Stability of higher order optical vortices produced by spatial light modulators

Abstract

The stability of higher charge optical vortices generated with a spatial light modulator is investigated. It is observed that higher charge vortices split into an array of unit charge vortices with the tilting of a spatial light modulator. An interferometric method is used to show the exact location of split unit charge vortices. The rotation dynamics of generated unit charge vortices is visualized from the recorded images. A symmetric high charge vortex can be produced with a normal incidence of input laser beam to the spatial light modulator.