An optical pulse for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source may be formed by illuminating a semiconductor material of a modulation system with a first light beam having a first wavelength; applying a voltage to the semiconductor material for a time duration, the applied voltage being sufficient to modify an index of refraction of the semiconductor material such that a polarization state of a light beam having a second wavelength passing through the semiconductor material is modified to pass through at least one polarization-based optical element of the modulation system; and forming an optical pulse by passing a second light beam having the second wavelength through the semiconductor material during the time duration.

A reflective display includes a first substrate and a second substrate arranged oppositely, a first electrode provided on the first substrate, a transparent dielectric layer arranged on the side of the first substrate opposite to the second substrate, a second electrode provided on the second substrate, and immiscible electrostriction light-absorbing material and transparent liquid filled between the first substrate and the second substrate. The light incident into the reflective display can be totally reflected on the side of the transparent liquid next to the first substrate; the electrostriction light-absorbing material deforms under action of an electric field formed by the first electrode and the second electrode, which enables a spreading area of the side of the transparent liquid next to the first substrate change.

A variable-color region (106) of an information-presentation structure extends to an exposed surface (102) at a surface zone (112) and normally appears along it as a principal color. An impact-dependent portion (138) of the variable-color region responds to an object (104) impacting the zone at an object-contact area (116) by temporarily appearing along a print area (118) of the zone as changed color materially different from the principal color if the impact meets threshold impact criteria. The print area closely matches the object-contact area in size, shape, and location. An image-generating controller (806) responds to the impact by causing an image-generating structure (804) to generate an image of the print area and adjacent surface extending to at least a selected location of the exposed surface if the threshold impact criteria are met. The image assists in determining how close the impact occurred to the selected surface location.

An optical device includes variable optical material that alters at least one of: incident ambient light, spectral content of incident ambient light or direction of incident ambient light through the optical device in response to a stimulus provided by the device. The device can sense intensity and/or spectral characteristics of ambient light and provide appropriate stimulus to various portions of the optical device to activate the variable optical material and alter at least one of: incident ambient light, spectral content of incident ambient light or direction of incident ambient light.

Systems and methods for stabilizing mid-infrared light generated by difference frequency mixing may include a mode locked Er fiber laser that generates pulses, which are split into a pump arm and a wavelength shifting, signal arm. Pump arm pulses are amplified in Er doped fiber. Shifting arm pulses are amplified in Er doped fiber and shifted to longer wavelengths in Raman-shifting fiber or highly nonlinear fiber, where they may be further amplified by Tm doped fiber, and then optionally further wavelength shifted. Pulses from the two arms can be combined in a nonlinear crystal such as orientation-patterned gallium phosphide, producing a mid-infrared difference frequency, as well as nonlinear combinations (e.g., sum frequency) having near infrared and visible wavelengths. Optical power stabilization can be achieved using two wavelength ranges with spectral filtering and multiple detectors acquiring information for feedback control. Controlled fiber bending can be used to stabilize optical power.

Embodiments of the invention include piezoelectrically driven switches that are used for modifying a background color or light source color in display systems, and methods of forming such devices. In an embodiment, a piezoelectrically actuated switch for modulating a background color in a display may include a photonic crystal that has a plurality of blinds oriented substantially perpendicular to a surface of the display. In an embodiment, the blinds include a black surface and a white surface. The switch may also include an anchor spaced away from an edge of the photonic crystal and a piezoelectric actuator formed on the surface of the anchor and a surface of the photonic crystal. Some embodiments may include a photonic crystal that is a multi-layer polymeric structure or a polymer chain with a plurality of nanoparticles spaced at regular intervals on the polymer chain.

The instant disclosure is directed toward integrated-optics-based composite phase controllers that include at least one thermo-optic (TO) phase controller and at least one stress-optic (SO) phase controller, each of which is configured to affect the phase, or other propagation characteristic, of a light signal travelling through a surface waveguide. The SO phase controller can induce a small phase change quickly, while the TO phase controller can slowly induce a larger phase change. Embodiments are particularly well suited for use in waveguide-based resonant elements, such as ring resonators, spectral filters, and the like. Furthermore, photonic systems comprising one or more composite phase controllers can be developed, such as wavelength-tunable lasers for applications such as LiDAR, chemical/biological sensing, medical diagnostics, and optical communications.

A display device includes: a plurality of pixel units, where each pixel unit includes two suppression color changing sub-pixel units configured for exciting light waves of different colors. Each suppression color changing sub-pixel unit includes: a first transparent electrostatic sheet and a second transparent electrostatic sheet which are disposed opposite to each other and insulated from each other, where the first transparent electrostatic sheet is disposed on a substrate and the second transparent electrostatic sheet is disposed on the first transparent electrostatic sheet. The display device further includes: a suppression color changing light emitting layer disposed between the first transparent electrostatic sheet and the second transparent electrostatic sheet; and a transparent pressure deformation sensor disposed at a side of the second transparent electrostatic that is away from the substrate.

A color changing or beam steering photonic device, which combines a high contrast metastructure (HCM) having a plurality of high index grating structures, into a low index membrane. In response to physical (or electrical) deformation of the membrane the low index gaps between adjacent grating bars changes which results in changing reflectance and transmission angles for steering a single wavelength of light and for causing a color change in said photonic device when subject to multiple light wavelengths. Deformation can result from direct physical stimulus, conversion from electrical or thermal to physical, and so forth. Refractive index change can also be initiated by carrier injection through electrodes. The apparatus is exemplified for use in color displays, beam steering, labeling micro entities, mechanical deformation sensing, camouflage, anti-counterfeiting, and other fields.

An optical pulse for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source may be formed by illuminating a semiconductor material of a modulation system with a first light beam having a first wavelength; applying a voltage to the semiconductor material for a time duration, the applied voltage being sufficient to modify an index of refraction of the semiconductor material such that a polarization state of a light beam having a second wavelength passing through the semiconductor material is modified to pass through at least one polarization-based optical element of the modulation system; and forming an optical pulse by passing a second light beam having the second wavelength through the semiconductor material during the time duration.