OAM-based Optical Communications Research Articles

Inelastic two-wave mixing induced high-efficiency transfer of optical vortices

A scheme for high-efficiency transfer of optical vortices is proposed by an inelastic two-wave mixing (ITWM) process in an inverted-Y four-level atomic medium, which is originally prepared in a coherent superposition of two ground states. The orbital angular momentum (OAM) information in the incident vortex probe field can be transferred to the generated signal field through the ITWM process. Choosing reasonable experimentally realizable parameters, we find that the presence of the off-resonance control field can greatly improve the conversion efficiency of optical vortices, rather than in the absence of a control field. This is caused by the broken of the destructive interference between two one-photon excitation pathways. Furthermore, we also extend our model to an inelastic multi-wave mixing process and demonstrate that the transfer efficiency between multiple optical vortices strongly depends on the superposition of the ground states. Finally, we explore the composite vortex beam generated by collinear superposition of the incident vortex probe and signal fields. It is obvious that the intensity and phase profiles of the composite vortex can be effectively controlled via adjusting the intensity of the control field. Potential applications of our scheme may exist in OAM-based optical communications and optical information processing.

Coherent transfer of optical vortices via backward four-wave mixing in a double- Λ atomic system

We propose and analyze an efficient scheme for the coherent transfer of optical vortices in a cold atomic ensemble with four-level double-$\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ configuration. The orbital angular-momentum (OAM) information can be transferred from the incident vortex fields to the generated backward signal field via resonant backward four-wave mixing (FWM). Considering the single vortex probe field initially acting on one transition of the atomic ensemble and using experimentally achievable parameters, we identify the conditions under which the resonant backward FWM allows us to greatly improve the conversion efficiency of optical vortices beyond what is achievable in the resonant forward OAM transfers. It is found that the complete energy conversion of optical vortices originates from the perfect competition between linear absorption and parametric gain. We also demonstrate that the phase mismatching would be detrimental to the high-efficiency transfer of optical vortices. Furthermore, we show that the generated backward signal field develops a new pure or mixing OAM state when the control field is also a vortex beam. Finally, we investigate the composite vortex beam generated by collinear superposition of the incident vortex probe and signal fields, which can controlled via adjusting the intensity of the control field. Our scheme may have potential applications in OAM-based optical communication and optical information processing.

Orbital Angular Momentum Beams for High-Capacity Communications

There is a growing interest in structured light, especially orbital angular momentum (OAM) beams, due to its unique amplitude and phase structure. Multiple orthogonal OAM beams can be utilized to enable high-capacity communication systems in various scenarios. This review will discuss the properties, challenges, advances, and perspectives of OAM-based optical communications, including the following (a) basic multiplexing and encoding links; (b) OAM-based communication in free space and fiber; (c) technical hurdles; (d) mitigation approaches; (e) encoded quantum communications; (f) advanced topics including different frequency ranges and novel beams; and (g) ecosystem and commercialization.

Deep Learning Recognition of Orbital Angular Momentum Modes Over Atmospheric Turbulence Channels Assisted by Vortex Phase Modulation

Accurate recognition of orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes is a major challenge for OAM-based optical communications over atmospheric turbulence channels. The turbulence-induced distortions cause difficulties for the receiver to distinguish between adjacent OAM modes. Deep learning, such as convolutional neural networks (CNN), has been a promising technique in solving this problem. To improve the recognition performance, we propose a vortex modulation method that can magnify the subtle differences between closely adjacent OAM states. This allows the CNN to capture the image features more effectively and to recognize the topological charges more accurately. Numerical results show high recognition accuracy for both integer topological charges and fractional ones even under strong turbulence intensity and long propagation distance, which demonstrate the utility of the proposed method.

Propagation dynamics and crosstalk of orbital angular momentum beams influenced by a supersonic wind-induced environmental disturbance.

