The Magic of Optics-An Overview of Recent Advanced Terahertz Diffractive Optical Elements

Binary phase-only gallium oxide diffractive optical element for beam shaping

This study presents an experimentally validated demonstration of an inverse-optimized binary phase-only gallium oxide diffractive optical element (DOE). This DOE transforms an incident Gaussian beam into a square flat-top beam at the working plane. The design methodology for this binary phase-only DOE beam shaper is founded on an efficient process that integrates the modified Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm and the adjoint method. Experimental characterization of the fabricated device on a single crystal [Formula: see text]gallium oxide substrate is conducted at a wavelength of 532 nm, confirming its ability to transform an incident Gaussian beam into a focused square flat-top beam. Such a device holds significant promise for various high-power laser applications, notably in laser welding and similar domains. Furthermore, because of the ultrawide bandgap of gallium oxide, DOEs operating at shorter wavelengths in the UV are also possible based on this technique.

Subwavelength Imaging in Sub-THz Range Using Dielectric Waveguide

Terahertz radiation patterns can be registered using various detectors; however, in most cases, the scanning resolution is limited. Thus, we propose an alternative method for the detailed scanning of terahertz light field distributions after passing simple and complex structures. Our method relies on using a dielectric waveguide to achieve better sampling resolution. The optical properties of many materials were analyzed using time-domain spectroscopy. A cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) was chosen as one of the most transparent. This study contains a characterization of the losses introduced by the waveguide and a discussion of the setup's geometry. As a structure introducing the radiation pattern, a 2D quasi-periodic amplitude grating was chosen to observe the Talbot effect (self-imaging). Moreover, some interesting physical phenomena were observed and discussed due to the possibility of detailed scanning, with subwavelength resolution, registering the terahertz wavefront changes behind the structure.

High-Impact Polystyrene Structured Light Components for Terahertz Imaging Applications

Terahertz frequency range imaging has become more and more attractive for a wide range of practical applications; however, further component optimization is still required. The presented research introduces 3D-printed high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) beam-shaping components for the terahertz range. Gaussian, Bessel, and Airy beam-shaping structures are fabricated, and different combinations are employed to evaluate imaging system performance. The combination of the Gaussian element as focusing and the Bessel element as collecting is revealed to be similarly efficient and less sensitive to misalignment than the classical Gaussian-Gaussian element setup. The presented research paves the way for introducing cost-effective structured light beam-shaping elements into THz imaging systems.

Exploring the Impact of 3D Printing Parameters on the THz Optical Characteristics of COC Material

In terahertz (THz) optical systems, polymer-based manufacturing processes are employed to ensure product quality and the material performance necessary for proper system maintenance. Therefore, the precise manufacturing of system components, such as optical elements, is crucial for the optimal functioning of the systems. In this study, the authors investigated the impact of various 3D printing parameters using fused deposition modeling (FDM) on the optical properties of manufactured structures within the THz radiation range. The measurements were conducted on 3D printed samples using highly transparent and biocompatible cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), which may find applications in THz passive optics for "in vivo" measurements. The results of this study indicate that certain printing parameters significantly affect the optical behavior of the fabricated structures. The improperly configured printing parameters result in the worsening of THz optical properties. This is proved through a significant change in the refractive index value and undesirable increase in the absorption coefficient value. Furthermore, such misconfigurations may lead to the occurrence of defects within the printed structures. Finally, the recommended printing parameters, which improve the optical performance of the manufactured structures are presented.

Segmentation of THz holograms for homogenous illumination

This paper investigates the feasibility of applying the hologram segmentation method for homogeneous illumination. Research focuses on improving the uniformity of the illumination obtained from diffractive optical elements in the THz range. The structures are designed with a modified Ping-Pong algorithm and a neural network-based solution. This method allows for the improvement of uniform illumination distribution with the desired shape. Additionally, the phase modulations of the structures are divided into segments, each responsible for imaging at different distances. Various segment combination methods are investigated, differing in shapes, image plane distances, and illumination types. The obtained image intensity maps allow for the identification of the performance of each combination method. Each of the presented structures shows significant improvements in the uniformity of imaged targets compared to the reference Ping-Pong structure. The presented structures were designed for a narrow band case-260 GHz frequency, which corresponds to 1.15 mm wavelength. The application of diffractive structures for homogenization of illumination shows promise. The created structures perform designed beamforming task with variability of intensity improved up to 23% (standard deviation) or 45% (interquartile range) compared with reference structure.

