{"title":"Epitaxial strategy for high-polarization semiconductor lasers with process robustness.","authors":"Jialong Mu, Ting Fu, Tingyu Si, Zijie Gao, Fengxin Dong, Aiyi Qi, Xuyan Zhou, Wanhua Zheng","doi":"10.1364/OL.613086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.613086","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We demonstrate an epitaxial strategy for improving the degree of polarization (DoP) of semiconductor lasers under packaging-induced stress by increasing the intrinsic TE/TM effective refractive-index difference, <i>n</i><sub>diff</sub><sup>0</sup>. Three distinct epitaxial structures with <i>n</i><sub>diff</sub><sup>0</sup> values of 4.75 × 10<sup>-4</sup>, 9.09 × 10<sup>-4</sup>, and 1.24 × 10<sup>-3</sup> were designed and fabricated. At 14 A, the measured DoP increased from 90.2% to 97.3% with increasing <i>n</i><sub>diff</sub><sup>0</sup>. Structures with larger <i>n</i><sub>diff</sub><sup>0</sup> also exhibited lower sensitivity to packaging-induced stress variations. These results show that engineering <i>n</i><sub>diff</sub><sup>0</sup> through epitaxial design provides a practical route toward process-robust high-polarization semiconductor lasers.</p>","PeriodicalId":19540,"journal":{"name":"Optics letters","volume":"51 20","pages":"5725-5728"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Optics lettersPub Date : 2026-10-15Epub Date: 2026-09-17DOI: 10.1364/OL.611930
Nasrollah Karampour, Gebrehiwot Tesfay Zeweldi, Martin Rochette
{"title":"All-fiber ring cavity Q-switched laser in the 2.8 µm band.","authors":"Nasrollah Karampour, Gebrehiwot Tesfay Zeweldi, Martin Rochette","doi":"10.1364/OL.611930","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.611930","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We demonstrate the first, to the best of our knowledge, all-fiber ring-cavity Q-switched laser operating in the mid-infrared. The laser emits in the 2.8 μm band via a single-mode ZBLAN optical fiber coupler, an Er:ZBLAN gain fiber, and a polarization controller. The all-fiber components presented here are connectorized, enabling flexible design and easy insertion/removal while maintaining the advantages of all-fiber lasers. Single-walled carbon nanotubes trigger Q-switching as the saturable absorber. The optical fiber coupler provides different feedback paths, allowing the cavity to operate in two distinct regimes: one supporting low-threshold, short-pulse operation, and the other maximizing output power. Q-switching occurs at a pump power threshold of 0.30 W, producing pulses with a minimum duration of 0.77 μs, and a repetition rate of 71.8 kHz. The corresponding RF spectrum shows a signal-to-noise ratio of 52 dB, confirming stable pulsed operation.</p>","PeriodicalId":19540,"journal":{"name":"Optics letters","volume":"51 20","pages":"5745-5748"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Optics lettersPub Date : 2026-10-15Epub Date: 2026-09-17DOI: 10.1364/OL.614660
Masashige Suwa, Tomohide Morimoto
{"title":"Compact high-resolution aerial display using freeform-mirror aerial projection with digital predistortion.","authors":"Masashige Suwa, Tomohide Morimoto","doi":"10.1364/OL.614660","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.614660","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Conventional aerial display systems such as aerial imaging by retro-reflection (AIRR) and array-based aerial-imaging elements face challenges related to luminance, resolution, and system size. We propose freeform-mirror aerial projection with digital predistortion (FMAP-DP), which combines magnified reflective imaging by a single continuous freeform mirror with image-side digital predistortion. A prototype achieved a center luminance of 160.8 cd/m<sup>2</sup> and reduced the magnitude of the maximum TV distortion from 5.24% to 1.10% (signed value after correction: -1.10%). Five-viewpoint measurements at 0.80 lp/mm yielded ROI CTF values of 0.88-0.93 and full-AIA mean line-pair CTF values of 0.80-0.86. The LCD-only luminance non-uniformity was 27%, whereas the aerial-image non-uniformity was 62%, identifying luminance uniformity as a remaining limitation of the prototype.</p>","PeriodicalId":19540,"journal":{"name":"Optics letters","volume":"51 20","pages":"5753-5756"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Optics lettersPub Date : 2026-10-15Epub Date: 2026-09-24DOI: 10.1364/OL.614018
Bo Wang, Yuxiang Zhou, Bangkuan Fu, Xiaoting Yin, Tianqi Song, Yanhong Ma, Mingzhe Zhang, Henry Ho-Lung Chan, Pengfei Zhang