Near field airflow induced by wind is an important factor influencing vortex beams propagation under airborne optical communication, and the cross-talk among different orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes occurs in OAM-based optical communication. In this paper, the propagation of vortex beams through a supersonic wind-induced random environment is investigated. The wind-induced phase model is firstly validated by wind tunnel experiment, with the phase model, vortex beams propagation under supersonic wind condition is analyzed, and the spiral spectrum distortion is discussed in detail. It is demonstrated that the larger wind velocity and boundary-layer thickness leads to the enhanced distortion and spiral spectrum expansion of OAM beams. The behavior of multiplexed vortex beams influenced by supersonic wind is also studied, and the effect of the topological charge interval is given. Our results may provide a powerful tool to estimate the effect of a random airflow environment on OAM-based communication performance under airborne condition.

Orbital angular momentum of light for communications

Structured light, especially beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM), has gained much interest due to its unique amplitude and phase structures. In terms of communication systems, multiple orthogonal OAM beams can be potentially utilized for increasing link capacity in different scenarios. This review describes challenges, advances, and perspectives on different aspects of the OAM-based optical communications, including (a) OAM generation/detection and (de)multiplexing, (b) classical free-space optical communication links, (c) fiber-based communication links, (d) quantum communication links, (e) OAM-based communications in different frequency ranges, (f) OAM-based communications using integrated devices, and (g) novel structured beams for communications.

Dispersion compensation for orbital angular momentum mode based on circular photonic crystal fiber

In this work, a circular dual-core photonic crystal fiber is proposed for dispersion compensation for the controllable orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode by the inner-outer core mode coupling. This design can simultaneously realize a negative dispersion of up to −3039.45 ps nm−1 km−1 for OAM mode HE31 and a high effective index separation of 2.15 × 10−3 within scalar linearly polarized (LP)21 mode group (HE31 and EH11) at 1.55 µm, ensuring HE31 vortex mode robust propagation without channel crosstalk. Evolution of the combined effective index, OAM phase, and electric field is systemically verified functioning as wavelength during the inner-outer mode coupling. Structural parameter dependence of negative dispersion is demonstrated with respect to lattice constant, air hole size and air-filling fraction, remarkably suggesting that negative dispersion dip at phase-matching wavelength exhibits an enhanced blue shift with lattice constant of inner cladding increasing but a red shift with lattice constant of outer cladding. The feasibility of this design is demonstrated with an achievement of negative dispersion of −1773.21 ps nm−1 km−1 for EH11 mode at wavelength 1.55 µm by tuning the structural parameter. This design is expected for fiber applications in OAM-based optical communication systems.

Transmission and Generation of Orbital ANGULAR Momentum Modes in Optical Fibers

The orbital angular momentum (OAM) of light provides a new degree of freedom for carrying information. The stable propagation and generation of OAM modes are necessary for the fields of OAM-based optical communications and microscopies. In this review, we focus on discussing the novel fibers that are suitable for stable OAM mode transmission and conversion. The fundamental theory of fiber modes is introduced first. Then, recent progress on a multitude of fiber designs that can stably guide or generate OAM modes is reviewed. Currently, the mode crosstalk is regarded as the main issue that damages OAM mode stability. Therefore, the coupled-mode theory and coupled-power power theory are introduced to analyze OAM modes crosstalk. Finally, the challenges and prospects of the applications of OAM fibers are discussed.

Extending the Detection Range of Optical Vortices by Dense Phase Stitching Algorithm

With the development of optical communication technology based on orbital angular momentum (OAM), more and more OAM modes are employed in communication systems, which puts forward higher requirements for the capacity of OAM state detection at the receiving end. In this work, we reported a scheme to measure and demultiplex OAM beams with topological charges from -32 to +32 by using a specially engineered two-dimensional 64-focus vortex demultiplexing array. The phase mask for generating this array was calculated by dense phase stitching algorithm which integrates four candidate phase masks that can generate four 16-focus arrays respectively. The first step of the algorithm is to extract sector phase areas from the four phase masks successively by using rotationally symmetric sector apertures whose total angular aperture is π/2. The second step of the algorithm is to form a stitched phase mask with the extracted sector phase areas. Consequently, the 64-focus vortex array can be generated by using the stitched phase mask, which is almost equivalent to generating four 16-focus arrays by four candidate phase masks simultaneously. Furthermore, by adjusting the number of sector apertures, the modal crosstalk in the OAM detection range can be greatly reduced. With the help of this scheme, both single OAM mode and multiplexing OAM modes in the range from -32 to +32 can be effectively measured. According to this scheme, simple devices can be arranged to achieve both low modal crosstalk and wide detection range of vortex beams, which can support the advanced high-capacity OAM-based optical communication systems.

