• Accepted Paper

Three-dimensional optical knots from intensity caustics

Yixian Qian, Xin Ma, Wuhong Zhang, Lixiang Chen, and Ebrahim Karimi

Phys. Rev. Lett. - Accepted 7 October, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/mfzh-6ssx

Abstract

Optical knots have primarily been realised as dark singular lines, including phase vortices and polarisation C-lines, within regions of vanishing or low intensity, limiting their visibility and applications in nonlinear optics and light-matter interactions. Here, we theoretically propose and experimentally demonstrate three-dimensional knotted intensity-caustic networks, from torus knots to non-torus geometries such as Archimedean spirals, within the bright skeletons of structured light fields. These intrinsically energy-carrying, physically robust caustic knots maintain their topological stability during free-space propagation. The global intensity landscape also forms caustic surfaces resembling Seifert surfaces, providing a visually accessible representation of the field’s three-dimensional topology. Our approach establishes intensity caustics as a platform for optical knotting and robust topological control in high-intensity regimes, with implications for nonlinear wave shaping and micromanipulation.

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