Telecentric imaging of a plurality of light beams into a target area

Abstract

The present application relates to: an imaging device for telecentric imaging of a plurality of light beams into a target area; and an associated micromirror device. The imaging device comprises a beam tilt correction element and a beam control device which is designed to image N >= 2 substantially non-overlapping light beams onto the beam tilt correction element and to control a position of one or more of the N light beams on the beam tilt correction element. The imaging device also comprises a beam imaging device which is designed to image the light beams corrected by the beam tilt correction element onto the target area, wherein the beam tilt correction element is designed to correct a tilt of each of the N light beams such that the N light beams are imaged onto substantially non-overlapping positions in the target area. The beam tilt correction element may be implemented, for example, using a micromirror device.

Description

TELECENTRIC IMAGING MULTIPLE LIGHT BEAMS INTO ONE TARGET AREA 1. Technical area

[0001] The present application relates to a device for telecentrically imaging multiple light beams into a target area, as well as a corresponding static micromirror device. The imaging device can be used, in particular, for the simultaneous and selective addressing of multiple atoms in a quantum register of a quantum computer or for parallelized microscopy. 2. Technical background

[0002] Highly focused laser beams are used in various applications to manipulate matter with high spatial resolution. For example, in a quantum register of a quantum computer, whose qubits are realized by neutral atoms or atomic ions, the atoms are arranged with distances in the range of < 10 pm, < 2 pm, or < 1 pm. To manipulate such atoms selectively, individually, and reproducibly, one typically requires a laser focus that can be moved within the quantum register, the extent of which (e.g., defined by the i / e 2The width of the intensity distribution (i.e., the width of the intensity distribution within which 99% of the laser beam power lies; hereinafter also referred to as FW99M) should be so small, and its positional stability so precise, that when one of the atoms is manipulated, the neighboring atoms remain essentially unaffected. Similar requirements for optical imaging systems can be found, for example, in laser material processing, high-resolution microscopy, laser measurement, or optical communication networks.

[0003] In order to increase the manipulation, observation, or scanning rate in such applications, it is desirable to introduce parallelization. For example, multiple laser beams or beam paths can be optically superimposed in such a way that multiple positions in the target area can be manipulated simultaneously, or multiple positions in the target area can be observed or scanned simultaneously with different sensors. This could, for example, make it possible to implement multiple qubit gates or to run multiple gates in parallel by addressing multiple atoms simultaneously. In other technical fields, such as laser material processing or high-resolution microscopy (e.g. of tissue sections or cell cultures), it can also be advantageous to be able to process or observe multiple positions in the focus of a high-resolution optical system simultaneously.

[0004] The telecentricity of the focused beams (ie the state in which their principal rays are parallel to the optical axis) is usually advantageous or even essential for the applications described above for one or more of the following reasons: (1) to achieve a higher polarization purity of the focused light rays in the target area, (2) to ensure a normal incidence for higher illumination intensities, and (3) to ensure a magnification that is independent of the image or object distance.

[0005] However, the scalability of the number of light beams in a telecentric configuration is often insufficient using conventional methods. For example, devices are known from the prior art that enable the superposition of several laser beams by means of beam combining. For this purpose, non-polarizing beam splitters are usually used to superimpose several laser beams. However, these have the disadvantage that the laser power decreases with each pass through such a beam splitter, so that such devices are not scalable due to the often limited optical power. In addition, many of the conventional beam splitters (e.g., polarizing or dichroic ones) change the physical properties such as the polarization or the frequency spectrum of each beam, which can have a negative impact, for example, on beam steering applications. [ooo6] ​​As a possible alternative to such beam splitters, devices in which multiple beams share an optical aperture are known from the prior art. However, this requires that the partial beams be significantly smaller than the entrance pupil of the focusing optics, which, for example, leads to a decrease in resolution during focusing. This approach, too, is only scalable to a very limited extent due to the limited size of the entrance pupil. Furthermore, this approach eliminates the telecentricity of the partial beams during focusing. 3. Summary

[0007] Some of the disadvantages of the prior art outlined above are addressed by a device as defined in the patent claims. In particular, the present application describes an imaging device with which, for example, multiple laser beams can be simultaneously focused on different atoms in an optical lattice or a quantum register, or with which light emanating from different positions on an object to be observed can be simultaneously analyzed using multiple optical sensors.

[0008] The imaging device described here comprises a beam inclination correction element, as well as a beam control device configured to image N >= 2 substantially non-overlapping light beams onto the beam inclination correction element and to control a position of one or more of the N light beams on the beam inclination correction element. The imaging device further comprises a beam imaging device configured to image the light beams corrected by the beam inclination correction element onto a target area, wherein the beam inclination correction element is configured to correct an inclination of the N light beams in each case such that the N light beams are imaged onto substantially non-overlapping positions in the target area.

[0009] Here and in the following, the term “substantially non-overlapping” is to be understood as meaning that the overlap for the respective The application area has no practical significance. In particular, it is known to those skilled in the art that a typical laser beam with an ideally Gaussian beam profile, from a mathematical-theoretical perspective, has an infinite extension. However, from an experimental point of view, two light beams—for example, laser beams—are essentially non-overlapping if the regions containing 99% of the optical beam power of each of the two laser beams do not overlap.

