arXiv subjects

Puxiang Lai

Publications and source records attributed to Puxiang Lai.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Femtosecond Engineering of PolyMethylPentene(PMP) Nonlinearity via NA, Spin/orbital angular momentum (OAM), and In-Situ SC Diagnostics

While femtosecond vortex beams are widely studied for photonic fabrication, how OAM affects third-order susceptibility, energy deposition, and structural symmetry in transparent polymers remains unclear. To address this gap, we investigate femtosecond vortex beam interactions with polymethylpentene (PMP) to establish OAM control over beam shaping and energy deposition in laser micromachining. A 775 nm femtosecond laser is frequency-doubled to 387.5 nm and phase-shaped by a reflective liquid crystal-spatial light modulator, with OAM imprinted via computer-generated holograms and independently controlled spin via a quarter-wave plate. Theoretical modeling of the tensorial nonlinear polarization, combined with systematic experiments on low-NA filamentation, supercontinuum spectroscopy using an advanced spectrometer, and high-NA inscription with NA = 0.4 and 0.7, reveals that the same $\chi^{(3)}$ tensor components govern all regimes. The transition from perturbative to dissipative behavior is determined solely by whether the local intensity exceeds the plasma formation threshold. Through an analytical framework based on the isotropic material model, the key innovation lies in identifying that $\chi_{1122}$ governs the energy deposition and plasma threshold, whereas $\chi_{1221}$ mediates the transverse nonlinear current and helicity-dependent asymmetry, thereby converting phase topology into permanent chiral structures. This enables OAM-controlled structuring with sub-micrometer feature sizes (approximately 0.43 $\mu$m diameter and approximately 200 nm$^2$ area) and localized intensities reaching $10^{14}$--$10^{15}$ W/cm$^2$, providing an engineering framework for deterministic fabrication of chiral waveguides and photonic devices through precise control of topological charge and focusing conditions.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Correlation invariance unlocks robust calibration-free orbital-angular-momentum multiplexing transmission under dynamic scattering scenarios

Orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexing offers a promising approach to high-capacity optical communication by harnessing the orthogonality of vortex beams. However, its practical deployment is severely limited in real-world settings where dynamic scattering media, such as turbulent atmosphere, distort multiplexed fields into random speckles and disrupt OAM demultiplexing. Although existing wavefront shaping and deep learning methods can mitigate static distortions, they fail under time-varying scattering conditions, leading to significant crosstalk and unreliable recovery. Here, we introduce a new concept, correlation invariance, which enables scattering-immune, robust OAM multiplexed transmission through dynamic media. By capturing orthogonally polarized speckle holograms in a compact common-path geometry and computing their intensity cross-correlation, dynamically imposed scattering phases are cancelled out while deterministic object information is preserved. This allows single-shot reconstruction of both amplitude and phase of the input OAM-multiplexed fields, without any pre-calibration or training. As a proof of principle, we demonstrate high-fidelity transmission of 24-bit RGB data with 99.61% accuracy under static scattering and 98.97% accuracy under dynamic scattering. This approach addresses a long-standing barrier in OAM-based systems and opens avenues for robust high-capacity optical communications, encryption, and imaging in dynamic scattering environments.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Real-time Calibration-free Imaging Through Dynamic and Distinct Multimode Fibers via Spatial Harmonic Invariant Nonlinear Encoding (SHINE)

Multimode fibers (MMFs) provide a compact, high-throughput platform for minimally invasive imaging and information transmission. However, their utility is fundamentally constrained by mode mixing, which renders image transmission spatially disrupted and sensitive to external perturbations. Current imaging methods typically rely on transmission matrix measurement or deep learning models that are fragile to fiber movement, necessitating frequent, time-consuming calibrations and re-calibrations that are easily disrupted and fail to generalize across different fiber configurations, let alone across entirely distinct fibers. Here, we propose a calibration and feedback-free MMF coherent imaging paradigm, that we termed Spatial Harmonic Invariant Nonlinear Encoding (SHINE). By leveraging the angle-dependent phase-matching conditions of second-harmonic generation, we encode spatial features into broadband spectral signatures that possess intrinsic insensitivity not only to modal scrambling but also to fiber bending, movement, as well as structural variations. This spectral representation enables a deep learning model to robustly reconstruct images in real time despite dynamic perturbations and even generalizes well to distinct MMFs without recalibration or feedback. We achieve experimentally an average Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) of 0.82 for image reconstruction tasks on Fashion-MNIST and a classification accuracy of 92.3% on HERLEV biomedical dataset. Uniquely, our method exhibits remarkable cross-fiber generalization: a model trained on a single MMF successfully reconstructs images transmitted through entirely distinct, previously unseen MMFs with a PCC of 0.74. These results establish a robust, calibration-free framework for imaging through MMFs in real time, paving the way for practical, resilient optical diagnostics that operate without distal-end feedback.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Generalization vs. Hallucination

