Complete wavefront and polarization control for ultrashort-pulse laser microprocessing

Pulsed Optical Vortex Array Generation in a Self-Q-Switched Tm:YALO3 Laser

Optical vortex arrays are characterized by specific orbital angular momentums, and they have important applications in optical trapping and manipulation, optical communications, secure communications, and high-security information processing. Despite widespread research on optical vortex arrays, the 2 μm wavelength range remains underexplored. Pulsed lasers at 2 μm are vital in laser medicine, sensing, communications, and nonlinear optic applications. The need for 2 μm-pulsed structured optical vortices, combining the advantages of this wavelength range and optical vortex arrays, is evident. Therefore, using just three elements in the cavity, we demonstrate a compact self-Q-switched Tm:YALO3 vortex laser by utilizing the self-modulation effect of a laser crystal and a defect spot mirror. By tuning the position of the defect spot and the output coupler, the resonator delivers optical vortex arrays with phase singularities ranging from 1 to 4. The narrowest pulse widths of the TEM00 LG0,-1, two-, three-, and four-vortex arrays are 543, 1266, 1281, 2379, and 1615 ns, respectively. All the vortex arrays in our study have relatively high-power outputs, slope efficiencies, and single-pulse energies. This work paves the way for a 2 μm-pulsed structured light source that has potential applications in optical trapping and manipulation, free-space optical communications, and laser medicine.

Simultaneous spatial and temporal focusing optical vortex pulses for micromachining through optically transparent materials

We introduce the optical vortex beam into simultaneous spatial and temporal focusing (SSTF) technique, and theoretically and experimentally demonstrate the local control of peak intensity distribution at the focus of a simultaneous spatiotemporally focused optical vortex (SSTF OV) beam. To avoid nonlinear self-focusing in the conventional focusing scheme, a spatiotemporally focused femtosecond laser vortex beam was employed to achieve doughnut-shaped ablation and high aspect ratio (∼28) microchannels on the back surface of 3 mm thick soda-lime glass and fused silica substrates.

Dynamic Phase and Polarization Modulation Using Two-Beam Parallel Coding for Optical Storage in Transparent Materials

In this paper, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a parallel coding and two-beam combining approach for the simultaneous implementation of dynamically generating holographic patterns at their arbitrary linear polarization states. Two orthogonal input beams are parallelly and independently encoded with the same target image information but there is different amplitude information by using two-phase computer-generated holograms (CGH) on two Liquid-Crystal-on-Silicon-Spatial-Light Modulators (LCOS SLMs). Two modulated beams are then considered as two polarization components and are spatially superposed to form the target polarization state. The final linear vector beam is created by the spatial superposition of the two base beams, capable of controlling the vector angle through the phase depth of the phase-only CGHs. Meanwhile, the combined holographic patterns can be freely encoded by the holograms of two vector components. Thus, this allows us to tailor the optical fields endowed with arbitrary holographic patterns and the linear polarization states at the same time. This method provides a more promising approach for laser data writing generation systems in the next-generation optical data storage technology in transparent materials.

Direct Light Orbital Angular Momentum Detection in Mid-Infrared Based on the Type-II Weyl Semimetal TaIrTe4

The direct photocurrent detection capability of light orbital angular momentum (OAM) has recently been realized with topological Weyl semimetals, but it is limited to the near-infrared wavelength range. The extension of the direct OAM detection capability to the mid-infrared band, which is a wave band that plays an important role in a vast range of applications, has not yet been realized. This is because the photocurrent responses of most photodetectors are neither sensitive to the phase information nor efficient in the mid-infrared region. In this study, a photodetector based on the type-II Weyl semimetal tantalum iridium telluride (TaIrTe₄ ) is designed with peculiar electrode geometries to directly detect the topological charge of the OAM using the orbital photogalvanic effect (OPGE). The results indicate that the helical phase gradient of light can be distinguished by a current winding around the optical beam axis, with a magnitude proportional to its quantized OAM mode number. The topologically enhanced responses in the mid-infrared region of TaIrTe₄ further help overcome the low responsivity issues and finally render direct OAM detection capability. This study enables on-chip-integrated OAM detection, and thus OAM-sensitive focal plane arrays in the mid-infrared region.

