We present preoptimization strategies for improving the design of diffractive lenses in the electromagnetic domain, with few or no electromagnetic analyses. We find that improvements can be substantial, in some cases even to the point that extensive electromagnetic optimization gives only marginal additional improvement.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/ao.41.006168 | DOI Listing |
Struct Dyn
January 2025
Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
Sub-ångström spatial resolution of electron density coupled with sub-femtosecond to few-femtosecond temporal resolution is required to directly observe the dynamics of the electronic structure of a molecule after photoinitiation or some other ultrafast perturbation, such as by soft X-rays. Meeting this challenge, pushing the field of quantum crystallography to attosecond timescales, would bring insights into how the electronic and nuclear degrees of freedom couple, enable the study of quantum coherences involved in molecular dynamics, and ultimately enable these dynamics to be controlled. Here, we propose to reach this realm by employing convergent-beam x-ray crystallography with high-power attosecond pulses from a hard-x-ray free-electron laser.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomed Opt Express
January 2025
Center for Visual Science, The Institute of Optics, Flaum Eye Institute. University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.
An intraocular lens (IOL) replaces the natural crystalline lens during cataract surgery, and although the vast majority of implants have simple optics, "advanced technology" IOLs have multifocal and extended depth of focus (EDOF) properties. Optical concepts are evaluated here, with image contrast, focal range, and unwanted visual phenomena being the primary concerns. Visual phenomena with earlier bifocal diffractive lenses led to alternative diffractive designs (trifocals, etc.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLight Sci Appl
January 2025
Institute for Photon Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Light manipulation and control are essential in various contemporary technologies, and as these technologies evolve, the demand for miniaturized optical components increases. Planar-lens technologies, such as metasurfaces and diffractive optical elements, have gained attention in recent years for their potential to dramatically reduce the thickness of traditional refractive optical systems. However, their fabrication, particularly for visible wavelengths, involves complex and costly processes, such as high-resolution lithography and dry-etching, which has limited their availability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Adv
January 2025
Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea.
Optical resolution photoacoustic imaging of uneven samples without z-scanning is transformative for the fast analysis and diagnosis of diseases. However, current approaches to elongate the depth of field (DOF) typically imply cumbersome postprocessing procedures, bulky optical element ensembles, or substantial excitation beam side lobes. Metasurface technology allows for the phase modulation of light and the miniaturization of imaging systems to wavelength-size thickness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNature
January 2025
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Microscopy and crystallography are two essential experimental methodologies for advancing modern science. They complement one another, with microscopy typically relying on lenses to image the local structures of samples, and crystallography using diffraction to determine the global atomic structure of crystals. Over the past two decades, computational microscopy, encompassing coherent diffractive imaging (CDI) and ptychography, has advanced rapidly, unifying microscopy and crystallography to overcome their limitations.
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