Tunable Photonic Hook Design Based on Anisotropic Cutting Liquid Crystal Microcylinder

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

In this paper, the authors investigated a novel scheme for generating and modulating photonic hook (PH) using cutting liquid crystal microcylinder. The study systematically examined the effects of three types of incident light beams—plane wave, Gaussian beam, and Bessel beam. The topic is intriguing, and the simulation results appear to be robust. However, there are certain aspects that require clarification and bolstering before this work is deemed suitable for publication in Photonics.

 

1.     This study seems to stem from a previous conference paper [DOI: 10.1109/APEIE59731.2023.10347732], and it should be cited accurately.

 

2.     Regarding Fig. 2, the authors defined the starting point as the maximum point of field intensity on the spherical surface, and the turning point as the local maximum point. Why do the authors choose this definition?

 

3.     The manuscript did not conduct an entire analysis of the Poynting vector. For example, in Fig. 3, I recommend the authors add arrows to depict the direction of the energy flow.

 

4.     In the realm of generating and controlling PH using anisotropic materials, Li et al. [DOI: https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.515510] have conducted similar researches. I recommend the authors introduce this work and make some comparison with it.

 

5.     In the discussion of Section 3.2, why are the cutting microcylinder mounted after the waist of the Gaussian beam? It is well known that the scattering outcomes of particles at different positions within a Gaussian beam are distinct [https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.405837]. What impact does this difference have on the PH discussed in the paper?

 

6.     Why is water chosen as the background instead of air? If it aims to reduce the refractive index contrast, please provide an explanation.

 

7.     On line 184, the ordinary refractive index is denoted as "n_o". Additionally, what are the criteria for selecting the values of n_o and the range of variations for n_e?

 

8.     The study of variations in the extraordinary refractive index involves certain critical numerical values (line 255), indicating some potential applications. Are there real materials that have refractive index closely match those described?

9.     How is the liquid crystal mounted in the design? If it is assumed that the liquid crystal is an ideal scenario with infinitely thin and rigid films, it should be clarified.

10.  Line 116，the radius and the distance are 2 m and 1 m, respectively? Line 115, the simulation area is 14 × 14 m² ? Please check those numbers.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

English writing is generally good, but there is still room for improvement.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This study proposes a novel method for generating photonic hooks using an anisotropic cutting liquid crystal microcylinder. This approach is intriguing and has the potential for applications in various fields. The manuscript can be accepted provided that the following concerns are addressed adequately.

 

1. On page 3, the authors state that the simulated area is 14 x 14 m² and the microcylinder has a radius of 2 m, with a distance of 1 m. These values differ from the values shown in Figure 1. I found this mistake happens several times throughout the manuscript.

 

2. In Figure 4, the unit of FWHM is missing. The same issue is present in Figure 10.

 

3. What are the advantages of the proposed photonic hook generation method compared to other photonic hook generation methods, such as the generation of photonic hooks from patchy microspheres.The latter method has been theoretically and experimentally demonstrated (Generation of photonic hooks from patchy microcylinders, Photonics, 2021, 8, 466; Focusing light with a metal film coated patchy particle, Optics Express, 31, 10894-10904)? It is also easier to fabricate patchy microspheres than anisotropic cutting liquid crystal microcylinder.

 

4. Please specify some applications of this design to inspire the readers who will read this article? 

 

5. The references related to photonic hook-based high-resolution imaging are incorrect. The authors state that photonic hooks were first reported in 2016, but reference [34], which supports the statement of photonic hook-based high-resolution imaging, was published in 2014, before the discovery of photonic hooks. I have attached appropriate references related to high-resolution imaging based on photonic hooks. Please consider including them in the revised version of the manuscript to help readers access the relevant articles.

 

- Super-resolution imaging with patchy microspheres, Photonics, 2021, 8, 513.

 

- Photonic hook-assisted contrast-enhanced super-resolution imaging using Janus microspheres, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2024, 36, 353-356.

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf