Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy01:26

Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy

Phase-Contrast Microscopes
In-phase-contrast microscopes, interference between light directly passing through a cell and light refracted by cellular components is used to create high-contrast, high-resolution images without staining. It is the oldest and simplest type of microscope that creates an image by altering the wavelengths of light rays passing through the specimen. Altered wavelength paths are created using an annular stop in the condenser. The annular stop produces a hollow cone of...
Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy01:05

Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy or TIRF is an advanced microscopic technique used to visualize fluorophores in samples close to a solid surface with a higher refractive index, such as a glass coverslip. TIRF only allows fluorophores in proximity to the solid surface to be excited. When light from a medium with a lower refractive index (such as air) hits the glass coverslip at a critical angle, the light undergoes total internal reflection stead of passing through the glass.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Temperature sensing in optical fibers using cladding and jacket loss effects.

Applied optics·2010
Same author

Fiber-optic temperature sensor based on internally generated thermal radiation.

Applied optics·2010
Same author

Silicon-carbide diffraction grating for the vacuum ultraviolet: feasibility.

Applied optics·2010
Same author

Two wavelength measurements of optical waveguide parameters.

Applied optics·2010
Same author

Spatial frequency diversity in coherent optical processing.

Applied optics·2010
Same author

Spatial frequency diversity in coherent optical processing: Erratum.

Applied optics·2010
Same journal

Multifunctional reconfigurable terahertz metasurface based on vanadium dioxide phase transition: achieving broadband absorption and efficient polarization conversion.

Applied optics·2026
Same journal

High-Q-factor electromagnetically induced transparency utilizing quasi-bound states in the continuum in an all-dielectric terahertz metasurface.

Applied optics·2026
Same journal

Automated stitching interferometry for high-precision metrology of X-ray mirrors.

Applied optics·2026
Same journal

Experimental demonstration of an approach to designing a metal-dielectric DBR resonant cavity structure.

Applied optics·2026
Same journal

High-precision wavefront reconstruction from a single-shot interferogram using a physics-driven hybrid feature calibration network.

Applied optics·2026
Same journal

Ultra-high-Q Fano resonance based on coupled topological corner states in Kagome photonic crystals.

Applied optics·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 2026

High Speed Sub-GHz Spectrometer for Brillouin Scattering Analysis
13:31

High Speed Sub-GHz Spectrometer for Brillouin Scattering Analysis

Published on: December 22, 2015

Birefringent coupler for integrated optics.

G B Brandt

    Applied Optics
    |February 4, 2010
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    A novel optical coupler uses a birefringent prism to efficiently couple light into thin film waveguides. This method avoids boundary leakage, enabling practical coupling of wide light beams into planar guides.

    More Related Videos

    A Photonic System for Generating Unconditional Polarization-Entangled Photons Based on Multiple Quantum Interference
    07:56

    A Photonic System for Generating Unconditional Polarization-Entangled Photons Based on Multiple Quantum Interference

    Published on: September 5, 2019

    High-speed Continuous-wave Stimulated Brillouin Scattering Spectrometer for Material Analysis
    07:55

    High-speed Continuous-wave Stimulated Brillouin Scattering Spectrometer for Material Analysis

    Published on: September 22, 2017

    Related Experiment Videos

    Last Updated: Jun 16, 2026

    High Speed Sub-GHz Spectrometer for Brillouin Scattering Analysis
    13:31

    High Speed Sub-GHz Spectrometer for Brillouin Scattering Analysis

    Published on: December 22, 2015

    A Photonic System for Generating Unconditional Polarization-Entangled Photons Based on Multiple Quantum Interference
    07:56

    A Photonic System for Generating Unconditional Polarization-Entangled Photons Based on Multiple Quantum Interference

    Published on: September 5, 2019

    High-speed Continuous-wave Stimulated Brillouin Scattering Spectrometer for Material Analysis
    07:55

    High-speed Continuous-wave Stimulated Brillouin Scattering Spectrometer for Material Analysis

    Published on: September 22, 2017

    Area of Science:

    • Optics
    • Materials Science

    Background:

    • Traditional optical couplers often require sharp edges or evanescent regions, which can lead to light leakage and limit coupling efficiency.
    • Coupling light into thin film optical waveguides is crucial for integrated optics and photonic devices.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To develop a new optical coupler that utilizes a birefringent prism to enhance light coupling into thin film waveguides.
    • To overcome limitations of existing couplers, such as boundary leakage and the inability to couple wide beams.

    Main Methods:

    • A birefringent prism or substrate is employed to couple light into thin film optical waveguides.
    • Incident light, polarized as an extraordinary wave, passes through the birefringent material at a specific angle.
    • The orientation of the birefringent material is optimized to control the apparent refractive index at the interface.

    Main Results:

    • The designed coupler effectively traps light within the waveguide by manipulating the refractive indices.
    • Light propagates as a single mode when incident at the appropriate angle.
    • Coupling occurs over the entire common area, eliminating the need for sharp edges or evanescent regions.

    Conclusions:

    • The developed birefringent prism optical coupler provides efficient light trapping and coupling into thin film waveguides.
    • This technique allows for the practical coupling of wide beams of light into planar guides.
    • Calcite-based couplers have demonstrated successful coupling of TM He-Ne laser light into liquid and optical cement waveguides.