Measurement of the Polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background with the BICEP2 and Keck Array Telescopes

Precision polarimetry of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) has become a mainstay of observational cosmology. The ΛCDM model predicts a polarization of the CMB at the level of a few μK, with a characteristic E-mode pattern. On small angular scales, a B-mode pattern arises from the gravitational lensing of E-mode power by the large scale structure of the universe. Inflationary gravitational waves (IGW) may be a source of B-mode power on large angular scales, and their relative contribution to primordial fluctuations is parameterized by a tensor-to-scalar ratio r. BICEP2 and Keck Array are a pair of CMB polarimeters at the South Pole designed and built for optimal sensitivity to the primordial B-mode peak around multipole l ~ 100. The BICEP2/Keck Array program intends to achieve a sensitivity to r ≥ 0.02. Auxiliary science goals include the study of gravitational lensing of E-mode into B-mode signal at medium angular scales and a high precision survey of Galactic polarization. These goals require low noise and tight control of systematics. We describe the design and calibration of the instrument. We also describe the analysis of the first three years of science data. BICEP2 observes a significant B-mode signal at 150 GHz in excess of the level predicted by the lensed-ΛCDM model, and Keck Array confirms the excess signal at > 5σ. We combine the maps from the two experiments to produce 150 GHz Q and U maps which have a depth of 57 nK deg (3.4 μK arcmin) over an effective area of 400 deg² for an equivalent survey weight of 248000 μK². We also show preliminary Keck Array 95 GHz maps. A joint analysis with the Planck collaboration reveals that much of BICEP2/Keck Array's observed 150 GHz signal at low l is more likely a Galactic dust foreground than a measurement of r. Marginalizing over dust and r, lensing B-modes are detected at 7.0σ significance.

MODIFIED DIRECT TWOS-COMPLEMENT PARALLEL ARRAY MULTIPLICATION ALGORITHM FOR COMPLEX MATRIX OPERATION

A direct twos-complement parallel array multiplication algorithm is introduced and modified for digital optical numerical computation. The modified version overcomes the problems encountered in the conventional optical twos-complement algorithm. In the array, all the summands are generated in parallel, and the relevant summands having the same weights are added simultaneously without carries, resulting in the product expressed in a mixed twos-complement system. In a two-stage array, complex multiplication is possible with using four real subarrays. Furthermore, with a three-stage array architecture, complex matrix operation is straightforwardly accomplished. In the experiment, parallel two-stage array complex multiplication with liquid-crystal panels is demonstrated.

NUMERICAL STUDY OF DAMMANN ARRAY ILLUMINATORS

The numerical solutions of binary-phase (0, tau) gratings for one-dimensional array illuminators up to 32 are presented. Some fabrication errors, which are due to position-quantization errors, phase errors, dilation (or erosion) errors, and the side-slope error, are calculated and show that even-number array illuminators are superior to odd-number array illuminators when these fabrication errors are considered. One (0, tau) binary-phase, 8 x 16 array illuminator made with the wet-chemical-etching method is given in this paper.

Compact parallel optical modified-signed-digit arithmetic-logic array processor with electron-trapping device

A compact two-step modified-signed-digit arithmetic-logic array processor is proposed. When the reference digits are programmed, both addition and subtraction can be performed by the same binary logic operations regardless of the sign of the input digits. The optical implementation and experimental demonstration with an electron-trapping device are shown. Each digit is encoded by a single pixel, and no polarization is included. Any combinational logic can be easily performed without optoelectronic and electro-optic conversions of the intermediate results. The system is compact, general purpose, simple to align, and has a high signal-to-noise ratio. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America.

Number of phase levels of a Talbot array illuminator

The number of phase levels of a Talbot array illuminator is an important factor in the estimation of practical fabrication complexity and cost. We show that the number it) of phase levels of a Talbot array illuminator has a simple relationship to the prime number. When there is an alternative pi -phase modulation in the output array, the relations are similar. (C) 2001 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 070.6760, 050.1950, 050.1980.

Generation of near-field hexagonal array illumination with a phase grating

A hexagonal array not only is a nature-preferred pattern but also is widely used in optoelectronical materials and devices. We report a simple method of hexagonal array illumination based on the Talbot effect that has a theoretical efficiency of 100%. An experimental efficiency of 90.6% with a binary phase (0, pi) hexagonal grating is given. This method should be highly interesting for applications of hexagonal array illumination in optical devices as well as in other hexagonal cells. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.

