Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Instrumentation
110
Scopus Publications
832
Scholar Citations
16
Scholar h-index
30
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
Polarization-based real-time diffraction efficiency measurement of reflection volume holographic gratings Rajveer Kaur, Komal Sharma, Saikat Saha, Raj Kumar Applied Optics, 2026 Holographic gratings play a crucial role in various applications, including spectroscopy, displays, security holograms, and sensing technologies. Real-time monitoring of the diffraction efficiency of these gratings is essential for improving fabrication processes and performance optimization. For many applications, such as displays and sensing, reflection volume holographic gratings (RVHGs) are preferred over transmission gratings due to their high wavelength selectivity. Existing real-time diffraction efficiency measurement setups typically rely on the Bragg degenerate method, which requires two lasers, resulting in increased cost and bulkiness. Also, it requires precise wavelength tuning and alignment, making the system more complex. Therefore, we propose a polarization-based novel, to the best of our knowledge, setup that performs real-time measurement of the diffraction efficiency of RVHGs with a single laser source. In this approach, the probe beam, having a different polarization state than the recording beams, provides real-time measurements, demonstrating a simplified method for the characterization and optimization of RVHGs. Furthermore, the refractive index modulation and polymerization rates are calculated for RVHGs recorded in photopolymer film, which are essential for determining grating quality and optical performance. Application of the proposed method is demonstrated in the optimization of holographic couplers required for the holographic waveguide-based near-eye augmented reality displays.
Holographically sensing of volatile organic compounds using cellulose acetate-based photopolymer film Komal Sharma, Girish C Mohanta, Raj Kumar Scientific Reports, 2025 Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are recognized as significant environment pollutants, necessitating the development of rapid sensing methods characterized by ease of fabrication, low cost, and reusability. This demand is prevalent across various industries and laboratories. Several types of sensors, such as electrochemical sensors, semiconductor sensors, catalytic combustion sensors, and optical fiber-based sensors, have been reported for VOC detection. However, most of these sensors have a complex fabrication process and/or slow response time, which limits their applications. To overcome these limitations, the present work introduces a novel particle-free cellulose acetate-based photopolymer sensor film for the first time for VOC detection. The sensing performance of the film was evaluated by determining the diffraction efficiency of a holographically recorded transmission grating. A diffraction efficiency of 70% was achieved for the pristine film. Upon exposure to VOCs, the diffraction efficiency decreased by 29.52% for acetone, 12.09% for isopropyl alcohol (IPA), and 15.90% for tetrahydrofuran (THF) with a response time of 99 sec., 202 sec., and 170 sec., respectively. The sensor exhibited full recovery for multiple cycles. The proposed particle-free composition of the sensor film responds better than the nanoparticle-based sensor films.
Enhancing field of view of digital holography using an angular multiplexed holographic optical element Lavlesh Pensia, Manoj Kumar, Osamu Matoba, Raj Kumar Optics Letters, 2025 Digital holography (DH) is capable of the most precise multidimensional imaging and measurements in various fields ranging from optical metrology to biomedical imaging. However, DH has not progressed in accordance with its capabilities. The fundamental and technically challenging roadblock of DH is the small field of view (FOV) restricted by the parameters of the available digital image sensors. Here, we introduce a novel approach, to our knowledge, via the use of a specialized multiplexed holographic optical element that overcomes the limit of the maximum angle between the object and reference beams without violating the sampling theorem and achieves wide FOV, of more than 35°, in off-axis DH. The proof of the concept of the proposed wide FOV DH system is experimentally demonstrated by recording digital holograms of objects placed within the realm of an angular range of 0° to 35°. The method may be useful for various applications, including non-destructive testing, biomedical engineering, holographic displays, communication, entertainment, and beyond those envisioned in this paper.