{"title":"Long-duration volumetric optoretinography enables measurement of retinal recovery dynamics after photostimulation.","authors":"Bo Wang, Yuxiang Zhou, Bangkuan Fu, Xiaoting Yin, Tianqi Song, Yanhong Ma, Mingzhe Zhang, Henry Ho-Lung Chan, Pengfei Zhang","doi":"10.1364/OL.614018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.614018","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Optoretinography (ORG) typically measures rapid photoreceptor responses, limiting investigation of slower retinal recovery processes. Here, we demonstrate long-duration volumetric ORG using customized high-resolution spectral-domain optical coherence tomography with repeated volumetric acquisition. Spatial averaging across the retinal volume improves sensitivity to both light-evoked scattering and outer segment (OS) optical path length (OPL) changes, while automated deep learning-based segmentation enables efficient analysis of large four-dimensional (4D) datasets. In vivo experiments in mice reveal distinct phases of retinal recovery dynamics extending over 30 min after photostimulation. Preliminary comparative measurements further reveal altered recovery behavior and an attenuated early OS OPL response in aged mice. This work establishes long-duration volumetric ORG as a platform for functional imaging of retinal physiological recovery dynamics in vivo.</p>","PeriodicalId":19540,"journal":{"name":"Optics letters","volume":"51 20","pages":"5766-5769"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228382","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Optics lettersPub Date : 2026-10-15Epub Date: 2026-09-15DOI: 10.1364/OL.612055
Zhuocheng Zhang, Xiaoqiuyan Zhang, Yanyu Wei, Yubin Gong, Hui Zhang, Min Hu
{"title":"Terahertz nano-identification of molecular resonances through analytical near-field modeling.","authors":"Zhuocheng Zhang, Xiaoqiuyan Zhang, Yanyu Wei, Yubin Gong, Hui Zhang, Min Hu","doi":"10.1364/OL.612055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.612055","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Low-energy molecular motions provide chemically specific terahertz (THz) fingerprints, yet diffraction masks their spatial variation within microscopic material domains. Near-field spectroscopy overcomes this spatial limit, but material identification remains challenging because tip-sample coupling transforms the intrinsic dielectric response. Here we combine local complex normalization with constrained analytical prolate-spheroid modeling to recover the cinnabar dielectric response jointly from amplitude and phase. A single Lorentz oscillator accounts for the full complex spectrum across the dielectric, surface, and near-field response chain. This analysis distinguishes the intrinsic 1.12 THz loss maximum from the near-field phase maximum measured near 1.17 THz. Boundary spectra exhibit a red-shifted near-field resonance despite a fixed molecular loss peak, revealing how local dielectric coupling reshapes the measured fingerprint. The framework advances THz nano-identification beyond empirical peak assignment towards physically interpretable molecular and compositional mapping.</p>","PeriodicalId":19540,"journal":{"name":"Optics letters","volume":"51 20","pages":"5693-5696"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Optics lettersPub Date : 2026-10-15Epub Date: 2026-09-25DOI: 10.1364/OL.616630
Qijun You, Lingshuo Meng, Fangrui Quan, Wei Cao
{"title":"Single-axis scanning coherent diffractive imaging for spectroscopic and wavefront retrieval.","authors":"Qijun You, Lingshuo Meng, Fangrui Quan, Wei Cao","doi":"10.1364/OL.616630","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.616630","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We present single-axis scanning coherent diffractive imaging (AS-CDI), in which the detector remains fixed while the sample is translated along the optical axis through a spatially evolving probe. The axial evolution of the illumination provides additional redundancy for wavelength-resolved joint reconstruction of the object and the probe from a single scan. We validate the concept by simultaneous spectroscopic imaging and quantitative characterization of the illumination wavefront, from which the chromatic aberration of a broadband field is accurately measured. This capability establishes AS-CDI as a versatile tool for multi-modal imaging and reference-free wavefront and dispersion metrology, with immediate potential in ultrafast science, material characterization, and live-cell bio-imaging.</p>","PeriodicalId":19540,"journal":{"name":"Optics letters","volume":"51 20","pages":"5850-5853"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Multiple access fiber-optic radio-frequency transfer, time, and phase synchronization using symmetric carrier configuration and passive optical coupling.","authors":"Junwei Ren, Yuzhe Ma, Jiaxing Shui, Liang Hu, Jianping Chen, Guiling Wu","doi":"10.1364/OL.611933","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.611933","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this Letter, we propose a multiple access fiber-optic radio-frequency transfer, time, and phase synchronization scheme using passive optical coupling and symmetric carrier configuration. In the proposed scheme, the RF signal is distributed to distant nodes via a symmetric carrier configuration, which inherently suppresses link length-dependent phase difference. Access nodes are connected to the fiber link via passive optical coupling. Time signals are generated at each node by leveraging transferred frequency signals and synchronized by time-division multiplexing transmission and active delay compensation. Experimentally, a 2 GHz RF signal is transferred to access and terminal nodes over 20-km and 60-km fiber links, respectively, and compensated separately. The measured frequency stability is better than 4×10<sup>-14</sup> and 2×10<sup>-16</sup> at averaging time of 1 s and 10<sup>4</sup> s, respectively. For the synchronized link, the measured time stability is better than 7 ps at 1 s and 4 ps at 10<sup>4</sup> s. The phase consistency of RF signals is better than 10 ps (2<i>%</i> of the entire signal cycle) when subjected to changes in link length and system restart.