Generation of structured light by multilevel orbital angular momentum holograms

Roadmap on computational methods in optical imaging and holography [invited]

Computational methods have been established as cornerstones in optical imaging and holography in recent years. Every year, the dependence of optical imaging and holography on computational methods is increasing significantly to the extent that optical methods and components are being completely and efficiently replaced with computational methods at low cost. This roadmap reviews the current scenario in four major areas namely incoherent digital holography, quantitative phase imaging, imaging through scattering layers, and super-resolution imaging. In addition to registering the perspectives of the modern-day architects of the above research areas, the roadmap also reports some of the latest studies on the topic. Computational codes and pseudocodes are presented for computational methods in a plug-and-play fashion for readers to not only read and understand but also practice the latest algorithms with their data. We believe that this roadmap will be a valuable tool for analyzing the current trends in computational methods to predict and prepare the future of computational methods in optical imaging and holography.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00340-024-08280-3.

Deep-learning assisted fast orbital angular momentum complex spectrum analysis

Analyzing the orbital angular momentum (OAM) distribution of a vortex beam is critical for OAM-based applications. Here, we propose a deep residual network (DRN) to model the relationship between characteristics of the multiplexed OAM beam and their complex spectrum. The favorable experimental results show that our proposal can obtain both the intensity and phase terms of multiplexed OAM beams, dubbed complex spectrum, with a wide range of OAM modes, varying in intensity, phase ratio, and mode intervals at high accuracy and real-time speed. Specifically, the root mean square error (RMSE) of intensity and phase spectrum is evaluated as 0.002 and 0.016, respectively, with a response time of only 0.020 s. To the best of our knowledge, this work opens a new sight for fast OAM complex spectrum analysis and paves the way for numerous advanced domains that need real-time OAM complex spectrum diagnostic like ultrahigh-dimensional OAM tailoring.

Enhanced design of multiplexed coded masks for Fresnel incoherent correlation holography

Fresnel incoherent correlation holography (FINCH) is a well-established incoherent digital holography technique. In FINCH, light from an object point splits into two, differently modulated using two diffractive lenses with different focal distances and interfered to form a self-interference hologram. The hologram numerically back propagates to reconstruct the image of the object at different depths. FINCH, in the inline configuration, requires at least three camera shots with different phase shifts between the two interfering beams followed by superposition to obtain a complex hologram that can be used to reconstruct an object's image without the twin image and bias terms. In general, FINCH is implemented using an active device, such as a spatial light modulator, to display the diffractive lenses. The first version of FINCH used a phase mask generated by random multiplexing of two diffractive lenses, which resulted in high reconstruction noise. Therefore, a polarization multiplexing method was later developed to suppress the reconstruction noise at the expense of some power loss. In this study, a novel computational algorithm based on the Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm (GSA) called transport of amplitude into phase (TAP-GSA) was developed for FINCH to design multiplexed phase masks with high light throughput and low reconstruction noise. The simulation and optical experiments demonstrate a power efficiency improvement of ~ 150 and ~ 200% in the new method in comparison to random multiplexing and polarization multiplexing, respectively. The SNR of the proposed method is better than that of random multiplexing in all tested cases but lower than that of the polarization multiplexing method.

Spirally rotating particles with structured beams generated by phase-shifted zone plates

The emerging field of structured beams has led to optical manipulation with tremendous progress. Beyond various methods for structured beams, we use phase-shifted zone plates known as beam-shaping diffractive optical elements to generate beams whose phase exclusively or both phase and intensity are twisted along a curve. These beams can trap and guide particles on open curved trajectories for continuous motion, not necessarily requiring a closed symmetric intensity distribution. We show the feasibility and versatility of the proposed method as a promising technique in optical manipulation in which the trajectory of the spiral rotation and the rate of rotation of trapped particles can be controlled.

Phenomenology of complex structured light in turbulent air

The study of light propagation has been a cornerstone of progress in physics and technology. Recently, advances in control and shaping of light have created significant interest in the propagation of complex structures of light - particularly under realistic terrestrial conditions. While theoretical understanding of this research question has significantly grown over the last two decades, outdoor experiments with complex light structures are rare, and comparisons with theory have been nearly lacking. Such situations show a significant gap between theoretical models of atmospheric light behaviour and current experimental effort. Here, in an attempt to reduce this gap, we describe an interesting result of atmospheric models that are feasible for empirical observation. We analyze in detail light propagation in different spatial bases and present results of the theory that the influence of atmospheric turbulence is basis-dependent. Concretely, light propagating as eigenstate in one complete basis is more strongly influenced by atmosphere than light propagating in a different, complete basis. We obtain these results by exploiting a family of the continuously adjustable, complete basis of spatial modes-the Ince-Gauss modes. Our concrete numerical results will hopefully inspire experimental efforts and bring the theoretical and empirical study of complex light patterns in realistic scenarios closer together.

Multiple-twisted spiral beams

We propose a method to construct paraxial light fields whose transverse intensity rotates as a whole during the field propagation (spiral beams), and the total rotation angle is an integer multiple of π/2 (multiple-twisted beams). We derive analytical expressions for the field complex amplitude by utilizing an integral description of Laguerre-Gaussian beams. This method provides a straightforward way to obtain multiple-twisted spiral beams of various intensity shapes and rotation rates.