Improved color uniformity in monochrome holographic waveguide based near eye displays Rajveer Kaur, Bhargab Das, Jae-Hyeung Park, Raj Kumar Optics Express, 2025 The use of near eye displays (NEDs) in applications such as head-mounted displays requires high color uniformity across a wide field of view (FOV). However, volume holographic gratings (VHGs), while suitable for NEDs, suffer from high angular selectivity, limiting the FOV for monochromatic light and causing color dispersion when illuminated by a broadband light source, leading to color variations across the displayed image. To address this issue, we report a method to simultaneously enhance the FOV and improve color uniformity by designing Bragg-matched, reflection-type, angular multiplexed VHGs. This approach ensures consistent diffraction properties for different angles of incidence, producing uniform color across the entire FOV. Numerical simulations demonstrate a reduction in spectral bandwidth from 42.7 nm to 14.7 nm throughout a 24o FOV, by using 3 times multiplexed holographic couplers. The experimentally measured FOV is approximately 25.3°. Further measurements performed using a spectroradiometer show that the multiplexed waveguide system exhibits improved color uniformity across the FOV compared to the conventional waveguide with red and blue contributions reduced from 47.8% to 0% and 20.6% to 8.5%, respectively. The optical simulations and experimental validation show a significant improvement in color uniformity compared to conventional methods, making it highly suitable for applications requiring precise and consistent color output.
Advances in Optical Metrology: High-Bandwidth Digital Holography for Transparent Objects Analysis Manoj Kumar, Lavlesh Pensia, Karmjit Kaur, Raj Kumar, Yasuhiro Awatsuji, Osamu Matoba Photonics, 2025 Accurate and non-invasive optical metrology of transparent objects is essential in several commercial and research applications, from fluid dynamics to biomedical imaging. In this work, a digital holography approach for thickness measurement of glass plate and temperature mapping of candle flame is presented that leverages a double-field-of-view (FOV) configuration combined with high spatial bandwidth utilization (SBU). By capturing a multiplexed hologram from two distinct objects in a single shot, the system overcomes the limitations inherent to single-view holography, enabling more comprehensive object information of thickness measurement and temperature-induced refractive index variations. The method integrates double-FOV digital holography with high SBU, allowing for accurate surface profiling and mapping of complex optical path length changes caused by temperature gradients. The technique exhibits strong potential for applications in the glass industry and microfluidic thermometry, convection analysis, and combustion diagnostics, where precise thermal field measurements are crucial. This study introduces an efficient holographic framework that advances the capabilities of non-contact measurement applications by integrating double-FOV acquisition into a single shot with enhanced spatial bandwidth exploitation. The approach sets the groundwork for real-time, volumetric thermal imaging and expands the applicability of digital holography in both research and industrial settings.
Lensless Fourier transform multiplexed digital holography Manoj Kumar, Lavlesh Pensia, Raj Kumar, Osamu Matoba Optics Letters, 2025 In this work, a new framework of lensless Fourier transform multiplexed digital holography (LFTMDH) is proposed, leveraging the double field of view (FoV) in a single-shot recording. The proof-of-concept system with double FoV is realized by adopting a spatially multiplexing technique by inserting a cube beam splitter in the object path. The cube beam splitter divides the object beam into two FoVs with different object information. By carefully aligning and optimizing the orientation of the cube beam splitter, these two FoVs along with a spherical reference beam (generated at the object plane) are allowed to interfere with the active region of an image sensor, resulting in a multiplexed Fourier digital hologram. The object information (amplitude and phase) is obtained by applying a single Fourier transform to the recorded digital hologram, making the technique faster with the added benefit of double FoV, compared to its counterparts. The feasibility and advantages of the proposed system are demonstrated through experimental validation and comparative analysis with the existing system. The results indicate that the proposed system not only achieves double FoV imaging in a single-shot recording but also maintains spatial resolution in the reconstructed images. Its applications span various fields, such as biological microscopy, nondestructive testing, and optical metrology, where wider FoV is crucial.
Prism-free fabrication of multiplexed holographic waveguide couplers for full-color near-eye displays Rajveer Kaur, Raj Kumar Journal of Information Display, 2025 Full-color holographic waveguide couplers are required in advanced augmented reality (AR) near-eye display (NED) technologies due to their superior light manipulation capabilities. However, the traditional fabrication process relies on prisms to fabricate the holographic grating structures, posing significant challenges for large-scale manufacturing. The present work addresses this issue by proposing a prism-free fabrication design for full-color waveguide couplers. Our technique utilizes wavelength shifting and multiplexing of volume holographic gratings (VHGs) with three sequential exposures on a single film. The theoretical analysis, validated by optical simulations, demonstrates flexibility in selecting propagation angles that successfully transmit the correct color spectra for each color-specific grating through the waveguide. The experimental verification, which involves the fabrication of multiplexed VHGs, demonstrates the capability of reproducing true colors, thereby making waveguides based on this technology suitable for full-color AR NEDs, which could meet the current requirements of commercial companies in healthcare, gaming, and manufacturing.
