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Micro-nano Optics

Micro-nano optics is a discipline that studies the interaction between light and matter at micro- and nanometer scales, focusing on applications such as light generation, transmission, manipulation, and detection. It drives the miniaturization and integration of optical systems, offering unique capabilities in light-field control and creating opportunities for advancements in intelligent sensing technologies.

Micro-nano optics explores light–matter interactions at scales approaching or below the diffraction limit, spanning the generation, transmission, modulation, and energy conversion of optical fields from ultraviolet to near‑infrared wavelengths. Functional integration is achieved through structured platforms such as photonic crystals, metamaterials, surface plasmons, optical superlattices, and micro‑/nanoscale waveguides. Driven by core disciplines including topological photonics, metasurface design, and micro‑/nanofabrication, the field advances super‑resolution imaging, multidimensional optical control, and industrial solutions, significantly enhancing system integration, functional density, and energy efficiency. Nonetheless, several cross‑cutting challenges remain: breaking through algorithmic bottlenecks in inverse design of multidimensional optical fields, overcoming fabrication limits in large‑area high‑precision micro‑/nanomanufacturing, transitioning from static to dynamic active metasurface control via liquid‑crystal photonics, and resolving physical barriers to broadband achromatic performance and high‑efficiency light transmission. Focusing on frontiers such as micro‑/nano‑optics and liquid‑crystal photonics, LBTEK is dedicated to addressing key technological hurdles—including high‑precision optical component fabrication and advanced light‑field manipulation—to propel continued progress in the field.

Topological Photonics

Topological Photonics is an emerging field inspired by the concepts of topological phases and phase transitions in condensed matter physics. It introduces a novel mechanism for manipulating optical fields with rich transmission and light-control properties. Topological photonic systems enable backscattering-suppressed and defect-immune boundary transport, as well as spin-orbit-dependent selective transmission. Due to their topological protection, photonic topological states exhibit high robustness and strong resistance to perturbations, offering a promising platform for developing fully integrated micro‑/nano‑scale photonic devices. However, realizing multi‑frequency topological states within a single structure remains a significant challenge. The synthetic dimension approach based on lattice translation and rotation in photonic crystals has opened new avenues for creating on‑chip integrated multi‑frequency topological micro‑/nanophotonic devices, advancing research toward more functional and compact topological photonic systems. To accurately characterize the performance of such on‑chip topological devices, near‑field optical microscopy systems are required that offer sub‑wavelength spatial resolution, high optical collection efficiency, and high‑repeatability scanning capability. Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) probes, with their extremely small tip radii, provide sufficient spatial resolution to directly measure the near‑field optical distribution of the device. In experimental characterization, a tunable laser source is typically employed to sweep the excitation frequency, progressively exciting different eigenmodes in order to probe the band structure of the topological photonic system and observe topological phase transitions. By combining a near‑field optical probe (e.g., SNOM/AFM‑based probe) to image the evolution of the local optical field with frequency, the band dispersion can be directly reconstructed, clearly revealing the closing and reopening of topological band gaps. Additionally, measuring the frequency response of the output light with a photodetector or spectrometer can provide transmission spectra that reflect the opening and closing of band gaps. Since signal quality is closely related to the frequency‑sweep range and detection sensitivity, digital lock‑in amplifiers are often used in experiments to perform synchronous demodulation of the reference and measured signals, effectively suppressing out‑of‑band noise and significantly improving the signal‑to‑noise ratio of band‑structure measurements.

From：Lu, C., Sun, YZ., Wang, C. et al. On-chip nanophotonic topological rainbow. Nat Commun 13, 2586 (2022).

Micro-/nano-fabrication

Micro- and nano-fabrication technologies enable the creation of large-scale, uniformly intense focal arrays through high-precision manufacturing techniques. Core processes include focused ion beam milling, nanoimprint lithography, and femtosecond laser direct writing. These methods share the goal of precisely controlling the spatial distribution and intensity of light at micro- and nano-scales, laying the groundwork for next-generation micro‑/nano-device production. However, conventional single-point direct writing suffers from low efficiency. In contrast, holographic multi-focus parallel processing based on spatial light modulators (SLMs) improves throughput but is limited by diffractive energy characteristics, especially interference from the central zero-order spot. To address this, optical field center alignment techniques are applied to suppress interference, while compensatory interference cancellation methods optimize energy distribution, enhancing the uniformity of focal arrays. Furthermore, holographic grayscale modulation strategies coupled with real-time feedback control dynamically adjust target intensities, mitigating uniformity issues caused by system errors. To avoid aggregation effects between focal points and achieve higher precision in uniform array fabrication, increasing focal spacing and implementing energy gradient distributions help disperse focusing energy, thereby improving processing quality and consistency.