Chiro-optical fields with asymmetric orbital angular momentum and polarization

In this paper, we proposed a flexible method for generating asymmetric chiro-optical fields. Different from most of the chiro-optical fields superimposed by vortex beams which are rotationally symmetric, the asymmetric chiro-optical field has a locally controllable orbital angular momentum (OAM) and polarization state. By using a helix phase plate (HPP) calculated based on coordinates transformation of the perfect vortex, the OAM controllability of a single chiro-optical field could be achieved. Then, by using the transformation matrix method, several discrete chiro-optical fields with different rotation angles and topological charges were stitched together as a multi-lobed chiro-optical field with asymmetric OAM on each side-lobe. Furthermore, we designed two HPPs that can be loaded into two spatial light modulators to modulate the polarization state of each side-lobe of the asymmetric chiro-optical field independently. The proposed asymmetric chiro-optical field breaks the characteristics of uniform OAM and polarization distribution of conventional chiro-optical fields, which may have potential applications in optical tweezers, communications, and enantiomer-selective sensing.

Efficient dynamic control method of light polarization using single phase-only liquid crystal on silicon spatial light modulators for optical data storage

The technology of five-dimensional (5D) optical data storage in transparent materials paves a promising way to unlimited lifetime data storage for future cloud use. Phase-only liquid-crystal-on-silicon spatial light modulators (LCOS SLMs) have already exhibited its potential for this application in tailoring ultrafast laser writing beams for 5D optical data storage. A phase-only LCOS SLM can generate arbitrary data patterns by using diffractive holographic imaging for data writing light beam generation. However, the polarization control of the output holographic image is still achieved by using an external polarization modulator, which leads to complications, bulkiness, and large delays in current methods. In this paper, we presented an efficient phase and polarization modulation method through a compact system based on a single phase-only LCOS SLM to simultaneously control both the holographic image and its polarization state. The proposed method utilizes two-polarization-component coding in conjunction with a polarization component rotation technique in a compact system. Using this polarization rotation technique, two light components can be independently coded by separately using two holograms on two halves of the LCOS SLM. We experimentally construct a proof-of-concept prototype of the compact system, and the effectiveness of the system has been experimentally verified.

Theoretical Study on Generation of Multidimensional Focused and Vector Vortex Beams via All-Dielectric Spin-Multiplexed Metasurface

The optical vortex (OV) beams characterized by orbital angular momentum (OAM) possess ubiquitous applications in optical communication and nanoparticle manipulation. Particularly, the vortex vector beams are important in classical physics and quantum sciences. Here, based on an all-dielectric transmission metasurface platform, we demonstrate a spin-multiplexed metadevice combining propagation phase and Pancharatnam–Berry (PB) phase. By utilizing a phase-only modulation method, the metadevice can generate spin-dependent and multidimensional focused optical vortex (FOV) under the orthogonally circularly polarized incident light, and it can successfully realize the multiplexed of the above-mentioned FOVs for linearly polarized light. Meanwhile, the superposition of multiple OAM states can also produce vector vortex beams with different modes. Additionally, the evolution process of the electric field intensity profile is presented after the resultant vector vortex beams through a horizontal linear polarization. This work paves an innovative way for generating structured beams, and it provides promising opportunities for advanced applications in optical data storage, optical micromanipulation, and data communication.

Squared Focal Intensity Distributions for Applications in Laser Material Processing

Tailored intensity profiles within the focal spot of the laser beam offer great potential for a well-defined control of the interaction process between laser radiation and material, and thus for improving the processing results. The present paper discusses a novel refractive beam-shaping element that provides different squared intensity distributions converted from the Gaussian output beam of the utilized femtosecond (fs) laser. Using the examples of surface structuring of stainless-steel on the micro- and nano-scale, the suitability of the beam-shaping element for fs-laser material processing with a conventional f-Theta lens is demonstrated. In this context, it was shown that the experimental structuring results are in good agreement with beam profile measurements and numerical simulations of the beam-shaping unit. In addition, the experimental results reveal the improvement of laser processing in terms of a significantly reduced processing time during surface nano-structuring and the possibility to control the ablation geometry during the fabrication of micro-channels.