Vibration Measurement of 3-D Objects With Single-Shot Double Field-of-View High-Speed Digital Holography Manoj Kumar, Lavlesh Pensia, Raj Kumar, Osamu Matoba IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 2025 Vibration measurement is critical in engineering as it plays a vital role in ensuring the safety, reliability, and performance of machinery, structures, and systems. Non-destructive techniques, such as digital holography for vibration measurements, are most important for assessing the dynamic behavior of structures and materials without inflicting damage or alteration with high resolution and precision. In this work, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time, we experimentally demonstrated a high-speed digital holography approach for out-of-plane displacement and vibration measurements of 3-D objects in a single-shot acquisition with double field-of-view (FoV) imaging capability. This extended FoV is realized by spatial multiplexing the object wavefront with distinct object information onto the faceplate of a digital image sensor. This multiplexing is achieved by inserting a cube beam splitter (CBS) in the object wavefront. The CBS is slanted to create two object wavefronts with two distinct FoVs that propagate in almost the same direction and accumulate near the image sensor, each carrying a different set of object information. During the reconstruction process, two different imaging areas corresponding to the two recorded FoVs can be obtained concurrently, and hence the desired information, including the phase, displacement/deformation, vibration, refractive index, etc. The single-shot acquisition is realized by principal component analysis (PCA) based computational method. The digital holographic system is used for imaging distinct areas of 3-D reflective objects recorded in a single multiplexed hologram and for studying dynamic phenomena such as displacement and vibration measurements. The proposed system could have a broad range of usages in exploring real-time dynamic phenomena with the advantages of single-shot acquisition and wider FoV.
Double Maxwellian foveated display Raj Kumar, Myeong-Ho Choi, Rajveer Kaur, Jae-Hyeung Park Journal of Information Display, 2025 Conventional near-eye displays (NEDs) used for augmented and virtual reality applications face the vergence-accommodation conflict (VAC), a mismatch between eye convergence and image focal depth, that causes discomfort to the wearer. To address this issue, Maxwellian displays have gained attention for their ability to project always-focused images. But the structure of the human vision system has high resolution in the foveal region, which reduces in the peripheral region, while the existing displays provide uniform resolution. If in a Maxwellian system, the resolution of the display can be tailored according to the requirements of the vision system, which will improve vision comfort and reduce the image computation time significantly. However, the optical realization of such a system is difficult. Here, we propose a novel guided double Maxwellian foveated NED using holographic optics to harness the benefits of both foveated and Maxwellian configurations. This optical design integrates a holographic pin-mirror waveguide to deliver high-resolution data in the foveal region and a concave mirror-based Maxwellian lightguide to display reduced-resolution information in the peripheral region. The proposed system is validated through optical simulation and experimental demonstration.
