Spin-dependent edge detection and imaging enabled by optical circularly polarised states

In photonic crystal slab (PCS) structures, the bound states in the continuum (BICs) and circularly polarised states (dubbed C-points) are critical topological polarisation singularities in momentum space that have garnered significant attention owing to their novel topological and optical properties...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jiale Chen, Zhao-xian Chen, Zi-xin Zhou, Yan-qing Lu, Jun-long Kou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Light Publishing Group 2025-04-01
Series:Light: Advanced Manufacturing
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Online Access:https://www.light-am.com/article/doi/10.37188/lam.2025.008
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Summary:In photonic crystal slab (PCS) structures, the bound states in the continuum (BICs) and circularly polarised states (dubbed C-points) are critical topological polarisation singularities in momentum space that have garnered significant attention owing to their novel topological and optical properties. In this study, we engineered a novel PCS imager featuring two C-points with opposite chirality through symmetry breaking, resulting in maximal asymmetric transmission responses characterised by near-unity circular dichroism (CD) values. By harnessing the chiral selectivity of the C-points, a high-CD PCS imager can provide two sets of optical transfer functions (OTFs) to facilitate both edge detection and bright-field imaging. Notably, one set of OTFs was finely tuned to a Lorentzian line shape to achieve perfect edge detection. We developed a multifunctional imaging system by integrating a PCS imager into a traditional optical system. Both theoretical and experimental demonstrations confirmed that this system provides bright-field and edge-enhanced images with micrometer-scale resolution. Furthermore, these two independent functions can be easily switched by altering the circular polarisation state of the light source.
ISSN:2689-9620