are not limited by the paraxial operation of classical thin lenses, also offer entirely new opportunities to image wide angular spaces. [21,22] Artificial compound eyes are however predominantly curved or hemispherical constructs including microlens arrays interfaced to photodetectors, [7,16] and elastomeric hemispheres patterned with lenses. [6,[23][24][25] While the fabrication of these architectures typically involves multiple steps and components, soft, single-component eyes have also been generated [26,27] or proposed [28,29] by inducing lens-capped waveguides in UV-polymerizable resins in 2D [26] and 3D [27,28] geometries.Inspired by the collective behavior of ommatidia, we are developing new classes of multifunctional polymer films, which are inscribed with dense arrays or lattices of cylindrical waveguides. [30] In striking contrast to the predominantly hemispherical architectures of natural and artificial compound eyes, these waveguide encoded lattices (WELs) are flexible, slim (≤3 mm), and optically flat, which provides ease of integration into existing light-based technologies such as solar cells, cameras, and smart screens. In addition, distinct from known examples of natural or artificial eyes, WELs also possess translational symmetry, which affords the scalability that is necessary for manufacturing (e.g., roll-to-roll) processes. We generate WELs through a single-step, room-temperature technique that employs large ensembles of nonlinear self-trapped filaments of visible light elicited in photopolymerizable media to permanently inscribe arrays of multimode, polychromatic waveguides. [31][32][33][34] We previously fabricated a WEL consisting of a thin, epoxide film embedded with pentadirectional, intersecting arrays of multimode cylindrical waveguides, which conferred an FOV of 94°, which represented a 66% enhancement relative to an unstructured film. The FOV of this structure corresponded to the sum of the angular acceptance ranges of waveguide arrays oriented along five discrete angles. Significantly, there was no overlap between these five ranges and the consequent discontinuities-or gaps-in the FOV prevented cross-talk between nonparallel waveguides. This, in turn, enabled sophisticated imaging functions such as panoramic imaging, inversion, and focusing that would normally require bulky optics. [30] We now report a WEL that possesses a seamless and significantly enhanced panoramic FOV of 115°, which originatesThe nearly hemispherical field of view (FOV) of arthropodal compound eyes has inspired analogs ranging from curved, lens-patterned domes to planar constructs patterned with microlenses. A radial distribution of cylindrical waveguides that monotonically spans ±33° confers an FOV of 115° to a slim (≤3 mm) polymer film. This is the greatest panoramic FOV reported for any plane-faced, single-component structure. The radially distributed waveguide encoded lattice (RDWEL) waveguides are inscribed in a single, room-temperature step by a large (≈15 000 cm −2 ), converging population of self-trapped...

and in this way, enhance the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of emission. Because of the breadth and diversity of LED applications-and the consequent need for greater light coverage, better collimation, controllable divergence and ability to direct light to specific directions-there have been extensive efforts to shape, design, and systematically modulate their characteristically Lambertian beam profiles. Approaches range from microlenses or microprismatic facets, [9][10][11][12] photonic crystals [13][14][15] to nanorod arrays and nanospheres; [16,17] various radiation patterns such as a uniform intensity distribution, [10,18] batwings, [19,20] or beams with small divergence [11,12] have been achieved. These technologies often require modification of the native LED die or involve multiple, complex fabrication steps. Conventional optics such as lenses or mirrors [21,22] can also control the divergence and intensity distribution of LED beams but due to their nonplanar, bulky geometries hinder the integration of these miniature light sources into optical systems and devices. Here we show that LED beams can be modulated by a single component, plane-faced, slim polymer film embedded with a radial distribution of cylindrical waveguides. The radially distributed waveguide-encoded lattice (RDWEL) [23] is slim (≤2 mm) and flexible, rendering it suitable as a conformal coating that both protects and optically manipulates LED emission. Importantly, such coatings could be integrated without significantly disrupting mature LED fabrication technologies. The RDWEL is fabricated through a single-step, roomtemperature self-inscription method developed in our group, which exploits the spontaneous self-trapping [24,25] of large populations of incandescent beams in photopolymerizable acrylate [26][27][28] and epoxide [23,29] fluids. Each self-trapped beam elicited in these systems inscribes a multimoded, cylindrical waveguide capable of guiding all visible wavelengths of light. As a result, the RDWEL is operable with broadband light spanning the entire visible wavelength range. However, the focus of the current work is to demonstrate the manipulation of light from commercially available, narrowband LEDs by the RDWEL structure.Akin to the arthropodal compound eye, the RDWEL possesses an enhanced and seamless field of view (FOV). [23] As a result, a noncollimated LED beam incident on the RDWEL

The Conversation Series is a grassroots initiative consisting of monthly discussion events ("Conversations") on topics of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), organized by and for the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (CCB) at McMaster University. The initiative originated in June 2020 with the #ShutDownSTEM strike, which urged reflection on anti-Black racism in academia and sparked a broader recognition of the need for EDI conversation within the department. The Conversations are informal, 60−90 min virtual events centered on specific subjects such as accessibility, mental health, or allyship. The audience (consisting primarily of graduate students, faculty, and staff) is invited to discuss the focus topic with subject-matter experts, share experiences, and ask questions. The goals of the events are to maintain a space for EDI-related subjects to be discussed; to provide key information about the subject to attendees; to support attendees in adopting more inclusive practices, and to bring awareness to the experiences of minoritized groups. Attendance numbers and qualitative observations of engagement were used to assess the success of each event. Initial observations show a largely positive response and the retention of a core audience. An increase in EDIenhancement initiatives in the department was also noted.