Numerical implementation of three-dimensional vectorial complex ray model and application to rainbow scattering of spheroidal drops.

The rainbow patterns of oblate spheroidal drops have been observed in experiments nearly forty years ago [Nature312, 529 (1984)10.1038/312529a0]. However, the prediction for those complex patterns has been a challenge for conventional light scattering models.

Microfluidic lab-on-a-chip characterization of nano- to microparticles suspensions by light extinction spectrometry.

The analysis of nano- and microparticle suspensions with micro systems affords improved space-time yields, selectivity, reaction residence times and conversions capabilities. These capabilities are of primary importance in various fields of research and industry. The few microfluidic lab-on-a-chip approaches that have been developed are essentially designed to analyse fluid phases or involve the use of benchtop particle sizing instruments.

Generalized rainbow patterns of oblate drops simulated by a ray model in three dimensions.

The scattering patterns near the primary rainbow of oblate drops are simulated by extending the vectorial complex ray model (VCRM) [Opt. Lett.36, 370 (2011)OPLEDP0146-959210.

Bubbles, drops, and solid particles recognition from real or virtual photonic jets reconstructed by digital in-line holography.

The image of the photonic jet (also called caustic) formed by a large, transparent, and spherical particle, reconstructed by digital in-line holography, is shown to be similar to the Airy pattern observed at the focus of a diffraction-limited lens. The analysis of this image, real or virtual depending on whether the particle relative refractive index is above or below one, allows characterizing the particle composition via its refractive index. Experiments clearly demonstrate the value of this method for the simultaneous 3D characterization and differentiation of the dynamics, size, and composition of gas, liquid, and solid particles in multiphase flows.

Droplet sizing and mixture fraction measurement in liquid-liquid flows with rainbow-angle diffractometry.

The capabilities and resolution of the rainbow technique were extended to estimate the size distribution and composition of droplets in liquid-liquid systems. For these droplets, essentially characterized by a low relative refractive index (m≈1.001-1.

Photonic jet reconstruction for particle refractive index measurement by digital in-line holography.

A new and computationally efficient approach is proposed for determining the refractive index of spherical and transparent particles, in addition to their size and 3D position, using digital in-line holography. The method is based on the localization of the maximum intensity position of the photonic jet with respect to the particle center retrieved from the back propagation of recorded holograms. Rigorous electromagnetic calculations and experimental results demonstrate that for liquid-liquid systems and droplets with a radius > 30µm, a refractive index measurement with a resolution inferior to 4 × 10 is achievable, revealing a significant potential for the use of this method to investigate multiphase flows.

Organic photo sensors for multi-angle light scattering characterization of particle systems.

Organic Photo Sensor (OPS) technology allows printing on conformable plastic-like substrates complex-shaped, arbitrarily-sized and pre-aligned photosensitive elements. This article reports, to the best of our knowledge, the first investigation to implement this emerging technology for Multi-Angle Light Scattering (MALS) characterization of nano- and microparticle suspensions. Monte Carlo and Lorenz-Mie theory calculations as well as preliminary experimental results on latex suspensions clearly demonstrate the potential of the proposed approach.

Experimental validation of the vectorial complex ray model on the inter-caustics scattering of oblate droplets.

We report the first experimental validation of the Vectorial Complex Ray Model (VCRM) using the scattering patterns of large oblate droplets trapped in an acoustic field. The two principal radii and refractive index of the droplets are retrieved with a minimization method that involves VCRM predictions and experimental light scattering patterns. The latter are recorded in the droplet equatorial plane between the primary rainbow region and the associated hyperbolic-umbilic diffraction catastrophe.

Physical-optics approximation of near-critical-angle scattering by spheroidal bubbles.

A first-order approximation is derived for the near-critical-angle scattering of a large spheroidal bubble illuminated by a plane wave propagating along the bubble axis of symmetry. The intensity of the far-field scattering pattern is expressed as a function of the relative refractive index and the two radii of curvature of the spheroidal bubble at the critical impact point.

Near-critical-angle scattering for the characterization of clouds of bubbles: particular effects.

We report experimental investigations on the influence of various optical effects on the far-field scattering pattern produced by a cloud of optical bubbles near the critical scattering angle. Among the effects considered, there is the change of the relative refractive index of the bubbles (gas bubbles or some liquid-liquid droplets), the influence of intensity gradients induced by the laser beam intensity profile and by the spatial filtering of the collection optics, the coherent and multiple scattering effects occurring for densely packed bubbles, and the tilt angle of spheroidal optical bubbles. The results obtained herein are thought to be fundamental for the development of future works to model these effects and for the extension of the range of applicability of an inverse technique (referenced herein as the critical angle refractometry and sizing technique), which is used to determine the size distribution and composition of bubbly flows.

Vectorial complex ray model and application to two-dimensional scattering of plane wave by a spheroidal particle.

A vectorial complex ray model is introduced to describe the scattering of a smooth surface object of arbitrary shape. In this model, all waves are considered as vectorial complex rays of four parameters: amplitude, phase, direction of propagation, and polarization. The ray direction and the wave divergence/convergence after each interaction of the wave with a dioptric surface as well as the phase shifts of each ray are determined by the vector Snell law and the wavefront equation according to the curvatures of the surfaces.

Critical angle refractometry and sizing of bubble clouds.

The principle of the critical angle refractometry and sizing technique is extended to characterize the size distribution and the mean refractive index of clouds of bubbles. For a log-normal bubble-size distribution, simulations show that the mean size, the relative width of the size distribution, and the mean refractive index of the bubbles have a particular and easily identified influence on the critical scattering patterns. Preliminary experimental results on air bubble/water flows clearly demonstrate the potential and robustness of this new technique for bubbly flow characterization.

Three interfering beams in laser Doppler velocimetry for particle position and microflow velocity profile measurements.

It is proposed to use three interfering and coplanar laser beams to form the probe volume of laser Doppler systems. This allows us to obtain, for each particle crossing this probe volume, a Doppler signal whose frequency amplitude spectrum exhibits two characteristic peaks. Electromagnetic calculations and experimental validations clearly demonstrate that we can estimate simultaneously, from the analysis of these two frequency peaks, the particle position along the optical axis and one velocity component.

Superimposed noninterfering probes to extend the capabilities of phase Doppler anemometry.

We propose using multiple superimposed noninterfering probes (SNIPs) of the same wavelength but different beam angles to extend the capabilities of phase Doppler anemometry. When a particle is moving in a SNIP the Doppler signals that are produced exhibit multiple Doppler frequencies and phase shifts. The resolution of the measurements of particle size (i.