Wavefront shaping for reconfigurable beam steering in lithium niobate multimode waveguide.

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Integrated Optics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Reconfigurable photonic devices are crucial for advanced optical integrated circuits.
• Electro-optic manipulation in lithium niobate (LN) waveguides is a key technology.
• Existing beam steering methods have limitations in reconfigurability and precision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a new beam steering mechanism for reconfigurable photonic devices.
• To integrate wavefront shaping with electro-optic tuning in LN multimode waveguides.
• To provide new insights into controlling light propagation in multimode waveguides.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing wavefront shaping technology for beam steering.
• Employing electro-optic tuning mechanisms in lithium niobate (LN) multimode waveguides.
• Implementing microstructured serrated array electrodes for fine-tuning output beams.

Main Results:

• A paradigm shift in beam steering mechanisms was achieved through wavefront shaping.
• The proposed strategy is compatible with electro-optic tuning in LN multimode waveguides.
• Precise fine-tuning of the output beam's position was demonstrated.

Conclusions:

• The study offers novel insights into molding light flow in multimode waveguides.
• The developed technique advances the capabilities of beam steering photonic devices.
• This approach paves the way for more sophisticated optical integrated circuits.