Metasurface Holography with Multiplexing and Reconfigurability

Metasurface holography offers significant advantages, including a broad field of view, minimal noise, and high imaging quality, making it valuable across various optical domains such as 3D displays, VR, and color displays. However, most passive pure-structured metasurface holographic devices face a limitation: once fabricated, as their functionality remains fixed. In recent developments, the introduction of multiplexed and reconfigurable metasurfaces breaks this limitation. Here, the comprehensive progress in holography from single metasurfaces to multiplexed and reconfigurable metasurfaces is reviewed. First, single metasurface holography is briefly introduced. Second, the latest progress in angular momentum multiplexed metasurface holography, including basic characteristics, design strategies, and diverse applications, is discussed. Next, a detailed overview of wavelength-sensitive, angle-sensitive, and polarization-controlled holograms is considered. The recent progress in reconfigurable metasurface holography based on lumped elements is highlighted. Its instant on-site programmability combined with machine learning provides the possibility of realizing movie-like dynamic holographic displays. Finally, we briefly summarize this rapidly growing area of research, proposing future directions and potential applications.

Holographic THz Beam Generation by Nonlinear Plasmonic Metasurface Emitters

The advancement of terahertz (THz) technology hinges on the progress made in the development of efficient sources capable of generating and shaping the THz emission. However, the currently available THz sources provide limited control over the generated field. Here, we use near-field interactions in nonlinear Pancharatnam-Berry phase plasmonic metasurfaces to achieve deep subwavelength, precise, and continuous control over the local amplitude of the emitted field. We show that this new ability can be used for holographic THz beam generation. Specifically, we demonstrate the generation of precisely shaped Hermite-Gauss, Top-Hat, and triangular beams. We show that using this method, higher-order modes are completely suppressed, indicating optimal nonlinear diffraction efficiency. In addition, we demonstrate the application of the generated structured beams for obtaining enhanced imaging resolution and contrast. These demonstrations hold immense potential to address challenges associated with a broad range of new applications employing THz technology.

Image restoration algorithm for terahertz FMCW radar imaging

The terahertz frequency modulation continuous-wave (THz FMCW) imaging technology has been widely used in non-destructive testing applications. However, THz FMCW real-aperture radar usually has a small depth of field and poor lateral resolution, thus restricting the high-precision imaging application. This paper proposes a 150-220 GHz FMCW Bessel beam imaging system, effectively doubling the depth of field and unifying the lateral resolution compared to the Gaussian beam quasi-optical system. Moreover, a THz image restoration algorithm based on local gradients and convolution kernel priors is proposed to eliminate further the convolution effect introduced by the Bessel beam, thereby enhancing the lateral resolution to 2 mm. It effectively improves the image under-restoration or over-restoration caused by the mismatch between the ideal and actual point spread function. The imaging results of the resolution test target and semiconductor device verify the advantages of the proposed system and algorithm.

Magnetically tunable diffractive optical elements based on ion-irradiated ultrathin ferromagnetic stacks

We report a novel type of magnetically tunable diffractive optical element (DOE) based on ultrathin ferromagnetic (FM) Pt/Co stacks. The Pt/Co stacks are irradiated by Ar⁺ ions at selected areas so that the perpendicular anisotropy is spatially modulated and the DOEs can be tuned by an external magnetic field through the magnetooptical effect. Based on this concept, a diffraction grating and a Fresnel zone plate (FZP) were developed, and complementary experimental results corroborate that a magnetic field can simultaneously manipulate both the zeroth and the first diffraction orders of these DOEs. Importantly, this effect can be utilized to enhance or hide the image formed by the FZP. Our studies pave the way toward developing compact and high-precision DOEs with fast and robust tunability, facilitating various applications spanning a wide spectrum range.

Numerical Simulation of Integrated Generation and Shaping of Airy and Bessel Vortex Beams Based on All-Dielectric Metasurface

Integrating multiple independent functions into a single optical component is one of the most important topics in research on photoelectric systems. In this paper, we propose a multifunctional all-dielectric metasurface that can achieve a variety of non-diffractive beams depending on the polarization state of the incident light. Using the anisotropic TiO₂ rectangular column as the unit structure, the three functions of generating polygonal Bessel vortex beams under left-handed circularly polarized incidence, Airy vortex beams under right-handed circularly polarized incidence and polygonal Airy vortex-like beams under linearly polarized incidence are realized. In addition, the number of polygonal beam sides and the position of focal plane can be adjusted. The device could facilitate further developments in scaling complex integrated optical systems and fabricating efficient multifunctional components.

