Emerging Trends in Spectral Analysis with Optical Sensors: Modern Approaches and Applications

A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732). This special issue belongs to the section "Lasers, Light Sources and Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 3829

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Changchun Institute of Optics Fine Mechanics and Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
Interests: optical path; adaptive optics; wavefront sensor

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Guest Editor
School of Advanced Manufacturing, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, No. 66, Gongchang Road, Guangming District, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518107, China
Interests: wave detectors; optics and laser; optical properties

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Spectral sensing has significant and broad application prospects in the future. In terms of fine astronomy, photometric and spectroscopic surveys can effectively promote research on the evolution of the universe, exoplanets, and dark matter and energy. Regarding biosensing, through more integrated spectral sensing technology, the system’s volume, weight, power consumption, and—most importantly—cost can be further reduced. Concerning consumer electronics, the popularization of spectral measurements will also drive a new round of device innovation. The progress in the implementation system of spectral sensing is also enormous. The traditional optical filter and fiber optic spectral paths are designed for large-scale astronomical spectral measurement needs, and the increase in aperture and number of measurement units makes this task extremely challenging. Moreover, emerging instruments combining deep learning and spectral measurement have emerged in large numbers. Thus, to further promote the development of spectroscopy and optical sensing, this Special Issue intends to bring together contributions from leading experts in the field, fostering effective solutions for the future challenges in “Emerging Trends in Spectral Analysis with Optical Sensors”.

Dr. Qichang An
Dr. Hongchao Zhao
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • fiber sensors
  • astrophotonics
  • optical instrumentation and measurements
  • integrated photonics
  • interferometers
  • diffraction neural network

