Complex optical fields generation using a vectorial optical field generator

Date of Award

2016

Degree Name

M.S. in Electro-Optics

Department

Department of Electro-Optics and Photonics

Advisor/Chair

Advisor: Qiwen Zhan

Abstract

Owing to their unique properties, optical fields with complex spatial distribution in the cross section have attracted great attention. These complex optical vector fields were discovered to have many interesting applications in particle manipulation and acceleration, nanoscale optical imaging and so on. This thesis is mainly composed of two parts. In the first part, the theory and experimental setup for a Vector Optical Field Generator (VOF-Gen) that is capable of creating an arbitrary beam with independent controls of phase, amplitude and polarization on the pixel level utilizing high resolution reflective phase-only liquid crystal (LC) spatial light modulator (SLM) will be reviewed. Experimental results will be presented in the second part, where various optical fields containing phase, amplitude, polarization and retardation modulations are successfully demonstrated.The capability to modulate each of the individual degree of freedoms will be verified by our experimental results. These demonstrated capabilities lead to a five ring structured complex vectorial optical field with multiple controllable parameters with unique high-numerical-aperture focusing properties that may find important applications in super-resolution imaging, optical nanofabrication, and optical trapping and manipulation.

Keywords

Electromagnetic fields, Electrooptics, Beam optics, Optics, Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Polarization, Laser beam shaping, Spatial light modulator, Diffractive optics, Optical needle field

Rights Statement

Copyright © 2016, author

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