[0010] In particular, the beam control device can comprise a beam focusing device configured to image the N >= 2 substantially non-overlapping light beams onto the beam inclination correction element. The beam imaging device can further be configured to effect a substantially telecentricity-preserving image (e.g., with a deviation from an ideal telecentricity-preserving image of <= 5%, preferably <= 1%), preferably via a 4f image.

[0011] It is known to the person skilled in the art that a 4f image is characterized, for example, by the fact that it comprises two lenses or similar optical elements (e.g. a microscope objective) with focal lengths fi and f2, which are arranged such that the distance between the two lenses essentially corresponds to the sum of their focal lengths fi + f2 and the object plane (e.g., the target area) lies essentially at the focal point of one lens and the image plane at the focal point of the other lens (cf. Fig. 1).

[0012] The imaging device disclosed herein allows, among other things, to simultaneously image multiple laser beams onto different positions in the target area without significant power losses and while preserving telecentricity. For example, it allows N atomic qubits in a quantum register of a quantum computer to be addressed simultaneously and with essentially identical physical beam parameters (e.g., intensity, frequency spectrum, polarization in the target plane, etc.). This allows, for example, to implement multiple identical quantum gates simultaneously at different positions in a quantum register without having to separately control the pulse area for each addressing beam. Furthermore, the beam control device in combination with the Beam tilt correction element to control the position of one or more of the light beams in the target area, which can be essential for quantum computers and possibly material processing, but can also be omitted for certain microscopy applications, e.g. to simplify the optical setup.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the beam inclination correction element can comprise M >= 2 micro-optical elements, which can be configured to correct the inclination of the N light beams, where M is preferably greater than or equal to N. The micro-optical elements can be, in particular, micromirrors of a micromirror array or a micromirror device. The micromirror device can be, in particular, a static micromirror device (cf. the examples shown in Fig. 3 to Fig. 5). In other implementations, the beam inclination correction element can also comprise a digitally or analog-controllable micromirror device, or a so-called spatial light modulator (SLM).In particular, the beam inclination correction element can be designed such that different light rays which are imaged onto the beam inclination correction element with a different angle of inclination to the surface normal of the beam inclination correction element are corrected such that they propagate after the beam inclination correction element substantially parallel to the optical axis of the imaging device.

[0014] The imaging device described above therefore makes it possible, in particular, to maintain the telecentricity of several focused light beams on a target grid and, at the same time, to control the position in the target grid as required. This allows, for example, to control any N atoms in a quantum register with, for example, 20 x 20 lattice sites simultaneously in order to, for example, perform N / 2 two-qubit gates simultaneously. Maintaining the telecentricity increases the polarization and power projection on vertical image planes, which increases the efficiency of relevant quantum optical and / or material processing applications. In the reverse beam direction (e.g., in microscopy of tissue sections or fluorescence imaging), it can be ensured, for example, that the magnification changes when the object is moved in Beam direction remains unchanged. Telecentricity thus ensures, in particular, that defocusing at the object or image planes does not change the image magnification. Furthermore, such an imaging device is not designed for specific wavelengths but can be operated over a broad spectral range, e.g., from the deep UV (XUV) to the infrared range. The low sensitivity to polarization changes achieved by telecentricity is a further advantage, particularly for quantum technologies, which typically require the most precise control possible over the internal state of quantum objects, e.g., atoms.

[0015] Implementing the beam tilt correction element using a static micromirror device allows the use of differently curved micromirrors. For example, micromirrors with a spherical surface, an aspherical surface, and / or a freeform surface can be combined in a micromirror array. Such different geometric-optical properties can be controlled separately for each target position in the target area via the beam control device—e.g., for controlled defocusing, aberration correction, and / or wavefront modification. As described in more detail below, the static micromirror device can comprise multiple micromirror arrays on a substrate, e.g., a Si wafer (see Fig. 7). Different micromirror arrays can thus be used via the beam control device and / or an additional positioning device for the micromirror device.Further implementations, details and configurations of the imaging device described above are described below with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

[0016] The present application further relates to a microscopy system comprising an imaging device as described herein, as well as a device for arranging an object to be examined in the target area such that the substantially non-overlapping positions lie on or in a part of the object to be examined and, optionally, a device for illuminating the object to be examined such that the substantially non-overlapping positions in the target area are at least partially illuminated.

[0017] In some implementations, such a microscopy system may further comprise a plurality of optical sensors, preferably CCD or CMOS sensors, wherein the imaging device is configured to image light emanating from the substantially non-overlapping positions in the target area and entering the imaging system onto different sensors of the plurality of optical sensors. Furthermore, the device for illuminating the object to be examined may be configured to illuminate two or more of the substantially non-overlapping positions with different light, each having a different frequency spectrum (e.g., with two different lasers emitting at different operating wavelengths).

[0018] In some implementations, two of the plurality of optical sensors may differ in their sensor type. The imaging device may also have different optical filters for at least two of the plurality of optical sensors, where the different optical filters may be selected from: a spectral filter, a polarization filter, and a spatial frequency filter.

[0019] Furthermore, the device for illuminating the object can be configured to illuminate at least two of the non-overlapping positions differently such that the light entering the imaging system in each case has a different frequency spectrum. In particular, the device for illuminating the object to be examined can be configured to image the illuminating light via the imaging device onto the substantially non-overlapping positions in the target area, e.g., using a dichroic mirror whose frequency-dependent reflection behavior corresponds to an absorption and emission spectrum of a fluorescent dye of the object. In this way, different areas can be examined in different colors, which can lead to decisive advantages, for example, in modern neuroimaging systems because, for example, complex neural circuits with different functions can be observed simultaneously.