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 40037 KiB  
Article
Interferometric Surface Analysis of a Phase-Only Spatial Light Modulator for Surface Deformation Compensation
by Rania M. Abdelazeem, Mostafa Agour and Salah Hassab Elnaby
Photonics 2025, 12(3), 285; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics12030285 - 20 Mar 2025
Viewed by 170
Abstract
A spatial light modulator (SLM) is a key element in several applications, but it is subject to surface deformation due to manufacturing imperfections or environmental factors. Therefore, the current study aims to analyze and compensate for such deformations in a phase-only SLM using [...] Read more.
A spatial light modulator (SLM) is a key element in several applications, but it is subject to surface deformation due to manufacturing imperfections or environmental factors. Therefore, the current study aims to analyze and compensate for such deformations in a phase-only SLM using a Michelson interferometer. The recorded interferogram represents the interference between the wavefront reflected from the SLM surface (object wave) and a reference wave. Noise in the recorded interferogram can degrade the accuracy of phase measurements. Various digital filtering techniques were applied to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the interferogram. The filtered interferogram enabled accurate phase extraction through Fourier transform processing and side peak selection using a spatial carrier frequency method. Additionally, phase errors caused by the tilt of the reference beam were corrected. Thereafter, the conjugate of the corrected phase distribution was used to calculate a phase-only computer-generated hologram (CGH), which was displayed on the SLM to compensate for surface deformations. The effectiveness of the proposed compensation procedure was confirmed by a second phase measurement, which demonstrated improved SLM performance. This study highlights the impact of combining the interferometric techniques with digital processing for precise surface deformation analysis. Full article
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18 pages, 6196 KiB  
Article
Optical Fiber Pressure Sensor with Self-Temperature Compensation Structure Based on MEMS for High Temperature and High Pressure Environment
by Ke Li, Yongjie Wang, Gaochao Li, Zhen Xu, Yuanyuan Liu, Ancun Shi, Xiaoyan Yu and Fang Li
Photonics 2025, 12(3), 258; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics12030258 - 13 Mar 2025
Viewed by 306
Abstract
To meet the pressure measurement requirements of deep earth exploration, we propose an OFPS (optical fiber pressure sensor) with self-temperature compensation based on MEMS technology. A spectral extraction and filtering algorithm, based on FFT (fast Fourier transform), was designed to independently demodulate the [...] Read more.
To meet the pressure measurement requirements of deep earth exploration, we propose an OFPS (optical fiber pressure sensor) with self-temperature compensation based on MEMS technology. A spectral extraction and filtering algorithm, based on FFT (fast Fourier transform), was designed to independently demodulate the composite spectra of multiple FP (Fabry–Pérot) cavities, enabling the simultaneous measurement of pressure and temperature parameters. The sensor was fabricated by etching on an SOI (silicon on insulator) and bonding with glass to form pressure-sensitive FP cavities, with the glass itself serving as the temperature-sensitive component as well as providing temperature compensation for pressure sensing. Experimental results showed that within the pressure range of 0–100 MPa, the sensor exhibited a sensitivity of 0.566 nm/MPa, with a full-scale error of 0.34%, and a linear fitting coefficient (R2) greater than 0.9999. Within the temperature range of 0–160 °C, the temperature sensitivity of the glass cavity is 0.0139 nm/°C and R2 greater than 0.999. Full article
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17 pages, 4359 KiB  
Article
Research on Fourier Transform Spectral Phase Correction Algorithm Based on CTKB-NCM
by Xiong Wang, Chunhui Yan, Zimin Huo, Pengzhang Dai and Dong Yao
Photonics 2025, 12(3), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics12030219 - 28 Feb 2025
Viewed by 238
Abstract
In Fourier Transform Spectrometers, phase errors in spectral measurement induce distortion in reconstructed spectra. Existing phase correction algorithms demonstrate insufficient precision in addressing both linear phase and instrumental phase components, resulting in limited applications for the restored spectra in the field of precision [...] Read more.
In Fourier Transform Spectrometers, phase errors in spectral measurement induce distortion in reconstructed spectra. Existing phase correction algorithms demonstrate insufficient precision in addressing both linear phase and instrumental phase components, resulting in limited applications for the restored spectra in the field of precision measurement. This paper proposes an algorithm called the Cross-Teager–Kaiser ψB Energy Operator–Nonlinear Calibration Model (CTKB-NCM) for phase error correction. The algorithm first uses the cross-Teager–Kaiser ψB energy operator (CTKB) method to correct linear phase errors, then applies the Nonlinear Calibration Model (NCM) to solve for the instrument phase correction parameters at each wavenumber, and finally uses the instrument phase correction parameters to correct the residual phase after the linear phase error has been corrected. The Rao algorithm is used to determine the optimal instrument phase correction parameters. Simulation experiments demonstrate that the CTKB-NCM method achieves an order-of-magnitude improvement in normalized reconstructed spectral accuracy for SO2 gas compared to the conventional Mertz method. Full article
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21 pages, 8025 KiB  
Article
Design and Characterization of a Portable Multiprobe High-Resolution System (PMHRS) for Enhanced Inversion of Water Remote Sensing Reflectance with Surface Glint Removal
by Shuangkui Liu, Ye Jiang, Kai Wang, Yachao Zhang, Zhe Wang, Xu Liu, Shiyu Yan and Xin Ye
Photonics 2024, 11(9), 837; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11090837 - 4 Sep 2024
Viewed by 904
Abstract
Surface glint significantly reduces the measurement accuracy of remote sensing reflectance of water, Rrs, making it difficult to effectively use field measurements for studying water optical properties, accurately retrieving water quality parameters, and validating satellite remote sensing products. To accurately assess [...] Read more.
Surface glint significantly reduces the measurement accuracy of remote sensing reflectance of water, Rrs, making it difficult to effectively use field measurements for studying water optical properties, accurately retrieving water quality parameters, and validating satellite remote sensing products. To accurately assess the effectiveness of various glint removal methods and enhance the accuracy of water reflectance measurements, a portable multiprobe high-resolution System (PMHRS) is designed. The system is composed of a spectrometer, fiber bundles, an irradiance probe, and three radiance probes. The reliability and measurement accuracy of the PMHRS are ensured through rigorous laboratory radiometric calibration and temperature correction. The comprehensive uncertainty of laboratory calibration ranges from 1.29% to 1.43% for irradiance calibration and from 1.47% to 1.59% for radiance calibration. Field measurement results show a strong correlation with both synchronous ASD data, and Sen2Cor-atmospherically corrected Sentinel-2B data (R2 = 0.949, RMSE = 0.013; R2 = 0.926, RMSE = 0.0105). The water-leaving radiance measurements obtained under different solar elevation angles using three methods (M99 method, polarization method, and SBA) demonstrate that the improved narrow field-of-view polarization probe effectively removes surface glint across various solar elevation angles (with overall better performance than the traditional M99 method). At a solar elevation angle of 69.7°, the MAPD and MAD between the measurements of this method and those of the SBA are 5.8% and 1.4 × 10−4, respectively. The results demonstrate that the PMHRS system outperforms traditional methods in sun glint removal, significantly enhancing the accuracy of water remote sensing reflectance measurements and improving the validation quality of satellite data. This work provides a crucial technical foundation for the development of high-resolution continuous observation platforms in complex aquatic environments. It holds significant implications for improving the accuracy of field-based water remote sensing reflectance measurements and for enhancing the quality of water ecological monitoring data and satellite validation data. Full article
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Review

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16 pages, 1254 KiB  
Review
Astronomical Intensity Interferometry
by Shufei Yi, Qichang An, Wenyi Zhang, Jincai Hu and Liang Wang
Photonics 2024, 11(10), 958; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11100958 - 12 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1673
Abstract
The development of astronomy relies heavily on advances in high-resolution imaging techniques. With the growing demand for high-resolution astronomical observations, conventional optical interferometry has gradually revealed various limitations, especially in coping with atmospheric phase fluctuations and long baseline observations. However, intensity interferometry is [...] Read more.
The development of astronomy relies heavily on advances in high-resolution imaging techniques. With the growing demand for high-resolution astronomical observations, conventional optical interferometry has gradually revealed various limitations, especially in coping with atmospheric phase fluctuations and long baseline observations. However, intensity interferometry is becoming an important method to overcome these challenges due to its high robustness to atmospheric phase fluctuations and its excellent performance in long-baseline observations. In this paper, the basic principles and key technologies of intensity interferometry are systematically described, and the remarkable potential of this technique for improving angular resolution and detection sensitivity is comprehensively discussed in light of the recent advances in modern photon detector and signal processing techniques. The results show that the intensity interferometry technique is capable of realizing high-precision observation of long-range and low-brightness targets, especially in the field of exoplanet detection, which shows a wide range of application prospects. In the future, with the continuous development of telescope arrays and adaptive optics, the intensity interferometry technique is expected to further promote the precision and breadth of astronomical observations, and provide new opportunities for revealing the mysteries of the universe. Full article
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