With fast developments in computational power and algorithms, deep learning has made breakthroughs and been applied in many fields. However, generalization remains to be a critical challenge, and the limited generalization capability severely constrains its practical applications. Hallucination issue is another unresolved conundrum haunting deep learning and large models. By leveraging a physical model of imaging through scattering media, we studied the lack of generalization to system response functions in deep learning, identified its cause, and proposed a universal solution. The research also elucidates the creation process of a hallucination in image prediction and reveals its cause, and the common relationship between generalization and hallucination is discovered and clarified. Generally speaking, it enhances the interpretability of deep learning from a physics-based perspective, and builds a universal physical framework for deep learning in various fields. It may pave a way for direct interaction between deep learning and the real world, facilitating the transition of deep learning from a demo model to a practical tool in diverse applications.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Cross-Dataset Generalization in Deep Learning

Deep learning has been extensively used in various fields, such as phase imaging, 3D imaging reconstruction, phase unwrapping, and laser speckle reduction, particularly for complex problems that lack analytic models. Its data-driven nature allows for implicit construction of mathematical relationships within the network through training with abundant data. However, a critical challenge in practical applications is the generalization issue, where a network trained on one dataset struggles to recognize an unknown target from a different dataset. In this study, we investigate imaging through scattering media and discover that the mathematical relationship learned by the network is an approximation dependent on the training dataset, rather than the true mapping relationship of the model. We demonstrate that enhancing the diversity of the training dataset can improve this approximation, thereby achieving generalization across different datasets, as the mapping relationship of a linear physical model is independent of inputs. This study elucidates the nature of generalization across different datasets and provides insights into the design of training datasets to ultimately address the generalization issue in various deep learning-based applications.

cs.LG↗

arXiv2023

Speckle-Driven Single-Shot Orbital Angular Momentum Recognition with Ultra-Low Sampling Density

Orbital angular momentum (OAM) recognition of vortex beams is critical for applications ranging from optical communications to quantum technologies. However, conventional approaches designed for free-space propagation struggle when light passes through scattering media, such as multimode fibers (MMF), and often rely on high-resolution sensors with tens of thousands of pixels to record detailed intensity profiles. Here, by harnessing scattering media as intrinsic encoders rather than detrimental factors, we introduce a speckle-driven OAM recognition technique termed patially multiplexed points detection (SMPD). This method extracts intensity information from a few spatially distributed points in a speckle plane, where object feature is naturally multiplexed, thereby transforming scattering from a detrimental effect into an efficient encoding mechanism while drastically reducing sampling requirements. Remarkably, it achieves over 99% retrieval accuracy for OAMs recognition using just 16 sampling points, corresponding to a sampling density of 0.024% compared with conventional imaging-based approaches. Furthermore, spatiotemporally interleaved vortex beams decoding, highcapacity OAM-multiplexed communication, MNIST, and Fashion-MNIST classification are implemented to verify the versatility of SMPD. This work establishes a scalable strategy for efficient optical information processing and fiberbased sensing in complex environments.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2023

Nonconvex optimization for optimum retrieval of the transmission matrix of a multimode fiber

Transmission matrix (TM) allows light control through complex media such as multimode fibers (MMFs), gaining great attention in areas like biophotonics over the past decade. The measurement of a complex-valued TM is highly desired as it supports full modulation of the light field, yet demanding as the holographic setup is usually entailed. Efforts have been taken to retrieve a TM directly from intensity measurements with several representative phase retrieval algorithms, which still see limitations like slow or suboptimum recovery, especially under noisy environment. Here, a modified non-convex optimization approach is proposed. Through numerical evaluations, it shows that the nonconvex method offers an optimum efficiency of focusing with less running time or sampling rate. The comparative test under different signal-to-noise levels further indicates its improved robustness for TM retrieval. Experimentally, the optimum retrieval of the TM of a MMF is collectively validated by multiple groups of single-spot and multi-spot focusing demonstrations. Focus scanning on the working plane of the MMF is also conducted where our method achieves 93.6% efficiency of the gold standard holography method when the sampling rate is 8. Based on the recovered TM, image transmission through the MMF with high fidelity can be realized via another phase retrieval. Thanks to parallel operation and GPU acceleration, the nonconvex approach can retrieve an 8685$\times$1024 TM (sampling rate=8) with 42.3 s on a regular computer. In brief, the proposed method provides optimum efficiency and fast implementation for TM retrieval, which will facilitate wide applications in deep-tissue optical imaging, manipulation and treatment.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Reconfigurable optical logic operations through scattering media with wavefront shaping