</p>","PeriodicalId":19540,"journal":{"name":"Optics letters","volume":"51 20","pages":"5661-5664"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Optics lettersPub Date : 2026-10-15Epub Date: 2026-09-22DOI: 10.1364/OL.611004
Meng Li, DaiFu Zhang
{"title":"Refined runway visual range measurement model incorporating brown carbon aerosol effects.","authors":"Meng Li, DaiFu Zhang","doi":"10.1364/OL.611004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.611004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Runway visual range (RVR) is a pivotal meteorological metric governing low-visibility civil aviation operations. Conventional RVR calculation frameworks mainly account for black carbon and scattering aerosols, yet brown carbon (BrC), with pronounced wavelength-selective absorption, induces two unrecognized systematic errors via extinction spectral mismatch and chromatic visual threshold deviation, with its influence mechanisms largely uncharacterized. This Letter presents a refined RVR model explicitly incorporating BrC's chromatic optical effects. Experimental validation verifies its efficacy, providing quantitative support for advancing RVR observation standards and enhancing low-visibility measurement fidelity.</p>","PeriodicalId":19540,"journal":{"name":"Optics letters","volume":"51 20","pages":"5737-5740"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228455","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Optics lettersPub Date : 2026-10-15Epub Date: 2026-09-28DOI: 10.1364/OL.616824
Jiapeng Hou, Xiaoqing Luo
{"title":"Highly efficient and completely controllable optical activity for cross-polarization conversion of arbitrary linear polarization.","authors":"Jiapeng Hou, Xiaoqing Luo","doi":"10.1364/OL.616824","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.616824","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although large optical activity (OA) with negligible circular dichroism (CD) has been widely explored in metasurface platforms, concurrent realization of the theoretical limit of OA and near-unity efficiency remains a long-standing challenge. Here, we propose a bilayer dielectric metasurface that overcomes the trade-off between OA and CD and achieves ±90<sup>∘</sup> OA with efficiency above 0.93 and negligible CD. This design offers continuous control of OA from -90<sup>∘</sup> to 90<sup>∘</sup> by changing the twist angle of the nano-structures in different layers. We further demonstrate polarization-independent cross-polarization conversion (CPC) with high efficiency for arbitrary polarization incidence. Our design offers a versatile route for polarization manipulation with promising applications in vectorial optical field generation and beyond.</p>","PeriodicalId":19540,"journal":{"name":"Optics letters","volume":"51 20","pages":"5802-5805"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228469","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"10-mJ-class dual-crystal Yb:KGW regenerative amplifier with M-shaped spectrum for seeding Yb:YAG lasers.","authors":"Tianze Xu, Jiajun Song, Yujie Peng, Yanyan Li, Guanguang Gao, Ziqing Wang, Zhengwen Huang, Zhengxiang Han, Yuxin Leng","doi":"10.1364/OL.612057","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.612057","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We present a high-energy broadband regenerative amplifier (RA) at a repetition rate of 1 kHz with an M-shaped spectral profile, realized by incorporating two orthogonally oriented Ng-cut Yb:KGW within a single RA. Benefiting from a large-mode cavity configuration, the high-damage-threshold optical components, a thermally insensitive cavity design, and a quasi-continuous-wave (QCW) pumping scheme, the amplifier delivers output pulse energies of 13.8 mJ and 12.9 mJ before and after spectral shaping, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the highest pulse energy reported to date for a Yb:KGW RA operating at room temperature and 1 kHz. The amplifier exhibits an M-shaped spectrum with a spectral dip centered at 1030 nm, together with excellent beam quality and energy stability, making it a promising front end for Yb:YAG amplifier systems targeting the generation of hundred-millijoule, ~200-fs pulses.</p>","PeriodicalId":19540,"journal":{"name":"Optics letters","volume":"51 20","pages":"5665-5668"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149228183","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}