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The elongation of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in a dielectric matrix after irradiation with swift heavy ions is a phenomenon that has been known for several years. However, the precise mechanism behind this deformation process is still not fully understood, primarily due to the dearth of information during intermediate stages of deformation. In this study, we report the continuation of our previous work [Peña-Rodríguez et al., Sci. Rep. 7(1), 922 (2017)], exploiting the strong dependence of the localized surface plasmon resonance on the aspect ratio of elongated metal NPs to study the elongation kinetics in situ. In situ optical absorption spectra were measured using a polarizing beam splitter to separate the longitudinal and transverse plasmon modes of the anisotropic NPs. Then, the detailed geometrical and compositional parameters were determined from a fit of these spectra. The use of linearly polarized light allowed for a more accurate analysis of the elongation kinetics, particularly useful in the first stages, where longitudinal and transverse modes overlap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metasurfaces have gained a considerable amount of interest in the past decade for their capabilities to manipulate electromagnetic (EM) waves in different manners. They have offered multiple functionalities in terms of wave control depending on the given application. In terms of wave control, particularly EM beam splitting, it can be challenging compared to the given literature review, to achieve a wide number of beam-splitting reflections and coverage for multiple incident angles simultaneously. In this paper, we focus on the design of a metasurface based on the methodology of high periodicity supercell design (5.76 λ) and impedance modulation to achieve a various number of beam-splitting angles, while maintaining the same coverage at multiple incident angles for millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) frequencies. Following the generalized phase law of reflection alongside proper optimization of the surface impedance, the proposed reflective anomalous beam splitter (RABS) metasurface is designed to be polarization independent, and high reflection efficiency is achieved with a wave beam split into 11 different directions while operating for multiple incident angles simultaneously, making it a promising candidate to overcome challenges for various mm-Wave communication applications, especially in expanding 5G coverage in non-line of sight regions at a 28 GHz frequency band. The performance of the RABS metasurface is evaluated using both full-wave simulations and experimental measurements, which demonstrate its effectiveness in achieving 11 efficient reflective anomalous beams with a reflection efficiency of up to 96.65% and 97.36% in TE and TM modes at 28 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In quantum mechanics, the exchange symmetry of wave functions for identical particles has observable effects, including the widely studied Hong–Ou–Mandel (HOM) effect. A theoretical description using second quantization is elegant but abstract. In contrast, this paper describes a simple model of two-particle interference using a one-dimensional delta potential well as a beam splitter. The conditions for the HOM effect are derived from the perspective of wave packet evolution. Furthermore, the interference processes of bosons, fermions, and distinguishable particles are demonstrated and compared in detail. The method presented here is concrete, easy to visualize, and can help students to better understand the effects arising from the exchange symmetry of wave functions. The main results can be animated for classroom teaching or developed into an undergraduate seminar topic. Editor's Note: In this article, the authors explore the role of particle statistics in the scattering of noninteracting particles. They illustrate how a one-dimensional delta-function well can play the role of a beam splitter in a Hong–Ou–Mandel experiment and then compare and contrast the scattering of pairs of bosons, fermions, and distinguishable particles. The authors introduce graphical methods for visualizing the scattering process alongside a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of the wave function. The model is accessible to students in an introductory quantum mechanics course and connects one-dimensional scattering theory to contemporary experiments with photons and cold atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the principle of self-imaging, a 1 × 2 graphene waveguide beam splitter is proposed in this work, which can split the graphene surface plasmons excited by far-infrared light. The multimode interference process in the graphene waveguide is analyzed by guided-mode propagation analysis (MPA), and then the imaging position is calculated. The simulation results show that the incident beam can be obviously divided into two parts by the self-imaging of the graphene surface plasmon. In addition, the influences of the excited light wavelength, Fermi level, dielectric environment on the transmission efficiency are studied, which provide a reference for the research of graphene waveguide related devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We proposed a novel fiber Mach–Zehnder interferometer (FMZI) that can perform an ultrahigh extinction ratio (ER), ultracompact, and ultra-broadband interference characteristics. The FMZI structure is based on an extremely tiny hollow core fiber (HCF) with a small diameter of 10 μm (named HCF10) connected with a beam splitter of a large core of 50 μm HCF (named HCF50). The refractive index (RI) of the air core is lower than that of the HCF cladding; a leaky-guided fiber waveguide (LGFW) occurs in such a short-section HCF10 waveguide to simultaneously have the core and cladding modes. To achieve better fringe visibility of the interference, the section of HCF50 assists in splitting the optical light into core and cladding beams launched into the HCF10 with appropriate intensities. Experimental and simulation results show that the optical characteristics of the proposed LGFW-FMZI are very similar. Based on the results of the study, the length of the HCF10 primarily influences the free spectral range (FSR) of the interference spectra, and the HCF50 splitter significantly controls the optimal extinction ratio (ER) of the interference fringes. By exactly adjusting the lengths of HCF10 and HCF50, the proposed fiber interferometers can perform the capability of an ultrahigh ER over 50 dB with the arbitrary FSR in the transmitted interference spectra over an ultra-broad wavelength range of 1250 nm to 1650 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a protocol for learning a class of interacting bosonic Hamiltonians from dynamics with Heisenberg-limited scaling. For Hamiltonians with an underlying bounded-degree graph structure, we can learn all parameters with root mean square error ϵ using O (1 / ϵ) total evolution time, which is independent of the system size, in a way that is robust against state-preparation and measurement error. In the protocol, we only use bosonic coherent states, beam splitters, phase