Role of bandwidth of display source on information transmission in holographic waveguide based near-eye displays Laser Science Ls 2023 in Proceedings Frontiers in Optics Laser Science 2023 Fio Ls Part of Frontiers in Optics Laser Science 2023, 2023
Cutting Edge Quality Assessment of Surgical Tools Using Knife-edge Interferometric NDT Technique Laser Science Ls 2023 in Proceedings Frontiers in Optics Laser Science 2023 Fio Ls Part of Frontiers in Optics Laser Science 2023, 2023
Study of wavelength dependency on diffraction efficiency of volume holographic gratings based couplers in waveguide displays Optics Infobase Conference Papers, 2022
A full-field optical crazimeter Raj Kumar, Tushar Varshney, Tarun Yadav, Gaurav Dwivedi, S K Barve, Omendra Singh Journal of Optics United Kingdom, 2021
Quality evaluation of reconstructed images in digital holography to analyze the effects of source power and exposure times Optics Infobase Conference Papers, 2020
Harmonics of drift tearing modes in Aditya tokamak Joydeep Ghosh, Harshita Raj, R. L. Tanna, Tanmay Macwan, R. Kumar, S. Aich, P. K. Chattopadhyay, K. A. Jadeja, K. Patel, D. Raju, S. Jha, P. K. Atrey, U. Nagora, A. Sen, N. Bisai, R. Pal, Aditya Team 2019 Ursi Asia Pacific Radio Science Conference AP Rasc 2019, 2019
Simple, compact and cost-effective optical interferometer using a grating and holographic optics Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research, 2004
Interferometry based security hologram readable with an encoded key hologram Indian Journal of Pure and Applied Physics, 2004
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Signal–reference correlation for modal structure retrieval in disordered optical fields Y Pandey, N Joshi, R Kumar, NS Bisht Optics Letters 51 (10), 2844-2847 , 2026 2026
Polarization-referenced phase modulation for encoding and detection of structured singular beams KK Tripathi, R Kumar, P Kumar Applied Physics B 132 (3), 30 , 2026 2026
Polarization-based real-time diffraction efficiency measurement of reflection volume holographic gratings R Kaur, K Sharma, S Saha, R Kumar Applied Optics 65 (10), D1-D6 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Holographically sensing of volatile organic compounds using cellulose acetate-based photopolymer film K Sharma, GC Mohanta, R Kumar Scientific Reports 15 (1), 37757 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Double Maxwellian foveated display R Kumar, MH Choi, R Kaur, JH Park Journal of Information Display 26, 483 - 492 , 2025 2025
Prism-free fabrication of multiplexed holographic waveguide couplers for full-color near-eye displays R Kaur, R Kumar Journal of Information Display 26 (3), 241-255 , 2025 2025 Citations: 6
Comparison of numerical reconstruction of digital holograms using angular spectrum method and Fresnel diffraction method G Dwivedi, A Sharma, S Debnath, Rajkumar Journal of Optics 54 (3), 1-10 , 2025 2025 Citations: 17
Advances in Optical Metrology: High-Bandwidth Digital Holography for Transparent Objects Analysis M Kumar, L Pensia, K Kaur, R Kumar, Y Awatsuji, O Matoba Photonics 12 (6), 617 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Enhancing field of view of digital holography using an angular multiplexed holographic optical element L Pensia, M Kumar, O Matoba, R Kumar Optics Letters 50 (12), 3970-3973 , 2025 2025 Citations: 5
Improved color uniformity in monochrome holographic waveguide based near eye displays R Kaur, B Das, JH Park, R Kumar Optics Express 33 (11), 22255-22269 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Vibration Measurement of 3D Objects with Singleshot Double Field-of-View High-speed Digital Holography M Kumar, L Pensia, R Kumar, O Matoba IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement , 2025 2025 Citations: 7
Lensless Fourier transform multiplexed digital holography M Kumar, L Pensia, R Kumar, O Matoba Optics Letters 50 (6), 1909-1912 , 2025 2025 Citations: 6
Performance evaluation of polygon-based holograms in terms of software, hardware and algorithms A Gupta, F Wang, B Das, R Kumar, D Blinder, T Ito, T Shimobaba Optics Communications 573, 131021 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
Performance evaluation of Python and MATLAB for CGH generation using layer-based approach A Gupta, B Das, R Kumar Journal of Optics 53 (5), 4762-4771 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
Light origami multi-beam interference digital holographic microscope for live cell imaging M Kumar, N Yoneda, L Pensia, I Muniraj, V Anand, R Kumar, T Murata, ... Optics & Laser Technology 176, 110961 , 2024 2024 Citations: 13
Controlling the optical wavefronts for multiparametric sensing: Holography cum metamaterial centric perspectives D Kumar, K Sharma, M Kumar, R Kumar Optics & Laser Technology 176, 110954 , 2024 2024 Citations: 10
