Nanostructured device controls the intensity, phase, and
polarization of light for wide applications in optics
Applied physicists at the Harvard School of Engineering and
Applied Sciences (SEAS) have demonstrated that they can change the intensity,
phase, and polarization of light rays using a hologram-like design decorated
with nanoscale structures.
As a proof of principle, the researchers have used it to
create an unusual state of light called a radially polarized beam,
which—because it can be focused very tightly—is important for applications like
high-resolution lithography and for trapping and manipulating tiny particles
like viruses.