All-optical thermometry plays a crucial role in precision temperature measurement across diverse fields. Quantum defects in solids are one of the most promising sensors due to their excellent sensitivity, stability, and biocompatibility. Yet, it faces limitations, such as the microwave heating effect and the complexity of spectral analysis. Addressing these challenges, we introduce a novel approach

Neuromorphic applications have shown great promise not only for efficient parallel computing mode to hold certain computational tasks, such as perception and recognition, but also as key biomimetic elements for the intelligent sensory system of next-generation robotics. However, achieving such a biomimetic nociceptor that can adaptively switch operation mode with a stimulation threshold remains a challenge

Whispering gallery mode optical microresonators represent a promising avenue for realizing optical analogs of coherent light–atom interactions, circumventing experimental complexities. All-optical analogs of Autler–Townes splitting have been widely demonstrated, harnessing coupled optical microresonators, also known as photonic molecules, wherein the strong coupling between resonant fields enables

Advancements in microwave photonics have yielded novel approaches for generating high-purity microwave sources. Among these, optoelectronic oscillators (OEOs) and coupled optoelectronic oscillators (COEOs) have demonstrated the capability to generate frequency-independent microwaves with exceptionally low phase noise. Nonetheless, the tunability of the oscillators is rather limited due to the necessity

The progress of on-chip optical communication relies on integrated multi-dimensional mode (de)multiplexers to enhance communication capacity and establish comprehensive networks. However, existing multi-dimensional (de)multiplexers, involving modes and wavelengths, face limitations due to their reliance on single-directional total internal reflection and multi-level mode conversion based on directional

Rayleigh backscattering enhancement (RSE) of optical fibers is an effective means to improve the performance of distributed optical fiber sensing. Femtosecond laser direct-writing techniques have been used to modulate the fiber core for RSE. However, in-core modulation loses more transmission light, thus limiting the sensing distance. In this work, a cladding-type RSE (cl-RSE) structure is proposed

Non-destructive and accurate inspection of gallium nitride light-emitting diode (GaN-LED) epitaxial wafers is important to GaN-LED technology. However, the conventional electroluminescence inspection, the photoluminescence inspection, and the automated optical inspection cannot fulfill the complex technical requirements. In this work, an inspection method and an operation system based on soft single-contact

Independent light propagation through one or multiple modes is commonly considered as a basic demand for mode manipulation in few-mode fiber (FMF)- or multimode fiber (MMF)-based optical systems such as transmission links, optical fiber lasers, or distributed optical fiber sensors. However, the insertion of doped-fiber amplifiers always kills the entire effort by inducing significant modal crosstalk

Ultrathin plasmonic nanostructures offer an unparalleled opportunity for the study of light–matter interactions at the nanoscale and realization of compact nanophotonic devices. In this study, we introduce an ultrathin gold nanoribbon array and demonstrate an electric approach to actively tuning its plasmonic resonance, which leveraging the extreme light confinement capability in the ultrathin plasmonic

Circularly polarized lasers play a pivotal role in classical optics, nanophotonics, and quantum optical information processing, while their fabrication remains complex. This article begins with examining the interactions between stimulated emission and chiral matter, outlining a simple strategy for producing circularly polarized lasing from chiral metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), such as the zeolitic

Simulating the dynamic evolution of physical and molecular systems in a quantum computer is of fundamental interest in many applications. The implementation of dynamics simulation requires efficient quantum algorithms. The Lie-Trotter-Suzuki approximation algorithm, also known as the Trotterization, is basic in Hamiltonian dynamics simulation. A multi-product algorithm that is a linear combination

Optical singularity states, which significantly affect propagation properties of light in free space or optical medium, can be geometrically classified into screw and edge types. These different types of singularity states do not exhibit direct connection, being decoupled from each other in the absence of external perturbations. Here we demonstrate a novel optical process in which a higher-order edge

Whispering gallery mode (WGM) microlasers are highly sensitive to localized refractive index changes allowing to link their emission spectrum to various chemical, mechanical, or physical stimuli. Microlasers recently found applications in biological studies within single cells, in three-dimensional samples such as multicellular spheroids, or in vivo. However, detailed studies of biological samples

Photonic integrated circuits are emerging as a promising platform for accelerating matrix multiplications in deep learning, leveraging the inherent parallel nature of light. Although various schemes have been proposed and demonstrated to realize such photonic matrix accelerators, the in situ training of artificial neural networks using photonic accelerators remains challenging due to the difficulty

An integrated photonic circuit architecture to perform a modified-convolution operation based on the discrete fractional Fourier transform (DFrFT) is introduced. This is accomplished by utilizing two nonuniformly coupled waveguide lattices with equally spaced eigenmode spectra, the lengths of which are chosen so that the DFrFT and its inverse operations are achieved. A programmable modulator array

