Integrated structured light architectures

Abstract The structural versatility of light underpins an outstanding collection of optical phenomena where both geometrical and topological states of light can dictate how matter will respond or display. Light possesses multiple degrees of freedom such as amplitude, and linear, spin angular, and or...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Randy Lemons, Wei Liu, Josef C. Frisch, Alan Fry, Joseph Robinson, Steve R. Smith, Sergio Carbajo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2021-01-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-80502-y
Description
Summary:Abstract The structural versatility of light underpins an outstanding collection of optical phenomena where both geometrical and topological states of light can dictate how matter will respond or display. Light possesses multiple degrees of freedom such as amplitude, and linear, spin angular, and orbital angular momenta, but the ability to adaptively engineer the spatio-temporal distribution of all these characteristics is primarily curtailed by technologies used to impose any desired structure to light. We demonstrate a laser architecture based on coherent beam combination offering integrated spatio-temporal field control and programmability, thereby presenting unique opportunities for generating light by design to exploit its topology.
ISSN:2045-2322