Angular Momentum Of Light Research Articles

Controlled generation of higher-order Poincaré sphere beams from a laser

The angular momentum of light can be described by positions on a higher-order Poincare sphere, where superpositions of spin and orbital angular momentum states give rise to laser beams that have many applications, from microscopy to materials processing. Many techniques exist to create such beams but none so far allow their creation at the source. Here we report on a new class of laser that is able to generate all states on the higher-order Poincare sphere. We exploit geometric phase control inside a laser cavity to map polarization to orbital angular momentum, demonstrating that the orbital angular momentum degeneracy of a standard laser cavity may be broken, producing pure orbital angular momentum beams, and that generalized vector vortex beams may be created with high purity at the source. This work paves the way to new lasers for structured light based on intracavity geometric phase control. By exploiting geometric phase control inside a laser cavity to map polarization to orbital angular momentum, a new class of laser that is able to generate all states on the higher-order Poincare sphere is reported.

Optical fiber design with orbital angular momentum light purity higher than 99.9.

The purity of the synthesized orbital-angular-momentum (OAM) light in the fiber is inversely proportional to channel crosstalk level in the OAM optical fiber communication system. Here the relationship between the fiber structure and the purity is firstly demonstrated in theory. The graded-index optical fiber is proposed and designed for the OAM light propagation with the purity higher than 99.9%. 16 fiber modes (10 OAM modes) have been supported by a specific designed graded-index optical fiber with dispersion less than 35 ps/(km∙nm). Such fiber design has suppressed the intrinsic crosstalk to be lower than -30 dB, and can be potentially used for the long distance OAM optical communication system.

The azimuthal component of Poynting's vector and the angular momentum of light

The usual description in basic electromagnetic theory of the linear and angular momenta of light is centred upon the identification of Poynting's vector as the linear momentum density and its cross product with position, or azimuthal component, as the angular momentum density. This seemingly reasonable approach brings with it peculiarities, however, in particular with regards to the separation of angular momentum into orbital and spin contributions, which has sometimes been regarded as contrived. In the present paper, we observe that densities are not unique, which leads us to ask whether the usual description is, in fact, the most natural choice. To answer this, we adopt a fundamental rather than heuristic approach by first identifying appropriate symmetries of Maxwell's equations and subsequently applying Noether's theorem to obtain associated conservation laws. We do not arrive at the usual description. Rather, an equally acceptable one in which the relationship between linear and angular momenta is nevertheless more subtle and in which orbital and spin contributions emerge separately and with transparent forms.

Doubly heavy baryons with chiral partner structure

The spectrum and dominant strong decay properties of the doubly heavy baryons are revisited by using a chiral effective model with the chiral partner structure. By regarding the doubly heavy baryons in the ground states and light angular momentum, jl=1/2, sector of the first orbitally excited states as chiral partners, we estimate their mass splitting arising from the spontaneous breaking of chiral symmetry to be about 430 MeV for baryons including an unflavored light quark and about 350 MeV for that including a strange quark. We point out that, similar to the heavy–light meson sector, the intermultiplet decay from a baryon with negative parity to its chiral partner and a pion is determined by the mass splitting through the generalized Goldberger–Treiman relation. Furthermore, the isospin-violating decay of the Ωcc baryon, ((1/2)−,(3/2)−)s→((1/2)+,(3/2)+)s+π0, through the η–π0 mixing is the dominant decay channel of the doubly heavy baryons including a strange quark.