Laser-Material Interactions of High-Quality Ultrashort Pulsed Vector Vortex Beams

Diffractive multi-beams based on 1 × 5 and 2 × 2 binary Dammann gratings applied to a spatial light modulator (SLM) combined with a nanostructured S-wave plate have been used to generate uniform multiple cylindrical vector beams with radial and azimuthal polarizations. The vector quality factor (concurrence) of the single vector vortex beam was found to be C = 0.95 ± 0.02, hence showing a high degree of vector purity. The multi-beams have been used to ablate polished metal samples (Ti-6Al-4V) with laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS), which confirm the polarization states unambiguously. The measured ablation thresholds of the ring mode radial and azimuthal polarizations are close to those of a Gaussian mode when allowance is made for the expected absolute intensity distribution of a ring beam generated from a Gaussian. In addition, ring mode vortex beams with varying orbital angular momentum (OAM) exhibit the same ablation threshold on titanium alloy. Beam scanning with ring modes for surface LIPSS formation can increase micro-structuring throughput by optimizing fluence over a larger effective beam diameter. The comparison of each machined spot was analysed with a machine learning method—cosine similarity—which confirmed the degree of spatial uniformity achieved, reaching cosθ > 0.96 and 0.92 for the 1 × 5 and 2 × 2 arrays, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy and white light surface profiling were used to characterize and quantify the effects of surface modification.

Generation of Supra-Wavelength Grooves in Femtosecond Laser Surface Structuring of Silicon

Extensive research work has been carried out on the generation and application of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). LIPSS with a sub-wavelength period generated by femtosecond laser irradiation, generally indicated as ripples, have been extensively investigated. Instead, the other ordered surface structures characterized by a supra-wavelength period, indicated as grooves, have been much less studied. Grooves typically form at larger irradiance levels or for higher number of laser pulses. Here, we report a comprehensive overview of recent investigations on the supra-wavelength grooves formed on crystalline silicon irradiated by femtosecond laser pulses. The authors’ recent experimental work is mainly addressed giving an explicit picture of the grooves generation process, namely illustrating the influence of the various experimental parameters, including, e.g., polarization, wavelength, fluence and repetition rate of the laser beam as well as number of laser pulses hitting the surface of the material. The effect of irradiation of a static or moving target and of the environmental conditions (e.g., vacuum or air ambient) will also be discussed. Finally, possible mechanisms envisaged to explain grooves formation and still open issues are briefly discussed.

In-system optimization of a hologram for high-stability parallel laser processing

A method for optimizing a computer-generated hologram (CGH) for high-stability laser processing is proposed. The CGH is optimized during laser processing; therefore, unpredicted dynamic changes in the laser processing system, in addition to its static imperfections, are automatically compensated for by exploiting the rewritable capability of the spatial light modulator. Consequently, the short-term and long-term stability are improved, which will contribute to the realization of high-speed, high-precision laser processing. A CGH that generated 36 parallel beams was continuously optimized, and the maximum uniformity reached 0.98, which is higher than reported in previous research. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of gradual improvement of parallel laser processing with in-process optimization of the CGH. Furthermore, it was also demonstrated that the performance of the laser processing system against unexpected disturbances was improved.

Adaptive optics in laser processing

Adaptive optics are becoming a valuable tool for laser processing, providing enhanced functionality and flexibility for a range of systems. Using a single adaptive element, it is possible to correct for aberrations introduced when focusing inside the workpiece, tailor the focal intensity distribution for the particular fabrication task and/or provide parallelisation to reduce processing times. This is particularly promising for applications using ultrafast lasers for three-dimensional fabrication. We review recent developments in adaptive laser processing, including methods and applications, before discussing prospects for the future.

