Interfering Laser Beams Research Articles

Improving grating duty cycle uniformity: amplitude-splitting flat-top beam laser interference lithography.

Laser interference lithography is an effective approach for grating fabrication. As a key parameter of the grating profile, the duty cycle determines the diffraction characteristics and is associated with the irradiance of the exposure beam. In this study, we developed a fabrication technique amplitude-splitting flat-top beam interference lithography to improve duty cycle uniformity. The relationship between the duty cycle uniformity and irradiance of the exposure beam is analyzed, and the results indicate that when the beam irradiance nonuniformity is less than 20%, the grating duty cycle nonuniformity is maintained below ±2%. Moreover, an experimental amplitude-splitting flat-top beam interference lithography system is developed to realize an incident beam irradiance nonuniformity of 21%. The full-aperture duty cycle nonuniformity of the fabricated grating is less than ±3%. Amplitude-splitting flat-top beam interference lithography improves duty cycle uniformity, greatly reduces energy loss compared to conventional apodization, and is more suitable for manufacturing highly uniform gratings over large areas.

Statistical law of laser echo disturbance characteristics under atmospheric turbulence

AbstractAtmospheric turbulence significantly affects laser transmission and echo. The size of the echo cross section and the distribution of energy are important parameters to obtain target information. In this paper, the speckle characteristics of laser echo are analyzed using field experiments with different detection distances. The energy attenuation law is observed, and the statistical law governing the cross-sectional area and energy of the echo light spot is determined based on the time variability of atmospheric turbulence. The research shows that in order to obtain stable return laser beam interference information, the current weather situation and the strength of atmospheric turbulence should be considered, and the corresponding interference region should be selected according to the detection distance. Although the size and energy of the echo cross section are directly affected by the detection distance, the variation trend remains consistent and indicates a clear statistical law that provides a strong basis for laser interferometry.

대면적 나노구조 패턴 제작을 위한 위상 마스크 기반 스캐닝 근접장 홀로그래픽 리소그래피

Near-filed holographic nanolithography is a method to fabricate periodic nanostructures using a phase mask comprised of nanogratings, where this method results in twice the pattern density of the phase mask. However, the practical use of this method has been limited due to low throughput and scalability. In this study, the drawbacks of the conventional holographic nanolithography were overcome by using a scanning laser beam interference lithography for making a large area phase mask, and by utilizing large area exposure with superimposition of laser beam. To confirm the feasibility of the proposed near-field holographic nanolithography, we fabricated a nanograting having a line width of 88.8nm and a pitch of 170nm onto an entire 4-in wafer from a phase mask having a pitch of 338nm.

Fast optical transport of ultracold molecules over long distances

Optically trapped laser-cooled polar molecules hold promise for new science and technology in quantum information and quantum simulation. Large numerical aperture optical access and long trap lifetimes are needed for many studies, but these requirements are challenging to achieve in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) vacuum chamber that is connected to a cryogenic buffer gas beam source, as is the case for all molecule laser cooling experiments so far. Long distance transport of molecules greatly eases fulfilling these requirements as molecules are placed into a region separate from the MOT chamber. We realize a fast transport method for ultracold molecules based on an electronically focus-tunable lens combined with an optical lattice. The high transport speed is achieved by the 1D red-detuned optical lattice, which is generated by interference of a focus-tunable laser beam and a focus-fixed laser beam. Efficiency of 48(8)% is realized in the transport of ultracold calcium monofluoride (CaF) molecules over 46 cm distance in 50 ms, with a moderate heating from 32(2) μK to 53(4) μK. Positional stability of the molecular cloud allows for stable loading of an optical tweezer array with single molecules.

Formation of regular domain structures using interfering laser beams and liquid electrodes with a giant extinction coefficient

A method is proposed for formation of regular domain structures in ferroelectrics using interfering laser beams, a uniform electric field, and liquid electrodes with a giant extinction coefficient. It is shown that when using liquid electrodes, for example, based on a CdI2 aqueous solution with a 248 ÷ 266 nm photonic band gap, it is possible to create domain structures with a period of 6 ÷ 8 µm. The method is versatile for ferroelectrics of various degrees of transparency and birefringence, and is also characterized by a short duration of the process of formation of structures in ferroelectrics, such as LiNbO3, KTiOPO4, and PZT.

