Provided is an optical body capable of arbitrarily and quickly controlling the optical characteristics of incident light. A refractive index variable layer (8) formed of PLZT or other material and a magneto-optical material layer (9) formed of garnet or other material are provided side by side between a first reflective layer (3) and a second reflective layer (5). If linearly polarized light is made incident from the side of the first reflective layer (3), the incident light interacts with the magneto-optical material layer (9) and is converted into a right-circularly polarized light component and a left-circularly polarized light component. A very small retardation occurring between both the right- and left-circularly polarized light components is amplified through multiple reflections between the pair of reflective layers (3, 5) and is controlled according to a controlled refractive index of the refractive index variable layer (8).

Disclosed herein are techniques for improving the light collection efficiency in coaxial LiDAR systems. A coaxial LiDAR system includes a photodetector, a first polarization beam splitter configured to receive a returned light beam including a first linear polarization component and a second linear polarization component and direct the different linear polarization components to different respective directions, a polarization beam combiner configured to transmit the first linear polarization component from the first polarization beam splitter to the photodetector, a non-reciprocal polarization rotator configured to transmit the second linear polarization component from the first polarization beam splitter, and a second polarization beam splitter configured to reflect the second linear polarization component from the non-reciprocal polarization rotator towards the polarization beam combiner. The polarization beam combiner is further configured to reflect the second linear polarization component from the second polarization beam splitter to the photodetector.

Disclosed herein are techniques for improving the light collection efficiency in coaxial LiDAR systems. A coaxial LiDAR system includes a photodetector, a first polarization beam splitter configured to receive a returned light beam including a first linear polarization component and a second linear polarization component and direct the different linear polarization components to different respective directions, a polarization beam combiner configured to transmit the first linear polarization component from the first polarization beam splitter to the photodetector, a non-reciprocal polarization rotator configured to transmit the second linear polarization component from the first polarization beam splitter, and a second polarization beam splitter configured to reflect the second linear polarization component from the non-reciprocal polarization rotator towards the polarization beam combiner. The polarization beam combiner is further configured to reflect the second linear polarization component from the second polarization beam splitter to the photodetector.

A method for producing an optical element having a main body with a first side surface, which has a first optical coating, and at least one second side surface, which is not plane-parallel to the first side surface and has a second optical coating, is proposed. The method includes the steps of: determining the stress induced in the optical element by the first optical coating of the first side surface; determining a counter-stress, so that the resultant overall stress induced in the optical element is as small as possible; determining the second optical coating while taking into account the determined counter-stress and the optical parameters of the second optical coating; applying the first optical coating on the first side surface; and, applying the second optical coating on the at least one second side surface.

A method for producing an optical element having a main body with a first side surface, which has a first optical coating, and at least one second side surface, which is not plane-parallel to the first side surface and has a second optical coating, is proposed. The method includes the steps of: determining the stress induced in the optical element by the first optical coating of the first side surface; determining a counter-stress, so that the resultant overall stress induced in the optical element is as small as possible; determining the second optical coating while taking into account the determined counter-stress and the optical parameters of the second optical coating; applying the first optical coating on the first side surface; and, applying the second optical coating on the at least one second side surface.

An optoelectronic system includes a concentration layer, a modulation layer including an array of light modulators, an exit layer that receives the modulation layer output having a modulation layer output spatial distribution and remaps the modulation layer output spatial distribution to a modified spatial distribution. A collector layer receives the modified spatial distribution to produce a collector layer output. A detector receives the collector layer output. A processor controls the modulation layer and receives the detector output to generate an image. The collector layer can receive the modified spatial distribution at a plurality of collector layer inputs and combine the plurality of collector layer inputs at a collector layer output. Modulators can be configured to direct couple modulated light to a collector layer, without using an exit layer. Configurations with spatial light modulator modules and sub-modules are described.

An optoelectronic system includes a concentration layer, a modulation layer including an array of light modulators, an exit layer that receives the modulation layer output having a modulation layer output spatial distribution and remaps the modulation layer output spatial distribution to a modified spatial distribution. A collector layer receives the modified spatial distribution to produce a collector layer output. A detector receives the collector layer output. A processor controls the modulation layer and receives the detector output to generate an image. The collector layer can receive the modified spatial distribution at a plurality of collector layer inputs and combine the plurality of collector layer inputs at a collector layer output. Modulators can be configured to direct couple modulated light to a collector layer, without using an exit layer. Configurations with spatial light modulator modules and sub-modules are described.

Described are composite photonic materials that incorporate magnetic nanoparticles inside hollow or solvent-filled nano-scale or micro-scale shells and methods of making and using such composite photonic materials. When these photonic materials are present in a magnetic field, they exhibit a change in reflected, scattered, and/or transmitted light as compared to when the materials are not in the presence of the magnetic field. This results in the materials appearing to have a different color, such as when observed by the human eye or a light detecting device, such as a camera.

Magneto-optical modulator-based systems and devices for transferring quantum information are described. Such systems can be used for many applications, including as part of quantum computers. An example system includes a quantum information system configured to provide a signal corresponding to at least one qubit. The system further includes a magneto-optical driver configured to receive the signal corresponding to the at least one qubit and process the signal to generate a current based on the signal corresponding to the at least one qubit. The system further includes a magneto-optical modulator configured to receive the current from the magneto-optical driver and provide a modulated light output by modulating a received light input based on the current.

Provided is a magnetic circuit which, with the use in an optical isolator, is less likely to cause the polarizer to be damaged even with higher laser output power. A magnetic circuit 1 includes first to third magnets 11 to 13 each provided with a through hole allowing light to pass through and is composed of the first to third magnets 11 to 13 arranged coaxially in this order in a front-to-rear direction, wherein one of the first and third magnets 11 and 13 is magnetized in a direction Y perpendicular to a direction X of an optical axis to have a north pole located toward the through hole 2, the other of the first and third magnets 11 and 13 is magnetized in a direction Y perpendicular to the direction X of the optical axis to have a south pole located toward the through hole 2, the second magnet 12 is magnetized in a direction parallel to the direction X of the optical axis to have a north pole located toward the one of the first and third magnets 11 and 13 having the north pole located toward the through hole 2, and a length L1 of the first magnet 11 along the direction X of the optical axis is different from a length L3 of the third magnet 13 along the direction X of the optical axis.