Subwavelength Diffractive Optical Elements for Generation of Terahertz Coherent Beams with Pre-Given Polarization State

Coherent terahertz beams with radial polarization of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd orders have been generated with the use of silicon subwavelength diffractive optical elements (DOEs). Silicon elements were fabricated by a technology similar to the technology used before for the fabrication of DOEs forming laser terahertz beams with pre-given mode content. The beam of the terahertz Novosibirsk Free Electron Laser was used as the illuminating beam. The experimental results are in good agreement with the results of the computer simulation.

Liquid Crystal-Based Geometric Phase-Enhanced Platform for Polarization and Wavefront Analysis Techniques with the Short-TeraHertz FEL Oscillator TerRa@BriXSinO

In this work, we propose to design a liquid crystal–based modular and extendable platform of cutting-edge optical technologies for studying materials based on the analysis of polarization and wavefront of light in the wavelength range of 10–50 μm, which is considered to work even in the longer wavelengths range. This platform will be driven by the future THz-FEL source TerRa@BriXSinO that produces high power radiation in THz-range from 6 THz up to 30 THz (Mid-/Far-IR). The lack of optical infrastructures in this range has been tackled by fabricating liquid crystal–based geometric phase components that have been specifically designed for this purpose. This is in order to optimally exploit all the source’s potential for maximum accuracy and efficiency in determining polarization- and wavefront-sensitive properties of materials. We present an overview of a few experiments for characterizing bulk inhomogeneities, dielectric anisotropy, surface roughness, cracks, impact damages, and stress and strain effects with special emphasis on non-destructive tests on composite structures. The tools for wavefront shaping developed within our platform will be exploited to add a further degree of freedom, i.e., orbital angular momentum, to nonlinear optics techniques, such as Terahertz Hyper-Raman spectroscopy, for investigating chiral agents’ properties.

Terahertz structured light: nonparaxial Airy imaging using silicon diffractive optics

Structured light - electromagnetic waves with a strong spatial inhomogeneity of amplitude, phase, and polarization - has occupied far-reaching positions in both optical research and applications. Terahertz (THz) waves, due to recent innovations in photonics and nanotechnology, became so robust that it was not only implemented in a wide variety of applications such as communications, spectroscopic analysis, and non-destructive imaging, but also served as a low-cost and easily implementable experimental platform for novel concept illustration. In this work, we show that structured nonparaxial THz light in the form of Airy, Bessel, and Gaussian beams can be generated in a compact way using exclusively silicon diffractive optics prepared by femtosecond laser ablation technology. The accelerating nature of the generated structured light is demonstrated via THz imaging of objects partially obscured by an opaque beam block. Unlike conventional paraxial approaches, when a combination of a lens and a cubic phase (or amplitude) mask creates a nondiffracting Airy beam, we demonstrate simultaneous lensless nonparaxial THz Airy beam generation and its application in imaging system. Images of single objects, imaging with a controllable placed obstacle, and imaging of stacked graphene layers are presented, revealing hence potential of the approach to inspect quality of 2D materials. Structured nonparaxial THz illumination is investigated both theoretically and experimentally with appropriate extensive benchmarks. The structured THz illumination consistently outperforms the conventional one in resolution and contrast, thus opening new frontiers of structured light applications in imaging and inverse scattering problems, as it enables sophisticated estimates of optical properties of the investigated structures.

Design and Performance of Extraordinary Low-Cost Compact Terahertz Imaging System Based on Electronic Components and Paraffin Wax Optics

Terahertz (THz) imaging is a powerful technique allowing us to explore non-conducting materials or their arrangements such as envelopes, packaging substances, and clothing materials in a nondestructive way. The direct implementation of THz imaging systems relies, on the one hand, on their convenience of use and compactness, minimized optical alignment, and low power consumption; on the other hand, an important issue remains the system cost and its figure of merit with respect to the image quality and recording parameters. In this paper, we report on the design and performance of an extraordinary low-cost THz imaging system relying on a InP Gunn diode emitter, paraffin wax optics, and commercially available GaAs high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) with a gate length of 200 nm as the sensing elements in a room temperature environment. The design and imaging performance of the system at 94 GHz is presented, and the spatial resolution in the range of the illumination wavelength (∼3 mm) and contrast of nearly two orders of magnitude is determined. The operation of two models of the HEMTs of the same nominal 20 GHz cut-off frequency, but placed in different packages and printed circuit board layouts was evaluated at 94 GHz and 0.307 THz. The presence of two competing contributions-self-resistive mixing and radiation coupling through the antenna effects of the printed circuit boards-to the detected signal is revealed by the signal dependence on the gate-to-source voltage, resulting in a cross-sectional responsivity of 27 V/W and noise-equivalent power of 510 pW/Hz at 94 GHz. Further routes in the development of low-cost THz imaging systems in the range of EUR 100 are considered.