shifters, and homodyne measurements, which are easy to implement on many experimental platforms. A key technique we develop is to apply random unitaries to enforce symmetry in the effective Hamiltonian, which may be of independent interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical wireless communication (OWC) stands out as one of the most promising technologies in the sixth-generation (6G) mobile networks. The establishment of high-quality optical links between transmitters and receivers plays a crucial role in OWC performances. Here, by a compact beam splitter composed of a metasurface and a fiber array, we proposed a wide-angle (~120°) OWC optical link scheme that can parallelly support up to 144 communication users. Utilizing high-speed optical module sources and wavelength division multiplexing technique, we demonstrated each user can achieve a communication speed of 200 Gbps which enables the entire system to support ultra-high communication capacity exceeding 28 Tbps. Furthermore, utilizing the metasurface polarization multiplexing, we implemented a full range wide-angle OWC without blind area nor crosstalk among users. Our OWC scheme simultaneously possesses the advantages of high-speed, wide communication area and multi-user parallel communications, paving the way for revolutionary high-performance OWC in the future. In this work, the authors present a metasurface-based wide-angle beam splitter designed for future applications in optical wireless communication. By leveraging the metasurface polarization multiplexing and wavelength division multiplexing properties, they achieved a high-performance optical wireless communication system, possessing a Tbps communication rate, more than 120° coverage range, and up to 144 users parallel communication capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entanglement and interference are both hallmark effects of quantum physics. Particularly rich dynamics arise when multiple (at least partially) indistinguishable particles are subjected to either of these phenomena. By combining both entanglement and many-particle interference, we propose an interferometric setting through which N-particle interference can be observed, while any interference of lower orders is strictly suppressed. We experimentally demonstrate this effect in a four-photon interferometer, where the interference is nonlocal, in principle, as only pairs of photons interfere at two separate and independent beam splitters. A joint detection of all four photons identifies a high-visibility interference pattern varying as a function of their collective four-particle phase, a genuine four-body property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarization‐division multiplexing is crucial for increasing channel capacity and spectral efficiency in communications. A key component is the polarization multiplexer, which combines or separates signals with orthogonal polarizations. Existing planar multiplexers lack an ultrawide band for terahertz communications. While microwave‐inspired orthomode transducers (OMTs) provide broadband operation, they suffer from high ohmic loss and bulkiness at terahertz frequencies. Optical integrated polarization beam splitters (PBSs) offer low loss and good integrability but have narrow bandwidths. This work presents a substrateless all‐silicon polarization multiplexer based on tapered directional couplers and air‐silicon effective mediums, integrated monolithically on a compact footprint. The device demonstrates a 37.8% fractional bandwidth, an average insertion loss of ≈$\approx$1 dB, and a polarization extinction ratio above 20 dB over 225–330 GHz. This superior performance is enabled by the anisotropy of the effective medium claddings, affecting the two orthogonal guided modes differently. The multiplexer enables simultaneous two‐channel terahertz fiber communications with polarization diversity.   It supports aggregated data rates up to 155 and 190 Gbit s−1${\rm s}^{-1}$ with bit error rates below hard‐ and soft‐decision forward‐error‐correction limits, respectively. This advancement holds promise for 6G terahertz integrated systems with enhanced channel capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We experimentally demonstrate the broadband and highly efficient inversion of the rotation direction of the terahertz circular polarization achieved by a dynamic metasurface with vanadium dioxide ( VO 2 ). This metasurface converts linear polarization into circular polarization. The rotational direction of the output circular polarization can be reversed based on the VO 2 phase transition. The VO 2 state can be dynamically switched by injecting direct current into an on-chip circuit. To improve the terahertz-wave utilization efficiency, the metasurface is operated at an incident angle of 45°, thereby eliminating the beam splitter typically used to separate the outgoing wave from the incident wave at normal incidence. To achieve broadband operation, we employ a dispersion-cancelation strategy that cancels the dispersive phase responses between orthogonal linear polarizations. This strategy was previously developed for static metasurfaces; we have applied it to the design of dynamic metasurfaces. At a center frequency of 0.99 THz, the experimental evaluation demonstrated helicity switching with conversion efficiencies of 92% and 87% for the insulating and metallic states of VO 2 , respectively. Dispersion cancelation is simultaneously achieved for the insulating and metallic states of VO 2 , resulting in a relative bandwidth of 0.26, which is 3.2 times broader than that of a previously developed efficient dynamic metasurface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the polarization multiplexing requirements in all-optical networks, this work presents a compact all-fiber polarization beam splitter (PBS) based on dual-core photonic crystal fiber (PCF) and an elliptical gold layer. Numerical analysis using the finite element method (FEM) demonstrates that the mode modulation effect of the central gold layer effectively reduces the dimensions of the proposed PBS. By determining reasonable structural parameters of the proposed PCF, the coupling length ratio (CLR) between X- and Y-polarized super-modes can approach 2, achieving a minimal device length of 0.122 mm. The PBS exhibits a maximum extinction ratio (ER) of − 65 dB at 1.55 μm, with an operating bandwidth spanning 100 nm (1.5–1.6 μm) and a stable insertion loss (IL) of ~ 1.5 dB at 1.55 μm. Furthermore, the manufacture feasibility and performance verification scheme are also investigated. It is widely anticipated that the designed PBS will play a crucial role in the ongoing development process of miniaturization and integration of photonic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a quantum bosonic channel that couples the input mode via a beam splitter or two-mode squeezer to an environmental mode that is prepared in an arbitrary state. We investigate the classical capacity of this channel, which we call a non-Gaussian attenuator or amplifier channel. If the environment state is thermal, we of course recover a Gaussian phase-covariant channel whose classical capacity is well known. Otherwise, we derive both a lower and