Wavelength-independent optical fully differential operation based on the spin–orbit interaction of light

Abstract

Optical technology may provide important architectures for future computing, such as analog optical computing and image processing. Compared with traditional electric operation, optical operation has shown some unique advantages including faster operating speeds and lower power consumption. Here, we propose an optical full differentiator based on the spin-orbit interaction of light at a simple optical interface. The broadband optical operation is independent on the wavelength due to the nature of purely geometric. As an important application of the fully differential operation, the broadband image processing of edge detection is demonstrated. By adjusting the polarization of the incident beam, the one-dimension edge imaging at any desirable direction can be obtained. The broadband image processing of edge detection provides possible applications in autonomous driving, target recognition, microscopic imaging, and augmented reality.

Nonlinear Computational Edge Detection Metalens

“…It preserves the important periphery geometry of the object and significantly reduces the data volumes to be processed. Traditionally, optical edge detection can be achieved by either optical transfer function modulation at the Fourier plane by angular spectrum filters, such as aperture obscurations [ 2 ] and Laplacian operator based on photonic crystals [ 3,4 ] and nonlocal effect or point spread function modulation in the real space by surface‐plasmon resonance, [ 5 ] Brewster effect, [ 6,7 ] Goos–Hänchen shift, [ 8 ] spin Hall effect [ 9–11 ] on traditional prisms or polarizers.…”

“…effect or point spread function modulation in the real space by surface-plasmon resonance, [5] Brewster effect, [6,7] Goos-Hänchen shift, [8] spin Hall effect [9][10][11] on traditional prisms or polarizers.…”

Ultrasensitive Protein Concentration Characterization Based on Weak Measurements

“…As the photons pass through the interface, the spin-dependent shift of the light beam centroid will appear, which is orthogonal to the refractive index gradient. There has been growing interests in phtonic SHE in experiments [9,10] .Over the years, the photonic SHE is greatly lucubrated in diversified physics systems, such as optical physics, high-energy physics [11], semiconductor [12,13], image processing [14,15], and system parameter measurement [16][17][18]. Even as small as the photonic SHE, it is still detectable.…”

Unidirectional propagation of the Bloch surface wave excited by the spinning magnetic dipole in two-dimensional photonic crystal slab

“…Photonic spin Hall effect (PSHE) can separate photons according to different spin characteristics, which provides a new idea for the design of photonic devices and has important application prospects 1 – 8 . In 2013, Zayats et al observed a new kind of PSHE in metal system, and found that surface plasmon polariton (SPP) can propagate unidirectionally, and the propagation direction can be controlled by the incidence of circularly polarized light 9 .…”