Abstract
Speckle patterns are a powerful tool for high-precision metrology because they enable remarkable performance in relatively simple setups. Nonetheless, researchers in this field follow rather distinct approaches owing to underappreciated general principles underlying speckle phenomena. For example, speckle can be produced from a simple scatterer or from more complex, multiple scattering geometries. In this Expert Recommendation, we propose a standardization of metrics to quantify intrinsic speckle sensitivity that enables direct comparison between all scattering geometries. Moreover, we provide a general criterion that allows one to predict where multiple scattering is truly advantageous for a given task. This standardization and criterion will catalyse progress in speckle metrology but will also translate to other domains of disordered optics which are undergoing rapid developments at present.
Key points
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Speckle, the granular patterns resulting from the random interference of light, can be harnessed for a wide variety of high-precision metrology applications.
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At present, the research community uses different approaches to generate and analyse speckle, and a unified approach for comparing these methods does not exist.
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The similarity, or Pearson correlation coefficient, is recommended as a standardized metric for assessing the intrinsic sensitivity of a speckle-generating system.
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Multiple scattering geometries are often favoured by the community for increased sensitivity of measurements. However, multiple scattering is particularly beneficial for measurements wherein the speckle is generated through path-dependent changes.
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Data availability
The data underpinning this work will be available through the University of St Andrews Research Data Portal at https://doi.org/10.17630/bcb2bff1-0d20-454a-89c5-8fd64b9e8ff8.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by funding from the Leverhulme Trust (RPG-2017-197), the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/P030017/1,EP/R004854/1) and the Australian Research Council (FL210100099). The authors acknowledge useful discussions with N. Dubost, P. Hawthorne and T. Bhide. The authors also appreciate discussions with Professor Hui Cao on the subtleties of the comparison between spectral correlation function and similarity metrics.
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This article was jointly conceived and written by all authors. M.F. developed the model. M.F. and S.N.K. collected experimental data. M.F., S.N.K. and G.D.B. analysed the data.
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K.D. holds patents which are granted or under examination in 17 territories entitled āDisordered Photonic Chip Spectrometerā or āRandom Wavelength Meterā. The other authors declare no competing interests.
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Facchin, M., Khan, S.N., Dholakia, K. et al. Determining intrinsic sensitivity and the role of multiple scattering in speckle metrology. Nat Rev Phys 6, 500ā508 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-024-00735-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-024-00735-y
