In this presentation, I will introduce our recent research focusing on the interaction between Airy beams and biological tissues, along with their applications in optical imaging. Understanding the intricate interplay between Airy beams and biological samples is important for advancing biomedical imaging techniques. When coherent light interacts with a heterogeneous sample, it scatters, leading to the formation of speckle patterns in free space. These speckle patterns arise due to the interference of randomly scattered light. Notably, the characteristics of the incoming light beam, such as its size (objective speckle), the collection angle of the scattered light (subjective speckle), and the coherence of the light source, influence the speckle pattern. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) serves as an exemplary imaging technique that exploits speckle phenomena. OCT relies on a low-temporal-coherence light source, such as a superluminescent light-emitting diode or a femtosecond laser, to provide spatial resolution. By interfering the single back reflection from the sample with a reference beam, OCT achieves depth-resolved interferograms through path matching, enabling coherent interference with reduced coherence. By using Airy beams, the mechanisms for the image formation will be different. In my talk, I will present the design aspects of Airy beam OCT systems, particularly focusing on Fourier domain OCT, and discuss their potential applications in the field of optical imaging.
 

Dr. Ping Yu earned his Ph.D. degree in Physics from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 1998 under the supervision of Prof. George K. L. Wong. Throughout his doctoral studies, he focused on the application of ultrafast laser techniques with wavelength tunable OPO and OPA. His research encompassed second harmonic generation, third harmonic generation, and four-wave mixing of polymers and inorganic nanostructures. Dr. Yu's dissertation titled "Room Temperature Ultra-Violet Stimulated Emission and Lasing of ZnO" delved into the examination of various stimulated emission mechanisms, such as excitonic and electron-hole plasma, as well as the lasing properties of ZnO epitaxial films. Following the completion of his Ph.D., Dr. Yu spent two years at the Technical University of Denmark as a postdoctoral. During this time, he investigated the polarization states of vertically coupled III-V semiconductor quantum dots. He then conducted research at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen where he focused on developing a laser system for magneto-optical trapping of Mg atoms in Denmark. Dr. Yu joined Purdue University as a postdoctoral associate at Prof. David Nolte’s group. His research at Purdue University centered on biomedical optical imaging and optoelectronics. In 2003, he became a faculty member in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Missouri. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2009 and Professor in 2014. He is currently working on low-dimensional perovskites, ultrafast laser technology, and biomedical optical imaging.

Please contact phweb@ust.hk should you have questions about the talk.