Dynamically reconfigurable optical lattices

Abstract

We present a theoretical framework for two approaches of generating light-efficient optical lattices via a generic Fourier-filtering operation. We demonstrate how lattice geometry can be dynamically changed from fully discrete to interconnected optical arrays conveniently achieved with virtually zero computational resources. Both approaches apply a real-time reconfigurable phase-only spatial light modulator to set up dynamic input phase patterns for a 4-f spatial filtering system that synthesizes the optical lattices. The first method is based on lossless phaseonly Fourier-filtering; the second, on amplitude-only Fourier-filtering. We show numerically generated optical lattices rendered by both schemes and quantify the strength of the light throughput that can be achieved by each filtering alternative.