Optical logic gates are fundamental blocks of optical computing to accelerate information processing. While significant progress has been achieved in recent years, existing implementations typically rely on dedicated structures that are predesigned to modulate the phases and intensities of optical beams accurately for specific logic functions. Thus, these optical gates usually lack reconfigurability and are incapable within or through dynamic complex media/environment, such as fog and turbid water. In this work, as a conceptual demonstration, we propose reconfigurable optical logic operations through scattering media with transmission matrix-based wavefront shaping. A light beam is reflected by a spatial light modulator divided into several subregions functioning as logic units, with each displayed with predetermined wavefronts via transmission matrix-based wavefront shaping. Each modulated wavefront transmits through the scattering medium to form a desired light field. The interference of these light fields generates bright optical focus at pre-assigned locations, representing different logic states. As a proof of concept, we experimentally demonstrate five basic logic functions (AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR). As the transmission matrix of the scattering medium/system can be measured instantly to adapt to environment perturbation, the method, if further engineered, opens new venues towards reconfigurable optical logic computing in a dynamically complex environment.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Roles of scattered and ballistic photons in imaging through scattering media: a deep learning-based study

Scattering of light in complex media scrambles optical wavefronts and breaks the principles of conventional imaging methods. For decades, researchers have endeavored to conquer the problem by inventing approaches such as adaptive optics, iterative wavefront shaping, and transmission matrix measurement. That said, imaging through/into thick scattering media remains challenging to date. With the rapid development of computing power, deep learning has been introduced and shown potentials to reconstruct target information through complex media or from rough surfaces. But it also fails once coming to optically thick media where ballistic photons become negligible. Here, instead of treating deep learning only as an image extraction method, whose best-selling advantage is to avoid complicate physical models, we exploit it as a tool to explore the underlying physical principles. By adjusting the weights of ballistic and scattered photons through a random phasemask, it is found that although deep learning can extract images from both scattered and ballistic light, the mechanisms are different: scattering may function as an encryption key and decryption from scattered light is key sensitive, while extraction from ballistic light is stable. Based on this finding, it is hypothesized and experimentally confirmed that the foundation of the generalization capability of trained neural networks for different diffusers can trace back to the contribution of ballistic photons, even though their weights of photon counting in detection are not that significant. Moreover, the study may pave an avenue for using deep learning as a probe in exploring the unknown physical principles in various fields.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Different Channels to Transmit Information in a Scattering Medium

A channel should be built to transmit information from one place to another. Imaging is 2 or higher dimensional information communication. Conventionally, an imaging channel comprises a lens and free spaces of its both sides. The transfer function of each part is known; thus, the response of a conventional imaging channel is known as well. Replacing the lens with a scattering layer, the image can still be extracted from the detection plane. That is to say, the scattering medium reconstructs the channel for imaging. Aided by deep learning, we find that different from the lens there are different channels in a scattering medium, i.e., the same scattering medium can construct different channels to match different manners of source encoding. Moreover, we found that without a valid channel the convolution law for a shift-invariant system, i.e., the output is the convolution of its point spread function (PSF) and the input object, is broken, and information cannot be transmitted onto the detection plane. In other words, valid channels are essential to transmit image information through even a shift-invariant system.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Speckle-based optical cryptosystem and its application for human face recognition via deep learning

Face recognition has recently become ubiquitous in many scenes for authentication or security purposes. Meanwhile, there are increasing concerns about the privacy of face images, which are sensitive biometric data that should be carefully protected. Software-based cryptosystems are widely adopted nowadays to encrypt face images, but the security level is limited by insufficient digital secret key length or computing power. Hardware-based optical cryptosystems can generate enormously longer secret keys and enable encryption at light speed, but most reported optical methods, such as double random phase encryption, are less compatible with other systems due to system complexity. In this study, a plain yet high-efficient speckle-based optical cryptosystem is proposed and implemented. A scattering ground glass is exploited to generate physical secret keys of gigabit length and encrypt face images via seemingly random optical speckles at light speed. Face images can then be decrypted from the random speckles by a well-trained decryption neural network, such that face recognition can be realized with up to 98% accuracy. The proposed cryptosystem has wide applicability, and it may open a new avenue for high-security complex information encryption and decryption by utilizing optical speckles.