an upper bound to the classical capacity of the channel, drawing inspiration from the classical treatment of the capacity of non-Gaussian additive-noise channels. We show that the lower bound to the capacity is always achievable and give examples where the non-Gaussianity of the channel can be exploited so that the communication rate beats the capacity of the Gaussian-equivalent channel (i.e. the channel where the environment state is replaced by a Gaussian state with the same covariance matrix). Finally, our upper bound leads us to formulate and investigate conjectures on the input state that minimizes the output entropy of non-Gaussian attenuator or amplifier channels. Solving these conjectures would be a main step toward accessing the capacity of a large class of non-Gaussian bosonic channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, five-waveguide (five-WG) acoustic couplers with planar configurations are designed based on quantumlike adiabatic transfer, through which the incident waves can efficiently transfer from the middle WG to the other two WGs with a customized intensity ratio. The five WGs are connected by space-varying cylindrical scatterers, and the coupling between two adjacent WGs is determined by two Gaussian pulses with a certain delay. Since the evolution process of acoustic waves can adiabatically follow the dark state, the coupler could have a broadband and stable performance. Moreover, it is easy to change the ratio of the beam splitting by utilizing different peak values of the coupling between the middle three WGs. The agreements between analytical, numerical, and experimental results confirm the feasibility of the design, providing an effective solution for high-performance acoustic beam splitters with customizable output intensities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Stern–Gerlach (SG) effect provided the first direct experimental evidence of the quantization of electron spin. Although some analog SG effects have been proposed in optical systems, finding a perfect optical analog for the SG effect remains a challenge. Here, a novel optical SG effect is demonstrated in periodically poled electro‐optical crystals. Induced by an applied electric field, the principal axes of crystal rock periodically along the propagation direction of light. When the quasi‐phase‐matching condition is satisfied, the electro‐optical coupling process within the periodically poled crystal can be accurately described by the Schrödinger–Pauli equation for spin‐1/2 particles. The output photons can be deflected toward opposite directions according to their intrinsic spin angular momentum (circular polarizations), since the transversely varying duty cycle of crystal arises an effective magnetic‐field gradient. Moreover, the output photons can be separated according to two arbitrary orthogonal polarization states, allowing us to construct high‐speed electro‐optically tunable polarization beam splitters for arbitrary orthogonal polarization states. Therefore, the optical SG effect provides not only a perfect optical analog for the quantum SG effect but also a useful optical element for optics and quantum physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the immediate requirements of modern high-speed and high-capacity integrated optical circuit development, this study introduces a broadband all-fiber polarization beam splitter (PBS) based on silicon dual-core photonic crystal fiber (PCF) and gold layers. Simulation results demonstrate that silicon as the substrate material is conducive to extending the operating range to the mid-infrared band of 3.0 ~ 3.6 μm. The modulation effect of the gold ring layers on the left and right sides of central elliptical hole is very impressive, and when the cladding hole diameter d1 = 1.3 μm, gold-coated hole diameter d2 = 1.8 d1 = 2.34 μm, hole-to-hole pitch Λ = 2.0 μm, gold layer thickness t = 50 nm, long axis a = 2.08 μm, and short axis b = 1.43 μm, coupling length ratio (CLR) between x- and y-polarized super-mode exactly is equal to 2. According to performance investigation by finite element method (FEM), this PBS is well suited for splitting out x-polarized light in core A, which can possess a minimum size of 0.66 mm, a maximum extinction ratio (ER) of 78 dB at 3.3 μm, a broad operating bandwidth of 450 nm, and a low insertion loss (IL) of 0.15 dB at 3.3 μm simultaneously. The proposed PBS features both high integration and high performance, which will be applicable to all-optical networks in mid-infrared fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the protocol for counterfactual quantum communication was proposed, complete counterfactuality can be achieved as there are no physical particles in the transmission channel. However, it relies on some restrictive factors, such as requiring an infinite number of beam splitters and no degradation. We conducted numerical simulations to assess the reliability of quantum communication combined with the actual test environment and found that the inevitable degradation, including component losses or path losses, limits the number of beam splitters. Furthermore, we carried out the experimental simulation of a high-reliability direct communication protocol using the method of controllable-signal attenuation. The peak reliability of μ 1 = 27.6 ± 0.22 that was obtained was much higher than the current communication protocol of the chained interferometer system. The optimized experimental equipment could compensate the system's balance under various restrictive conditions and make it possible to achieve 100% reliability with imperfect interferometers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photonic and plasmonic hybrid nanostructures are the key solution for integrated nanophotonic circuits with ultracompact size but relative low loss. However, the poor tunability and modulability of conventional waveguides makes them cumbersome for optical multiplexing. Here we make use of two‐dimensional molecular crystal, α‐Sb2O3 as a dielectric waveguide via total internal reflection, which shows polarization‐sensitive modulation of the propagating beams due to its large polarization mode dispersion. Both experiments and simulations are performed to verify such concept. These Sb2O3 nanoflakes can be coupled with plasmonic nanowires to form nanophotonic beam splitters and routers which can be easily modulated by changing the polarization of the incidence. It thus provides a robust, exploitable and tunable platform for on‐chip nanophotonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key components of a polarization-independent electro-optic (EO) interferometer, including the beam splitter, mode converter, and directional coupler, are designed based on a lithium niobate (LN) platform on an integrated insulator to ensure high extinction ratios. By elaborately designing the geometric structure of the multimode interference (MMI) coupler, beam splitting of equal proportions and directional coupling of higher-order modes are realized. The most prominent characteristic of the proposed interferometer is polarization insensitivity, which is realized by converting TM polarization into TE polarization using a mode converter, providing conditions for the study