[0020] Furthermore, the device for arranging the object to be examined can be configured to displace the object to be examined such that at least two different non-overlapping positions are imaged successively on at least two different sensors.

[0021] The microscopy system described above allows, for example, samples or structures to be selectively observed or imaged / scanned, possibly using different cameras or optical systems. This can be the case, for example, with a so-called lab-on-a-chip, in which different substances act in different locations. In such a case, the system described here allows different areas to be observed simultaneously using different spectral filters. Furthermore, the sample can be moved so that each area of ​​the sample is viewed once by each of the N imaging channels. In this way, the entire sample can be scanned more quickly and ultimately compiled into a complete image.

[0022] The present application further relates to a laser addressing system comprising an imaging device as described herein, wherein the N light beams are laser beams that are imaged into the target area. The laser addressing system further comprises a laser beam source that provides the N laser beams to the imaging device. The laser beam source can, for example, comprise a beam splitter, preferably a diffractive beam splitter, for generating the N laser beams. This allows multiple laser beams to be generated with a single laser (e.g., a fiber laser or an amplified diode laser). Further implementations, details, and configurations of the laser addressing system described above are described below with reference to Fig. 2.

[0023] The present application further relates to a quantum computer or quantum simulation device comprising a plurality of individual atoms, ions or molecules arranged in a substantially lattice-like arrangement in the target area in a grid-like trap, and a laser addressing system as described in this application for simultaneously addressing a subset of the atoms, ions or molecules arranged in the grid-like trap. The operation of a Such a quantum computer or quantum simulation device is described, among other things, in the earlier application EP 23181879.0 entitled “HARDWARE-EFFICIENT NEUTRAL ATOM QUANTUM COMPUTING METHOD AND DEVICE” of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science, to which reference is made in full here.

[0024] In some implementations, at least M >= 2 individual atoms, ions, or molecules can be arranged in the grid-like trap at preferably adjacent positions. Furthermore, the atoms, ions, or molecules can be arranged in a hexagonal, rectangular, or kagome-like grid arrangement in the target area, wherein the M >= 2 micro-optical elements of the beam tilt correction element can be arranged accordingly. In particular, the N >= 4 micromirrors of each of the L >= 1 groups can have a geometric arrangement, in particular a hexagonal, rectangular, or kagome-like arrangement, corresponding to any desired arrangement of target positions in a target area.

[0025] The present application further relates to a material processing device comprising a device for arranging a material to be processed in the target area, and a laser addressing system as described in this application, for simultaneously addressing the material to be processed at a plurality of positions, wherein the N laser beams are configured to process the material to be processed, for example thermally or photochemically.

[0026] The present application further relates to an optical telecommunications switching device comprising a laser addressing system as described in this application, wherein the N laser beams are modulated with different optical communication signals, and an output module with L > N optical output ports, preferably optical light guides, which are arranged in the target area such that the position of the output ports corresponds to the substantially non-overlapping positions of the laser beams in the target area, wherein the beam control device is controllable such that each of the N laser beams can be coupled into at least two of the L output ports.

[0027] The present application further relates to a static micromirror device, SMD, as a possible implementation of the beam tilt correction element described herein. Such an SMD comprises a substrate and M >= 2, preferably M >= 4 micromirrors arranged on or in the substrate, wherein at least two of the M micromirrors have a different angle with a surface normal of the substrate (cf. SEM images in Fig. 6). Further implementations, details, and configurations of such SMDs are described below with reference to Figs. 3 to 7.

[0028] Further aspects of possible implementations of the devices and systems described herein and / or their technical advantages are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 4. Brief description of the drawings

[0029] Fig. 1 shows a schematic structure of an imaging device of the present application.

[0030] Fig. 2 shows an exemplary imaging device of the present application, which is part of a laser addressing system with which 6 atoms at any lattice sites of a lattice-like quantum register can be addressed simultaneously with N = 6 telecentric laser beams.

[0031] Fig. 3 shows the height profile of a surface of an exemplary micromirror array of a micromirror device according to a possible implementation of the present application.

[0032] Fig. 4 shows the height profile of a surface of an exemplary micromirror device according to a possible implementation of the present application.

[0033] Fig. 5 shows the height profile of a surface of an exemplary micromirror device according to a possible implementation of the present application.

[0034] Fig. 6 shows exemplary SEM images of typical micromirror devices according to possible implementations of the present application.

[0035] Fig. 7 shows a wafer, e.g. a Si wafer, on which different micromirror devices are arranged according to possible implementations of the present application. 5. Detailed description of exemplary embodiments

[0036] Exemplary embodiments of the present application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Various feature combinations are described with reference to the illustrated embodiments using the example of an addressing system for a quantum register of a quantum computer. As stated above, the imaging device of the present disclosure can also be used in microscopy systems, material processing systems, and / or switching devices for telecommunications systems. Further areas of application of the present application include optical tweezers, laser measurement, and LIDAR.