cs.CR↗

arXiv2020

Adaptive optical focusing through perturbed scattering media with dynamic mutation algorithm

Optical focusing through/inside scattering media, like multimode fiber and biological tissues, has significant impact in biomedicine yet considered challenging due to strong scattering nature of light. Previously, promising progress has been made, benefiting from the iterative optical wavefront shaping, with which deep-tissue high-resolution optical focusing becomes possible. Most of iterative algorithms can overcome noise perturbations but fail to effectively adapt beyond the noise, e.g. sudden strong perturbations. Re-optimizations are usually needed for significant decorrelated medium since these algorithms heavily rely on the optimization in the previous iterations. Such ineffectiveness is probably due to the absence of a metric that can gauge the deviation of the instant wavefront from the optimum compensation based on the concurrently measured optical focusing. In this study, a square rule of binary-amplitude modulation, directly relating the measured focusing performance with the error in the optimized wavefront, is theoretically proved and experimentally validated. With this simple rule, it is feasible to quantify how many pixels on the spatial light modulator incorrectly modulate the wavefront for the instant status of the medium or the whole system. As an example of application, we propose a novel algorithm, dynamic mutation algorithm, with high adaptability against perturbations by probing how far the optimization has gone toward the theoretically optimum. The diminished focus of scattered light can be effectively recovered when perturbations to the medium cause significant drop of the focusing performance, which no existing algorithms can achieve due to their inherent strong dependence on previous optimizations. With further improvement, this study may boost or inspire many applications, like high-resolution imaging and stimulation, in instable scattering environments.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Scattering medium: randomly packed pinhole cameras

When light travels through scattering media, speckles (spatially random distribution of fluctuated intensities) are formed due to the interference of light travelling along different optical paths, preventing the perception of structure, absolute location and dimension of a target within or on the other side of the medium. Currently, the prevailing techniques such as wavefront shaping, optical phase conjugation, scattering matrix measurement, and speckle autocorrelation imaging can only picture the target structure in the absence of prior information. Here we show that a scattering medium can be conceptualized as an assembly of randomly packed pinhole cameras, and the corresponding speckle pattern is a superposition of randomly shifted pinhole images. This provides a new perspective to bridge target, scattering medium, and speckle pattern, allowing one to localize and profile a target quantitatively from speckle patterns perceived from the other side of the scattering medium, which is impossible with all existing methods. The method also allows us to interpret some phenomena of diffusive light that are otherwise challenging to understand. For example, why the morphological appearance of speckle patterns changes with the target, why information is difficult to be extracted from thick scattering media, and what determines the capability of seeing through scattering media. In summary, the concept, whilst in its infancy, opens a new door to unveiling scattering media and information extraction from scattering media in real time.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Learning-based super interpolation and extrapolation for speckled image reconstruction

Speckles arise when coherent light interacts with biological tissues. Information retrieval from speckles is desired yet challenging, requiring understanding or mapping of the multiple scattering process, or reliable capability to reverse or compensate for the scattering-induced phase distortions. In whatever situation, insufficient sampling of speckles undermines the encoded information, impeding successful object reconstruction from speckle patterns. In this work, we propose a deep learning method to combat the physical limit: the sub-Nyquist sampled speckles (~14 below the Nyquist criterion) are interpolated up to a well-resolved level (1024 times more pixels to resolve the same FOV) with smoothed morphology fine-textured. More importantly, the lost information can be retraced, which is impossible with classic interpolation or any existing methods. The learning network inspires a new perspective on the nature of speckles and a promising platform for efficient processing or deciphering of massive scattered optical signals, enabling widefield high-resolution imaging in complex scenarios.

eess.IV↗

arXiv2019

Towards smart optical focusing: Deep learning-empowered wavefront shaping in nonstationary scattering media