of light with different polarizations. At 1550 nm, the visibility of the interferometer is 97.59% and 98.16% for TE and TM, respectively, demonstrating the high performance of the proposed LN polarization-independent interferometer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin beam splitter is one of the building blocks of graphene spintronics. Here, we adopt the concept of electron optics and design a new type of spin beam splitter by analogy with Brewster's law. The device is a pristine/ferromagnetic/pristine (P/M/P) graphene junction, where the M region is formed by a proximity effect of ferromagnetic insulators, such as EuO, and acts as an "optically thinner medium" relative to the P region. It is found that, when standing waves are formed in the M region with a length of integral multiple of the half longitudinal wavelength of electrons, electrons with the corresponding spin can pass completely through the junction and only electrons with the other spin are reflected by the P/M interface. This manifests Brewster's law and a spin beam splitter. It is also demonstrated that, due to the strong electric field effect of graphene, the Brewster angles for both spins can be monotonically modulated by a gate voltage in the M region in the whole range of − π / 2 to π / 2. Thus, our proposed spin beam splitter is not only an easily implemented and widely tunable build block for spintronics but also an interesting demonstration of electron optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, handheld and portable terahertz instruments have been in rapid development for various applications ranging from non-destructive testing to biomedical imaging and sensing. For instance, we have deployed our Portable Handheld Spectral Reflection (PHASR) Scanners for in vivo full-spectroscopic imaging of skin burns in large animal models in operating room settings. In this paper, we debut the polarimetric version of the PHASR Scanner, and describe a generalized calibration technique to map the spatial and spectral dependence of the Jones matrix of an imaging scanner across its field of view. Our design is based on placement of two orthogonal photoconductive antenna (PCA) detectors separated by a polarizing beam splitter in the PHASR Scanner housing. We show that as few as three independent measurements of a well-characterized polarimetric calibration target are sufficient to determine the polarization state of the incident beam at the sample location, as well as to extract the Jones propagation matrix from the sample location to the detectors. We have tested the accuracy of our scanner by validating polarimetric measurements obtained from a birefringent crystal rotated to various angles, as compared to the theoretically predicted response of the sample. This new version of our PHASR scanner can be used for high-speed imaging and investigation of heterogeneity of polarization-sensitive samples in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Goos–Hänchen (GH) shift and the spin polarization are theoretically investigated under the anti-parallel double δ -magnetic-barrier nanostructure model by applying a bias using Airy's function formalism and transfer-matrix technique, which is an improvement on previous calculation. The results show the magnitude and sign of GH shift and spin polarization can be easily changed by modulating the applied bias. The closer the applied bias to the critical value is, the more intensive GH shift and spin polarization will be. Furthermore, two critical values come through modulating the strength of magnetic fields, and an intensive GH shift and a spin polarization also exist near each critical value. These findings can provide a practical approach to designing and fabricating spin beam filters or splitters modulated by applied bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compact and high efficiency microdisplays are essential for lightweight augmented reality (AR) glasses to ensure longtime wearing comfort. Liquid-crystal-on-silicon (LCoS) is a promising candidate because of its high-resolution density, high brightness, and low cost. However, its bulky illumination system with a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) cube remains an urgent issue to be overcome. To reduce the volume of the LCoS illumination system, here, we propose a compact structure with four thin PBS cuboids. Through simulations, the optical efficiency of 36.7% for an unpolarized input light can be achieved while maintaining reasonably good spatial uniformity. Such a novel design is expected to have a significant impact on future compact and lightweight AR glasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An optical beam splitter is used for dividing an input optical beam into several separate beams with a specific power ratio. Usually, conventional optical beam splitters have bulky dimensions (many optical wavelengths) and a fixed dividing ratio, which significantly limit the design of new miniaturized optical devices and integrated optical circuits. We propose and investigate in detail a novel physical concept of a highly miniaturized (up to two working wavelengths) planar optical resonant splitter/coupler with a switching element comprising a photonic molecule (PM) pair dispersing input optical fluxes in multiple directions with a tailored power ratio. The structural design of the proposed splitter is based on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform and composed of high-quality resonators in the form of electromagnetically coupled submicron-sized microcylinders. The control on the power division ratio and the selection of optical beam directions is realized by tuning the photonic splitter structure to the corresponding resonance of the PM supermode. Compared to known analogs, the proposed design is easy and cheap in fabrication. Because of its tiny dimensions, it is suitable for integration into a "System-on-a-chip" platform and can dynamically change the beam power division ratio by input wave-phase manipulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) based on a hexagonal lattice silver-filled photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with two silver wires, which possesses advantages such as a short splitting length, high extinction ratio (ER), and an ultra-wide bandwidth in commonly used communication bands. Utilizing the full-vector finite element method (FV-FEM), thorough investigations were conducted on lasers within the wavelength range of 1.1 to 1.9 μm. The PBS demonstrates a working bandwidth of 725 nm (1.14 to 1.865 μm) under an ultra-short splitting length of 55.3 μm, with an ER exceeding 20 dB, covering all bands of O + E + S + C + L + U optical communication, and achieving a maximum ER of 74.65 dB, where the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of silver metal plays a significant role. It not only features an ultra-short splitting length and an ultra-wide splitting bandwidth but also exhibits excellent manufacturing tolerances and anti-interference capabilities. This polarizing beam splitter represents a promising candidate in communication and may find various applications in optical communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel pentagonal structure