Encoding Propagation Invariance into Light
Abstract
Diffraction governs the axial evolution of optical fields, whereas conventional holographic synthesis primarily controls their transverse structure. Here we add axial diffraction management as an additional design freedom to the transverse_field programmability of holography, enabling the transverse optical function and its diffraction-driven axial evolution to be co_designed. By incorporating established propagation_invariant dynamics into computer_generated hologram and meta_hologram synthesis, we realize task_selectable axial responses in user_defined monochromatic, full-colour and vectorial fields. On a spatial light modulator, the same scalar user_defined field is configured either for a rapidly evolving 1.2_cm depth of field or for an approximately 75_cm propagation_invariant range. Millimetre_scale metasurfaces further enable metre_scale refocusing_free full_colour projection and vectorial colour fields with polarization textures preserved over more than 30 cm. This transverse_axial co_design framework extends holographic field synthesis beyond transverse programmability, providing a broadly compatible route towards task_configurable optical systems and compact multidimensional photonics.
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BibTeX
@misc{yan2026encoding,
title = {{Encoding Propagation Invariance into Light}},
author = {Wenxiang Yan and Tianyue Li and Zhuolin Wu and Yiyu Zhao and Zhi-Cheng Ren and Xi-Lin Wang and Hui-Tian Wang and Shuming Wang and Jianping Ding},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2609.08559},
eprint = {2609.08559},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.08559},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Encoding Propagation Invariance into Light
AU - Wenxiang Yan
AU - Tianyue Li
AU - Zhuolin Wu
AU - Yiyu Zhao
AU - Zhi-Cheng Ren
AU - Xi-Lin Wang
AU - Hui-Tian Wang
AU - Shuming Wang
AU - Jianping Ding
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/08
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2609.08559
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.08559
AB - Diffraction governs the axial evolution of optical fields, whereas conventional holographic synthesis primarily controls their transverse structure. Here we add axial diffraction management as an additional design freedom to the transverse_field programmability of holography, enabling the transverse optical function and its diffraction-driven axial evolution to be co_designed. By incorporating established propagation_invariant dynamics into computer_generated hologram and meta_hologram synthesis, we realize task_selectable axial responses in user_defined monochromatic, full-colour and vectorial fields. On a spatial light modulator, the same scalar user_defined field is configured either for a rapidly evolving 1.2_cm depth of field or for an approximately 75_cm propagation_invariant range. Millimetre_scale metasurfaces further enable metre_scale refocusing_free full_colour projection and vectorial colour fields with polarization textures preserved over more than 30 cm. This transverse_axial co_design framework extends holographic field synthesis beyond transverse programmability, providing a broadly compatible route towards task_configurable optical systems and compact multidimensional photonics.
ER -