Optical vortices 30 years on: OAM manipulation from topological charge to multiple singularities

Thirty years ago, Coullet et al. proposed that a special optical field exists in laser cavities bearing some analogy with the superfluid vortex. Since then, optical vortices have been widely studied, inspired by the hydrodynamics sharing similar mathematics. Akin to a fluid vortex with a central flow singularity, an optical vortex beam has a phase singularity with a certain topological charge, giving rise to a hollow intensity distribution. Such a beam with helical phase fronts and orbital angular momentum reveals a subtle connection between macroscopic physical optics and microscopic quantum optics. These amazing properties provide a new understanding of a wide range of optical and physical phenomena, including twisting photons, spin-orbital interactions, Bose-Einstein condensates, etc., while the associated technologies for manipulating optical vortices have become increasingly tunable and flexible. Hitherto, owing to these salient properties and optical manipulation technologies, tunable vortex beams have engendered tremendous advanced applications such as optical tweezers, high-order quantum entanglement, and nonlinear optics. This article reviews the recent progress in tunable vortex technologies along with their advanced applications.

Surface structures with unconventional patterns and shapes generated by femtosecond structured light fields

We present an investigation on ultrashort laser surface structuring with structured light fields generated by various q-plates. In particular, q-plates with topological charges q = 1, 3/2, 2, 5/2 are used to generate femtosecond (fs) vector vortex beams, and form complex periodic surface structures through multi-pulse ablation of a solid crystalline silicon target. We show how optical retardation tuning of the q-plate offers a feasible way to vary the fluence transverse distribution of the beam, thus allowing the production of structures with peculiar shapes, which depend on the value of q. The features of the generated surface structures are compared with the vector vortex beam characteristics at the focal plane, by rationalizing their relationship with the local state of the laser light. Our experimental findings demonstrate how irradiation with fs complex light beams can offer a valuable route to design unconventional surface structures.

Simple method for efficient reconfigurable optical vortex beam splitting

In recent years, singular light beams with orbital angular momentum are one of the most striking examples of structured light that have been widely applied in modern science. The transition from the generation of a single vortex beam to the generation of multiple such beams progressed the development of singular optics. This paper presents a new efficient method of vortex laser beam splitting using a two-level pure-phase diffractive optical element. The proposed compact element, which can be easily implemented with a low-cost binary spatial light modulator or fabricated by electron beam lithography or photolithography, is a useful tool for the reconfigurable generation of multiple closed-packed vortex beams. Furthermore, the proposed splitter can efficiently operate in the wavelength range of approximately 8% of the central wavelength, thus providing an efficient method to generate optical vortex arrays with various potential applications in modern optics and photonics.

Generation of continuously rotating polarization by combining cross-polarizations and its application in surface structuring

In this study, we develop a simple but highly effective technique that generates a continuously varying polarization within a laser beam. This is achieved by having orthogonal linear polarizations on each side of the beam. By simply focusing such a laser beam, we can attain a gradually and continuously changing polarization within the entire Rayleigh range due to diffraction. To demonstrate this polarization distribution, we apply this laser beam onto a metal surface and create a continuously rotating laser induced periodic surface structure pattern. This technique provides a very effective way to produce complex surface structures that may potentially find applications, such as polarization modulators and metasurfaces.

Surface Structuring with Polarization-Singular Femtosecond Laser Beams Generated by a q-plate

In the last few years femtosecond optical vortex beams with different spatial distributions of the state of polarization (e.g. azimuthal, radial, spiral, etc.) have been used to generate complex, regular surface patterns on different materials. Here we present an experimental investigation on direct femtosecond laser surface structuring based on a larger class of vector beams generated by means of a q-plate with topological charge q = +1/2. In fact, voltage tuning of q-plate optical retardation allows generating a family of ultrashort laser beams with a continuous spatial evolution of polarization and fluence distribution in the focal plane. These beams can be thought of as a controlled coherent superposition of a Gaussian beam with uniform polarization and a vortex beam with a radial or azimuthal state of polarization. The use of this family of ultrashort laser beams in surface structuring leads to a further extension of the achievable surface patterns. The comparison of theoretical predictions of the vector beam characteristics at the focal plane and the generated surface patterns is used to rationalize the dependence of the surface structures on the local state of the laser beam, thus offering an effective way to either design unconventional surface structures or diagnose complex ultrashort laser beams.

