Ultrafast multi-target control of tightly focused light fields

The control of ultrafast optical field is of great interest in developing ultrafast optics as well as the investigation on vari-ous light-matter interactions with ultrashort pulses.However,conventional spatial encoding approaches have only lim-ited steerable targets usually neglecting the temporal effect,thus hindering their broad applications.Here we present a new concept for realizing ultrafast modulation of multi-target focal fields based on the facile combination of time-depend-ent vectorial diffraction theory with fast Fourier transform.This is achieved by focusing femtosecond pulsed light carrying vectorial-vortex by a single objective lens under tight focusing condition.It is uncovered that the ultrafast temporal de-gree of freedom within a configurable temporal duration(~400 fs)plays a pivotal role in determining the rich and exotic features of the focused optical field at one time,namely,bright-dark alternation,periodic rotation,and longitudinal/trans-verse polarization conversion.The underlying control mechanisms have been unveiled.Besides being of academic in-terest in diverse ultrafast spectral regimes,these peculiar behaviors of the space-time evolutionary beams may underpin prolific ultrafast-related applications such as multifunctional integrated optical chip,high-efficiency laser trapping,micro-structure rotation,super-resolution optical microscopy,precise optical measurement,and liveness tracking.

Three-dimensional super-resolution longitudinal magnetization spot arrays

We demonstrate an all-optical strategy for realizing spherical three-dimensional(3D)super-resolution(∼λ3/22)spot arrays of pure longitudinal magnetization by exploiting a 4πoptical microscopic setup with two high numerical aperture(NA)objective lenses,which focus and interfere two modulated vectorial beams.Multiple phase filters(MPFs)are designed via an analytical approach derived from the vectorial Debye diffraction theory to modulate the two circularly polarized beams.The system is tailored to constructively interfere the longitudinal magnetization components,while simultaneously destructively interfering the azimuthal ones.As a result,the magnetization field is not only purely longitudinal but also super-resolved in all three dimensions.Furthermore,the MPFs can be designed analytically to control the number and locations of the super-resolved magnetization spots to produce both uniform and nonuniform arrays in a 3D volume.Thus,an all-optical control of all the properties of light-induced magnetization spot arrays has been demonstrated for the first time.These results open up broad applications in magnetic-optical devices such as confocal and multifocal magnetic resonance microscopy,3D ultrahigh-density magneto-optic memory,and light-induced magneto-lithography.