Beam Formation and Vernier Steering Off of a Rough Surface

• Published in: Micromachines (Basel) Vol. 12; no. 8; p. 871
• Main Authors: Nagamine, Eric K., Burgi, Kenneth W., Butler, Samuel D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 24-07-2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Algorithms; Beam steering; Beamforming; diffuse; enhancement; Experiments; Focal plane; Genetic algorithms; Light; Optics; Optimization; phase modulation; scattering; Sensors; spatial light modulator; Stability; Wave fronts
• ISSN: 2072-666X; 2072-666X
• DOI: 10.3390/mi12080871

Wavefront shaping can refocus light after it reflects from an optically rough surface. One proposed use case of this effect is in indirect imaging; if any rough surface could be turned into an illumination source, objects out of the direct line of sight could be illuminated. In this paper, we demonstrate the superior performance of a genetic algorithm compared to other iterative feedback-based wavefront shaping algorithms in achieving reflective inverse diffusion for a focal plane system. Next, the ability to control the pointing direction of the refocused beam with high precision over a narrow angular range is demonstrated, though the challenge of increasing the overall scanning range of the refocused beam remains. The method of beam steering demonstrated in this paper could act as a vernier adjustment to a coarse adjustment offered by another method.