-to-noise ratio together with faster data extraction and processing should be attainable.</p>

Optical wavelet matched filter

A shift-invariant optical continuous wavelet transform is used for pattern recognition. We propose an Voptical wavelet matched filter that performs optical wavelet transforms for edge enhancement and the correlation between two wavelet transforms in a single step. This new bandpass matched filter shows improved discrimination capability with respect to the conventional matched filter and improved signal-to-noise ratio with respect to the phase-only matched filter. The wavelet matched filter provides flexibility of an adaptive choice of the scale factors of the wavelets that permit the selection of size and orientation of the smoothing function used in edge enhancement and the optimization of the performance of the filter. Optical experimental results are shown.

Two-dimensional optical wavelet transform in space domain and its performance analysis

A new architecture of an optical wavelet transform system with a lenslet array is proposed, and its optical performance and optical limits are analyzed.

Optical realization of the wavelet transform for two-dimensional objects

Real-time wavelet transformations of two-dimensional objects are implemented by use of the conventional coherent correlator with a multireference matched filter. The different daughter wavelets are spatially multiplexed with different reference-beam directions. Two experiments are described, one of them with a spatial light modulator at the input plane in order to enable the real-time property.

Wavelet transform as a bank of the matched filters

The wavelet transform is a powerful tool for the analysis of short transient signals. We detail the advantages of the wavelet transform over the Fourier transform and the windowed Fourier transform and consider the wavelet as a bank of the VanderLugt matched filters. This methodology is particularly useful in those cases in which the shape of the mother wavelet is approximately known a priori. A two-dimensional optical correlator with a bank of the wavelet filters is implemented to yield the time-frequency joint representation of the wavelet transform of one-dimensional signals.