Surface Relief Grating on Chitosan-N,N-dimethyl-4-(2-pyridylazo)aniline Thin Film.

We deposited homogeneous, thin, yellow-colored films of chitosan (Chi)-N,N-dimethyl-4-(2-pyridylazo)aniline (PADA) dye from an acid Chi–PADA solution by spin-coating on glass substrates. We characterized Chi, PADA, and Chi–PADA films by ATR–FTIR spectroscopy, which revealed a slight shift of 3170 and 3268 cm−1 bands, indicating H-bonding between the chitosan hydroxyl (OH) group and the amine (N) of the PADA pyridine ring. Based on these analyses, it was possible to determine the efficiency of the hydrogen bonds to form a Surface Relief Grating (SRG) on azo-polymer thin film. Moreover, we performed UV–VIS spectroscopy analysis of this film, which showed a broad band extending from 400 to 700 nm, with the maximum occurring at 428 nm. Therefore, we selected, within the absorption band, the 532 nm green laser wavelength to irradiate the azo-polymer films at room temperature. For the first time, natural polymer derivative and dye sample Chi–PADA thin films showed unique photoresponsive behavior under irradiation with two interfering laser beams. This permitted us to generate surface inscription patterning known as an SRG, which we confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and for which we determined a grating depth up to 50 nm. The present study opens the new possibility of using natural polymer-dye thin films.

Free control of filaments rotating induced by vortex femtosecond laser beams interference in fused silica

Controllable annular multiple filaments (MF) are obtained in fused silica by using two collinear interfered femtosecond vortex laser beams. Both the distribution and number of filaments which are generated from the petaloid interference pattern, can be well controlled with the topological charges of input beams. Moreinterestingly, we find that the MF pattern can be continuously rotated by changing the phase difference between the two interfered beams. This paper provides an effective way to generate annular MF with stable distribution, and a flexible method to control the rotating filamentation pattern through exteriorregulation.

Shape memory of a polymer grating surface fabricated by two-beam interference lithography.

Switchable and reversible optical elements have potential applications in self-adaptive optics. Shape-memory polymer devices with adaptive properties could be easily switched under environment or field stimuli. Here, the laser beam interference technique was used to realize the periodic grating structures of the shape-memory polymer, and memory and recovery of the grating structures were performed. A one-dimensional grating structure was fabricated from dual-beam interference lithography of a nanosecond laser and underwent pressure in a condition of 195°C. The vertical height of the grating was reduced, and the diffraction light was weakened. When the sample was cooled down to room temperature, the morphology of the grating could be kept. After raising the ambient temperature of the sample to 120°C, the morphology of the grating was recovered to the original state, which realized the shape-memory function.

Reinforcement-learning-based matter-wave interferometer in a shaken optical lattice

We demonstrate the design of a matterwave interferometer to measure acceleration in one dimension with high precision. The system we base this on consists of ultracold atoms in an optical lattice potential created by interfering laser beams. Our approach uses reinforcement learning, a branch of machine learning, that generates the protocols needed to realize lattice-based analogs of optical components including a beam splitter, a mirror, and a recombiner. The performance of these components is evaluated by comparison with their optical analogs. The interferometer's sensitivity to acceleration is quantitatively evaluated using a Bayesian statistical approach. We find the sensitivity to surpass that of standard Bragg interferometry, demonstrating the future potential for this design methodology.

