2025/12/04 by Sergio Carbajo, S.-W. Bahk, Carbajo, Sergio +41 · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates #Computational Physics (physics.comp-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Mathematical Physics (math-ph) #Optics (physics.optics) #Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics #Strong Light-Matter Interactions
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2512.05042
openalex publication_date 2025/12/04 · openalex created_date 2025/12/06 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
This review charts the emerging paradigm of intelligent structured light for high-field laser-matter interactions, where the precise spatiotemporal and vectorial control of light is a critical degree of freedom. We outline a transformative framework built upon three synergistic pillars. First, we survey the advanced electromagnetic toolkit, moving beyond conventional spatial light modulators to include robust static optics and the promising frontier of plasma light modulators. Second, we detail the optimization engine for this high-dimensional design space, focusing on physics-informed digital twins and AI-driven inverse design to automate the discovery of optimal light structures. Finally, we explore the groundbreaking applications enabled by this integrated approach, including programmable electron beams, orbital-angular-momentum-carrying γ-rays, compact THz accelerators, and robust communications. The path forward necessitates overcoming grand challenges in material science, real-time adaptive control at MHz rates, and the extension of these principles to the quantum realm. This review serves as a call to action for a coordinated, interdisciplinary effort to command, rather than merely observe, light-matter interactions at the extreme.