Simulation and Experimental Research on a Beam Homogenization System of a Semiconductor Laser

Aiming at the application of laser active imaging detection technology, this paper studied the beam homogenization system of a semiconductor laser based on a homogenizing pipe. Firstly, the principle of the homogenizing pipe was introduced. Secondly, the homogenization effect, which was influenced by several geometric parameters (aperture size, length, and taper) of the homogenizing pipe using the optical design software, was simulated for the fiber-coupled semiconductor laser. Finally, according to the simulated results, a laser illumination system composed of a fiber-coupled semiconductor laser, a homogenizing pipe, and an aspheric lens was designed, which can obtain a rectangular uniform light spot in a long distance. The effectiveness of the illumination system was verified by simulation and experiment, respectively. Simulation results suggested that the uniformity of the spot at a distance of 20 m was 85.6%, while divergence angle was 10 mrad. The uniformity of the spot at a distance of 120 m was 91.5%, while divergence angle was 10 mrad. Experimental results showed that the uniformity of the spot at a distance of 20 m was 87.7%, while divergence angle was 13 mrad. The uniformity of the spot at a distance of 120 m was 93.3%, while divergence angle was 15 mrad. The laser illumination system designed in this paper was simple and easy to assemble, and has strong practicability. The results in this paper have certain reference value and guiding significance for the homogenization design of semiconductor lasers.

The Role of the Directivity of Various THz Detectors in Multiplexing Systems

Many modern and future systems, based on the wireless communication at the THz frequencies, could benefit from multichannel transmission. One of the possible approaches is to (de)multiplex several separate signals to and from a single transmission channel using dedicated diffractive optical elements. Proper selection of receivers for such systems is crucial and strongly depends not only on the frequencies used but also on the geometry of the setup. In this article, we present a complex analysis of the applicability of various detectors for the characterization of highly convergent and off-axis beams. Three three-focal-spot diffractive lenses have been designed, optimized and manufactured to verify the influence of parameters such as focal length, focal position shift, deflection angle or radiation frequency on the proper detection and separation of focal spots using different receivers. The reliable characterization of multi-focal-point structures can be performed only with high-acceptance-angle detectors, such as, for example, field-effect transistors equipped with a patch antenna. On the other hand, for the detection of a single demultiplexed signal, a much more directive receiver can be applied, as long as it is placed at a proper angle.

Frequency Division Multiplexing of Terahertz Waves Realized by Diffractive Optical Elements

Recently, one of the most commonly discussed applications of terahertz radiation is wireless telecommunication. It is believed that the future 6G systems will utilize this frequency range. Although the exact technology of future telecommunication systems is not yet known, it is certain that methods for increasing their bandwidth should be investigated in advance. In this paper, we present the diffractive optical elements for the frequency division multiplexing of terahertz waves. The structures have been designed as a combination of a binary phase grating and a converging diffractive lens. The grating allows for differentiating the frequencies, while the lens assures separation and focusing at the finite distance. Designed structures have been manufactured from polyamide PA12 using the SLS 3D printer and verified experimentally. Simulations and experimental results are shown for different focal lengths. Moreover, parallel data transmission is shown for two channels of different carrier frequencies propagating in the same optical path. The designed structure allowed for detecting both signals independently without observable crosstalk. The proposed diffractive elements can work in a wide range of terahertz and sub-terahertz frequencies, depending on the design assumptions. Therefore, they can be considered as an appealing solution, regardless of the band finally used by the future telecommunication systems.

Roadmap of Terahertz Imaging 2021

In this roadmap article, we have focused on the most recent advances in terahertz (THz) imaging with particular attention paid to the optimization and miniaturization of the THz imaging systems. Such systems entail enhanced functionality, reduced power consumption, and increased convenience, thus being geared toward the implementation of THz imaging systems in real operational conditions. The article will touch upon the advanced solid-state-based THz imaging systems, including room temperature THz sensors and arrays, as well as their on-chip integration with diffractive THz optical components. We will cover the current-state of compact room temperature THz emission sources, both optolectronic and electrically driven; particular emphasis is attributed to the beam-forming role in THz imaging, THz holography and spatial filtering, THz nano-imaging, and computational imaging. A number of advanced THz techniques, such as light-field THz imaging, homodyne spectroscopy, and phase sensitive spectrometry, THz modulated continuous wave imaging, room temperature THz frequency combs, and passive THz imaging, as well as the use of artificial intelligence in THz data processing and optics development, will be reviewed. This roadmap presents a structured snapshot of current advances in THz imaging as of 2021 and provides an opinion on contemporary scientific and technological challenges in this field, as well as extrapolations of possible further evolution in THz imaging.