dual-core photonic crystal fiber polarizing beam splitter (PS-DC-PCF PBS) filled with a nematic liquid crystal (NLC) in the central hole. Unlike previous designs with symmetric arrangements, the upper and lower halves of the structure have different air hole arrangements. The upper half consists of air holes arranged in a regular quadrilateral pattern, while the lower half features a regular hexagonal arrangement of air holes. By filling the central hole with birefringent liquid crystal, the birefringence of the structure is enhanced, reducing the coupling lengths along the x polarization and y polarization directions. The polarization properties, coupling characteristics, and the influence of different structural parameters on the extinction ratio of the polarizing beam splitter are analyzed using the full-vector finite element method. Simulation results demonstrate that the designed PS-DC-PCF PBS achieves a maximum extinction ratio (ER) of 72.94 dB with a splitting length of only 61.9 μm and a wide operating bandwidth of 423 nm (1.324–1.747 μm), covering most of the O, E, S, C, L, and U communication bands. It exhibits not only ultra-short splitting lengths and ultra-wide splitting bandwidth but also good manufacturing tolerances and anti-interference capabilities. The designed PS-DC-PCF PBS could provide crucial device support for future all-optical communication systems and has potential applications in fiber optic communication or fiber laser systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon carbide fiber reinforced silicon carbide ceramic matrix composite (CMC SiC f /SiC) has the advantages of high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, high strength, low density, and oxidation resistance. It is a high-performance advanced material in aerospace, energy and other fields. However, due to its high hardness, brittleness and anisotropy of fiber structure, the research on application-oriented high-quality processing technology has become a hot issue. In this paper, a new process of rotational thirteen-beam coupling nanosecond laser processing of CMC-SiC f /SiC was studied. The rotational thirteen-beam coupling ablation experiments were carried out on CMC-SiC f /SiC workpiece. A laser beam is divided into thirteen beams and rotated around the beam center by using a beam splitter element. The morphology, structure and composition of ablation holes at different speeds were observed and analyzed by laser confocal microscope, scanning electron microscope, and X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer. It is found that the characteristics of rotational beam coupling have a significant effect on the laser ablation morphologies. The results show that the ablation region of CMC-SiC f /SiC is elliptical due to the fast heat transfer of fibers. The energy density distribution of the waist section of the Gaussian like beam after beam coupling is similar to the "W" shape, and the central energy is lower than the surrounding energy, and the ablation holes also show a similar "W" shape. With the increase of rotational speed, the hole depth first decreased and then increased, the hole diameter and roundness first increased and then decreased, and the hole section was "W" shaped. The ablation area can be divided into five parts: the white granular SiO 2 solid coverage area, the recast layer, the lower recast layer, the molten layer, and the heat affected zone. The rotational characteristics will make the reaction intensity of the whole ablation area more uniform in the circumferential direction. The formation mechanism and element distribution of each part were explored. The research work in this paper will provide a new technical way for the high-performance application of CMC-SiC f /SiC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In work, a new method of optical microwave signal generation with frequency 18-tupling using three parallel polarization modulators (PolMs) was proposed, in which the PolM is integrated through a polarization beam splitter, two phase modulators, an electrical phase shifter, and a polarization beam coupler. To generate a frequency 18-tupling millimeter-wave (mm-wave) signal, the polarization controller must first be employed to bring out linearly polarized light. Next, the linearly polarized light is faded into three PolMs to be modulated by a radio frequency signal, which can achieve multi-frequency optical sidebands. Last, controlling a polarizer to cancel unwanted optical sidebands to obtain ±9th optical sidebands is used to generate an 18-tupling mmwave signal. We have conducted detailed mathematical formula derivation and computer simulation for the scheme. The results show that the scheme can be experimentally realized and accurate enough with the performance of the signal: the optical sideband suppression ratio can reach 48.02 dB, and the radio frequency spurious suppression ratio can reach 42.25 dB, almost equal to the theoretical model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quasi-continuous-phase metasurfaces overcome the side effects imposed by high-order diffraction on imaging and can impart optical parameters such as amplitude, phase, polarization, and frequency to incident light at sub-wavelength scales with high efficiency. Structured-light three-dimensional (3D) imaging is a hot topic in the field of 3D imaging because of its advantages of low computation cost, high imaging accuracy, fast imaging speed, and cost-effectiveness. Structured-light 3D imaging requires uniform diffractive optical elements (DOEs), which could be realized by quasi-continuous-phase metasurfaces. In this paper, we design a quasi-continuous-phase metasurface beam splitter through a vector iterative Fourier transform algorithm and utilize this device to realize structured-light 3D imaging of a target object with subsequent target reconstruction. A structured-light 3D imaging system is then experimentally implemented by combining the fabricated quasi-continuous-phase metasurface illuminated by the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser and a binocular recognition system, which eventually provides a new technological path for the 3D imaging field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multifrequency quantum valley Hall effect (QVHE) has been realized to significantly improve the transmission capacity of topological waveguides, and the multimode QVHE with a large valley Chern number has been realized to increase the mode density of topological waveguides. However, multifrequency and multimode QVHEs have not been realized simultaneously. In this work, using tight‐binding model calculations and numerical simulations, a valley photonic crystal (VPC) consisting of a Stampfli‐triangle photonic crystal is constructed, and its multiple degeneracies in the low‐frequency and high‐frequency bands split simultaneously to realize the QVHE with multiple topological edge states (TESs). The multifrequency and multimode topological transmission with two low‐frequency modes and four high‐frequency modes is realized by means of simulations and experiments through a Z‐shaped waveguide constructed using two VPCs with opposite valley Chern numbers to prove the realization of a large valley Chern number