[0037] Naturally, not all features of the described embodiments need to be present to realize the disclosed inventions. Furthermore, the embodiments may be modified by combining certain features of one embodiment with one or more features of another embodiment—provided this is technically compatible and reasonable—without deviating from the disclosure and scope of the present application, which is defined by the claims. Some features, functions, and properties already described in the previous section may be mentioned only briefly below or not described at all to avoid repetition.

[0038] Fig. 1 schematically shows the components and operation of an imaging device 100 of the present disclosure. The imaging device 100 includes a beam tilt correction element 120, as well as a beam control device 130 configured to image N >= 2 substantially non-overlapping light beams 102 onto the beam tilt correction element 120 and to control a position of one or more of the N light beams 102 on the beam tilt correction element 120. The imaging device 100 further includes a beam control device 130 configured to image N >= 2 substantially non-overlapping light beams 102 onto the beam tilt correction element 120 and to control a position of one or more of the N light beams 102 on the beam tilt correction element 120.

[0039] The beam control device 130 may further comprise a beam focusing device 110. In some embodiments (see Fig. 2), these may be spatially and / or functionally separate optical components. In some embodiments, the beam focusing device 110 may comprise one or more lenses for each of the N light beams. As shown in Fig. 2, the lenses of the beam focusing device 110 may also be spatially separated from one another. The imaging device 100 further comprises a beam imaging device 140 configured to image the light beams 102 corrected by the beam inclination correction element 120 into the target area 150. The beam inclination correction element 120 is further configured to correct an inclination of the N light beams in each case such that the N light beams are imaged onto substantially non-overlapping positions in the target area 150.

[0040] The beam imaging device 140 can further be configured to effect a substantially telecentricity-preserving imaging, preferably via a 4f imaging. This allows the beam path and in particular the imaging of the N light beams 102 into the target area 150 to be substantially telecentric. In particular, each light beam 102 requires a different Tilt angle on the beam tilt correction element 120 to propagate telecentrically through the last lens (e.g., a high-resolution lens) in front of the target area 150.

[0041] The beam inclination correction element 120 can have M >= 2 micro-optical elements that are configured to correct the inclination of the N light beams 102, where M is preferably greater than or equal to N. In some embodiments, the beam inclination correction element 120 can comprise a micro-mirror device (SMD). This can be, for example, a Si wafer on which several SMDs with different properties are arranged (cf. Fig. 7). Furthermore, the beam control device 130 can be configured to control one or more of the light beams 102 such that it is imaged onto one or more different micro-optical elements. M can correspond to a number of sub-regions or zones of the target plane or target area 150, each of which can be addressed by one of the N light beams. If M is not significantly greater than N (cf. Fig.5), the areas are typically large, with each laser beam within its area then being able to cover a certain area, over which several essentially non-overlapping positions in the target area can be addressed. If M is significantly larger than N (cf. Fig. 3, Fig. 4 and Fig. 6), the areas are small, with each laser beam then having to remain largely static within a area to avoid being significantly clipped. However, the laser beam can jump back and forth between different areas assigned to it in order to address different positions in the target area.

[0042] Alternatively or additionally, the beam control device 130 may be further configured to control one or more of the N light beams 102 such that they are imaged onto different non-overlapping positions on one or more of the M micro-optical elements. In particular, the beam control device 130 may comprise one or more acousto-optical deflectors (AODs) and / or one or more piezoelectrically adjustable mirrors (see Fig. 2) to control the one or more of the N light beams 102.

[0043] The beam control device 130 can also comprise an acousto-optical deflector (AOD) and a piezoelectrically adjustable mirror for each of the N light beams, wherein an output beam of the AOD is imaged onto the piezoelectrically adjustable mirror via a substantially telecentricity-preserving image, preferably a 4f image (see Fig. 2). This allows an angle change by the AOD to only result in an angle change on the mirror, but not in a position change.

[0044] In some embodiments, the beam imaging device 140 can have a microscope objective that images the N light beams 102 onto the target area 150, wherein the numerical aperture, NA, can be greater than or equal to 0.1, preferably greater than or equal to 0.5. In particular, the beam inclination correction element 120, or its micro-optical elements, can be configured to correct the inclination of the N light beams 102 such that they overlap in a plane 145 of an entrance focal point of the microscope objective substantially at different inclination angles. This allows for the utilization of substantially the entire NA of the microscope objective for all N light beams. In this way, the number of beams, and thus the simultaneously manipulable positions, can be scaled without significantly impairing the focus quality in the target area 150 or the resolving power of the individual beam paths.

[0045] As mentioned above, such an imaging device 100 can be used in a microscopy system which, in addition to the imaging device 100, also comprises, among other things, a device for arranging an object to be examined in the target area 150, specifically such that the substantially non-overlapping positions lie on or in a part of the object to be examined. The microscopy system can further comprise a device for illuminating the object to be examined, which is configured such that the substantially non-overlapping positions in the target area 150 are at least partially illuminated. The imaging device 100 can then be used, for example, to observe these non-overlapping positions in the target area 150 simultaneously using multiple beam paths.

[0046] In particular, such a microscopy system can comprise a plurality of optical sensors, e.g., CCD or CMOS sensors, wherein the imaging device 100 is configured to image light emanating from the substantially non-overlapping positions and entering the imaging device 100 onto different sensors of the plurality of optical sensors. Furthermore, the device for illuminating the object to be examined can be configured to illuminate two or more of the substantially non-overlapping positions in the target area 150 with different light, each having, for example, a different frequency spectrum.

