This PDF file contains the front matter associated with SPIE Proceedings Volume 8698, including the Title Page, Copyright information, Table of Contents, Introduction, and Conference Committee listing.

In the article the spectroscopic properties of Yb³⁺/Ho³⁺ codoped tellurite glass has been investigated. Upconversion luminescence at the wavelengths of 545 nm (⁵S₂ (⁵F₄) → ⁵I₈) and 654 nm (⁵F₅ → ⁵I₈) in holmium ion was obtained as a result of energy transfer between Yb³⁺ and Ho³⁺ ions. Elaborated tellurite glass characterized by highest intensity of upconversion luminescence (0.5mol% Yb₂O₃/0.1mol% Ho₂O₃) was used as core of double-clad optical fiber. The amplified spontaneous emission in the fabricated optical fiber resulting from the optical transition in the structure of holmium was observed. The intensity of the emission band at the wavelength of 545 nm (⁵S₂ (⁵F₄)→ ⁵I₈) of the fabricated optical fiber was several times smaller than the intensity of the emission band at 657 nm (⁵F₅→ ⁵I₈).

In the paper we focus on problems of a coherent wavelength division multiplexing system with a gigahertz optical carrier frequency spacing generated by original optical comb source. We propose novel a receiver configuration of a coherent ultra dense WDM system (CoUDWDM) and compare features of a single photodiode and a balanced receiver design. The developed concept of a coherent receiver assumes selection of optical channels by the microwave section. We present simulation results of CoUDWDM system operation.

The main goal of this work was to examine the possibility of fabrication of glassy diffractive optical elements for application in the near-infrared and mid-infrared spectral ranges. In the paper we focused on fabrication of Fresnel lenses with use of the hot embossing process. Lead-bismuth-gallium oxide and tellurite glasses were used in the experiment. Both types of glasses possess high transmittance from the visible up to mid-infrared (0.4÷6.5μm). Fused silica element was used as the mold, which was fabricated with standard ion etching method. The elements presented in this work were fabricated in a static process with the use of low pressure. The quality of the fabricated elements was examined with white light interferometer.

XIV^th Conference on Optical Fibers and Their Applications, Nałęczów 2012, which has been organized since more than 35 years, has summarized the achievements of the local optical fiber technology community, for the last year and a half. The conference specializes in developments of optical fiber technology, glass and polymer, classical and microstructured, passive and active. The event gathered around 100 participants. There were shown 60 presentations from 20 research and application groups active in fiber photonics, originating from academia and industry. Topical tracks of the Conference were: photonic materials, planar waveguides, passive and active optical fibers, propagation theory in nonstandard optical fibers, and new constructions of optical fibers. A panel discussion concerned teaching in fiber photonics. The conference was accompanied by a school on Optical Fiber Technology. The paper summarizes the chosen main topical tracks of the conference on Optical Fibers and Their Applications, Nałęczów 2012. The papers from the conference presentations will be published in Proc.SPIE. The next conference from this series is scheduled for January 2014 in Białowieża.

A possibility to estimate chromatic dispersion from telecom signals in an OOK optical communication link with non-zero chirp modulator without resorting to phase measurements is presented. The model relating intensities at the transmitter and receiver sides is built for a link affected by chromatic dispersion and estimation procedure is proposed. Validity of the method is shown in a laboratory experiment.

The paper presents complex waveguide structures which have been fabricated on a basis of the gradient waveguide on the top of which a uniform waveguide film of high refractive index is deposited. The gradient waveguides were fabricated using the ion exchange method, whereas the uniform film with the application of the sol-gel method. The application of such a waveguide structure in the system of difference interferometer makes it possible to obtain high sensitivities of the effective refractive index against the changes of sensor layer parameters, in particular when the interference of the basic mode TM₀ with the first order mode TM₁ is applied. The paper presents the theoretical analysis of complex waveguide structures, their fabrication technology and the results of experimental studies.

The paper evaluated the diagnostic value of laser photoplethysmography when examining patients with chronic lower limb ischemia. A statistical analysis of the research results was made, and diagrams of relationship between the degrees of ischemia and blood flow are presented.

The present work is devoted to investigation of mechanisms of optical anisotropy of biological tissues polycrystalline networks and laser polarization fluorescence. The model of complex optical anisotropy, which takes into account both linear and circular birefringence, as well as linear and circular dichroism of fibrillar networks of histological sections of women reproductive sphere is proposed. The data of statistical, correlation and fractal processing of coordinate distributions of laser polarization fluorescence is provided. The technique of azimuthally invariant Mueller-matrix mapping of laser polarization fluorescence of protein networks in the tasks of differentiation of benign and malignant tumors of uterus wall is elaborated.