On-chip spectrometers with high compactness and portability enable new applications in scientific research and industrial development. Fourier transform (FT) spectrometers have the potential to realize a high signal-to-noise ratio. Here we propose and demonstrate a generalized design for high-performance on-chip FT spectrometers. The spectrometer is based on the dynamic in-plane reconfiguration of

Optical tweezers (OTs) can immobilize and manipulate objects with sizes that span between nano- and micro-meter scales. The manipulating ability of OTs is traditionally characterized by stability factor (S), which can only indicate an empirical “hit-or-miss” process. Additionally, the current quantitative models for trapping stability rarely consider the influence of external flow. In this paper, a

Polarimetric dehazing is an effective way to enhance the quality of images captured in foggy weather. However, images of essential polarization parameters are vulnerable to noise, and the brightness of dehazed images is usually unstable due to different environmental illuminations. These two weaknesses reveal that current polarimetric dehazing algorithms are not robust enough to deal with different

The recent emergence of thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) has extended the landscape of integrated photonics. This has been enabled by the commercialization of TFLN wafers and advanced nanofabrication of TFLN such as high-quality dry etching. However, fabrication imperfections still limit the propagation loss to a few dB/m, restricting the impact of this platform. Here, we demonstrate TFLN microresonators

Ultra-compact multifunctional integrated photonic modules have great practical significance to photonic integrated circuits (PICs). However, the design effect and efficiency of the existing mainstream inverse design algorithms are incompetent when designing these modules. We analyze their shortcomings in this task, and propose a new, to our knowledge, inverse design algorithm named polygon search (PS)

Standing-wave supermode microresonators that are created through the strong coupling between counter-propagating modes have emerged as versatile platforms for sensing and nonlinear optics. For example, these microresonators have shown potential in nanoparticle sizing and counting, as well as enhancing the single-photon optomechanical coupling rate of stimulated Brillouin scattering. However, it has

Various neuromodulation techniques have been developed to modulate the peak activity of neurons, thereby regulating brain function and alleviating neurological disorders. Additionally, neuronal stimulation and imaging have significantly contributed to the understanding and treatment of these diseases. Here, we propose utilizing photonic nanojets for optical stimulation and imaging of neural cells.

Quasi-bound states in the continuum (QBIC), with exceptionally high-Q factors and the local field enhancement effect, have found potential applications in matter sensing. Introducing the QBIC mechanism into terahertz (THz) metasurfaces can significantly enhance the interaction between incident THz waves and matter, providing a feasible platform for the detection of biochemical substances. Currently

There recently has been increasing interest in the research and application of the rotational Doppler effect (RDE), which paves a promising way to detect rotating objects remotely. In order to obtain more information about the rotating object from the rotational Doppler signal, composite vortex beams by coaxial superposition of orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes are often used as the probe beam.

In recent years, terahertz (THz) technology has made significant progress in numerous applications; however, the highly sensitive, room-temperature THz detectors are still rare, which is one of the bottlenecks in THz research. In this paper, we proposed a room-temperature electrometry method for THz detection by laser spectroscopy of cesium (Cs133) Rydberg atoms, and conducted a comprehensive investigation

The topic of optical precise displacement measurement has garnered significant attention and generated widespread interest recently. The use of optical singularity offers a potential solution for this purpose, although effectively manipulating the singularity in an ideal manner remains challenging. In this work, we propose a theoretical approach to achieve controllable position modulation of the C-point

The increasing demand for diverse portable high-precision spectral analysis applications has driven the rapid development of spectrometer miniaturization. However, the resolutions of existing miniaturized spectrometers mostly remain at the nanometer level, posing a challenge for further enhancement towards achieving picometer-level precision. Here, we propose an integrated reconstructive spectrometer

Metasurfaces have demonstrated rich electromagnetic control capabilities and degrees of freedom in past years. As is well known, for passive metasurfaces, their functionalities cannot be further expanded accordingly once prototypes are established. Therefore, reconfigurable metasurfaces, utilizing active devices to replace geometric changes in passive structures, have received widespread attention

Optical time-stretch (OTS) imaging flow cytometry offers a promising solution for high-throughput and high-precision cell analysis due to its capabilities of high-speed, high-quality, and continuous imaging. Compressed sensing (CS) makes it practically applicable by significantly reducing the data volume while maintaining its high-speed and high-quality imaging properties. To enrich the information

The three-terminal quantum-well-light-emitting transistors (QW-LETs) possess appealing characteristics, including multipath bidirectional electrical and optical inputs/outputs, transistor functionalities, and picosecond recombination lifetimes. This article presents the inaugural demonstration of electro-optical sequential logic circuits—first implementations of set-reset (SR) latches. These two latches