Control of Large-Area Orderliness of a 2D Supramolecular Chiral Microstructure by a 1D Interference Field

Self-organized periodic micro/nanostructures caused by stimulus-responsive structural deformation often occur in anisotropic self-assembled supramolecular systems (e.g., liquid crystal systems). However, the long-range orderliness of these structures is often beyond control. In this article, we first demonstrate that a large-area disordered two-dimensional (2D) microgrid chiral structure appears in the cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) reactive mixture because of the photopolymerization-induced Helfrich deformation effect under exposure to the single UV-laser beam. The result is attributed to the impact of an internal longitudinal strain, which is caused by the pitch contraction of the CLC-monomer region through the continuing compression of the thickening CLC polymer layer adhered on the illuminated substrate of the sample during photopolymerization. The experimental results further show that a one-dimensional (1D) UV-laser interference field can be used to effectively control the postformed 2D microgrid structure to arrange in an orderly manner throughout the large exposed area (an order of centimeter). The optimum ability for controlling the orderliness of the microgrid structure can be achieved if the spacing width of the interference field approximates the periodicity of the postformed 2D microgrids. Several factors, such as the pitch of the CLC mixture and the included angle and intensity of the two interfering laser beams, which influence the orderliness and properties of the 2D microgrid structure, are explored in this study. The result of this research opens a new page to improve the applicability of the Helfrich deformation phenomenon and further provides a reference platform for manipulating, modifying, and even tailoring periodic micro/nanostructures in self-organized supramolecular soft-matter systems for application in advanced optics/photonics.

Nano-Second Laser Interference Photoembossed Microstructures for Enhanced Cell Alignment

Photoembossing is a powerful photolithographic technique to prepare surface relief structures relying on polymerization-induced diffusion in a solventless development step. Conveniently, surface patterns are formed by two or more interfering laser beams without the need for a lithographic mask. The use of nanosecond pulsed light-based interference lithography strengthens the pattern resolution through the absence of vibrational line pattern distortions. Typically, a conventional photoembossing protocol consists of an exposure step at room temperature that is followed by a thermal development step at high temperature. In this work, we explore the possibility to perform the pulsed holographic exposure directly at the development temperature. The surface relief structures generated using this modified photoembossing protocol are compared with those generated using the conventional one. Importantly, the enhancement of surface relief height has been observed by exposing the samples directly at the development temperature, reaching approximately double relief heights when compared to samples obtained using the conventional protocol. Advantageously, the light dose needed to reach the optimum height and the amount of photoinitiator can be substantially reduced in this modified protocol, demonstrating it to be a more efficient process for surface relief generation in photopolymers. Kidney epithelial cell alignment studies on substrates with relief-height optimized structures generated using the two described protocols demonstrate improved cell alignment in samples generated with exposure directly at the development temperature, highlighting the relevance of the height enhancement reached by this method. Although cell alignment is well-known to be enhanced by increasing the relief height of the polymeric grating, our work demonstrates nano-second laser interference photoembossing as a powerful tool to easily prepare polymeric gratings with tunable topography in the range of interest for fundamental cell alignment studies.

Non-destructive evaluation of internal cracks in glass fiber-reinforced polymers using digital shearing interferometry

Shearography is one of the advanced methods of non-destructive techniques based on the interference of laser beams that have been reflected from the surface of the specimen. This method, which has high speed and accuracy, can evaluate the displacement derivative on the sample surface at once. In this paper, the possibility of sub-surface cracks detection with different lengths and angles in composite samples was investigated by shearography method and thermal stimulation system. For this purpose, in composite samples, controlled cracks were created with different lengths and angles. After calibration of the performance of the shearography setup, two heat sources of radiation were used to load samples. Loading quantity, the amount and direction of the shear, the cracks length, and their angles were chosen as the studied parameters. The results of this paper showed that the optimum loading amount plays a more critical role in the quality of the results than shear amount, and this value is related to the materials of the samples. To achieve the best results in crack detection on the selected specimens, optimum thermal loading was obtained between 12 and 15 seconds from in front of the specimen. Also, the optimum shear amount in the composite specimens was estimated at about 0.1 image width recorded by the camera. With the optimized values, all sub-surface cracks were identified.

Inline holographic inscription of diffractive lenses in azobenzene molecular glass thin films.

