Harnessing the vector modes of multimode optical fibers

光纤对文明产生了深远的影响，使互联网革命成为可能，最近还开辟了遥感器、照明源、生物医学探针和光镊等新领域。光在光纤中的传播是由空间模式介导的。经典的标量模式，虽然代表近似的描述，仍然主要是今天使用的，因为它足够的精度为大多数应用程序依赖于单模光纤。在这种单调的景观之下，是由多模光纤支持的丰富多样的矢量模式。矢量模式代表光纤的真实模式，但由于其选择性激发、传播和检测的技术限制，迄今为止在很大程度上被忽视。所有方面的最新进展带来了利用矢量模式实现变革性科学和光子技术的前景。这是本提案所阐述的长期目标。更具体地说，该提案确定了三个主要目标： - 研究控制多模光纤中矢量模式的行为和特性的基础科学 - 开发用于激励、表征、调制和检测矢量模式的先进方法 - 开发新颖的多模光纤设计、材料成分和光子元件，以实现矢量模式的精确控制和成形 为了推动矢量模式科学的发展，我们需要找到新的方法，通过利用许多可用的光-物质相互作用来选择性地激发，传播和塑造矢量模式。该计划确定了四个有前途的研究角度，沿着进行研究，并为每个研究确定了明确的研究路径： A）特种多模光纤 B）光电相互作用 C）磁光和磁物理相互作用 D）声光相互作用 该提案的第一个目标是在五年计划结束时，在矢量模式及其应用科学的最前沿建立一个国际公认的最先进的研究实验室。这个建议背后的关键概念是矢量模式代表了基本的构建模块，可以设计出所有可能的光纤中整形光传播的方式。通过在矢量模式中进行研究，我们从而在最基本的水平上提高了我们对光纤中光-物质相互作用的理解和控制。这一重要认识开启了开创性科学发现的前景，并将特殊光纤用于以前无法想象的多种形式和应用。这就引出了该提案的第二个长期目标，即将所产生的科学和方法转移到工业和医学的实际应用中，并在邻近的科学领域发挥作用。

Optical fibers have had a profound impact on civilization by making the Internet revolution possible and, more recently, by opening new forays as remote sensors, illumination sources, biomedical probes and optical tweezers, among others. Light propagation in optical fibers is mediated by spatial modes. The classical scalar modes, although representing approximate descriptions, are still primarily used today because of its adequate accuracy for most applications that depend on singlemode fibers. Beneath this monotonous landscape lies a teeming diversity of vector modes supported by multimode fibers. Vector modes represent the true modes of an optical fiber, but have been largely disregarded so far due to technological limitations in their selective excitation, propagation and detection. Recent advances on all fronts have brought the prospect of harnessing the vector modes towards transformative science and photonic technologies. This is the stated long-term aim of this proposal. More specifically, the proposal identifies three main objectives to follow:      -  Investigate the underlying fundamental science that governs the behavior and properties of vector modes in multimode fibers      -  Develop advanced methods for the excitation, characterization, modulation and detection of vector modes      -  Develop novel multimode fiber designs, material compositions and photonic components engineered for the precise steering and shaping of vector modes In order to push forward the science of vector modes we need to find new ways to selectively excite, propagate and shape the vector modes by taking advantage of the many light-matter interactions available. The program identifies four promising angles of research to pursue along with clear paths of investigation for each:      A)  Specialty multimode fibers      B)  Optoelectronic interactions      C)  Magneto-optical and magneto-physical interactions      D)  Acousto-optic interactions The first goal of this proposal is the creation, at the end of a five-year plan, of a state-of-the-art internationally recognized research laboratory at the forefront of the science of vector modes and their applications. The key notion behind this proposal is that vector modes represent the basic building blocks with which all the possible ways of shaping light propagation in optical fibers can be devised. By conducting research in vector modes we thus improve our understanding and control of light-matter interactions in optical fibers on the most fundamental level. This important realization opens the prospect of groundbreaking scientific discoveries and for using special optical fibers in a multiplicity of modalities and applications not imagined before. This leads us to the second long-term goal of the proposal which is the transfer of the generated science and methods towards practical uses in industry and medicine, and their leverage in neighboring spheres of science.