[0047] At least two of the plurality of optical sensors can differ in their sensor type. Furthermore, the imaging device 100 can have different optical filters for at least two of the plurality of optical sensors, wherein the different optical filters can be selected from: a spectral filter, a polarization filter, and a spatial frequency filter. Furthermore, the illumination device can be configured to illuminate at least two of the non-overlapping positions differently such that the light entering the imaging system in each case has a different frequency spectrum. With such a system, for example, the sampling rate can be significantly improved, e.g. in digital applications, since N areas can be scanned simultaneously.Furthermore, the device for arranging the object to be examined in the target area 150 can be configured to displace the object to be examined such that at least two different non-overlapping positions are imaged successively on at least two different sensors.

[0048] As described above, a qf image (e.g., a qf lens group) or a similar imaging structure allows the imaging configuration between the beam tilt correction element 120 and the image plane or target area 150 to be substantially bilaterally telecentric. However, the rays incident on the plane of the beam tilt correction element 120 may have different angles of incidence. Depending on the number of rays, multiple rays may be arranged in various cross-sectional configurations in 2D. (e.g., rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, etc.). In such a configuration, a different tilt correction angle is typically required for each of the N light beams 102, which can be provided, for example, by a separate tilt correction element of the beam tilt correction element 120 (e.g., a separate micromirror with a different angle to the plane as illustrated in Fig. 3, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 and shown in Fig. 6).

[0049] If the light beams are focused onto the plane of the beam tilt correction element 120, each individual correction element can be microscopically small (e.g., a rectangle with ~50 pm and ~100 pm edges, etc.) and arranged in any desired grid. In such a configuration, each tilt correction element of the beam tilt correction element 120 can correspond to a pixel or position in the target area 150 (see the points in Fig. 3, Fig. 4, and Fig. 5). In this way, each beam can address or image / scan one or a plurality of controllable areas of the target area 150.

[0050] A pixel-like beam tilt correction element 120 can, for example, be composed of very small elements (in the range of micrometers), depending on the focusing condition as well as the size of the target grid and the magnification of the beam imaging device 140. Therefore, micro-optical components such as MEMS arrays, such as SLMs (Spatial Light Modulator), MMAs (Micromirror Array), etc., can be used for this purpose. Furthermore, any technology that can be miniaturized and pixelated to correct the tilt of focused beams can be a possible implementation of such a beam tilt correction element 120. The beam tilt correction element 120 of the present application is, in principle, not limited to tilt correction. Each pixel can provide a specific wavefront contribution, e.g. Defocus, coma, or astigmatism to introduce and / or compensate for specific wavefront aberrations for each pixelated target area. In this application, where individual tip / tilt correction is desired at each pixel, MMAs are typical implementations of the beam tilt correction element 120. The available MMA technologies support the modulation of Micromirrors in two ways: digital and analog (see Song, RM Panas, JB Hopkins, “A review of micromirror arrays”, Prec. Eng., 51, 729 (2018)).

[0051] In a digital micromirror device (DMD), the individual micromirrors can be tilted into a few usable positions, which are typically switched on and off. Analog micromirror devices (AMD) are capable of generating continuous tilt angles and can therefore be used to manipulate the direction of an incident beam within a defined angular range (see Fusao, “Analog micromirror devices with continuous intermediate states,” CN 101611467A). Thus, when multiple beams impinge on different pixels, each pixel can provide a different angle correction. Another advantage of AMDs for beam steering applications is that full position-to-angle connectivity can be achieved because the mirrors can be dynamically manipulated. With such an AMD, any input channel can therefore be used to control any output channel.For complete connectivity, it is in principle sufficient if N mirrors can assume M fixed angles in order to operate in a telecentricity-preserving manner.

[0052] During the development of the devices and systems described here, it has become apparent that for application scenarios where the use of a DMD or AMD is suboptimal (e.g., too expensive and / or too imprecise), custom-made microstructured tilted mirror configurations can be used. Such a static micromirror device (SMD; examples: Fig. 3 to Fig. 7) can therefore also be used as a beam tilt correction element 120, providing a different tilt correction angle for different light beams. For example, for N=6 beams, there are also 6 different tilt configurations, as shown, for example, in Fig. 3, Fig. 4, and Fig. 5. The SMD is then imaged by the beam imaging device 140 (e.g., with a 4f lens group) substantially telecentrically onto the image plane in the target area 150 using the corrected tilt angles.Since each micromirror has a static tilt angle, each light beam can only be directed to one or more predefined positions within a subset of the target area 150. Compared to an SMD, the use of AMDs offers all-to-all pixel-to-angle connectivity. However, the advantage of an SMD is that it can be the use of microlithographic processes or additive manufacturing processes can be produced more quickly in large quantities and more cost-effectively.

[0053] Fig. 2 shows a possible optical design of an imaging device of the present disclosure that is part of a laser addressing system. As described above, the imaging device comprises a beam tilt correction element 120, which may, for example, comprise a static micromirror device with one or more micromirror arrays. N incoming laser beams are generated via a (e.g., diffractive) beam splitter 210. For example, the first diffraction maxima of a hexagonal, diffractive beam splitter may form the N incoming laser beams. The N laser beams may, for example, be directed via deflection mirrors 220a, 220b, 220c onto a beam separation element 230, which deflects the laser beams hexagonally (see top view in Fig. 2) to each of six deflection mirrors 220d.Each of the N laser beams is then imaged onto the beam tilt correction element 120 via a combined beam steering and focusing device, wherein each of the combined beam steering and focusing devices comprises an AOD 130a, a beam focusing device 110 formed from, for example, three lenses, and a piezoelectrically controllable deflection mirror 130b.