Demonstration of a number of educational experiments on diffraction and interference of light using single-beam setup R Kumar, M Rani Optical Engineering 63 (7), 071409-071409 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
Measurement of anisotropy factor of nanoparticle embedded tumor phantoms for plasmonic photothermal therapeutics Vikas, R Kumar, S Soni Journal of Biophotonics, e202400007 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
Exit-pupil expansion in Maxwellian-type holographic-based waveguide near-eye displays R Kaur, R Kumar Three-Dimensional Imaging, Visualization, and Display 2024 13041, 37-44 , 2024 2024 Citations: 1
Effect of shrinkage in photopolymer film on the information transmitted through the holographic waveguide for near eye displays R Kaur, JH Park, R Kumar Journal of the Optical Society of America A 41 (3), A15-A24 , 2024 2024 Citations: 16
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Knife-edge diffraction pattern as an interference phenomenon: an experimental reality R Kumar, SK Kaura, AK Sharma, DP Chhachhia, AK Aggarwal Optics & Laser Technology 39 (2), 256-261 , 2007 2007 Citations: 46
Portable digital holographic camera featuring enhanced field of view and reduced exposure time R Kumar, G Dwivedi, O Singh Optics and Lasers in Engineering 137 (2), 106359 , 2021 2021 Citations: 35
Emerging scientific and industrial applications of digital holography: An overview R Kumar, G Dwivedi Engineering Research Express 5 (3), 10.1088/2631-8695/acf97e , 2023 2023 Citations: 33
Revisit to comparison of numerical reconstruction of digital holograms using angular spectrum method and Fresnel diffraction method G Dwivedi, SK Debnath, B Das, R Kumar Journal of Optics 49 (1), 118-126 , 2020 2020 Citations: 32
Structure of boundary diffraction wave revisited R Kumar Applied Physics B 90 (3-4), 379-382 , 2008 2008 Citations: 30
Concentration-dependent photothermal conversion efficiency of gold nanoparticles under near-infrared laser and broadband irradiation R Kumar, S Soni Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology 14 (1), 205-217 , 2023 2023 Citations: 29
Single-shot off-axis digital holographic system with extended field-of-view by using multiplexing method M Kumar, L Pensia, R Kumar Scientific Reports 12, 16462 , 2022 2022 Citations: 29
Highly Stable Vibration Measurements by Common-path off-axis Digital Holography M Kumar, L Pensia, R Kumar Optics and Lasers in Engineering 163, 107452 , 2023 2023 Citations: 26
Direct visualization of Young’s boundary diffraction wave R Kumar, SK Kaura, DP Chhachhia, AK Aggarwal Optics communications 276 (1), 54-57 , 2007 2007 Citations: 25
Nondestructive inspection and quantification of soldering defects in PCB using an autofocusing digital holographic camera G Dwivedi, L Pensia, V Lohchab, R Kumar IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement 72, 1-8 , 2023 2023 Citations: 24
Ultrasonic vibration–assisted magnetorheological hybrid finishing process for glass optics PK Baghel, V Mishra, R Kumar, GS Khan The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 125 (5), 2265 … , 2023 2023 Citations: 20
Comparison of numerical reconstruction of digital holograms using angular spectrum method and Fresnel diffraction method G Dwivedi, A Sharma, S Debnath, Rajkumar Journal of Optics 54 (3), 1-10 , 2025 2025 Citations: 17
Diffraction Lloyd mirror interferometer R Kumar Journal of Optics 39 (2), 90-101 , 2010 2010 Citations: 17
Comparative study of different Schlieren diffracting elements R Kumar, SK Kaura, DP Chhachhia, D Mohan, AK Aggarwal Pramana 70 (1), 121-129 , 2008 2008 Citations: 17
Effect of shrinkage in photopolymer film on the information transmitted through the holographic waveguide for near eye displays R Kaur, JH Park, R Kumar Journal of the Optical Society of America A 41 (3), A15-A24 , 2024 2024 Citations: 16
Bragg degenerate model for fabrication of holographic waveguide-based near-eye displays R Kaur, L Pensia, R Kumar Applied Optics 62 (13), 3467-3476 , 2023 2023 Citations: 15
Performance evaluation of a digital holographic camera under variable source power and exposure time G Dwivedi, L Pensia, SK Debnath, R Kumar Applied Optics 60 (4), A120-A130 , 2021 2021 Citations: 15
Scratch enhancement and measurement in periodic and non-periodic optical elements using digital holography S Verma, SS Sarma, R Dhar, R Kumar Optik 126 (21), 3283-3287 , 2015 2015 Citations: 15
A compact digital holographic system based on a multifunctional holographic optical element with improved resolution and field of view L Pensia, M Kumar, R Kumar Optics and Lasers in Engineering 169, 107744 , 2023 2023 Citations: 14