A spectral programmable, continuous-wave mid-infrared (MIR) optical parametric oscillator (OPO), enabled by a self-developed high-power spectral tailorable fiber laser, was proposed and realized. While operating at a single-wavelength, the maximum idler power reached 5.53 W at 3028 nm, with a corresponding pump-to-idler conversion efficiency of 14.7%. The wavelength number switchable output was available

The transport-of-intensity equation (TIE) enables quantitative phase imaging (QPI) under partially coherent illumination by measuring the through-focus intensities combined with a linearized inverse reconstruction algorithm. However, overcoming its sensitivity to imaging settings remains a challenging problem because of the difficulty in tuning the optical parameters of the imaging system accurately

3D imaging technology is pivotal in monitoring the functional dynamics and morphological alterations in living cells and tissues. However, conventional volumetric imaging associated with mechanical z-scanning encounters challenges in limited 3D imaging speed with inertial artifact. Here, we present a unique phase-modulated multi-foci microscopy (PM3) technique to achieve snapshot 3D imaging with the

The terahertz (THz) absorption spectrum is a powerful method to identify substances. The improvement focuses on sensitivity and recovery ability. Here, we demonstrate enhanced THz vibrational absorption spectroscopy based on an on-chip THz whispering gallery mode resonator (THz-WGMR). A THz-WGMR with high Q can store energy and enhance the interaction between the THz waves and the target substances

Towards next-generation intelligent display devices, it is urgent to find a cheap and convenient dynamic optical control method. Conventional gratings are widely used as cheap diffractive elements due to their effective optical control capabilities. However, they are limited within multi-function or complex optical modulation due to the lack of accurate control of the amplitude/phase at pixel-level

Microlens arrays have been widely used in the fields of micro-optics and micro- and nanofabrication. Traditional preparation methods utilize commercial photoresists and thermosetting materials, thereby restricting the optical properties of microlenses. In recent years, significant advancements have been achieved in near-field super-resolution imaging by utilizing microspheres and forming arrays of

Using an on-the-fly scanning scheme, line confocal microscopy can obtain complex structures of large biological tissues with high throughput. Yet, it suffers from lateral imaging asymmetry and thus introduces the potential deformations of the observation results. Here, we propose cross-line illumination microscopy (cLIM) that acquires the imaging data of two perpendicular directions simultaneously

Breathers are localized structures that undergo a periodic oscillation in their duration and amplitude. Optical microresonators, benefiting from their high-quality factor, provide an ideal test bench for studying breathing phenomena. In a monochromatically pumped microresonator system, intrinsic breathing instabilities are widely observed in the form of temporal dissipative Kerr solitons which only

The consumption of contaminated food may cause serious illnesses, and traditional methods to detect Escherichia coli are still associated with long waiting times and high costs given the necessity to transport samples to specialized laboratories. There is a need to develop new technologies that allow cheap, fast, and direct monitoring at the site of interest. Thus, in this work, we developed optical

We present an innovative approach for the simultaneous agile manipulation of high-refractive-index (HRI) and low-refractive-index (LRI) particles. Our method involves introducing a dual-curvilinear optical vortex beam (DC-OVB) generated by superimposing a pair of curved beams: HRI and LRI particles are controlled by the bright curve and the dark channel between the two curves, respectively. The proposed

Integrated semiconductor lasers represent essential building blocks for integrated optical components and circuits and their stability in frequency is fundamental for the development of numerous frontier applications and engineering tasks. When dense optical circuits are considered, the stability of integrated laser sources can be impaired by the thermal cross-talk generated by the action of neighboring

In this paper, we present a detector-integrated vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) with a movable high-contrast grating (HCG) mirror in an n-i-p-i-n manner. The detector-integrated VCSEL with a movable HCG can achieve three functions, including wavelength tuning, power monitoring, and resonant-cavity-enhanced (RCE) photon detection. Currently, the device can achieve a wavelength tuning

The conventional Gaussian-modulated coherent-state quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol requires the sender to perform active modulations based on a true random number generator. Compared with it, the passive-state-preparation (PSP) continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD) equivalently performs modulations passively by exploring the intrinsic field fluctuations of a thermal source, which

The realization of a high numerical aperture (NA) fiber lens is critical for achieving high imaging resolution in endoscopes, enabling subwavelength operation in optical tweezers and high efficiency coupling between optical fibers and photonic chips. However, it remains challenging with conventional design and fabrication. Here we propose an ultrathin (400 nm) graphene oxide (GO) film lens fabricated

Precise measurement of micro-dispersion for optical devices (optical fiber, lenses, etc.) holds paramount significance across domains such as optical fiber communication and dispersion interference ranging. However, due to its complex system, complicated process, and low reliability, the traditional dispersion measurement methods (interference, phase shift, or time delay methods) are not suitable for

