sculpting the light
control, manipulation, and structuring in bulk and integrated photonics
control, manipulation, and structuring in bulk and integrated photonics
exploring the frontiers of light control and manipulation
Light has served as a pivotal element and a carrier of information throughout human history, from the transmission of messages and imaging to predicting seasons based on the positions of constellations. The advent of the laser has exponentially expanded these capabilities. As we continually push the boundaries through control and manipulation, light's potential grows daily. This progress necessitates further innovations to generate and tailor the properties of light across a broad spectrum. In this realm, optical parametric oscillators, rooted in nonlinear optics, have emerged as indispensable tools, offering tunable, coherent light sources across a broad spectral range from ultraviolet to infrared. Strategic manipulation of such sources is crucial for the spatial structuring of light. My initial research focused on designing and refining optical cavities to spatially engineer light's properties, particularly the generation and control of orbital angular momentum, vector-vortex beams, and multistructured beams through nonlinear processes.
Programmable photonic integrated circuits (PPICs) represent a transformative leap in optical technology, merging the programmability of electronic systems with the speed and efficiency of photonics. Unlike traditional fixed-function photonic devices, PPICs can manipulate, route, and process optical signals in a highly flexible manner, making them invaluable for a range of applications from telecommunications to quantum computing. The core of beam metrology lies in the precise control of light's fundamental properties — amplitude, phase, and polarization — which serve as the building blocks for generating structured spatial modes with unique characteristics. By leveraging an intricate network of on-chip Mach-Zehnder interferometers, we can achieve a high level of precision in manipulating light.