“Self-Mixing Interferometry: a Universal Yardstick to Measure Almost
Everything”
Silvano Donati, University of Pavia, IEEE Life Fellow, OSA Emeritus Fellow
Abstract: In this talk, we describe the principle of operation of self-mixing interferometer, a new coherent
configuration for the measurement of dimensional and kinematic quantities such as: displacement, distance,
vibration amplitude, thickness, angle, and curvature, and also physical quantities like: coupling factors, line
width, alfa-factor, and index of refraction. In the measurement arrangement, the laser undergoes self-injection at
weak level, leading to an amplitude and frequency modulation driven by external optical path length. Then we
will treat development of a displacement-measuring instrument, first by up/down counting of mode hops, then
extending the measurement to the case of a diffuse target, reflecting back a field affected by the speckle-pattern
statistics. We will report on implementation of two-channel (or, referenced) vibrometer, based on analogue
processing of the self-mix signal, in which the speckle-related amplitude errors are removed thanks to a servoloop concept, and the instrument is capable of true differential operation, on diffuse surface, exemplified by the
non-contact detection of a mechanical hysterisis cycle in the stress/strain diagram. Additional example of
measurements performed by self-mix will be finally surveyed, i.e., the absolute distance meter, the thickness,
angles and return echoes measurements as well as that of linewidth and alpha-factor. An outlook on perspectives
and future perspectives of self-mix will conclude the talk.
(Updated version from the IEEE Photonics Society Distinguished Lecturer Program)
References: ”Developing Self-Mixing Interferometry for Instrumentation and Measurements” Laser and Photonics Review, vol.5 (2011), (DOI) 10.1002/ lpor.201100002, see also the book, S.Donati: Electooptical
Instrumentation, Prentice Hall 2004, Chapter 4.
For Selfmix Interferometry prof. Donati has been awarded the 2015 A Kressel Prize by the IEEE PhoS.
(80 slides, 45-60 min.)
Speaker’s CV
SILVANO DONATI (M’75, SM’98, F’03, LF’09) is a full Professor of Optoelectronics at
the Department of Electronics, Faculty of Engineering, University of Pavia, Italy, since
1980. He leads the Group of Optoelectronics active on photodetector and noise, electrooptical instrumentation and semiconductor devices for chaos and switching applications.
He is the credited inventor of self-mixing interferometry and of chaos-shift-keying (CSK)
cryptography, the topic covered in his Distinguished Lecture given in 21 LEOS Chapters in
two terms, 2007/08 and 2008/09 and 32 more locations in 2010/15.
He is the Author of two book, ‘Photodetectors’ published by Prentice Hall, 1999, and
‘Electro-Optical Instrumentation’, published by Prentice Hall, 2004, this last translated in Chinese (Jiao Tong
University Press, 2006) and available also in India edition, as an e-book paperback (2008), and as an e-book
Kindle edition (2009).
He also authored or co-authored over 300 papers on peer-reviewed Journals and Conference Proceedings.
His ten seminal papers collected 4000+ citations. His H factor is 30.
He has been the founder (1996) and the past Chairman (1997-01) of the Italian LEOS Chapter, LEOS Vice
President Region 8 Membership (2002-04), LEOS Board of Governors Elected Member (2004-06), Treasurers
of the Italian LEOS Chapter (2002-06), Counselor of the IEEE Student Branch in Pavia (2001-07) and LEOS
Distinguished Lecturer. Member of the Fellow Board and Member of OSA International Advisory Council. He
has been Vice Chair in 2006/07 and later Chair of the Italy Section for the term 2008/09.
He has been Visiting Professor in University of New Mexico (1992), National University of Taiwan (2005),
Universidad Catolica del Peru (2006) and National Sun Yat Sen University (2007, 2008, 2010), Cheng Kubg
University (2011), Chung Hsing University (2013-14) and National TaipeiUniversity of Technology (2015-16).
He has been the Guest Editor of several Special Issues, on Fiber Optics and Passive Components (JSTQE
Sept. 1999), on Laser Interferometry (IoP Journal of Optics A 1998 and 2002, SPIE Optical Engineering. 2001)
of a Feature Issue of IEEE Journal Quantum Electronics, Sept. 2002, on Optical Chaos and Applications to
Cryptography and of one on Photodetectors (2004).
He received the AEIT Marconi Award, and 4 more AEI Awards, and 8 Awards from IEEE LEOS. In 2015
was awarded the IEEE PhoS A.Kressel prize for the self-mix invention. He is Life Fellow of the IEEE,
Meritorious Member of AEIT, and Emeritus Fellow of OSA. In 2014 was elevated Emeritus Professor by
University of Pavia. See more on his website at http://www-3.unpv.it/donati.
