We explore how the focusing of axial-symmetry-broken vector fields is associated with a sector aperture whose apex coincides with the field axis. Its focused field is azimuthally split into a pair of orthogonal right- and left-handed circularly polarized partial rings which are rotated by angles of \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}$\pi${}/2 with respect to the input vector field carrying no orbital angular momentum (OAM) and no spin angular momentum (SAM), respectively. Each member of the pair of partial rings carries not only the opposite OAM but also the opposite SAM. We unveil the underlying physics behind such an effect.

The result of molecular diagnostic and detection greatly dependent on the quality and integrity of the isolated nucleic acid. In this work, we developed an automated miniaturized nucleic acid extraction device based on magnetic beads method, consisting of four components including a sample processing disc and its associated rotary power output mechanism, a pipetting module, a magnet module and an external central controller to enable a customizable and automated robust nucleic acid sample preparation. The extracted nucleic acid using 293T cells were verified using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the data implies a comparable efficiency to a manual process, with the advantages of performing a flexible, time-saving (~10 min), and simple nucleic acid sample preparation.

Optical microscopy has been widely used as a versatile tool in biological research. However, its penetration depth and spatial resolution are desperately limited by light scattering during deep propagation in turbid medium. Here, we implement near-infrared second window (1000–1700 nm) multifocal structured illumination microscopy (NIR-II MSIM) capable of deep penetration, high contrast, and enhanced spatial resolution. Raster-scanning multifocal illumination patterns ensure homogeneous illumination of the sample. By integrating NIR-II photoemission into multifocal photoexcitation, NIR-II MSIM affords deep imaging with improved lateral resolution (∼1.49 µm) at a depth of 2.5 mm in an Intralipid/agar phantom and outstanding contrast. Additionally, imaging at longer wavelength in the NIR-II region shows superior performance. This NIR-II MSIM system will afford a promising platform for studying physiological phenomena in turbid specimens in the future.

Line-temporal focusing has been recognized as an elegant strategy that provides two-photon microscopy with an effective means for fast imaging through parallelization, together with an improved resilience to scattering for deep imaging. However, the axial resolution remains sub-optimal, except when using high NA objectives and a small field-of-view. With the introduction of an intracavity control of the spectral width of the femtosecond laser to adaptively fill the back aperture of the objective lens, line-temporal focusing two-photon microscopy is demonstrated to reach near-diffraction-limited axial resolution with a large back-aperture objective lens, and improved immunity to sample scattering. In addition, a new incoherent flattop beam shaping method is proposed which provides a uniform contrast with little degradation of the axial resolution along the focus line, even deep in the sample. This is demonstrated in large volumetric imaging of mouse lung samples.

The precision assembly of anisotropic nanostructures is a prerequisite for next-generation integrated microsystems, quantum photonics, and bio-interfaces. However, bridging the gap between individual manipulation accuracy and scalable, programmable manufacturing remains a grand challenge. Current optical and alternative physical field approaches are hindered by inadequate control stability, thermal damage, and interfacial adhesion limitations. Here, we report a robust hybrid opto-electric microsystem that synergizes alternating current (AC) electric fields with holographic optical tweezers to overcome these barriers. By introducing an Optical Electro-aligning Manipulation (OEM) strategy, we convert the stochastic motion of nanowires into deterministic, pre-aligned trajectories, significantly minimizing scattering forces and optimizing trapping stability. This results in a 38% increase in capture success rate, a 50% reduction in laser power requirements, and a 39% increase in translation speeds for Ag, TiO₂, GaAs, and InAs nanowires. Furthermore, we demonstrate “nano-calligraphy” as a lithography-free patterning technique, enabling the programmable construction of complex micro-patterns with sub-micron resolution. The capability for parallel control of up to seven nanowires and the successful manipulation of biological agents (bacteria) confirm the system’s scalability and versatility. This work establishes a powerful nanomanufacturing platform for the bottom-up assembly of functional NEMS devices, photonic networks, and cellular nanoprobes.