in the two frequency bands. The two low‐frequency modes are successfully distinguished with position‐dependent selective excitations, which experimentally demonstrate the occurrence of a large valley Chern number. A frequency‐dependent multimode beam splitter is theoretically proposed for high‐performance integrated photonic device applications. These results provide new ideas for high‐efficiency and high‐capacity optical transmission and communication devices and their integration; furthermore, they broaden the application range of TESs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study, a tunable metagrating of flexural waves by using knob elastic metasurface is presented. By precisely designing the angles of the rotary knobs, the gradient of the upper and lower half regions of the metasurface can be made symmetric to realize the beam splitting of the flexural wave and the phenomenon of the acoustic bottle beam. The numerical results confirm the broadband and robustness of the metasurface in terms of the flexural wave manipulation capability, which provides a basis for the design of the beam splitter device. More importantly, the switching of these functions can be done by a simple rotation of the knob angle without the need to redesign the new metarsurface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a procedure to design transmissive metasurfaces based on graphene-metal hybrid layers is developed and employed to design a multi-functional reconfigurable structure. Due to the inclusion of graphene, with tunable conductivity, different applications are achieved without any physical changes in the structure and by just varying the chemical potential of graphene through an electrostatic bias voltage. The designed structure consists of four identical layers to provide 360° phase-shift range with acceptable amplitude and full control of the transmitted wave front. By imposing an appropriate phase gradient profile on the supercell, several applications like beam steering, lens with arbitrary focal length and beam splitter with arbitrary angles are achieved. Simulation results of near field distributions as well as far field patterns vindicate the effectiveness of the proposed design procedure. The designed structure is promising for applications in the 6G wireless communication networks, nano-photonic and optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this study is to design, analyze, and simulate a novel ultra-fast 1 × 2 photonic decoder. The device is composed of two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystals (PC) where silicon rods are placed in air. It includes two beam splitters and a phase shifter, which are implemented using point defects. Additionally, line defects are integrated into the device to steer the light wave without causing dissipation. The simulation yielded 0.09 ps delay time, reaching steady-state time of 0.66 ps, transmission of 0.85%, and contrast ratio of 4.13 dB. The simulation was performed using 2D finite difference time domain and plane wave expansion methods. The findings suggest that this device holds great potential as a candidate for all-optical digital integrated circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wavelength attack utilizes the dependence of beam splitters (BSs) on wavelength to cause legitimate users Alice and Bob to underestimate their excess noise so that Eve can steal more secret keys without being detected. Recently, the wavelength attack on Gaussian-modulated continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) has been researched in both fiber and atmospheric channels. However, the wavelength attack may also pose a threat to the case of ocean turbulent channels, which are vital for the secure communication of both ocean sensor networks and submarines. In this work, we propose two wavelength attack schemes on underwater discrete modulated (DM) CV-QKD protocol, which is effective for the case with and without local oscillator (LO) intensity monitor, respectively. In terms of the transmittance properties of the fused biconical taper (FBT) BS, two sets of wavelengths are determined for Eve's pulse manipulation, which are all located in the so-called blue–green band. The derived successful criterion shows that both attack schemes can control the estimated excess noise of Alice and Bob close to zero by selecting the corresponding condition parameters based on channel transmittance. Additionally, our numerical analysis shows that Eve can steal more bits when the wavelength attack controls the value of the estimated excess noise closer to zero. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compact photonic devices are highly desired in photonic integrated circuits. In this work, we use an efficient inverse design method to design a 50/50 beam splitter in lithium niobate integrated platforms. We employ the Gradient Probability Algorithm (GPA), which is built upon traditional gradient algorithms. The GPA utilizes the adjoint method for the comprehensive calculation of the electric field across the entire design area in a single iteration, thereby deriving the gradient of the design area. This enhancement significantly accelerates the algorithm's execution speed. The simulation results show that an ultracompact beam splitter with a footprint of 13 μ m × 4.5 μ m can be achieved in lithium niobate integrated platforms, where the insertion loss falls below 0.5 dB within the 1500 nm to 1700 nm range, thus reaching its lowest point of 0.15 dB at 1550 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we explore the impact of quantum algorithms on classical network security. Our analysis focuses on Shor’s algorithm, which excels in factorizing large prime numbers, presenting a significant threat to classical cryptographic protocols. We conduct an in-depth analysis of Shor’s algorithm’s potential effects on HTTPS to highlight its disruptive capabilities. Moreover, to fortify classical cryptographic protocols against quantum threats, we introduce a novel Quantum Intrusion Prevention System (QIPS) scheme. Leveraging basic components like beam splitters and detectors, this solution serves as a dedicated hardware interface between the classical network and external quantum networks. Our proposed QIPS scheme offers enhanced resilience to classical cryptographic protocols, mitigating the vulnerabilities posed by quantum algorithms and reinforcing network security in the face of evolving threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we propose a new method for single-shot, high-resolution lensless imaging called double-slit holography. This technique combines the properties of in-line and off-axis holography in one single-shot measurement using the simplest double-slit device: a plate with two apertures. In double-slit holography, a plane wave illuminates the two apertures giving rise to two spherical waves. While diffraction of one spherical wave from a sample positioned behind the first aperture (the object aperture) provides the object wave, the other spherical wave diffracted from the second (reference) aperture provides the reference wave. The resulting interference pattern in the far-field (hologram) combines the properties of an in-line (or Gabor-type) hologram