LIST OF LECTURE LOCATIONS
title: "Coupling Phenomena and Applications to Self-Mix Interferometry and Chaos
Cryptography" IEEE LEOS Distinguished Lecture
speaker: Silvano Donati
2007
0 – Sept 4 Levi (Finland) ALT’08 Conference
1- Nov 28, Kaohsiung Sun-Yat Sen University, Taipei Chapter
2- Dec 10, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Chapter
3- Dec 14, National Taiwan University, Taipei Chapter
4- Dec 18, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Chapter
5- Dec.26, University Tenaga Nasional Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Chapter
6- Feb. 4, University of Maryland, Washington Chapter
7- Feb. 6, Old Dominion University Norfolk, Hampton Roads Chapter
8,9- May 13,14 Univ. St Petersburg, St Petersburg Chapter (2lectures)
10- Mar. 27, Politecnico of Milano, Italian Chapter
2008/09
11- July 17 Univ. Rome Sapienza, Italian Chapter
12- Sept 9, University of Glasgow, Scotland Chapter
13- Oct.20, Corning, Rochester Chapter
14- Oct.22, Queen’s University, Kingston Section
15- Oct.23, McGill University, Montreal Chapter
16,17- Oct.24, University of Ottawa, Ottawa Chapter (2 lectures)
18- Dec.16, Delhi, India Chapter
19- Jan. 6, NSYSU Kaohsiung, Taipei Chapter
20- Feb. 9, University Central Florida CREOL, Orlando Chapter
21- May 19, Universidad Politecnica Madrid, Spain Chapter
22- June 9, Politecnico of Milano, Italian Chapter
title: "Self-Mix Interferometry - A Universal Yardstick for Measuring Almost Everything",
OSA Visiting Lecturer and SPIE Travelling Lecturer, or Prominent Speaker at
International Conferences)
2010-11
23- National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Dec. 6, 2010
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National Tsing Hua University, Hsin Chu, Dec. 12, 2010 (2lectures)
National Chiao Tung University, Tainan, Dec. 14, 2010
National Chen Kong University, Tainan , Dec.16. 2010
City University, Hong Kong, Jan.20, 2011
University Queensland, Brisbane, Jan. 31, 2011
University of Wollongong, AUS, Feb. 8, 2011
Nikolaus Kopernik University of Torun (PL), May 12, 2011
WIO Conference, Benicassim (Valencia, E), June 21, 2011
University of Kharkov (Ukraine), Sept.5, 2011
National Cheng Kung University, Tainan (R.o.C.) Dec.7, 2011
Genesys Photonics Tainan (R.o.C.) , Dec.9, 2011
Jiao Tong University of Xi'An (PRC) Dec.12, 2011
Peking University of Technology (PRC) Dec. 16, 2011
2012-15 (OSA Visiting Lecturer and SPIE Travelling Lecturer, or Prominent Speaker at
International Conferences)
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Promin.Speak. at WOCC at National Cheng Kung Univ, Tainan, Apr.19, 2012
Promin.Speak. at COMPENG at RWTH Aachen Univ., Aachen (D), June 11, 2012
Promin.Speak. CAOL Conf., Ukraine University, Sudok, Crimea, Sept.9, 2013
prominent Speaker at WLDA, Tainan, Mar.14, 2012
National Chung Hsing University, Taichung (R.o.C.) May.31, 2013
Biophotonics Conf., National Taiwan University, July.18, 2013
Intl. School on Photonics, Serbian Academy of Sc.&Arts,Beograd, Aug.29, 2013
Centre Devel. Sensors, University of Barcelona, June 18, 2014
National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Mar. 20, 2015
University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, May 28, 2015
University Surabaya, Inst. Techn. Sepulu Nopember, Surabaya, June 3, 2015
Xi'An Jiao Tong University, Dpet. of Fine Mechanics, Sept. 23, 2015
University of Porto, Dept Physics and Astronomy, Oct.12, 2015
National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu (R.o.C.), Nov. 11, 2015
National United University Dept. ElectroOptical Eng.,Miaoli (R.o.C.), Dec.8, 2015
National Taiwan University - Dept Mechanical Engineering., Taipei, Dec 14, 2015
Politecnico di Torino, Dept. Electronics and Communication March 4, 2016
University Cataluna (Barcellona) and COST meeting March 31, 2016
National Chung Hsing University, Taichung (R.O.C.), April 20, 2016
University Buenos Ayres, Faculty of Engineering, May 16, 2016