First principles approach to the Abraham–Minkowski controversy for the momentum of light in general linear non-dispersive media

We study the problem of the definition of the energy–momentum tensor of light in general moving non-dispersive media with linear constitutive law. Using the basic principles of classical field theory, we show that for the correct understanding of the problem, one needs to carefully distinguish situations when the material medium is modeled either as a background on which light propagates or as a dynamical part of the total system. In the former case, we prove that the (generalized) Belinfante–Rosenfeld (BR) tensor for the electromagnetic field coincides with the Minkowski tensor. We derive a complete set of balance equations for this open system and show that the symmetries of the background medium are directly related to the conservation of the Minkowski quantities. In particular, for isotropic media, the angular momentum of light is conserved despite of the fact that the Minkowski tensor is non-symmetric. For the closed system of light interacting with matter, we model the material medium as a relativistic non-dissipative fluid and we prove that it is always possible to express the total BR tensor of the closed system either in the Abraham or in the Minkowski separation. However, in the case of dynamical media, the balance equations have a particularly convenient form in terms of the Abraham tensor. Our results generalize previous attempts and provide a first principles basis for a unified understanding of the long-standing Abraham–Minkowski controversy without ad hoc arguments.

Selective detection of angular-momentum-polarized Auger electrons by atomic stereography.

When a core level is excited by circularly polarized light, the angular momentum of light is transferred to the emitted photoelectron, which can be confirmed by the parallax shift of the forward focusing peak (FFP) direction in a stereograph of atomic arrangement. No angular momentum has been believed to be transferred to normal Auger electrons resulting from the decay process filling core hole after photoelectron ejection. We succeeded in detecting a non-negligible circular dichroism contrast in a normal Auger electron diffraction from a nonmagnetic Cu(001) surface far off from the absorption threshold. Moreover, we detected angular-momentum-polarized Cu L(3)M(4,5)M(4,5) Auger electrons at the L(3) absorption threshold, where the excited core electron is trapped at the conduction band. From the kinetic energy dependence of the Auger electron FFP parallax shift, we found that the angular momentum is transferred to the Auger electron most effectively in the case of the (1)S(0) two-hole creation.

Spiral Light Beams and Angular Momentum of Radiation

Spiral Light Beams and Angular Momentum of Radiation

Orbital angular momentum light frequency conversion and interference with quasi-phase matching crystals

Light with helical phase structures, carrying quantized orbital angular momentum (OAM), has many applications in both classical and quantum optics, such as high-capacity optical communications and quantum information processing. Frequency conversion is a basic technique to expand the frequency range of the fundamental light. The frequency conversion of OAM-carrying light gives rise to new physics and applications such as up-conversion detection of images and generation of high dimensional OAM entanglements. Quasi-phase matching (QPM) nonlinear crystals are good candidates for frequency conversion, particularly due to their high-valued effective nonlinear coefficients and no walk-off effect. Here we report the first experimental second-harmonic generation (SHG) of an OAM-carried light with a QPM crystal, where a UV light with OAM of 100 ℏ is generated. OAM conservation is verified using a specially designed interferometer. With a pump beam carrying an OAM superposition of opposite sign, we observe interesting interference phenomena in the SHG light; specifically, a photonics gear-like structure is obtained that gives direct evidence of OAM conservation, which will be very useful for ultra-sensitive angular measurements. Besides, we also develop a theory to reveal the underlying physics of the phenomena. The methods and theoretical analysis shown here are also applicable to other frequency conversion processes, such as sum frequency generation and difference-frequency generation, and may also be generalized to the quantum regime for single photons.

Precession Mechanism of Nematic Liquid Crystal Droplets under Low Power Optical Tweezers

Optical tweezers is a magnificent tool for microscopic manipulation. Owing to few piconewton noninvasive trapping force, the tiny objects from micro sand beads down to living bacteria can be trapped under optical tweezers system. Liquid crystals (LC) are materials that enriched of optical properties providing various phemomena that can be applied for technology. In this report, we applied optical tweezers to nematic liquid crystal system for the optical manipulation study. 5CB (4-cyano-4’-pentylbiphenyl) was used with an appropriate surfactant to prepare nematic liquid crystal (NLC) droplets at room temperature. NLC droplets in radial and bipolar configurations can be formed. They react with light angular momentum and reveal dynamic and static changes through spinning and changing of internal configuration. Several recent articles reported spinning dynamics of NLC droplets under high power trapping (more than a few hundred milliwatts), however, high power caused disturbance in internal configuration of droplets. Dynamic changes of droplet under low power trapping (lower than 100 mW) conducting so far were reported unsuccessful. Here we report the first investigation on behaviour of radial NLC droplet under low power optical trap. The configuration of droplets was not disturbed under low power trapping. We investigated the dynamic behaviour of non-disturbed NLC droplet in low power optical trap.

