Structured Light from Lasers

Structured light is derived from the ability to tailor light, usually referring to the spatial control of its amplitude, phase, and polarization. Although a venerable topic that dates back to the very first laser designs, structuring light at the source has seen an explosion in activity over the past decade, fuelled by a modern toolkit that exploits the versatility of diffractive structures, liquid crystals, metasurfaces/metamaterials, and exotic laser geometries, as well as a myriad of applications that range from imaging, microscopy, and laser material processing to optical communication. Here, the recent progress in creating and controlling structured light is reviewed, with particular emphasis on structuring light at the source: structured light lasers. The various design approaches, including pump shaping, cavity geometries, and the use of custom intracavity optical elements, implemented in a variety of lasers from microchip solutions to high-power fibers are covered in a tutorial style. The history and latest developments in the field are reviewed, elucidating the various structured light patterns that have been created from lasers, including orbital angular momentum and vector states of light. Finally, the present challenges and limitations are highlighted, along with comments on likely future trends.