Generation and applications of x-ray and extreme ultraviolet beams carrying orbital angular momentum

Abstract

In addition to spin angular momentum, light can carry orbital angular momentum. The orbital angular momentum degree of freedom in the extreme ultraviolet and x-ray regimes enables fundamental studies of light–matter interactions and new methods to study materials. Advances in x-ray optics, as well as undulator radiation and high harmonic generation techniques, lead to the creation of beams with non-trivial phase structure, such as a helical phase structure, creating new possibilities for the use of extreme ultraviolet and x-ray photons with orbital angular momentum in probing complex electronic structures in matter. In this article, we review the generation and applications of orbital angular momentum beams in the x-ray and extreme ultraviolet regime. We discuss several recent works that exploit the orbital angular momentum degree of freedom and showcase the potential advantages of using these beams.