The coupling of angular momentum of light in metal triangles nano-ring

In this paper, we proposed that local field intensity can be further enhanced by using the light beam carrying the angular momentum to excite the surface plasmon polariton (SPP). The physical process of interaction between the beam carrying the different angular momentum and metal triangles nano-ring(MTNR) and the local SPP enhancement effect are discussed in detail. When the angular momentum of light beam match well with MTNR structure, local electric field will be further enhanced, which provide an effective way to enhanced the localized surface plasmon polaritons (LSPPs). We finally fabricated the MTNR by using microspheres self-assembly and vacuum depositing method and give a proposal experiment to verify the further enhancement of LSPP based on exciting light beam carrying angular momentums.

Engineering light-matter interaction for emerging optical manipulation applications

AbstractIn this review, we explore recent trends in optical micromanipulation by engineering light-matter interaction and controlling the mechanical effects of optical fields. One central theme is exploring the rich phenomena beyond the now established precision measurements based on trapping micro beads with tightly focused beams. Novel synthesized beams, exploiting the linear and angular momentum of light, open new possibilities in optical trapping and micromanipulation. Similarly, novel structures are promising to enable new optical micromanipulation modalities. Moreover, an overview of the amazing features of the optics of tractor beams and backward-directed energy fluxes will be presented. Recently the so-called effect of negative propagation of the beams (existence of the backward energy fluxes) has been confirmed for X-waves and Airy beams. In the review, we will also discuss the negative pulling force of structured beams and negative energy fluxes in the vicinity of fibers. The effect is achieved due to the interaction of multipoles or, in another interpretation, the momentum conservation. Both backward-directed Poynting vector and backward optical forces are counter-intuitive and give an insight into new physics and technologies. Exploiting the degrees of freedom in synthesizing novel beams and designed microstructures offer attractive prospects for emerging optical manipulation applications.

Surface angular momentum of light beams

Traditionally, the angular momentum of light is calculated for "bullet-like" electromagnetic wave packets, although in actual optical experiments "pencil-like" beams of light are more commonly used. The fact that a wave packet is bounded transversely and longitudinally while a beam has, in principle, an infinite extent along the direction of propagation, renders incomplete the textbook calculation of the spin/orbital separation of the angular momentum of a light beam. In this work we demonstrate that a novel, extra surface part must be added in order to preserve the gauge invariance of the optical angular momentum per unit length. The impact of this extra term is quantified by means of two examples: a Laguerre-Gaussian and a Bessel beam, both circularly polarized.

Light induced conch-shaped relief in an azo-polymer film

We have discovered that a novel chiral structured surface relief (termed ‘conch'-shaped surface relief) with a height of over 1 μm can be formed in an azo-polymer film merely by employing circularly polarized optical vortex irradiation with a total angular momentum of j = ±2. The temporal evolution of the conch-shaped surface relief in the azo-polymer film was also observed. The results provide physical insight into how the angular momentum of light is transferred to a material through mass transport by cis-trans photo-isomerization. Such conch-shaped surface reliefs with chirality, in which functional chemical composites can be doped, enable new applications, such as planar chiral metamaterials, plasmonic holograms, and identification of chiral chemical composites.