In this paper we report a new method for determination of macular area of the retina obtained by optical coherent tomography (OCT). A novel program of image processing was developed for this purpose. The improved efficiency of proposed tools and it accuracy in the determination of the parameters in the macular area was checked by comparison of results with the standard procedure of processing of the biomedical images of this class. All calculation were obtained from the retina tomograms by using coherent optical topographic scanner STRATUS OCT 3000

Early detection of malignant transformation is a goal of modern medicine and to this end there is an impressive number of approaches from the scientific field that tries to identify early changes preceding malignant transformation in order to establish a correct diagnosis. This paper aims to combination of polarization and fluorescence techniques for identifying the changes in biotissues of growth and development of experimental solid tumors.

The present work is devoted to investigation of diagnostic potentiality of 2D Mueller matrix phase tomography of biological tissues of different optical thickness. The data of further statistical, correlation and fractal analysis of phase tomograms for determining objective criteria of diagnostics of physiological state of a patient is provided.

The present work is devoted to investigation of diagnostic potentiality of differential phase tomography of blood plasma. The data of further statistical, correlation and fractal analysis of phase tomograms for determining objective criteria of diagnostics of physiological state of a patient is provided.

The present work is devoted to investigation of diagnostic potentiality of 2D Mueller matrix phase tomography of biological tissues of different optical thickness. The data of further statistical, correlation and fractal analysis of phase tomograms for determining objective criteria of diagnostics of physiological state of a patient is provided.

The structure and principle of operation of information-measuring system of diagnostics of normal and pathological biological tissues from the spectrum of diffuse reflection. Research of spectrum of diffuse reflection of patients with melanoma and comparison of characteristics of normal skin relatively healthy recipient. The measurement results can be used by an expert system based on fuzzy logic for decision support physician about diagnosis and correction methods of treatment.

In this work the process of forming and processing the discriminant functions (DF) on a base of neural network classifier is researched. The research goal is the analysis of simulation educt of the process of the output vector forming appurtenances to certain class for the proposed neural network classifier.

Given structure of spectral-polarimetric system controls the concentration of phytoplankton in the photobioreactor wastewater treatment for controlling the work of photobioreactor and increase the productivity of biomass.

The paper describes the improved technology for automation of measurement processing of substance concentration in water by photometric methods in system monitoring and control on a state scale. Described software is developed and implemented in all regions of Ukraine, which implements the proposed technology.

Principles of application in different industries of medicine of the specialized optical-electronic systems, for example, with the control dynamics of non-coherent optical radiation are in-process considered.

This article discusses a problem of the laser beam dynamic image processing as applied to the systems of data communication by a laser beam. A method for calculation of the coordinates of this image is proposed for solution of this problem. The practical implementation of the method is presented on the basis of PLD (programmable logic device).

A microfacet distribution function is presented. This function can be used to calculate the microfacet distribution term in BRDF models. The function differs from other well-known microfacet distribution functions like Blinn or Beckmann distributions in that it doesn`t use special functions like acos, tan, exp, pow and thus has lower computational complexity.

Proposed by the authors compact optoelectronic implementation of a spiking neural network uses a matrix of semiconductor lasers. Also proposed the implementation of neural element on bispin-device, which is able to manage bya range of lasers in the array. Described the principles of the network in the training and operation mode. To modify the connections weights during the training mode used the optically controlled transparant with memory. Network parameters evaluated achievable with current technological capabilities.

The paper analyzes the static and dynamic characteristics of the analog components of the self-calibrating multibit ADC with weight redundancy. The mathematical expressions for an estimation of the analog components characteristics are specified. The guidance on the practical implementation of the analog components of the self-calibrating multibit ADC with weight redundancy is also provided. The paper proposes to use dc amplifiers that are built on the base of push-pull symmetrical structures for those needs.

The paper describes Trigger and Data Acquisition (TRIDAQ) systems of accelerator experiments for High Energy Physics. The background for physics research comprises assumptions of the Standard Model theory with basic extensions. On this basis, a structure of particle detector system is described, with emphasis on the following functional blocks: Front-End Electronics, Trigger and DAQ systems. The described solutions are used in the LHC experiments: ATLAS, ALICE, CMS and LHCb. They are also used in other accelerator experiments. Data storage and processing functionality is divided into two hardware systems: Trigger and Data Acquisition, that are dependent on each other. High input data rate impose relevant choices for the architecture and parameters of both systems. The key parameters include detailed system structure and its overall latency. Trigger structure is defined by the physics requirements and the storage capability of DAQ system. Both systems are designed to achieve the highest possible space and time resolution for particle detection. Trigger references are reviewed [1-43] as well as chosen accelerator research efforts origination in this country [44-83].