and an off-axis hologram due to the added reference wave from the second aperture. Both the object and reference waves have the same intensity, which ensures high contrast of the hologram. Due to the off-axis scheme, the amplitude and phase distributions of the sample can be directly reconstructed from the hologram, and the twin image can be easily separated. Due to the object wave being the same as in-line holography with a spherical wave, imaging at different magnifications is similarly done by simply adjusting the aperture-to-sample distance. The resolution of the reconstructed object is given by the numerical aperture of the optical setup and the diameter of the reference aperture. It is shown both by theory and simulations that the resolution of the reconstructed object depends on the diameter of the reference wave aperture but does not depend on the diameter of the object aperture. Light optical proof-of-concept experiments are provided. The proposed method can be particularly practical for X-rays, where optical elements such as beam splitters are not available and conventional off-axis holography schemes cannot be realised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combustible gas concentration detection faces challenges of increasing accuracy, and sensitivity, as well as high reliability in harsh using environments. The special design of the optical path structure of the sensitive element provides an opportunity to improve combustible gas concentration detection. In this study, the optical path structure of the sensitive element was newly designed based on the Pyramidal beam splitter matrix. The infrared light source was modulated by multi-frequency point signal superimposed modulation technology. At the same time, concentration detection results and confidence levels were calculated using the 4-channel combustible gas concentration detection algorithm based on spectral refinement. Through experiment, it is found that the sensor enables full-range measurement of CH4, at the lower explosive limit (LEL, CH4 LEL of 5%), the reliability level is 0.01 parts-per-million (PPM), and the sensor sensitivity is up to 0.5PPM. The sensor is still capable of achieving PPM-level detections, under extreme conditions in which the sensor's optical window is covered by 2/3, and humidity is 85% or dust concentration is 100mg/m3. Those improve the sensitivity, robustness, reliability, and accuracy of the sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of the Mach–Zender electrooptic modulator with adjustable extinction coefficient provided by electrical tuning of the input splitter based on multimode interferometer. Electrooptical bandwidth of the modulators was higher than 32 GHz, modulus of electric signal reflectance from the input was not higher than –12 dB within the range up to 43 GHz, half-wave voltage was equal to 2.8 V at 1550 nm. However, electrical tuning of the input splitter extended the extinction ratio of the modulator from the initial 21.5–29.5 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass-deployable implementations for quantum communication require compact, reliable, and low-cost hardware solutions for photon generation, control and analysis. We present a fiber-pigtailed hybrid photonic circuit comprising nonlinear waveguides for photon-pair generation and a polymer interposer reaching 68 dB of pump suppression and photon separation based on a polarizing beam splitter with > 25 dB polarization extinction ratio. The optical stability of the hybrid assembly enhances the quality of the entanglement, and the efficient background suppression and photon routing further reduce accidental coincidences. We thus achieve a 96 - 8 + 3 % concurrence and a 96 - 5 + 2 % fidelity to a Bell state. The generated telecom-wavelength, time-bin entangled photon pairs are ideally suited for distributing Bell pairs over fiber networks with low dispersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a distal-scanning common path probe for optical coherence tomography (OCT) equipped with a hollow ultrasonic motor and a simple and specially designed beam-splitter. This novel probe proves to be able to effectively circumvent polarization and dispersion mismatch caused by fiber motion and is more robust to a variety of interfering factors during the imaging process, experimentally compared to a conventional noncommon path probe. Furthermore, our design counteracts the attenuation of backscattering with depth and the fall-off of the signal, resulting in a more balanced signal range and greater imaging depth. Spectral-domain OCT imaging of phantom and biological tissue is also demonstrated with a sensitivity of ∼ 1 0 0 dB and a lateral resolution of ∼ 3 μ m. This low-cost probe offers simplified system configuration and excellent robustness, and is therefore particularly suitable for clinical diagnosis as one-off medical apparatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated photonic devices based on thin film lithium niobate (TFLN) have attracted great attention due to their excellent performance. In this work, a flat type TFLN 1×N beam splitter is designed by adjusting the widths of tapered waveguides between free propagation region and arrayed waveguides. Two chips with 16 and 40 output ports, respectively, are manufactured with the femtosecond laser photolithography assisted chemo‐mechanical etching technology (PLACE). The excess losses are measured ≈1.43 and 1.94 dB, respectively. In theory, the flat‐type beam splitter for a single‐mode structure can maintain the flat intensity distribution within a 300 nm wavelength range. Experimentally, different types of output intensity distribution such as tilted or M‐shaped distributions can be obtained with the multimode structure by varying the position of the lensed fiber when the input light is TM‐polarized. This work explores an efficient way for the development of multichannel optical beam splitters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of numerical research on kesterite tandem solar cells has predominantly focused on a two‐terminal (2T) configuration that utilizes an ideal tunnel junction. Herein, the performance of kesterite tandem solar cells by introducing a photonic crystal structure (1DPC) as intermediate layer in both three‐terminal (3T) and four‐terminal (4T) configurations is investigated. The photonic crystal (1DPC) is designed by stacking ITO and SiO2 layers with the terminal layer consisting of NiO. Optical properties of the 1DPC are modeled. This innovative approach offers several advantages. 1) The 1DPC selectively reflects lower wavelengths, effectively enhancing the short‐circuit current density (Jsc) of the top subcell, while the solar irradiance spectrum at higher‐wavelength optimum for the subcell is not affected. 2) The 1DPC serves as an intermediate electrode, needed for the 3T or 4T configuration. 