Light angular momentum of a plane wave diffracted by a two-dimensional object

The question of the transfer of angular momentum from light to objects is a key issue in optical tweezers and thus raises issues in physics, chemistry, and biology. Most of the attempts have been performed either with spin angular momentum using light's polarization or using orbital angular momentum with twisted beams. We experimentally demonstrate here the exchange of angular momentum from a linearly polarized plane wave to a two dimensional asymmetric object. More precisely, we show that the diffracted light from a snail-shaped mask carries local orbital angular momentum whose topological charge depends on the symmetry of the object. This opens the way to a means to produce micrometer-sized twisted beams from a high power laser or even pulsed beams.

光的自旋和轨道角动量

光的自旋和轨道角动量

Correlation of the left- and the right-handed circularly polarized waves in an anisotropic crystal

An optical torque is induced by incidence of the linearly polarized light and propagating through an anisotropic crystal, which results in self-modulation of the ordinary and the extraordinary waves and causes an energy splitting of the resultant left-, and the right-handed elliptically polarized waves. The optical torque originates from the angular momentum of light, which causes the correlation of the left- and the right-handed circularly polarized waves in the crystal.

The q-plate and its future

A thin light beam, such as that emitted by a laser, may possess a hidden rotational structure, invisible to the naked eye. This structure is rooted in the electromagnetic wave nature of light and it takes two distinct forms, which may be dubbed spin and twist . Spin is associated with the rotation of the electric and magnetic fields oscillating within the optical wave—i.e., the circular polarization of light. Twist instead occurs in light waves having a helical-shaped (or twisted) wavefront and an optical vortex located at the beam axis. When a free material particle absorbs light having spin or twist, it is itself made to spin—in other words, the light exerts a rotational form of radiation pressure, showing that this kind of light carries angular momentum . More specifically, the angular momentum of light having circular polarization is named as spin angular momentum (SAM), while that associated with a spiral wavefront is called orbital angular momentum (OAM). The OAM of light has recently been attracting much attention for its possible technological applications in the areas of particle manipulation, optical sensing, and classical and quantum optical communication.

Coherent optical vortices from relativistic electron beams

The interaction between light and a relativistic electron beam can be used to generate optical vortices in a free electron laser, providing a way to engineer bright orbital angular momentum light at shorter X-ray wavelengths. Recent advances in the production and control of high-brightness electron beams (e-beams) have enabled a new class of intense light sources based on the free electron laser (FEL) that can examine matter at ångstrom length and femtosecond time scales1. The free, or unbound, electrons act as the lasing medium, which provides unique opportunities to exquisitely control the spatial and temporal structure of the emitted light through precision manipulation of the electron distribution. We present an experimental demonstration of light with orbital angular momentum (OAM; ref. 2) generated from a relativistic e-beam rearranged into an optical scale helix by a laser. With this technique, we show that a Gaussian laser mode can be effectively up-converted to an OAM mode in an FEL using only the e-beam as a mode-converter. Results confirm theoretical predictions3,4, and pave the way for the production of coherent OAM light with unprecedented brightness down to hard X-ray wavelengths for wide ranging applications in modern light sources.

Matter & energy: Doppler effect goes for a spin: Light's angular momentum can reveal rotational speed

Science NewsVolume 184, Issue 4 p. 10-10 In the News Matter & energy: Doppler effect goes for a spin: Light's angular momentum can reveal rotational speed Andrew Grant, Andrew GrantSearch for more papers by this author Andrew Grant, Andrew GrantSearch for more papers by this author First published: 14 August 2013 https://doi.org/10.1002/scin.5591840409Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume184, Issue424 August 2013Pages 10-10 RelatedInformation

Dual and anti-dual modes in dielectric spheres

We present how the angular momentum of light can play an important role to induce a dual or anti-dual behaviour on a dielectric particle. Although the material the particle is made of is not dual, i.e. a dielectric does not interact with an electrical field in the same way as it does with a magnetic one, a spherical particle can behave as a dual system when the correct excitation beam is chosen. We study the conditions under which this dual or anti-dual behaviour can be induced.