Flat magic window

Abstract

Magic windows (or mirrors) consist of optical devices with a surface deformation or thickness distribution devised in such a way to form a desired image. The associated image intensity distribution has been shown in previous works to be related to the Laplacian of the height of the surface relief. Exploiting the Laplacian theory to calculate the needed phase pattern, we experimentally realize such devices with flat optics employing optical polarization-wavefront coupling, which represent a new paradigm for light manipulation. The desired pattern and experimental specifications for designing the flat optics was implemented with a reconfigurable spatial light modulator, which acted as the magic mirror. The flat plate, an optical polarization-wavefront coupler, is then fabricated by spatially structuring nematic liquid crystals. The plate is used to demonstrate the concept of a polarization-switchable magic window, where, depending on the input circular polarization handedness, one can display either the desired image or the image resulting from the negative of the window’s phase.