The complete description of a continuous-wave light field includes its four fundamental properties: wavelength, polarization, phase and amplitude. However, the simultaneous measurement of a multi-dimensional light field of such four degrees of freedom is challenging in conventional optical systems requiring a cascade of dispersive and polarization elements. In this work, we demonstrate a disordered-photonics-assisted intelligent four-dimensional light field sensor. This is achieved by discovering that the speckle patterns, generated from light scattering in a disordered medium, are intrinsically sensitive to a high-dimension light field given their high structural degrees of freedom. Further, the multi-task-learning deep neural network is leveraged to process the single-shot light-field-encoded speckle images free from any prior knowledge of the complex disordered structures and realizes the high-accuracy recognition of full-Stokes vector, multiple orbital angular momentum (OAM), wavelength and power. The proof-of-concept study shows that the states space of four-dimensional light field spanning as high as 1680=4 (multiple-OAM) $$\times$$× 2 (OAM power spectra) $$\times$$× 15 (multiple-wavelength) $$\times$$× 14 (polarizations) can be well recognized with high accuracy in the chip-integrated sensor. Our work provides a novel paradigm for the design of optical sensors for high-dimension light fields, which can be widely applied in optical communication, holography, and imaging.

Liquid crystals are a vital component of modern photonics, and recent studies have demonstrated the exceptional sensing properties of stimuli-responsive cholesteric liquid crystals. However, existing cholesteric liquid crystal-based sensors often rely on the naked eye perceptibility of structural color or the measurement of wavelength changes by spectrometric tools, which limits their practical applications. Therefore, developing a platform that produces recognizable sensing signals is critical. In this study, we present a visual sensing platform based on geometric phase encoding of stimuli-responsive cholesteric liquid crystal polymers that generates real-time visual patterns, rather than frequency changes. To demonstrate this platform’s effectiveness, we used a humidity-responsive cholesteric liquid crystal polymer film encoded with a q-plate pattern, which revealed that humidity causes a shape change in the vortex beam reflected from the encoded cholesteric liquid crystal polymers. Moreover, we developed a prototype platform towards remote humidity monitoring benefiting from the high directionality and long-range transmission properties of laser beams carrying orbital angular momentum. Our approach provides a novel sensing platform for cholesteric liquid crystals-based sensors that offers promising practical applications. The ability to generate recognizable sensing signals through visual patterns offers a new level of practicality in the sensing field with stimuli-responsive cholesteric liquid crystals. This platform might have significant implications for a broad readership and will be of interest to researchers working in the field of photonics and sensing technology.

We evaluated the feasibility of embedding periodically arranged squares with planar and vertical texture into a background with a developable-modulation (DM) type cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) fingerprint texture by a two-step ultraviolet-induced polymerization method. Checker-patterned optical diffractive elements, which can be seen as a variation of a two-dimensional (2D) barcode, were first realized and the dependence of diffraction behaviors on incident light polarization and applied voltage were investigated. Taking advantage of the natural randomness and uncontrollable variations of a DM-type fingerprint textures, a polymer-stabilized CLC (PSCLC) graphic symbol with a 2D barcode pattern was then implemented with enhanced anti-counterfeiting features that are difficult to falsify or duplicate. The results indicate that the multiplexing of nonuniform DM-type fingerprint gratings, cross-polarized light readout, and unique polarization diffraction characteristics can improve the level of security.

We report a magnetically transportable microlaser with cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) core–shell structure, operating in band-edge mode. The dye doped CLC shells as a water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) double emulsion were fabricated by microfluidics. Water-dispersible Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles were incorporated in the inner aqueous phase by taking advantage of the immiscibility with the middle CLC oil phase. The influence of temperature and shell thickness on laser properties was discussed in detail. The non-invasive manipulation of microlasers was realized under a magnetic field. The dependence of velocity on the viscosity of the carrying fluid and size of the core–shell structure was theoretically analyzed and experimentally investigated using a prototype electromagnetic platform. We also discussed the design principles for this type of DDCLC core–shell structure. Such magnetically transportable microlasers offer promise in in-channel illumination applications requiring active control inside micro-channels.

Precise and flexible three-dimensional (3D) cell construct assembly using external forces or fields can produce micro-scale cellular architectures with intercellular connections, which is an important prerequisite to reproducing the structures and functions of biological systems. Currently, it is also a substantial challenge in the bioengineering field. Here, we propose a smart acoustic 3D cell assembly strategy that utilizes a 3D printed module and hydrogel sheets. Digitally controlled six wave beams offer a high degree of freedom (including wave vector combination, frequency, phase, and amplitude) that enables versatile biomimetic micro cellular patterns in hydrogel sheets. Further, replaceable frames can be used to fix the acoustic-built micro-scale cellular structures in these sheets, enabling user-defined hierarchical or heterogeneous constructs through layer-by-layer assembly. This strategy can be employed to construct vasculature with different diameters and lengths, composed of human umbilical vein endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells. These constructs can also induce controllable vascular network formation. Overall, the findings of this work extend the capabilities of acoustic cell assembly into 3D space, offering advantages including innovative, flexible, and precise patterning, and displaying great potential for the manufacture of various artificial tissue structures that duplicate in vivo functions.