Bio-Inspired Functional Surfaces Based on Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures

Nature developed numerous solutions to solve various technical problems related to material surfaces by combining the physico-chemical properties of a material with periodically aligned micro/nanostructures in a sophisticated manner. The utilization of ultra-short pulsed lasers allows mimicking numerous of these features by generating laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). In this review paper, we describe the physical background of LIPSS generation as well as the physical principles of surface related phenomena like wettability, reflectivity, and friction. Then we introduce several biological examples including e.g., lotus leafs, springtails, dessert beetles, moth eyes, butterfly wings, weevils, sharks, pangolins, and snakes to illustrate how nature solves technical problems, and we give a comprehensive overview of recent achievements related to the utilization of LIPSS to generate superhydrophobic, anti-reflective, colored, and drag resistant surfaces. Finally, we conclude with some future developments and perspectives related to forthcoming applications of LIPSS-based surfaces.

Direct Femtosecond Laser Surface Structuring with Optical Vortex Beams Generated by a q-plate

Creation of patterns and structures on surfaces at the micro- and nano-scale is a field of growing interest. Direct femtosecond laser surface structuring with a Gaussian-like beam intensity profile has already distinguished itself as a versatile method to fabricate surface structures on metals and semiconductors. Here we present an approach for direct femtosecond laser surface structuring based on optical vortex beams with different spatial distributions of the state of polarization, which are easily generated by means of a q-plate. The different states of an optical vortex beam carrying an orbital angular momentum ℓ = ±1 are used to demonstrate the fabrication of various regular surface patterns on silicon. The spatial features of the regular rippled and grooved surface structures are correlated with the state of polarization of the optical vortex beam. Moreover, scattered surface wave theory approach is used to rationalize the dependence of the surface structures on the local state of the laser beam characteristics (polarization and fluence). The present approach can be further extended to fabricate even more complex and unconventional surface structures by exploiting the possibilities offered by femtosecond optical vector fields.

Laser ablation of silicon induced by a femtosecond optical vortex beam

We investigate laser ablation of crystalline silicon induced by a femtosecond optical vortex beam, addressing how beam properties can be obtained by analyzing the ablation crater. The morphology of the surface structures formed in the annular crater surface allows direct visualization of the beam polarization, while analysis of the crater size provides beam spot parameters. We also determine the diverse threshold fluences for the formation of various complex microstructures generated within the annular laser spot on the silicon sample. Our analysis indicates an incubation behavior of the threshold fluence as a function of the number of laser pulses, independent of the optical vortex polarization, in weak focusing conditions.

Tailored optical vector fields for ultrashort-pulse laser induced complex surface plasmon structuring

Precise tailoring of optical vector beams is demonstrated, shaping their focal electric fields and used to create complex laser micro-patterning on a metal surface. A Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) and a micro-structured S-waveplate were integrated with a picosecond laser system and employed to structure the vector fields into radial and azimuthal polarizations with and without a vortex phase wavefront as well as superposition states. Imprinting Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS) elucidates the detailed vector fields around the focal region. In addition to clear azimuthal and radial plasmon surface structures, unique, variable logarithmic spiral micro-structures with a pitch Λ ∼1μm, not observed previously, were imprinted on the surface, confirming unambiguously the complex 2D focal electric fields. We show clearly also how the Orbital Angular Momentum(OAM) associated with a helical wavefront induces rotation of vector fields along the optic axis of a focusing lens and confirmed by the observed surface micro-structures.

Dynamic modulation of spatially structured polarization fields for real-time control of ultrafast laser-material interactions

The polarization state of an ultrafast laser is dynamically controlled using two Spatial Light Modulators and additional waveplates. Consequently, four states of polarization, linear horizontal and vertical, radial and azimuthal, all with a ring intensity distribution, were dynamically switched at a frequency ν = 12.5 Hz while synchronized with a motion control system. This technique, demonstrated here for the first time, enables a remarkable level of real-time control of the properties of light waves and applied to real-time surface patterning, shows that highly controlled nanostructuring is possible. Laser ablation of Induced Periodic Surface Structures is used to directly verify the state of polarization at the focal plane.