Controlling self-healing of optical field based on moiré dual-microlens arrays

Abstract

Optical self-healing is a repairing phenomenon of a beam in the propagation, as it is perturbed by an opaque object. In this work, we demonstrate experimentally and theoretically that the moiré distributed dual-microlens array enables to generate optical fields with better healing ability to withstand defects than their counterparts of a single microlens array. By utilizing the double parameter scanning method, the self-healing degree of the optical field is significantly affected by both the interval distance and the relative angle of the dual-microlens arrays. The self-healing level is decreased significantly by lengthening the interval between the two microlens array with a small twist angle, while increasing the angle enhances the self-healing degree. Further study manifests the self-healing process with respect to the size and central location of the obstacle. The research results provide a simple and effective method to generate self-healing optical wave fields, which have potential applications including optical communication, assisted imaging technology, and even intense laser physics.

Fabrication of Large-Area Silicon Spherical Microlens Arrays by Thermal Reflow and ICP Etching

“…Microlens arrays (MLAs) have emerged as an alternative to large aperture optical lenses and are composed of numerous tiny micron-sized lens units arranged in a specific layout. MLAs can provide excellent optical functions, including illumination, collimation, focusing, imaging, and light redistribution, coupled with significantly reduced mass and volume compared to conventional lenses, enabling great application potential across multiple fields, such as imaging systems [1][2][3][4][5], optical communication [6][7][8], and sensors [9,10].…”