We report on the experimental realization of, to the best of our knowledge, the first green and orange passively mode-locked all-fiber lasers. Stable mode-locking in the burst-pulse status is achieved at the wavelengths of 543.3 nm and 602.5 nm. The figure-9 cavity comprises the fiber end-facet mirror, gain fiber (Ho3+:ZBLAN fiber or Pr3+/Yb3+:ZBLAN fiber), and fiber loop mirror (FLM). The FLM with

Rapid detection of pathogens present on contaminated surfaces is crucial for food safety and public health due to the high morbidity and mortality of bacterial infections. Herein, a sensitive and efficient method for on-site identification of foodborne pathogens on anisotropic surfaces was developed by using an in situ instantaneously prepared surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) platform. To achieve

As a computational technology, single-pixel microscopic imaging (SPMI) transfers the target’s spatial information into a temporal dimension. The traditional focusing method of imaging before evaluation is not applicable to the SPMI system. We propose a grating-free autofocus strategy derived from the physical mechanism of optical defocus. Maximizing the amplitude information of just one high-frequency

Integrated photon-pair sources based on spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC) in novel high-χ(2) materials are used in quantum photonic systems for quantum information processing, quantum metrology, and quantum simulations. However, the need for extensive fabrication process development and optimization of dry-etching processes significantly impedes the rapid exploration of different material

Rapid detection and discrimination of single photons are pivotal in various applications, such as deep-space laser communication, high-rate quantum key distribution, and optical quantum computation. However, conventional single-photon detectors (SPDs), including semiconducting and recently developed superconducting detectors, have limited detection speed and photon number resolution (PNR), which pose

Full view observation throughout entire specimens over a prolonged period is crucial when exploring the physiological functions and system-level behaviors. Multi-photon microscopy (MPM) has been widely employed for such purposes owing to its deep penetration ability. However, the current MPM struggles with balancing the imaging depth and quality while avoiding photodamage for the exponential increasement

Low-refractive-index particles play significant roles in physics, drug delivery, biomedical science, and other fields. However, they have not attained sufficient utilization in active manipulation due to the repulsive effect of light. In this work, the establishment of customized dark traps is demonstrated to fulfill the demands of versatile manipulation of low-refractive-index particles. The customized

Coding metasurfaces can manipulate electromagnetic wave in real time with high degree of freedom, the fascinating properties of which enrich the metasurface design with a wide range of application prospects. However, most of the coding metasurfaces are designed based on external excitation framework with the wired electrical or wireless light control devices, thus inevitably causing the interference

Lidar based on the optical phased array (OPA) and frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) technology stands out in automotive applications due to its all-solid-state design, high reliability, and remarkable resistance to interference. However, while FMCW coherent detection enhances the interference resistance capabilities, it concurrently results in a significant increase in depth computation, becoming

The narrowband meta-absorbers exhibit significantly enhanced electromagnetic confinement capabilities, showcasing broad application prospects in sensing fields. They can be applied for biomarker detection, chemical composition analysis, and monitoring of specific gas in the environment. In this work, we propose a 3D meta-absorber with an out-of-plane plasma mechanism based on a two-photon printing

Surface plasmon resonance microscopy (SPRM) has been massively applied for near-field optical measurement, sensing, and imaging because of its high detection sensitivity, nondestructive, noninvasive, wide-field, and label-free imaging capabilities. However, the transverse propagation characteristic of the surface plasmon wave generated during surface plasmon resonance (SPR) leads to notable “tail”

Programmable metasurfaces have received a great deal of attention due to their ability to dynamically manipulate electromagnetic (EM) waves. Despite the rapid growth, most of the existing metasurfaces require manual control to switch among different functionalities, which poses severe limitations on practical applications. Here, we put forth an intelligent metasurface that has self-adaptive EM functionality

Accurately measuring the complex transmission matrix (CTM) of the scattering medium (SM) holds critical significance for applications in anti-scattering optical imaging, phototherapy, and optical neural networks. Non-interferometric approaches, utilizing phase retrieval algorithms, can robustly extract the CTM from the speckle patterns formed by multiple probing fields traversing the SM. However, in

An optical multimode fiber (MMF) is capable of delivering structured light modes or complex images with high flexibility. Here, we present a holographic approach to enable the MMF as a 3D holographic projector with the capability of complete polarization control. By harnessing the strong coupling of the spatial and polarization degrees of freedom of light propagating through MMFs, our approach realizes

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to significantly impact people’s lives worldwide, emphasizing the critical need for effective detection methods. Many existing deep learning-based approaches for COVID-19 detection offer high accuracy but demand substantial computing resources, time, and energy. In this study, we introduce an optical diffractive neural network (ODNN-COVID), which is characterized by