[0054] The laser beams corrected by the beam tilt correction element 120 are then again directed via a common deflection mirror 22oe to a beam imaging device, which images the N laser beams essentially telecentrically onto N essentially non-overlapping positions in the target area. The beam imaging device comprises a first lens 240 (also called a tube lens) and an objective lens (not shown).

[0055] In general, a laser addressing system having an imaging device as described in the present application may further comprise a laser beam source that provides the N laser beams to the imaging device. As mentioned above, the laser beam source may comprise a beam splitter 210, in particular a diffractive beam splitter for generating the N laser beams, wherein the beam splitter may be configured to have N >= 3 to generate laser beams in a polygonal or star-shaped arrangement, and wherein the imaging device may comprise a beam separator 230 which directs each of the N >= 3 laser beams in a different direction, wherein the polygonal or star-shaped arrangement is preferably maintained.

[0056] The laser addressing system may further include a beam monitoring beam splitter 250, which is arranged in the optical path between the beam tilt correction element 120 and the target area 150 and is configured to direct a portion of the laser beam power of the N laser beams 102 to a beam analysis device 260 (e.g., a CCD camera). Furthermore, the laser addressing system may also include an illumination device 270 that illuminates the beam tilt correction element 120 such that it can be observed via the beam monitoring beam splitter 250 with the beam analysis device 260.For example, the laser addressing system can comprise a first lens 280, which is arranged in the optical path between the beam tilt correction element 120 and the beam analysis device 260 after the beam monitoring beam splitter 250, and a second lens 285, which is arranged in the optical path between the first lens 280 and the beam analysis device 260, wherein the first lens 280 provides a 2f image between the beam tilt correction element 120 and the illumination device 270 via a heterodyne beam splitter 275, and both lenses together provide a 4f image between the beam tilt correction element 120 and the beam analysis device 260. This makes it possible to illuminate the beam tilt correction element 120 essentially evenly and homogeneously, but still ensure that the focal points of the laser beams are sharply imaged onto the beam analysis device 260.

[0057] The imaging device 100 or the laser addressing system described above can also be used as part of a material processing device, which also comprises a device for arranging a material to be processed in the target area, wherein the laser addressing system is used for simultaneously addressing the material to be processed at several positions, wherein the N laser beams are further configured to process the material to be processed, e.g. thermally (e.g. during laser sintering, during selective laser melting, during laser cutting, during laser welding, etc.) or also photochemically. In such a material processing device, the N-laser beams can be provided, for example, by a high-power CO2 laser, a continuous-wave or pulsed fiber laser, a disk laser, and / or a diode laser.

[0058] Another embodiment relates to an optical telecommunications switching device comprising a laser addressing system of the present application, wherein the N laser beams are modulated with different optical communication signals. The telecommunications switching device further comprises an output module with L>N optical output ports, preferably optical fibers, arranged in the target area 150 such that the position of the output ports coincides with the substantially non-overlapping positions of the laser beams in the target area. The beam control device 130 can be controlled such that each of the N laser beams can be coupled into at least two of the L output ports.

[0059] A further embodiment relates to a quantum computer or quantum simulation device comprising a plurality of individual atoms, ions, or molecules arranged in a grid-like trap in the target region, and a laser addressing system as described above, which allows N >=2 of the atoms, ions, or molecules arranged in the grid-like trap to be addressed simultaneously. At least M >=2 individual atoms, ions, or molecules can be arranged in the grid-like trap at preferably adjacent positions, where M >=N. In particular, the atoms, ions, or molecules can be arranged in a hexagonal, rectangular, or kagome-like grid arrangement in the target region, with the M >=2 micro-optical elements of the beam inclination correction element 120 arranged accordingly.

[0060] Fig. 3 to Fig. 5 show exemplary micromirror arrays, SMDs, which can each be part of a static micromirror device 120. Such a micromirror device of the present application comprises a substrate (e.g., a silicon substrate), and M >= 2, preferably M >= 4 micromirrors 310 arranged adjacently on or in the substrate, wherein at least two of the micromirrors 310 have a different angle with a surface normal of the substrate (see Fig. 7). These different angles are evident in Fig. 3, Fig. 4, and Fig. 5 from the different height profiles of the micromirrors 310.

[0061] As shown in Fig. 3, a micromirror arrangement can have L >= 2 similar groups 320 of N >= 2 micromirrors 310, where M = L x N > = 4. In the example of Fig. 3, there are L = 35 groups 320 of N = 6 micromirrors 310 each, where each of the N micromirrors 310 of each of the L groups 320 has a different angle with a surface normal of the substrate than the other micromirrors 310 of the same group 320. If such a micromirror arrangement with N controllable laser beams is used, each laser beam can be imaged onto L different micromirrors 310 in L different groups 320 and its beam inclination can be corrected. The points 315 in Fig. 3, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 correspond to the positions of the atoms in the grid-like arrangement of a quantum register, where the distance between the points is scaled according to the magnification (e.g. 200x) of the beam image in the target area.