A simple inline holographic setup is used to fabricate holographic diffractive lenses using off-the-shelf components. The resulting surface relief gratings are inscribed directly in azobenzene-functionalized thin films with pitches that agree well with a theoretical Fresnel zone plate. The annular gratings have an outer radius of approximately 9 mm and an inner radius of less than 4 mm. Interfering laser beams, circularly polarized in the same direction, generally produce poor-quality gratings in azo-films, but the addition of a reference beam lens greatly improved their consistency and produced quality gratings with depths up to 400 nm. Multiple exposures produce multifocal diffractive lenses, while angling the sample resulted in focal lines, instead of focal points.

Characterizing ultralow emittance electron beams using structured light fields

Novel schemes for generating ultra-low emittance electron beams have been developed in the last years and promise compact particle sources with excellent beam quality suitable for future high-energy physics experiments and free-electron lasers. Current methods for the characterization of low emittance electron beams such as pepperpot measurements or beam focus scanning are limited in their capability to resolve emittances in the sub $0.1$ mm mrad regime. Here we propose a novel, highly sensitive method for the single shot characterization of the beam waist and emittance using interfering laser beams. In this scheme, two laser pulses are focused under an angle creating a grating-like interference pattern. When the electron beam interacts with the structured laser field, the phase space of the electron beam becomes modulated by the laser ponderomotive force and results in a modulated beam profile after further electron beam phase advance, which allows for the characterization of ultra-low emittance beams. 2D PIC simulations show the effectiveness of the technique for normalized emittances in the range of $\epsilon_n=[0.01,1]$ mm mrad.

Formation of clathrate structures in surface layers of heavily diluted aqueous solutions

The paper presents the results of experimental studies related to the formation of clathrate structures in highly diluted hydrophilic aqueous solutions. A method based on the interference of laser beams transmitted through a water lens of various configurations is applied. It shown that the studied solutions have properties associated with the self-organization of the structure in clathrate states due to the cooperative effect of changes in the inhomogeneous network of hydrogen bonds. It is found that in the range of small concentrations of dissolved substances in aqueous solutions, in spite of some stabilization of the structures in the formed clathrates depending on the number of interacting molecules, the formation of associates of various shapes is possible. An increase in the content of dissolved substances in aqueous solutions leads to the destruction of the ordered structure, and the excess molecules of the hydrophilic substance, combined together, form complex aggregates or their “islands”.

Three-Dimensional Photoengraving of Monolithic, Multifaceted Metasurfaces.

Metasurfaces present a potent platform to manipulate light by the spatial arrangement of sub-wavelength patterns with well-defined sizes and geometries, in thin films. Metasurfaces by definition are planar. However, it would be highly desirable to integrate metasurfaces with diverse, spatially programmed sub-wavelength features into a 3D monolith, to manipulate light within a compact 3D space. Here, a 3D photoengraving strategy is presented; that is, generation of such composite metasurfaces from a single microstructure via the irradiation of multiple interference laser beams onto different facets of the parent azopolymeric microstructure. Through "photofluidization,"thistechnique enables independent inscription and erasing of metasurfaces onto and from individual facets of 3D monoliths with arbitrary shapes and dimensions, in a high-throughput fashion (over approximately a few cm2 at a time). By engraving discrete sub-wavelength 1D surface relief gratings of different pitches on different facets of an inverse pyramidal array, a multiplexing structure-color filter is demonstrated.

Chaotic Walking of Cold Atoms in a 2D Optical Lattice

Coherent dynamics of cold atoms in a 2D optical lattice with interfering laser beams is studied with account for internal and external degrees of freedom of an atom. A system of differential equations for coupled degrees of freedom obtained in the semiclassical approximation has regular and chaotic solutions depending on the atomic-field detuning from resonance. The Hamilton chaos is manifested in the form of chaotic Rabi oscillations and random walks of cold atoms in the lattice for relatively small resonance detunings. It is shown that the deterministic chaos appears as a result of jumps in the value of the electric dipole moment of an atom approaching the nodes of a 2D standing wave. This in turn causes a pseudorandom behavior of momenta of atoms and, as a consequence, their random walks in the absolutely rigid 2D optical lattice without any external modulation of its parameters. It is shown in numerical experiments with 106 atoms that their distributions over the lattice for different resonance detunings differ significantly. This fact can be used for detecting the effect of random walks of cold atoms in a real experiment by the absorption image method.

