Informational Limits in Optical Polarimetry and Vectorial Imaging

Central to this thesis is the characterisation and exploitation of electromagnetic properties of light in imaging and measurement systems. To this end an information theoretic approach is used to formulate a hitherto lacking, quantitative definition of polarisation resolution, and to establish fundamental precision limits in electromagnetic systems. Furthermore rigorous modelling tools are developed for propagation of arbitrary electromagnetic fields, including for example stochastic fields exhibiting properties such as partial polarisation, through high numerical aperture optics. Finally these ideas are applied to the development, characterisation and optimisation of a number of topical optical systems: polarisation imaging; multiplexed optical data storage; and single molecule measurements. The work has implications for all optical imaging systems where polarisation of light is of concern.

List of contents

Introduction.- Fundamentals of probability theory.- Information and estimation theory.- Vectorial optics.- Information in polarimetry.- Information in polarisation imaging.- Multiplexed Optical Data Storage (MODS).- Single molecule studies.- Conclusions.- Appendices.

Summary

Central to this thesis is the characterisation and exploitation of electromagnetic properties of light in imaging and measurement systems. To this end an information theoretic approach is used to formulate a hitherto lacking, quantitative definition of polarisation resolution, and to establish fundamental precision limits in electromagnetic systems. Furthermore rigorous modelling tools are developed for propagation of arbitrary electromagnetic fields, including for example stochastic fields exhibiting properties such as partial polarisation, through high numerical aperture optics. Finally these ideas are applied to the development, characterisation and optimisation of a number of topical optical systems: polarisation imaging; multiplexed optical data storage; and single molecule measurements. The work has implications for all optical imaging systems where polarisation of light is of concern.

Product details

• Authors: Matthew R Foreman, Matthew R. Foreman
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 03.04.2014
• EAN: 9783642435683
• ISBN: 978-3-642-43568-3
• No. of pages: 232
• Dimensions: 155 mm x 13 mm x 235 mm
• Weight: 382 g
• Illustrations: XVI, 232 p.
• Series: Springer Theses; Springer Theses
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Physics, astronomy > Electricity, magnetism, optics; Laser, B, Optics, Physics, Measurement, Lasers, Theoretical, Mathematical and Computational Physics, Physics and Astronomy, Classical Electrodynamics, Optical physics, Electricity, electromagnetism & magnetism, Electrodynamics, Photonics, Applied optics, Optics, Lasers, Photonics, Optical Devices, Scientific standards, measurement etc, Measurement Science and Instrumentation, Physical measurements, Mathematical physics, Numerical and Computational Physics, Simulation