Analysis of lateral-spread photorefractive planar lenses

The photorefractive planar lens for converting a vertical incident plane wave to a lateral-spread spherical wave and vice versa, is suggested. Using the two-beam coupled-wave theory, the coupled wave equations are derived and their half-analytical solutions are also given in terms of an infinite series. The diffraction properties (beam profiles, diffraction efficiency) of the local volume grating in the lens are presented. And the focusing property of the lens is discussed and compared with that of an ideal convergent spherical wave. It is demonstrated that the suggested photorefractive planar lens shows a good focusing effect. (c) 2004 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Heteroepitaxy of Group IV and Group III-V semiconductor alloys for photovoltaic applications

Photovoltaic energy conversion represents a economically viable technology for realizing collection of the largest energy resource known to the Earth -- the sun. Energy conversion efficiency is the most leveraging factor in the price of energy derived from this process. This thesis focuses on two routes for high efficiency, low cost devices: first, to use Group IV semiconductor alloy wire array bottom cells and epitaxially grown Group III-V compound semiconductor alloy top cells in a tandem configuration, and second, GaP growth on planar Si for heterojunction and tandem cell applications.

Metal catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid grown microwire arrays are an intriguing alternative for wafer-free Si and SiGe materials which can be removed as flexible membranes. Selected area Cu-catalyzed vapor-liquid solid growth of SiGe microwires is achieved using chlorosilane and chlorogermane precursors. The composition can be tuned up to 12% Ge with a simultaneous decrease in the growth rate from 7 to 1 μm/min^-1. Significant changes to the morphology were observed, including tapering and faceting on the sidewalls and along the lengths of the wires. Characterization of axial and radial cross sections with transmission electron microscopy revealed no evidence of defects at facet corners and edges, and the tapering is shown to be due to in-situ removal of catalyst material during growth. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy reveal a Ge-rich crystal at the tip of the wires, strongly suggesting that the Ge incorporation is limited by the crystallization rate.

Tandem Ga_1-xIn_xP/Si microwire array solar cells are a route towards a high efficiency, low cost, flexible, wafer-free solar technology. Realizing tandem Group III-V compound semiconductor/Si wire array devices requires optimization of materials growth and device performance. GaP and Ga_1-xIn_xP layers were grown heteroepitaxially with metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on Si microwire array substrates. The layer morphology and crystalline quality have been studied with scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, and they provide a baseline for the growth and characterization of a full device stack. Ultimately, the complexity of the substrates and the prevalence of defects resulted in material without detectable photoluminescence, unsuitable for optoelectronic applications.

Coupled full-field optical and device physics simulations of a Ga_0.51In_0.49P/Si wire array tandem are used to predict device performance. A 500 nm thick, highly doped "buffer" layer between the bottom cell and tunnel junction is assumed to harbor a high density of lattice mismatch and heteroepitaxial defects. Under simulated AM1.5G illumination, the device structure explored in this work has a simulated efficiency of 23.84% with realistic top cell SRH lifetimes and surface recombination velocities. The relative insensitivity to surface recombination is likely due to optical generation further away from the free surfaces and interfaces of the device structure.

Finally, GaP has been grown free of antiphase domains on Si (112) oriented substrates using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Low temperature pulsed nucleation is followed by high temperature continuous growth, yielding smooth, specular thin films. Atomic force microscopy topography mapping showed very smooth surfaces (4-6 Å RMS roughness) with small depressions in the surface. Thin films (~ 50 nm) were pseudomorphic, as confirmed by high resolution x-ray diffraction reciprocal space mapping, and 200 nm thick films showed full relaxation. Transmission electron microscopy showed no evidence of antiphase domain formation, but there is a population of microtwin and stacking fault defects.

Fetntosecond pulse shaping with space-to-time conversion based on planar optics

We propose a novel structure of planar optical configuration for implementation of the space-to-time conversion for femtosecond pulse shaping. The previous apparatuses of femtosecond pulse shaping are 4f Fourier-transforming type system that is usually large, expensive, difficult to align. The planar integration of free-space optical systems on solid substrates is an optical module with the attractive advantages of compact, reliable and robust. This apparatus is analyzed in details and the design of the particular lens for femtosecond pulse shaping based on planar optics is presented. (c) 2006 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

A novel three-dimensional imaging array recording and computational method by means of coded cameras reconstruction

In this paper, we propose a novel three-dimensional imaging method by which the object is captured by a coded cameras array (CCA) and computationally reconstructed as a series of longitudinal layered surface images of the object. The distribution of cameras in array, named code pattern, is crucial for reconstructed images fidelity when the correlation decoding is used. We use DIRECT global optimization algorithm to design the code patterns that possess proper imaging property. We have conducted primary experiments to verify and test the performance of the proposed method with a simple discontinuous object and a small-scale CCA including nine cameras. After certain procedures such as capturing, photograph integrating, computational reconstructing and filtering, etc., we obtain reconstructed longitudinal layered surface images of the object with higher signal-to-noise ratio. The results of experiments show that the proposed method is feasible. It is a promising method to be used in fields such as remote sensing, machine vision, etc. (c) 2006 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Near-field hexagonal array illumination based on fractional Talbot effect

Hexagonal array is a basic structure widely exists in nature and adopted by optoclectronic device. A phase plate based on the fractional Talbot effect that converts a single expanded laser beam into a regular hexagonal array of uniformly illuminated apertures with virtually 100% efficiency is presented. The uniform hexagonal array illumination with a fill factor of 1/12 is demonstrated by the computer simulation. (C) 2006 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.