Numerical modeling of optical modes in topological soft matter

TL;DR

This paper uses numerical modeling to explore how topological birefringent soft matter structures can generate and stabilize diverse optical modes in laser beams, enabling advanced control over light's intensity and polarization.

Contribution

It introduces a numerical approach to design and analyze topological soft matter structures for controlling optical modes in lasers, a novel application of topological photonics.

Findings

Diverse 3D intensity and polarization profiles achieved

Topological defects influence optical mode structure

Numerical eigenmode calculations enable design of tailored laser beams

Abstract

Vector and vortex laser beams are desired in many applications and are usually created by manipulating the laser output or by inserting optical components in the laser cavity. Distinctly, inserting liquid crystals into the laser cavity allows for extensive control over the emitted light due to their high susceptibility to external fields and birefringent nature. In this work we demonstrate diverse optical modes for lasing as enabled and stablised by topological birefringent soft matter structures using numerical modelling. We show diverse structuring of light -- with different 3D intensity and polarization profiles -- as realised by topological soft matter structures in radial nematic droplet, in 2D nematic cavities of different geometry and including topological defects with different charges and winding numbers, in arbitrary varying birefringence fields with topological defects and in pixelated birefringent profiles. We use custom written FDFD code to calculate emergent electromagnetic eigenmodes. Control over lasing is of a particular interest aiming towards the creation of general intensity, polarization and topologically shaped laser beams.