Creation and detection of optical modes with spatial light modulators

Forbes, Andrew; Dudley, Angela; McLaren, Melanie

doi:10.1364/aop.8.000200

Cited by 582 publications

(301 citation statements)

References 175 publications

(203 reference statements)

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“…The basic concept -as illustrated in Fig. 2 -combines spatial-beam modulation 33,34 and ultrafast pulse-shaping 35,36 , and is related to the so-called 4 -imager utilized to introduce ST-coupling into ultrafast pulsed beams for nonlinear spectroscopy and quantum control [37][38][39] . We start from a pulsed plane-wave ( , 0; ) = ( ), whose separable ST-spectrum is � ( , ) ≈ � ( ) ( ), and spread the spectrum along the -axis with a diffraction grating, so that each wavelength is assigned to a position ( ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diffraction-free space–time light sheets

Kondakci¹,

Abouraddy²

2017

Nature Photon

299

283

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Diffraction-free optical beams propagate freely without change in shape and scale. Monochromatic beams that avoid diffractive spreading require two-dimensional transverse profiles, and there are no corresponding solutions for profiles restricted to one transverse dimension. Here, we demonstrate that the temporal degree of freedom can be exploited to efficiently synthesize onedimensional pulsed optical sheets that propagate self-similarly in free space. By introducing programmable conical (hyperbolic, parabolic, or elliptical) spectral correlations between the beam's spatio-temporal degrees of freedom, a continuum of families of axially invariant pulsed localized beams is generated. The spectral loci of such beams are the reduced-dimensionality trajectories at the intersection of the light-cone with spatio-temporal spectral planes. Far from being exceptional, self-similar axial propagation is a generic feature of fields whose spatial and temporal degrees of freedom are tightly correlated. These one-dimensional 'space-time' beams can be useful in optical sheet microscopy, nonlinear spectroscopy, and non-contact measurements.Diffractive spreading is a fundamental feature of freely propagating optical beams that is readily observed in everyday life. Diffraction sets limits on the optical resolution in microscopy, lithography, and photography; on the maximum distance for free-space optical communications and standoff detection; and on the precision of spectral analysis 1,2 . As a result, there has been a long-standing fascination with socalled 'diffraction-free' beams whose change in shape and scale during propagation is curbed when compared to other beams of comparable transverse size 3 . Monochromatic diffraction-free beams have sculpted two-dimensional (2D) transverse spatial profiles that confirm to Bessel 4 , Mathieu 5 , or Weber 6 functions, among other examples (see Refs. [7,8] for recent taxonomies). The situation is altogether different for monochromatic beams with one transverse dimension -or optical sheets -where there are only two possible diffraction-free solutions: the cosine wave that lacks spatial localization and the Airy beam that maintains a localized intensity profile but whose center-of-mass undergoes a transverse shift with propagation 9,10 . Indeed, a conclusive argument by Michael Berry 11 identified the Airy beam as the only such monochromatic one-dimensional (1D) profile. Optical nonlinearities can be exploited to thwart diffractive spreading 12,13 , and in some cases chromatic dispersion is required in the medium to restrain the diffraction of pulsed beams [14][15][16] . However, most applications require free-space diffraction-free beams.Here, we exploit the temporal degree of freedom (DoF) in conjunction with the spatial DoF to realize a variety of diffraction-free pulsed solutions having arbitrary 1D transverse profiles. By establishing a correlation between the spatial and temporal DoFs, diffractive spreading is reined-in and the time-averaged spatial profile propagates self-similarly. ...

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diffraction-free space–time light sheets

Kondakci¹,

Abouraddy²

2017

Nature Photon

299

283

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“…Status Structured light may be created by a variety of techniques external to the source [232], including all the eigenmodes typically found from sources [233], e.g., free-space modes in the form of Laguerre-Gaussian, Bessel-Gaussian and Hermite-Gaussian beams, the linearly polarizedmodes of optical fibres, waveguide modes and so on. Using SLMs, such eigenmodes can be created with very high fidelity, mimicking complex sources.…”

Section: University Of the Witwatersrandmentioning

confidence: 99%

Roadmap on structured light

Rubinsztein‐Dunlop

Forbes

Berry

et al. 2016

J. Opt.

Self Cite

1,134

630

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Structured light refers to the generation and application of custom light fields. As the tools and technology to create and detect structured light have evolved, steadily the applications have begun to emerge. This roadmap touches on the key fields within structured light from the perspective of experts in those areas, providing insight into the current state and the challenges their respective fields face. Collectively the roadmap outlines the venerable nature of structured light research and the exciting prospects for the future that are yet to be realized.

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“…However, to fully take advantage of the potential that spatial light modes offer, technologies to manipulate and measure them are essential. Although mature technologies to generate complex spatial modes are available today [10], complex transformations of such modes are still rare and challenging to implement [11][12][13]. The transformation from a given spatial mode to a specific position in a transverse plane, that is, mode sorting or demultiplexing, is an especially interesting transformation in quantum [7,14,15] and classical information schemes [4,16].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Custom-tailored spatial mode sorting by controlled random scattering

2017

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The need to increase data transfer rates constitutes a key challenge in modern information-driven societies. Taking advantage of the transverse spatial modes of light to encode more information is a promising avenue for both classical and quantum photonics. However, to ease access to the encoded information, it is essential to be able to sort spatial modes into different output channels. Here, we introduce a novel way to customize the sorting of arbitrary spatial light modes. Our method relies on the high degree of control over random scattering processes by preshaping of the phase structure of the incident light. We demonstrate experimentally that various sets of modes, irrespective of their specific modal structure, can be transformed to any output channel arrangement. Thus, our method enables full access to all of the information encoded in the transverse structure of the field, for example, azimuthal and radial modes. We also demonstrate that coherence is retained in this complex mode transformation, which opens up applications in quantum and classical information science.Transverse spatial light modes have attracted a much attention because of their special properties and the subsequent broad range of applications [1, 2]. One particularly promising approach uses spatial modes of light to increase data rates in optical communication schemes. By not only harnessing the polarization or frequency of light but also the transverse spatial degree of freedom, a dramatic improvement in the multiplexing of information can be achieved [3,4]. In quantum physics spatial light modes are successfully utilized as laboratory realizations of high-dimensional quantum states [5,6], which are advantageous for quantum secure communication schemes [7], quantum simulation tasks [8] and foundational investigations [9]. However, to fully take advantage of the potential that spatial light modes offer, technologies to manipulate and measure them are essential. Although mature technologies to generate complex spatial modes are available today [10], complex transformations of such modes are still rare and challenging to implement [11][12][13]. The transformation from a given spatial mode to a specific position in a transverse plane, that is, mode sorting or demultiplexing, is an especially interesting transformation in quantum [7,14,15] and classical information schemes [4,16]. A specific example, namely a sorter for modes that differ by their azimuthal structure, has recently been established [17,18] and successfully implemented [4,7,14,15].Here we show that sorting of this type can be implemented through the control of strong scattering processes, a topic that has recently attracted much attention [19]. Such control can allow one to realize complex modulation tasks that have thus far been impossible. Earlier experiments presage the enormous potential that the control over random scattering processes can offer, by e.g. showing enhanced transmission and focusing through opaque, scattering media in the spatial [20][21][22] and temporal d...

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Creation and detection of optical modes with spatial light modulators

Cited by 582 publications

References 175 publications

Diffraction-free space–time light sheets

Diffraction-free space–time light sheets

Roadmap on structured light

Custom-tailored spatial mode sorting by controlled random scattering

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