Efficient Recognition of the Propagated Orbital Angular Momentum Modes in Turbulences With the Convolutional Neural Network

The vortex beam carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) has attracted great attentions in optical communication field, which can extend the channel capacity of communication system due to the orthogonality between different OAM modes. Generally, atmospheric turbulence can distort the helical phase fronts of OAM beams, which presents a critical challenge to the effective recognition of OAM modes. Recently, convolutional neural network (CNN), as a model of deep learning, has been widely applied to machine vision. In this paper, based on the CNN theory, we make a tradeoff between the computational complexity of the system and the efficiency of recognition by establishing a specially designed six-layer CNN structure in CPU station to efficiently achieve the recognition of OAM mode in turbulent environment through the feature extraction of the received Laguerre-Gaussian beam's intensity distributions. Furthermore, we examine the performances of our designed CNN with respect to various turbulence levels, transmission distances, mode spacings, and we have also compared the performances of recognizing single OAM mode with multiplexed OAM modes. The numerical simulation shows that basing on CNN method, the coaxial multiplexed OAM modes can obtain higher recognizing accuracy about 96.25% even under long transmission distance with strong turbulence. It is anticipated that the results might be helpful for future implementation of high-capacity OAM-based optical communication technology.

Effects of orbital angular momentum on few-cycle and sub-cycle pulse shapes: coupling between the temporal and angular momentum degrees of freedom.

We describe the effects of the coupling between the orbital angular momentum (OAM) and the temporal degrees of freedom in pulsed Laguerre-Gauss beams as a significant increase of the duration of few-cycle pulses when the OAM carried by the pulse is large, and as an enhancement to other previously known spatiotemporal couplings as radial red- and blue-shift of the mean frequency. In contrast to other detrimental, but retrievable, effects in the generation and propagation of ultrashort vortices such as spatial, group velocity, and topological charge dispersions, the OAM-temporal coupling effect is unavoidable and, therefore, has an impact on applications such as OAM-based optical communications, or on the generation of vortex-carrying attosecond pulses.

Upper Bound to the Orbital Angular Momentum Carried by an Ultrashort Pulse.

Photons in a ring-shaped vortex light beam can have an arbitrarily high orbital angular momentum (OAM) lℏ, in addition to the spin angular momentum ±ℏ. For a pulsed vortex beam, there is, however, an upper bound to the integer units l of OAM, or topological charge of the vortex, and a lower bound to the pulse duration to carry OAM. These limits have implications in experiments with ultrashort vortices, e.g., in the generation of twisted attosecond bursts in the extreme ultraviolet, in the temporal resolution in ultrafast spectroscopy, or in the performance of OAM-based optical communications or cryptographic systems, as well as in other areas of physics as acoustics or electron waves.

Restriction on orbital angular momentum distribution: a role of media in vortex beams propagation.

The vortex beam carrying single orbital angular momentum (OAM) propagating through a medium with a certain transmission function is investigated. We show that the OAM mode weights in the output OAM spectrum involve two factors: the radial distribution of output beam power and the proposed restriction-characterized function. Based on the restriction-characterized function, we show that the OAM mode weights can only vary in a limited range. We analyze the relationship between the radial distribution of the output beam power and the OAM mode weights in the output OAM spectrum. Finally, our theoretical analysis is illustrated numerically with the cases of eccentric circular aperture and atmospheric turbulence in a weak fluctuation regime. These results provide new insights into the characterization of the OAM spectrum and may find applications for fields involving OAM, such as an OAM-based optical communication link and object detection.

Sum frequency generation with two orbital angular momentum carrying laser beams

Frequency sum of two light beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) in quasi-phase matching crystals was reported for the first time. The situations in which one light carried OAM and the other is in Gaussian mode and both beams carried OAM were studied in detail. An arbitrary sum arithmetic of lights with OAM was demonstrated in the conversion process. Our study is very promising in constructing hybrid OAM-based optical communication networks and all optical switching.