[0062] In particular, each of the M micromirrors 310 can have an effective Have a mirror surface that fits into a circle whose diameter is larger than the i / e 2-Width or as the FWggM width of the laser focus. This ensures that each laser beam is only very slightly cut off by the micromirrors 310. As a result, the imaging of the corrected laser beam into the target plane 150 is not significantly impaired by the finite extent of the micromirrors 310. For example, each of the M micromirrors can have an effective mirror surface that fits into a circle with a diameter of 200 pm, and a circle with a diameter of 50 pm fits into the effective mirror surface. Such a geometric arrangement of the micromirrors has proven particularly advantageous for quantum register manipulation.In another advantageous configuration, each of the M micromirrors has an effective mirror surface that fits within a circle of diameter 600 pm, and 30 or more circles with a diameter of 50 pm fit within the effective mirror surface without overlapping (see Fig. 5). To prevent crosstalk between the To further reduce the individual optical channels, the mirror surface can be made even larger.

[0063] The micromirror array described above also allows the use of groups with different mirror surface curvatures. In particular, the N mirrors in one of the L groups can have a different curvature than the N mirrors in one of the other L groups. This allows, for example, micromirrors with a spherical surface, an aspherical surface, and / or a freeform surface to be combined in a micromirror array. Such different geometric-optical properties can be controlled separately for each target position in the target area via the beam control device—e.g., for controlled defocusing, aberration correction, and / or wavefront modification.

[0064] As shown in Fig. 4, N different types of micromirrors can also be arranged essentially randomly on the substrate. Alternatively or additionally, each micromirror can also have random tilt angles in one or both tilt axes.

[0065] Fig. 5 shows an alternative micromirror arrangement comprising N = 6 large-area micromirrors whose effectively usable mirror area is many times larger than the beam cross-section (e.g., the i / e 2 -width or the FW99M- width). Such an arrangement allows the position of each of the N light beams in its sub-area in the target area to be controlled essentially continuously.

[0066] Fig. 6 shows four SEM images of different micromirror arrangements. The different tilt angles of the micromirrors are clearly visible.

[0067] Fig. 7 schematically shows a wafer 700 on which several micromirror arrangements 710 are arranged, as shown, for example, in Fig. 6 or Fig. 3 to Fig. 5. In this way, different images can be realized with only one wafer, which, for example, is mounted on an electronically controllable displacement table can be arranged. Fiducial markings or registration marks 730, an alignment surface 740, and a single mirror 720 for single-channel operation of the imaging device can also be located on the wafer 700.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1. An imaging device (100) comprising: a beam tilt correction element (120); a beam control device (130) configured to image N >= 2 substantially non-overlapping light beams (102) onto the beam tilt correction element (120) and to control a position of one or more of the N light beams on the beam tilt correction element; and a beam imaging device (140) configured to image the light beams corrected by the beam tilt correction element onto a target area; wherein the beam tilt correction element (120) is configured to correct an inclination of the N light beams in each case such that the N light beams are imaged onto substantially non-overlapping positions in the target area.

2. Imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the beam inclination correction element comprises M>=2 micro-optical elements (122), wherein M is preferably greater than or equal to N, and wherein the M>=2 micro-optical elements are configured to correct the inclination of the N light beams; and / or wherein the beam control device comprises a beam focusing device (110) configured to image the N>=2 substantially non-overlapping light beams (102) onto the beam inclination correction element (120); and / or wherein the beam imaging device (140) effects a substantially telecentricity-preserving imaging, preferably via a 4f imaging.

3. Imaging device according to claim 2, wherein the beam control device is arranged to control one or more of the light beams so that it or they are imaged onto one or more different micro-optical elements of the M>=2 micro-optical elements of the beam tilt correction element.

4. Imaging device according to one of claims 2 to 3, wherein the beam control device is further configured to control one or more of the N light beams so that it or they are imaged onto different non-overlapping positions on one of the M micro-optical elements.

5. Imaging device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the beam control device comprises one or more acousto-optical deflectors and / or one or more piezoelectrically adjustable mirrors to control the one or more of the N light beams.

6. Imaging device according to claim 5, wherein the beam control device comprises an acousto-optical deflector and / or a piezoelectrically adjustable mirror for each of the N light beams, wherein an output beam of the acousto-optical deflector is imaged onto the piezoelectrically adjustable mirror via a substantially telecentricity-preserving image, preferably a 4f image.

7. Imaging device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the beam imaging device comprises a microscope objective which images the N light beams onto the target area and which preferably has a numerical aperture, NA, greater than or equal to 0.

5.

8. Imaging device according to claim 7, wherein the M micro-optical elements are configured to correct the inclination of the N light beams so that they overlap in a plane (145) of an entrance focal point of the microscope objective substantially at different inclination angles.

9. A microscopy system comprising: an imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, a device for arranging an object to be examined in the target area such that the substantially non-overlapping positions lie on or in a part of the object to be examined; and, optionally, a device for illuminating the object to be examined such that the substantially non-overlapping positions in the target area are at least partially illuminated.

10. The microscopy system according to claim 9, further comprising a plurality of optical sensors, preferably CCD or CMOS sensors, wherein the imaging device is configured to image light emanating from the substantially non-overlapping positions and entering the imaging system onto different sensors of the plurality of optical sensors; and / or wherein the device for illuminating the object to be examined is configured to illuminate two or more of the substantially non-overlapping positions with different light, each having a different frequency spectrum.