The implementation of these approaches relies on optical components with high damage thresholds, high-stability mechanical mounts, and high-pixel cameras for optical path control and quality monitoring. In micro‑/nano‑fabrication processes, galvanometer systems are widely used for precision scanning control, operating on closed-loop negative feedback principles to drive X/Y-axis mirrors for wide-angle beam steering. Spatial light modulators (SLMs), utilizing liquid crystal phase modulation, transform Gaussian beams into flat-top profiles with uniform energy distribution and support real-time dynamic adjustments to meet diverse processing requirements. Additionally, diffractive optical elements (DOEs), with their nanoscale grating structures, achieve similar homogenization effects in a more compact form factor, making them suitable for highly integrated micro‑/nano‑fabrication systems. For ultra-precision machining applications, high-pixel, high-resolution imaging techniques are commonly employed in research to enable real-time monitoring of micron-scale surface morphology. Finally, in system integration, the use of high-damage-threshold optical components on quartz substrates, combined with multilayer dielectric coating technology, ensures the ability to withstand high-energy pulse densities, thereby maintaining stability and precision throughout the fabrication process.

From：Zhang L, Wang C, Zhang C, Xue Y, Ye Z, Xu L, Hu Y, Li J, Chu J, Wu D. High-Throughput Two-Photon 3D Printing Enabled by Holographic Multi-Foci High-Speed Scanning. Nano Lett. 2024 Feb 28;24(8):2671-2679.

Metasurfaces

Metasurfaces are artificially engineered interfaces composed of precisely designed subwavelength micro-nanostructures, such as those modulating phase, amplitude, and polarization. Long-range, high-precision, and compact lateral displacement metrology is crucial in both industrial and scientific research, yet measuring two-dimensional displacement at microscale dimensions remains a significant challenge. Two-dimensional displacement metrology based on metagratings enables tracking of particle motion with nanometer‑scale spatial accuracy. A metagrating composed of a two‑dimensional periodic array of nanopillars diffracts incident light into multiple three‑dimensional beams while simultaneously serving as a polarization analyzer by leveraging the structure's polarization‑dependent response. By integrating such a metagrating into a 4f optical system, the optical powers of the two orthogonal polarization components in the system's output beam can encode information about the two‑dimensional lateral displacement of the metasurface relative to the incident beam. This approach allows precise tracking of arbitrary nanometer‑scale stepwise motion across a curved surface over ranges of hundreds of micrometers. A typical high‑precision two‑dimensional displacement measurement system based on metasurfaces often employs a polarizing beam splitter to separate the source light into two orthogonally polarized beams, which are then recombined. An acousto‑optic modulator is used as a high‑speed optical switch capable of redirecting the beam onto the intermediate surface with switching times on the order of tens of nanoseconds.

From：Haofeng Zang et al.,High-precision two-dimensional displacement metrology based on matrix metasurface.Sci. Adv.10,eadk2265(2024).

Against the backdrop of continuous advancements in micro-nano optical devices and precision light field control technologies, the demand for high-performance opto-mechanical products and system-level solutions is growing rapidly. With years of deep expertise in micro-nano photonics and applied optical equipment, LBTEK provides comprehensive support—from core components to complete systems—for research and industrial applications in areas such as topological photonics, metasurface-based displacement measurement, and multi-focus micro-nano fabrication.

· Relying on liquid-crystal micro‑nano photonics technology, LBTEK has established China’s first mass‑production line with scalable capacity, equipped with advanced processing tools and full-process capabilities. This ensures high design freedom, manufacturing precision, and reliability for high‑accuracy micro‑nano optical components.

· In the domain of beam shaping, LBTEK supplies key optical elements such as high‑precision phase plates, diffractive lenses, and beam splitters, meeting diverse needs including beam homogenization, wavefront shaping, and energy distribution. Utilizing proprietary phase‑modulation and surface‑relief processes, its homogenizing diffractive optical elements (DOEs) offer low absorption and high damage thresholds, enabling efficient shaping and uniformization of Gaussian beams—particularly suitable for high‑energy‑density applications in the visible and near‑infrared bands.

· High‑extinction‑ratio polarizing beam splitters and true zero‑order waveplates with high phase accuracy allow high‑fidelity polarization control, providing stable support for topological‑state excitation, polarization‑sensitive measurements, and high‑contrast imaging.

· For optical field measurement and detection systems, LBTEK offers high‑precision spatial light modulators (SLMs) capable of independent phase modulation, supporting the construction of functional systems such as holographic multi‑focus processing, optical tweezers, and selective excitation of topological modes. The systems are also equipped with high‑accuracy polarimetric analyzers and high‑power optical power meters for real‑time monitoring of energy distribution, polarization response, and optical field stability.

· At the system‑integration level, LBTEK’s optical tweezers platform enables visual demonstration of laser‑controlled particle dynamics, providing an experimental foundation for studying topological edge‑state transport, optomechanical interactions, and high‑dimensional light‑field manipulation.

LBTEK implements a modular design philosophy across all products, and its optical coating processes are optimized for environmental adaptability, ensuring stable performance under varying temperatures, mechanical vibrations, and other complex conditions. Beyond hardware, we deliver full‑cycle technical services—including optical design consultation, system integration, hands‑on training, and long‑term support—to help customers fully leverage the performance advantages of LBTEK’s advanced optical imaging and opto‑mechanical solutions.