We present an experimental study of proton acceleration driven by femtosecond multi-PWs laser of three different prepulse parameters with the peak laser intensity of 1.2×1021 W/cm2 irradiat

We present an experimental study of proton acceleration driven by femtosecond multi-PWs laser of three different prepulse parameters with the peak laser intensity of 1.2×1021 W/cm2 irradiating micrometer-thick metal foils. For the 4-μm-thick copper foils, the highest-energy proton beam of 58.9 MeV is generated with the moderate-contrast laser, while the low-contrast or high-contrast lasers result in the lower proton cutoff energies. The 1D hydrodynamic and 2D particle-in-cell simulations indicate that the front preplasma of foils induced by laser prepulse can enhance electron acceleration and in turn improve proton acceleration, while the rear preplasma will weaken the sheath field and be unfavourable for accelerating ions. For the case of the moderate contrast, the scale length of front preplasma is long enough to generate high-temperature electrons and the scale length of rear preplasma is so short that the sheath field still keeps strong, which is advantageous for generating high-energy protons.show less

Optical fiber biosensors have emerged as a versatile and highly sensitive technology, with various imple-mentations such as Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs), interferometric techniques, and D-shaped

Optical fiber biosensors have emerged as a versatile and highly sensitive technology, with various imple-mentations such as Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs), interferometric techniques, and D-shaped fibers, particularly thosethat leverage surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effects. The classification of sensors based on target analytes under-scores their adaptability and broad applicability. Despite significant advancements, challenges such as repeatability,multiplexing, and data interpretation remain key barriers to widespread practical adoption. To address these limita-tions, recent innovations focus on artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for enhanced data processing, as well as novelmaterials that improve sensitivity and functionalization repeatability. The integration of label-free detection, enabledby surface functionalization, further enhances biosensing capabilities. Furthermore, the unique combination of smallfiber dimensions, low sample volume detection, and multiplexing capabilities positions optical fiber biosensors as asuperior alternative to existing commercial solutions. As the demand for precise, real-time, and multi-analyte sensingincreases, optical fiber biosensors are poised to become a cornerstone technology, particularly in the context of Health-care 5.0, where personalized and intelligent diagnostics play a crucial role in advancing medical applications. Thisreview paper summarizes the advances in optical fiber biosensors in the past decade, highlighting their functionalitiesand applications in multiple fields, including medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and industrial processcontrol.show less

This study presents a novel single-exposure spatial light interference microscopy (SE-SLIM) to enhance the speed and precision of quantitative phase imaging (QPI).The proposed SE-SLIM architectu

This study presents a novel single-exposure spatial light interference microscopy (SE-SLIM) to enhance the speed and precision of quantitative phase imaging (QPI).The proposed SE-SLIM architecture utilizes two pairs of non-polarizing beam splitters and right-angle reflective prisms to enable the simultaneous capture of four phase-shifted intensity images, achieving a 4-fold increase in imaging speed compared with traditional SLIM systems, with < 500nm phase resolution. By enabling label-free, non-invasive monitoring of intracellular dry mass fluctuations on millisecond timescales, the system demonstrates significant potential for dynamic live-cell analysis.show less

Conventional OCT angiography (OCTA) algorithm is implemented in the linear domain, which may lead to the neglect of weak blood flow information. Logarithmic transformation is widely used in sign

Conventional OCT angiography (OCTA) algorithm is implemented in the linear domain, which may lead to the neglect of weak blood flow information. Logarithmic transformation is widely used in signal analysis to improve the contrast of weak signal. However, decorrelation-based OCTA in the logarithmic domain is also sensitive to the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) even in high SNR regions, introducing strong flow artifacts that severely reduce the blood vessel contrast. In this study, a new metric—the static-to-dynamic ratio (SDR)—was used to quantify weak flow signal, and a weak flow model among decorrelation, SDR and SNR was established. Based on this model, we proposed a novel log-scale inverse SDR-based OCTA method (logiSDR-OCTA) which simultaneously and effectively reduced SNR-induced flow artifacts in static regions and prevents the attenuation of flow signal in dynamic regions. The in vivo imaging experiments demonstrated that the contrast of the mouse brain logiSDR images was 2.43 times that of linear-scale decorrelation images and 2.71 times that of log-scale subtraction images; the contrast of the human retina logiSDR images was 4.91 times that of linear-scale decorrelation images and 3.56 times that of log-scale subtraction images.show less