Laser Ablated Periodic Nanostructures on Titanium and Steel Implants Influence Adhesion and Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Metal implants used in trauma surgeries are sometimes difficult to remove after the completion of the healing process due to the strong integration with the bone tissue. Periodic surface micro- and nanostructures can directly influence cell adhesion and differentiation on metallic implant materials. However, the fabrication of such structures with classical lithographic methods is too slow and cost-intensive to be of practical relevance. Therefore, we used laser beam interference ablation structuring to systematically generate periodic nanostructures on titanium and steel plates. The newly developed laser process uses a special grating interferometer in combination with an industrial laser scanner and ultrashort pulse laser source, allowing for fast, precise, and cost-effective modification of metal surfaces in a single step process. A total of 30 different periodic topologies reaching from linear over crossed to complex crossed nanostructures with varying depths were generated on steel and titanium plates and tested in bone cell culture. Reduced cell adhesion was found for four different structure types, while cell morphology was influenced by two different structures. Furthermore, we observed impaired osteogenic differentiation for three structures, indicating reduced bone formation around the implant. This efficient way of surface structuring in combination with new insights about its influence on bone cells could lead to newly designed implant surfaces for trauma surgeries with reduced adhesion, resulting in faster removal times, reduced operation times, and reduced complication rates.

Design of a remote and integrated Sagnac interferometer that can generate narrowband guided wave through the use of laser and effective optics to detect defects occurred in plates

To inspect the integrity of specimens that are moving or no space available to mount sensors on their surfaces, laser generated guided wave (GW) becomes the only feasible option. However, conventional GW generated by laser-based emission is in broadband frequency range. Hence, unwanted GW modes, along with the emitted desired GW mode, also get produced simultaneously to the inspected specimen. The results generated from reflected GW become chaotic, making the identification of GW signals truly reflected by defects very difficult. Hence, substantial research efforts have been spent on reducing unwanted GW modes by spatially modulating the laser pattern to emit narrowband GW. Previous methods to generate narrowband GW include the use of slit mask, diffractive grating, lenticular array, and interference of laser beam. Among these techniques, each has certain shortcomings. A recent research achievement is the design of the integrated optical Mach-Zehnder system (IOMZ) (J. Chen et al, Opt. Lett., 42, 4255, 2017). It can emit desired narrowband Lamb wave into the aluminum plate by using pulsed laser and the designed optical system. Although the results showed IOMZ’s ability in emitting narrowband GW mode, significant unwanted noise was also generated, making the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the received GW signals rather low. In this study a new optical system to overcome the shortcoming of the above reported devices is proposed. It is called integrated Sagnac interferometer-based optical system (SIOS) which can minimize generation of unwanted noise and substantially improve the SNR of reflected GW signals. A comparison study is also presented to illustrate the effectiveness of SIOS is superior to that of the IOMZ. Experimental results reveal that the proposed SIOS is promising for remote nondestructive testing and evaluation.

Light and Microwaves in Laser Frequency Combs: An Interplay of Spatiotemporal Phenomena

Interference of laser beams in a suitable medium creates dynamic optical gratings, which can serve for a wide variety of applications, ranging from real-time holography to ultrasound generation. Typically, the interference occurs in a sample material that is separated from the laser sources. Here, we explore a new aspect of laser-induced dynamic gratings: microwave generation occurring inside the cavity of semiconductor laser frequency comb generators, such as quantum cascade lasers and interband cascade lasers. The interplay between laser light and microwaves in these devices reveals intracavity spatiotemporal phenomena that are of great importance for the understanding of their physics and for their operation to be efficient. Grating effects related to laser locking dynamics, structured cavities, and microwave propagation are demonstrated. Applications in science and technology based on these phenomena, including the realization of novel hybrid electronic–photonic devices, will also be presented.