Laser technology research community in this country and in this region is concentrated mainly at universities. A periodic symposium gathers this community and invited guests from this geographical region to summarize the current achievements. The 2012 Symposium summarized research and technical achievements done during the period of 2010- 2012. The main developments are focused in such areas like: semiconductor lasers, optical fiber amplifiers and lasers, and applications in optical fiber communications, optical fiber sensory networks, medicine, environment monitoring and protection, as well as safety and security.

The aim of big infrastructural and research programs (like pan-European Framework Programs) and individual projects realized inside these programs in Europe is to structure the European Research Area – ERA in this way as to be competitive with the leaders of the world. One of this projects in EuCARD (European Coordination of Accelerator Research and Development) with the aim to structure and modernize accelerator, (including accelerators for big free electron laser machines) research infrastructure. This article presents the periodic development of EuCARD which took place between the annual meeting, April 2012 in Warsaw and SC meeting in Uppsala, December 2012. The background of all these efforts are achievements of the LHC machine and associated detectors in the race for new physics. The LHC machine works in the regime of p-p, Pb-p, Pb-Pb (protons and lead ions). Recently, a discovery by the LHC of Higgs like boson, has started vivid debates on the further potential of this machine and the future. The periodic EuCARD conference, workshop and meetings concern building of the research infrastructure, including in this advanced photonic and electronic systems for servicing large high energy physics experiments. There are debated a few basic groups of such systems like: measurement – control networks of large geometrical extent, multichannel systems for large amounts of metrological data acquisition, precision photonic networks of reference time, frequency and phase distribution. The aim of the discussion is not only summarize the current status but make plans and prepare practically to building new infrastructures. Accelerator science and technology is one of a key enablers of the developments in the particle physic, photon physics and also applications in medicine and industry. Accelerator technology is intensely developed in all developed nations and regions of the world. The EuCARD project contains a lot of subjects related directly and indirectly to photon physics and photonics, as well as optoelectronics, electronics and integration of these with large research infrastructure.

The way of the decision of a problem of classification by means of immune algorithm which is based on a principle of cooperation of antibodies of a population is offered. The formal description of structure of an antibody and ways of their association within the limits of a population in the computer network functioning as a unit is given. The way of an estimation of antibodies as elements of a network is considered. The basic phases of work of algorithm, such as are considered: growth of a network, a mutation of cells, compression of a network.

This paper is a research survey of WILGA Symposium work, 2010-2012 Editions, concerned with Optical Fibers, Optoelectronic Devices, Sensors, Communication and Photonics Applications. It presents a digest of chosen technical work results shown by young researchers from different technical universities from this country during the three recent Wilga Symposia on Photonics and Web Engineering. Topical tracks of the symposia embraced, among others, nanomaterials and nanotechnologies for photonics, sensory and nonlinear optical fibers, object oriented design of hardware, photonic metrology, optoelectronics and photonics applications, photonics-electronics co-design, optoelectronic and electronic systems for astronomy and high energy physics experiments, photonic equipment for JET tokamak and pi-of-the sky experiments development. The symposium is an annual summary in the development of numerable Ph.D. theses carried out in this country in the area of advanced electronic and photonic systems. It is also a great occasion for SPIE, IEEE, OSA and PSP students to meet together in a large group spanning the whole country with guests from this part of Europe. A digest of Wilga references is presented [1-274]. Wilga Symposia play a role of an universal integrator of young science in photonics and related areas in this country and also in this part of Europe. More than 5000 young scientists participated in scientific Wilga meetings and discussions during the last nearly two decades. Over 2500 papers were published, including over 1000 in Proc. SPIE.

The polarization state of light is a very significant source of information in biomedical imaging. A light polarization can be modified during its interaction with different biological tissues, according to its nature, disorders states and pathological conditions. So these changes of polarization can provide valuable diagnostic tools. In this article we presented a brief description of developed devices for tissue polarized image acquisition, classification of methods andresources for this purpose and suggest a direction for the further research.

The paper presents a mathematical model of radiation interaction with gas. Transfer function of an optical gas concentration sensor is presented here.