Phys.org  August 1, 2024 Researchers at UC California developed a pyramid-structured diffractive optical network design (P-D2NN), optimized specifically for unidirectional image magnification and demagnification. The diffractive layers were pyramidally scaled in alignment with the direction of the image magnification or demagnification, to inhibit image formation in the opposite direction, thus achieved the desired unidirectional imaging operation using a much smaller number of diffractive degrees of freedom within the optical processor volume. The design maintained its unidirectional image magnification/demagnification functionality across a large band of illumination wavelengths. It allowed a unidirectional magnifier and a unidirectional demagnifier operation simultaneously in opposite directions, […]