Wavefront shaping simulations with augmented partial factorization

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how the augmented partial factorization (APF) method accelerates full-wave wavefront shaping simulations in complex optical systems, making such simulations more accessible for research and exploration.

Contribution

It provides a tutorial on applying the APF method with an open-source solver, illustrating its effectiveness through four detailed examples.

Findings

APF significantly speeds up wavefront shaping simulations.

The tutorial lowers barriers for researchers to use complex simulations.

Four example applications showcase the method's versatility.

Abstract

Wavefront shaping can tailor multipath interference to control multiple scattering of waves in complex optical systems. However, full-wave simulations that capture multiple scattering are computationally demanding given the large system size and the large number of input channels. Recently, an "augmented partial factorization" (APF) method was proposed to significantly speed-up such full-wave simulations. In this tutorial, we illustrate how to perform wavefront shaping simulations with the APF method using the open-source frequency-domain electromagnetic scattering solver MESTI. We present the foundational concepts and then walk through four examples: computing the scattering matrix of a slab with random permittivities, open high-transmission channels through disorder, focusing inside disorder with phase conjugation, and reflection matrix computation in a spatial focused-beam basis. The goal is to lower the barrier for researchers to use simulations to explore the rich phenomena enabled by wavefront shaping.