(Press-News.org) Optical waves propagating through air or multi-mode fiber can be patterned or decomposed using orthogonal spatial modes, with far-ranging applications in imaging, communication, and directed energy. Yet the systems that perform these wavefront manipulations are cumbersome and large, restricting their utilization to high-end applications. The development of a Free-Standing Microscale Photonic Lantern Spatial Mode (De-)Multiplexer using 3D Nanoprinting, as revealed by a recent study, marks a significant advancement in photonic technology. This spatial multiplexer, characterized by its compactness, minimal footprint, and ability to directly print on, and adhere to, photonic circuits, optical fibers, and optoelectronic elements as lasers and photodetectors, opens new opportunities in system integration and adoption of the technology in future high-capacity communication systems and demanding imaging modalities.
New study by Ph.D. candidate student Yoav Dana, supervised by Professor Dan Marom and his team at the Institute of Applied Physics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in partnership with scientists from Nokia Bell Labs, resulted in the development and demonstration of a Free-Standing Microscale Photonic Lantern Spatial Mode (De-)Multiplexer. The diminutive photonic lantern was fabricated by a 3D nano-printing technique utilizing direct laser writing, applied directly onto an optical fiber tip.
Photonic lantern devices convert between optical waves containing a superposition of modes or distorted wavefronts and array of separated single mode optical signals. The technology stands out as a promising contender to enable space division multiplexing (SDM) in high-capacity future optical communication networks, as well as in imaging and other applications requiring the spatial manipulation of optical waves.
Harnessing the capabilities of 3D nano-printing and employing high-index contrast waveguides, the researchers have developed a compact and versatile device that can be printed onto nearly any solid platform with fine accuracy and high fidelity, enabling its seamless integration into a variety of technological contexts. The ~100 micrometer scale device stands in large contrast to traditional photonic lanterns based on weakly guiding waveguides that are millimeters-centimeters long, making integration with micro-scale photonic systems very challenging.
"The development of this Free-Standing Microscale Photonic Lantern Spatial Mode (De-)Multiplexer represents a significant advancement in our ability to enable and adopt spatial multiplexing for diverse optical systems and applications," said Professor Dan Marom. "This breakthrough makes space division multiplexing technology much more accessible and amenable towards integration, opening up new possibilities for optical communication and imaging applications, to name a few."
The researchers have presented the device design using genetic algorithms, fabrication onto a fiber tip, and characterization of a six-mode mixing, 375µm long photonic lantern capable of converting between six single-mode inputs into a single six-mode waveguide. Despite its compact size, the device exhibits low insertion loss (-2.6 dB), low wavelength sensitivity and low polarization and mode-dependent losses (-0.2 dB and -4.4 dB respectively).
END
New 3D-printed microscale photonic lantern open opportunities for spatial mode multiplexing
2024-06-04
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Study reveals billion-dollar toll of domestic violence in California
2024-06-04
A comprehensive new study by Tulane University’s Newcomb Institute and the University of California San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy has quantified the staggering economic impact of intimate partner violence in California, revealing billions in costs that deeply affect survivors, communities and taxpayers across the state.
The report, “The Costs of Intimate Partner Violence in California,” reveals a cost of $73.7 billion to the state in health care, lost productivity and income and criminal justice ...
Others’ words, not firsthand experience, shape scientific and religious belief formation, HKUST study finds
2024-06-04
An international research team led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has uncovered in a recent research project that people’s beliefs in science and religion are primarily shaped by the words of others, rather than their personal experiences. The study could help enhance public understanding of people’s belief formation in important scientific issues, such as climate change and vaccination.
Conventionally, people are generally more confident about the existence of scientific phenomena, like oxygen, than religious phenomena, like God, as it is thought that people can experience oxygen, for instance, while it is harder to observe ...
Human activity contributed to woolly rhinoceros’ extinction
2024-06-04
Researchers have discovered sustained hunting by humans prevented the woolly rhinoceros from accessing favourable habitats as Earth warmed following the Last Ice Age.