11. Microscopy system according to claim 9 or 10, wherein at least two sensors of the plurality of optical sensors differ in their sensor type; and / or wherein the imaging device has different optical filters for at least two sensors of the plurality of optical sensors, wherein, optionally, the different optical filters are selected from: a spectral filter, a polarization filter, and a spatial frequency filter, and / or wherein the device for illuminating is configured to illuminate at least two of the non-overlapping positions differently such that the light entering the imaging system in each case has a different frequency spectrum.

12. Microscopy system according to one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the device for arranging the object to be examined is designed to displace the object to be examined in such a way that at least two different non-overlapping positions are mapped successively to at least two different sensors.

13. Microscopy system according to one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the device for illuminating the object to be examined is configured to image the illuminating light via the imaging device onto the substantially non-overlapping positions in the target area, preferably using a dichroic mirror whose frequency-dependent reflection behavior corresponds to an absorption and emission spectrum of a fluorescent dye of the object.

14. A laser targeting system comprising: an imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the N light beams are laser beams imaged into the target area; and a laser beam source providing the N laser beams to the imaging device.

15. Laser addressing system according to claim 14, wherein the laser beam source comprises a beam splitter (210), preferably a diffractive beam splitter, for generating the N laser beams from an input beam.

16. The laser addressing system of claim 15, wherein the beam splitter is configured to generate N >= 3 laser beams in a polygonal or star-shaped arrangement; and wherein the imaging device comprises a beam separator 230 that directs each of the N >= 3 laser beams in a different direction, preferably maintaining the polygonal or star-shaped arrangement.

17. Laser targeting system according to one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the imaging device further comprises a beam monitoring beam splitter (250) arranged in the optical path between the beam tilt correction element (120) and the target area (150) and which is adapted to Laser beam power of the N laser beams to a beam analysis device (260).

18. The laser addressing system of claim 17, further comprising an illumination device (270) that illuminates the beam tilt correction element (120) such that it can be observed via the beam monitoring beam splitter with the beam analysis device.

19. Laser addressing system according to claim 16 or 17, further comprising a first lens (280) arranged in the optical path between the beam monitoring beam splitter (250) and the beam analysis device (260), and a second lens (285) arranged in the optical path between the first lens (280) and the beam analysis device (280), wherein the first lens (280) provides a 2f image, via a heterodyne beam splitter (275) between the beam tilt correction element (120) and the illumination device (270), and both lenses together provide a 4f image between the beam tilt correction element (120) and the beam analysis device (260).

20. A quantum computer or quantum simulation device comprising: a plurality of individual atoms, ions, or molecules arranged in a grid-like trap in the target region; and a laser addressing system according to any one of claims 15 to 19 for simultaneously addressing N>=2 of the atoms, ions, or molecules arranged in the grid-like trap.

21. Quantum computer or quantum simulation device according to claim 20, wherein at least M > = 2 individual atoms, ions or molecules are arranged in the grid-like trap at preferably adjacent positions, where M > = N.

22. Quantum computer or quantum simulation device according to one of claims 20 or 21, wherein the atoms, ions or molecules are arranged in a hexagonal, rectangular or kagome-like lattice arrangement in the target region, and wherein the M>=2 micro-optical elements are arranged accordingly.

2. A material processing device comprising: a device for arranging a material to be processed in the target area; and a laser addressing system according to one of claims 15 to 19 for simultaneously addressing the material to be processed at a plurality of positions, wherein the N laser beams are configured to process the material to be processed.

24. An optical telecommunications switching device comprising: a laser addressing system according to any one of claims 15 to 19, wherein the N laser beams are modulated with different optical communication signals; and an output module with L > N optical output ports, preferably optical light guides, arranged in the target area such that the position of the output ports coincides with the substantially non-overlapping positions of the laser beams in the target area; wherein the beam control device is controllable such that each of the N laser beams can be coupled into at least two of the L output ports.

25. A static micromirror device (120) comprising: a substrate (600, 700); and M >= 2, preferably M >= 4 micromirrors (310) arranged on or in the substrate, and wherein at least two of the M micromirrors have a different angle with a surface normal of the substrate.

26. A static micromirror device according to claim 25, comprising L >=1 similar groups of N >= 4 micromirrors, where M = L x N, and wherein each of the N micromirrors of each group has a different angle with a surface normal of the substrate than the other micromirrors of the same group. 27- Static micromirror device according to claim 26, wherein the N >= 4 micromirrors of each of the L >= 1 groups have a geometric arrangement, in particular a hexagonal, rectangular or kagome-like arrangement, corresponding to an arrangement of target positions in a target area.

28. A static micromirror device according to any one of claims 25 to 27, wherein each of the M micromirrors has an effective mirror surface that fits within a circle of diameter 200 pm, and wherein a circle with a diameter of 50 pm fits within the effective mirror surface.

29. A static micromirror device according to any one of claims 25 to 28, wherein the N mirrors of one of the L groups have a different curvature than another of the L groups.

30. A static micromirror device according to any one of claims 25 to 29, wherein each of the M micromirrors has an effective mirror surface that fits within a circle of diameter 600 pm, and wherein 30 or more circles with a diameter of 50 pm fit within the effective mirror surface without overlapping.

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