Design of All-Dielectric Long-wave infrared Wide-angle Metalens

Optical metasurfaces are two-dimensional arrays of nano-scatterers that modify optical wavefronts at subwavelength spatial resolution. They achieve the effect of focusing through phase control under a sub-wavelength scale, named metalens. They are poised to revolutionize optics by enabling complex low-cost systems. However, there are monochromatic severe aberrations in the metasurfaces. In this paper,the long-wave infrared optical system coma is eliminated through a single-layer metasurface. By changing the phase function,this metalens have a numerical aperture of 0.89,a focal length of 150 μm,and a field of view of 120° (0.4@60lp/mm) that enables diffraction-limited monochromatic imaging along the focal plane at a wavelength of 10.6μm. And the designed metasurface maintains a favorable MTF value at different angles. This equipment can be widely used in imaging and industrial processing.

Quantitative analysis of metal artifact reduction in total hip arthroplasty using virtual monochromatic imaging and orthopedic metal artifact reduction, a phantom study

Objective To quantify metal artifact reduction using 130 keV virtual monochromatic imaging (VMI) with and without orthopedic metal artifact reduction (O-MAR) in total hip arthroplasty. Methods Conventional polychromatic images and 130 keV VMI of a phantom with pellets representing bone with unilateral or bilateral prostheses were reconstructed with and without O-MAR on a dual-layer CT. Pellets were categorized as unaffected, mildly affected and severely affected. Results When 130 keV VMI with O-MAR was compared to conventional imaging with O-MAR, a relative metal artifact reduction in CT values, contrast-to-noise (CNR), signal-to-noise (SNR) and noise in mildly affected pellets (67%, 74%, 48%, 68%, respectively; p < 0.05) was observed but no significant relative metal artifact reduction in severely affected pellets. Comparison between 130 keV VMI without O-MAR and conventional imaging with O-MAR showed relative metal artifact reduction in CT values, CNR, SNR and noise in mildly affected pellets (92%, 72%, 38%, 51%, respectively; p < 0.05) but negative relative metal artifact reduction in CT values and noise in severely affected pellets (− 331% and -223%, respectively; p < 0.05), indicating aggravation of metal artifacts. Conclusion Overall, VMI of 130 keV with O-MAR provided the strongest metal artifact reduction.

Time-Resolved Neutron Bragg-Edge Imaging: A Case Study by Observing Martensitic Phase Formation in Low Temperature Transformation (LTT) Steel during GTAW

Polychromatic and wavelength-selective neutron transmission radiography were applied during bead-on-plate welding on 5 mm thick sheets on the face side of martensitic low transformation temperature (LTT) steel plates using gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). The in situ visualization of austenitization upon welding and subsequent α’-martensite formation during cooling could be achieved with a temporal resolution of 2 s for monochromatic imaging using a single neutron wavelength and of 0.5 s for polychromatic imaging using the full spectrum of the beam (white beam). The spatial resolution achieved in the experiments was approximately 200 µm. The transmitted monochromatic neutron beam intensity at a wavelength of λ = 0.395 nm was significantly reduced during cooling below the martensitic start temperature Ms since the emerging martensitic phase has a ~10% higher attenuation coefficient than the austenitic phase. Neutron imaging was significantly influenced by coherent neutron scattering caused by the thermal motion of the crystal lattice (Debye–Waller factor), resulting in a reduction in the neutron transmission by approx. 15% for monochromatic and by approx. 4% for polychromatic imaging.

Evaluation of three-dimensional iterative image reconstruction in virtual monochromatic imaging at 40 kilo-electron volts: phantom and clinical studies to assess the image noise and image quality in comparison with other reconstruction techniques

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the image quality in virtual monochromatic imaging (VMI) at 40 kilo-electron volts (keV) with three-dimensional iterative image reconstruction (3D-IIR). Methods: A phantom study and clinical study (31 patients) were performed with dual-energy CT (DECT). VMI at 40 keV was obtained and the images were reconstructed using filtered back projection (FBP), 50% adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR), and 3D-IIR. We conducted subjective and objective evaluations of the image quality with each reconstruction technique. Results: The image contrast-to-noise ratio and image noise in both the clinical and phantom studies were significantly better with 3D-IIR than with 50% ASiR, and with 50% ASiR than with FBP (all, p < 0.05). The standard deviation and noise power spectra of the reconstructed images decreased in the order of 3D-IIR to 50% ASiR to FBP, while the modulation transfer function was maintained across the three reconstruction techniques. In most subjective evaluations in the clinical study, the image quality was significantly better with 3D-IIR than with 50% ASiR, and with 50% ASiR than with FBP (all, p < 0.001). Regarding the diagnostic acceptability, all images using 3D-IIR were evaluated as being fully or probably acceptable. Conclusions: The quality of VMI at 40 keV is improved by 3D-IIR, which allows the image noise to be reduced and structural details to be maintained. Advances in knowledge: The improvement of the image quality of VMI at 40 keV by 3D-IIR may increase the subjective acceptance in the clinical setting.