Optical spatial filtering velocimetry (SFV) has been used for several decades for velocity measurements. Since the 1990s, charge-coupled device (CCD) line sensors have been used for the realization of spatial filtering systems by the inherent implementation of grating functions using a specialized clock regime. Another approach is the realization of optical SFV systems by utilizing array detectors (CCD or CMOS) with software-implemented grating functions, especially for two-dimensional velocity measurements. Choosing a suitable grating function for the observed scene can be an obstacle when using SFV, and relies on the experience of the user. With this in mind, this contribution presents an overview of how to assemble an optical spatial filtering system. After a general description of signal generation in spatial filtering systems, a straightforward approach to identifying matching harmonic grating functions by using Fourier analysis is presented. This approach has particular advantages for observed scenes with a periodically structured pattern, which were problematic when using SFV in connection with a fixed grating function. Matching periods of harmonic grating functions can be found as peaks in the spectral density distribution of the imaged scene. Once a matching grating function has been found, the signal processing can be made with SFV, which is simpler than calculating the cross-correlation of full frames and is suitable for real-time application. Criteria for the layout of an array-detector-based spatial filtering velocimeter are then discussed.

Circular spatial filtering velocimetry (CSFV) was tested during the microscopic registration of the individual rotations of baker's yeast cells. Their frequency-dependent rotation (electrorotation; ER) was induced in rotating electric fields, which were generated in a glass chip chamber with four electrodes (600 μm tip-to-tip distance). The electrodes were driven with sinusoidal quadrature signals of 5 or 8 V PP with frequencies up to 3 MHz. The observed cell rotation was of the order of 1-100 s per revolution. At each measuring frequency, the independent rotations of up to 20 cells were simultaneously recorded with a high-speed camera. CSFV was software-implemented using circular spatial filters with harmonic gratings. ER was proportional to the phase shift between the values of the spatial filtering signal of consecutive frames. ER spectra obtained by CSFV from the rotation velocities at different ER-field frequencies agreed well with manual measurements and theoretical spectra. Oscillations in the rotation velocity of a single cell in the elliptically polarized field near an electrode, which were resolved by CSFV, could not be visually discerned. ER step responses after field-on were recorded at 2500 frames per second. Analysis proved the high temporal resolution of CSFV and revealed a largely linear torque-friction relation during the acceleration phase of ER. Future applications of CSFV will allow for the simple and cheap automated high-resolution analysis of rotational movements where mechanical detection has too low a resolution or is not possible, e.g. in polluted environments or for gas and fluid vortices, microscopic objects, etc.

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