![]() ![]() Such systems have enabled novel applications like on-chip separation and measurement of free-space modes 22, 23, 30, 31, 32. ![]() Connecting an array of free-space emitters to these photonic circuits creates an interface to free-space light with control over relative amplitudes and phases 29. This enables applications in quantum information processing and the implementation of artificial neural networks 24, 25, 26 as well as matrix operations and communication 27, 28. Here meshes of universal 2 × 2 optical gates (Mach–Zehnder interferometers) provide extensive and lossless control over the flow of light within tens to hundreds of microseconds 20, 21, 22, 23. Precisely controlling, emitting and reconfiguring on-chip light in real time and with no moving parts is also core to the emerging field of programmable integrated photonic circuits. This opens new possibilities for all-integrated, portable and robust systems, enabling the utilization of structured light in demanding applications with no intricate free-space alignment and modulation. Integrated photonic systems offer, for example, increased robustness and can readily incorporate other on-chip optical components like lossless splitters or laser sources 19. In particular, approaches based on integrated photonics have recently received great attention, owing to the fast-paced developments in this field. Other techniques are based on metasurfaces, micromirrors, microelectromechanics or photonic crystals 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. In many beam-shaping scenarios, the amplitude, polarization or phase of a beam of light are sculpted by using liquid-crystal-based devices 10, 11, 12. Numerous methods exist-each having its own set of advantages and disadvantages-that facilitate the generation of almost arbitrary optical fields and structured beams of light, as long as the generated fields are compliant with Maxwell’s equations. Super-resolution microscopy 4, 5, communication 6, optical tweezers 7, metrology 8 and quantum information processing 9 are only a few amongst many important examples. Manipulating optical fields and locally shaping light’s fundamental properties to meet specific needs has enabled breakthroughs on the fundamental research level as well as in advanced applications 1, 2, 3. These advancements broaden the spectrum of potential methods, applications and devices that utilize spatially tailored light by providing a pathway to combine the strengths and versatility of integrated photonics and free-space structured light. Our method controls the distribution of light’s amplitude and phase within sub-milliseconds, and it is fully reconfigurable and has no moving parts. In this study, we demonstrate how a multipurpose programmable integrated photonic processor can generate and control a wide range of higher-order free-space structured light beams, all starting from only a single injection waveguide. ![]() The rapidly advancing field of reconfigurable integrated photonics allows entirely new routes towards beam shaping that not only outperform existing devices in terms of speed but also have substantial potential with respect to their footprints, robustness and conversion efficiencies. As the utilization of these powerful tools continues to spread, the demand for technologies that enable the spatial manipulation of fundamental properties of light, such as amplitude, phase and polarization grows further. Structured light is a key component of many modern applications, ranging from super-resolution microscopy to imaging, sensing and quantum information processing. ![]()
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