Optical focusing at depths in tissue is the Holy Grail of biomedical optics that may bring revolutionary advancement to the field. Wavefront shaping is a widely accepted approach to solve this problem, but most implementations thus far have only operated with stationary media which, however, are scarcely existent in practice. In this article, we propose to apply a deep convolutional neural network named as ReFocusing-Optical-Transformation-Net (RFOTNet), which is a Multi-input Single-output network, to tackle the grand challenge of light focusing in nonstationary scattering media. As known, deep convolutional neural networks are intrinsically powerful to solve inverse scattering problems without complicated computation. Considering the optical speckles of the medium before and after moderate perturbations are correlated, an optical focus can be rapidly recovered based on fine-tuning of pre-trained neural networks, significantly reducing the time and computational cost in refocusing. The feasibility is validated experimentally in this work. The proposed deep learning-empowered wavefront shaping framework has great potentials in facilitating optimal optical focusing and imaging in deep and dynamic tissue.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2018

Time-reversed magnetically controlled perturbation (TRMCP) optical focusing inside scattering media

Manipulating and focusing light deep inside biological tissue and tissue-like complex media has been desired for long yet considered challenging. One feasible strategy is through optical wavefront engineering, where the optical scattering-induced phase distortions are time reversed or pre-compensated so that photons travel along different optical paths interfere constructively at the targeted position within a scattering medium. To define the targeted position, an internal guidestar is needed to guide or provide a feedback for wavefront engineering. It could be injected or embedded probes such as fluorescence or nonlinear microspheres, ultrasonic modulation, as well as absorption perturbation. Here we propose to use a magnetically controlled optical absorbing microsphere as the internal guidestar. Using a digital optical phase conjugation system, we obtained sharp optical focusing within scattering media through time-reversing the scattered light perturbed by the magnetic microshpere. Since the object is magnetically controlled, dynamic optical focusing is allowed with a relatively large field-of-view by scanning the magnetic field externally. Moreover, the magnetic microsphere can be packaged with an organic membrane, using biological or chemical means to serve as a carrier. Therefore the technique may find particular applications for enhanced targeted drug delivery, and imaging and photoablation of angiogenic vessels in tumours.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2014

Nonlinear photoacoustic wavefront shaping (PAWS) for single speckle-grain optical focusing in scattering media

Non-invasively focusing light into strongly scattering media, such as biological tissue, is highly desirable but challenging. Recently, wavefront shaping technologies guided by ultrasonic encoding or photoacoustic sensing have been developed to address this limitation. So far, these methods provide only acoustic diffraction-limited optical focusing. Here, we introduce nonlinear photoacoustic wavefront shaping (PAWS), which achieves optical diffraction-limited (i.e. single-speckle-grain) focusing in scattering media. We develop an efficient dual-pulse excitation approach to generate strong nonlinear photoacoustic (PA) signals based on the Grueneisen memory effect. These nonlinear PA signals are used as feedback to guide iterative wavefront optimization. By maximizing the amplitude of the nonlinear PA signal, light is effectively focused to a single optical speckle grain. Experimental results demonstrate a clear optical focus on the scale of 5-7 micrometers, which is ~10 times smaller than the acoustic focus in linear dimension, with an enhancement factor of ~6000 in peak fluence. This technology has the potential to provide highly confined strong optical focus deep in tissue for microsurgery of Parkinson's disease and epilepsy or single-neuron imaging and optogenetic activation.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2013

Digital ultrasonically encoded (DUE) optical focusing into random media

Focusing light into opaque random or scattering media such as biological tissue is a much sought-after goal for biomedical applications such as photodynamic therapy, optical manipulation, and photostimulation. However, focusing with conventional lenses is restricted to one transport mean free path in scattering media, limiting both optical penetration depth and resolution. Focusing deeper is possible by using optical phase conjugation or wavefront shaping to compensate for the scattering. For practical applications, wavefront shaping offers the advantage of a robust optical system that is less sensitive to optical misalignment. Here, the phase of the incident light is spatially tailored using a phase-shifting array to pre-compensate for scattering. The challenge, then, is to determine the phase pattern which allows light to be optimally delivered to the target region. Optimization algorithms are typically employed for this purpose, with visible particles used as targets to generate feedback. However, using these particles is invasive, and light delivery is limited to fixed points. Here, we demonstrate a method for non-invasive and dynamic focusing, by using ultrasound encoding as a virtual guide star for feedback to an optimization algorithm. The light intensity at the acoustic focus was increased by an order of magnitude. This technique has broad biomedical applications, such as in optogenetics or photoactivation of drugs.

physics.optics↗