An international team of researchers, led by scientists from the University of Adelaide and University of Copenhagen, used computer modelling to make the discovery, shedding light on an aeons-old mystery.
“Using computer models, fossils and ancient DNA, we traced 52,000 years of population history of the woolly rhinoceros across Eurasia at a resolution not previously considered possible,” said lead author Associate ...
Hot weather increases risk of emergency hospitalisations for patients with multimorbidity
2024-06-04
Australians are no strangers to long, hot summers, but new Griffith University research has looked at the impact of hot weather on patients with pre-existing chronic diseases and how it increases their risk of being hospitalised.
The research, recently published in eBioMedicine, found the risk of hospitalisation increased with the number of pre-existing chronic diseases during hot weather.
Individuals over the age of 65 with multimorbidity, defined as having two or more chronic diseases, were most at risk during hot weather.
Dr Zhiwei Xu from Griffith’s School ...
Sunshine spurs spending: Investors bet big on sunny days
2024-06-04
It’s often said we can’t control the weather. But what if the weather controls how and when we invest our money? More specifically, what if the skies control how much we’re willing to gamble in the stock market?
New research by the University of South Australia has found a connection between pleasant weather conditions and higher investment in lottery-like stocks.
Lottery-like stocks are cheap compared to other stocks and, like lottery tickets, they can be seen as an opportunity to make a substantial gain. However, the chance of a higher return is minimal, and it’s therefore considered a high-risk investment. A study by UniSA finance researchers ...
Novel triple antibiotic combination offers breakthrough in combatting antibiotic resistance
2024-06-04
In the ongoing battle against antibiotic resistance, a new study published in Engineering by Zhuoren Ling’s research team unveils a promising triple combination of antibiotics that significantly expands our arsenal against drug-resistant bacteria. Titled “The Triple Combination of Meropenem, Avibactam, and a Metallo-β-Lactamase Inhibitor Optimizes Antibacterial Coverage Against Different β-Lactamase Producers,” the research sheds light on a novel approach to tackle one of the most pressing global ...
Key nutrients help plants beat the heat
2024-06-04
LA JOLLA (June 4, 2024)—Global temperatures are on the rise, with experts projecting an increase of 2.7°F by 2050. Because plants cannot regulate their own temperatures, they are especially sensitive to these temperature changes. In higher temperatures, plants instruct their root systems to grow faster, creating long roots that stretch through the soil to absorb more water and nutrients. While this response may help the plants in the short term, new research suggests it’s both unsustainable for the plants and potentially ...
UTA scientists recognized nationally for inventions and innovation
2024-06-04
Researchers from The University of Texas at Arlington received 20 utility patents for their work in 2023, contributing to the University of Texas System’s overall ranking of No. 3 in the Top 100 U.S. Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents in 2023 list.
Compiled by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), the rankings are based on data obtained from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The University of California system and Massachusetts Institute of Technology claimed the top ...
Inflight alcohol + cabin pressure may threaten sleeping passengers’ heart health
2024-06-04
The combination of alcohol plus cabin pressure at cruising altitude may threaten sleeping plane passengers’ heart health, particularly on long haul flights, suggests the first study of its kind, published online in the respiratory journal Thorax.
The duo lowers the amount of oxygen in the blood (SpO2) and raises the heart rate for a protracted period, even in the young and healthy, the findings indicate.
The higher the alcohol consumption, the greater these effects might be, particularly among older passengers and those with pre-existing medical conditions, say ...
High excess death rates in the West for 3 years running since start of pandemic
2024-06-04
Excess death rates have remained high in the West for three years running since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, finds a data analysis of 47 countries published in the open access journal BMJ Public Health.
This is despite the implementation of various containment measures and the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, giving rise to “serious cause for concern,” say the researchers who call on governments and policymakers to thoroughly investigate the underlying causes.
The researchers wanted to gauge the effectiveness of the response to the health crisis ...