3) Replacing the conventional Mo back contact with a NiO layer significantly boosts the open‐circuit voltage (Voc) of the top subcell. The findings demonstrate that these configurations exhibit higher performance compared to previously reported results. Furthermore, the utilization of 3T and 4T configurations, incorporating the 1DPC as an electrical beam splitter, provides an effective and accurate design compared to the 2T configuration using ideal tunnel junctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wavelength tunability of a general transmittance function (GTF) is investigated in a first‐order fibre multiwavelength filter based on a polarisation‐diversified fibre loop, which utilised a composite combination of wave retarders. The filter consists of a polarisation beam splitter, two equal‐length high birefringence fibre (HBF) segments, and two different sets of wave retarders with each set positioned before each HBF segment. Specifically, a combination of a set of dual quarter‐wave retarders (QWRs) and another set of a QWR and a half‐wave retarder is focused upon. By considering the effect of the four wave retarders and two HBF segments on the output polarisation state (OPS) of each element in the filter, the four wave retarder angles (WRAs) are identified that caused all polarisation states on the OPS trace of the second HBF move in the direction of wavelength decrease, resulting in a redshift of the GTF. 360 WRA sets are derived that enabled tuning the GTF by one free spectral range SR. For eight sets chosen from the WRA sets, inducing a wavelength shift of SR/8 for each set order, wavelength‐shifted spectra are calculated. Finally, this theoretical prediction is experimentally verified, confirming the wavelength tunability of the GTF of the filter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Progress on two-dimensional materials has shown that valleys, as energy extrema in a hexagonal first Brillouin zone, provide a new degree of freedom for information manipulation. Then, valley Hall topological insulators supporting such-polarized edge states on boundaries were set up accordingly. In this paper, a two-dimensional valley crystal composed of six tunable dielectric triangular pillars in each unit cell is proposed in the photonic sense of a deformed Su–Schrieffer–Heeger model. We reveal the vortex nature of valley states and establish the selection rules for valley-polarized states. Based on the valley topology, a rhombus-shaped beam splitter waveguide is designed to verify the valley-chirality selection rule above. Our numerical results entail that this topologically protected edge states still maintain robust transmission at sharp corners, thus providing a feasible idea for valley photonic devices in the THz regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Letter introduces an on-chip topological phononic crystal (PnC) acoustic waveguide employing lithium niobate thin films. Utilizing a C 3 v symmetry-breaking mechanism, the topological PnC acoustic waveguide is achieved, operating at frequencies exceeding 430 MHz. A SH0 mode acoustic transceiver is designed, enabling highly efficient on-chip acoustic wave transmission and reception. The fabricated topological PnC waveguide demonstrates a propagation loss of 11.3 dB/mm at the edge mode. An acoustic beam splitter utilizing topological edge mode has been demonstrated, showing the configurability of the topological PnC acoustic waveguide. These results offer significant promise for advancing the development of hybrid phononic circuits tailored for high-frequency acoustic information processing, sensing, and manipulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Compact Morpho‐Molecular Microscopy (CM3) is proposed and demonstrated for multi‐functional imaging and characterization of living cells and material structures by simultaneously offering quantitative phase imaging (QPI), dispersion characterization, and fluorescence imaging. The compactness and stability of CM3 are realized by propagating lasers of different wavelengths in specially treated optical fibers and fiber‐based beam splitters and wavelength division multiplexers, as well as simplifying the detection scheme through Fourier‐space multiplexing and implementing a single camera for both QPI and fluorescence imaging. Quantitative phase maps of two wavelengths are retrieved from a multiplexed interferogram, and a synthesized wavelength phase map is derived to guide the height profiling of samples with extended depth. With the wavelength resolved phase maps, a physical model is derived to obtain sample dispersion parameters, which further enables us to quantify the hemoglobin concentration of red blood cells in real time. By inserting an appropriate emission color filter, fluorescence imaging is realized using the same camera, which significantly broadens the cell imaging applications of CM3. As a cost‐effective and multifaceted imaging method, CM3 may find many promising applications in live‐cell imaging and material characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated a three-channel reflective grating beam splitter with double-groove which eliminated ± 1st orders under TE and TM polarization. The grating has a polarization-dependent structure with different ridge thicknesses under TE and TM polarizations. Inhibitions of ± 1st orders are rarely reported from the previous work. The diffraction efficiency of the 0th order and ± 2nd orders for TE polarization orders can reach 32.7% and 33.3%, respectively. And the diffraction efficiency of 0th order and ± 2nd orders for TM polarization can reach 32.9% and 31.9%, respectively. It indicates that the uniformity of diffraction efficiency under the two polarizations also reaches more than 95%. The excellent bandwidth and tolerance make this grating suitable for a wide range of applications in the optical field. Compared conventional three-channel splitting, inhibitions of ± 1st orders are presented by double-groove microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiferroic materials, where ferroelectric and magnetic orders coexist, have ignited substantial research interest due to the achievable manipulation of magnetic orders using external electric fields, a feature that has garnered serious interest for memory storage applications. Nonetheless, naturally occurring single-phase multiferroic materials are scarce, thus constraining options for practical use. Over the last decade, bismuth-based layered supercell (LSC) oxides have emerged as novel candidates for multiferroics, catalyzing extensive investigations in this domain. Additionally, these LSC systems are known for their anisotropic structures and optical properties, making them promising for application in optics such as polarizers, beam splitters, and modulators. This thorough review explores the development and current advancements in multiferroic bismuth-based LSC materials. It covers the diverse nature of LSCs, detailing their microstructure, properties, and the mechanics of self-assembly formation. It also highlights the remarkable multifunctional characteristics of LSC-based nanocomposites, with a particular focus on their applications in electronics and optics. Moreover, this review examines the significant potential of LSCs in practical applications, particularly through their integration onto silicon and flexible substrates via heteroepitaxy and film transfer techniques. Finally, it offers insights into potential future research avenues and the broader implications of these versatile LSC materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]