Experimental verification on tightly focused radially polarized vortex beams

The theoretical and experimental results of tightly focused radially polarized vortex beams are demonstrated. An auto-focus technology is introduced into the measurement system in order to enhance the measurement precision, and the radially polarized vortex beams are generated by a liquid-crystal polarization converter and a vortex phase plate. The focused fields of radially polarized vortex beams with different topological charges at numerical apertures （NAs） of 0.65 and 0.85 are measured respectively, and the results indicate that the total intensity distribution at focus is dependent not only on the NA of the focusing objective lens and polarization pattern of the beam but also on the topological charge l of the beam. Some unique focusing properties of radially polarized vortex beams with fractional topological charges are presented based on numerical calculations. The experimental verification paves the way for some practical applications of radially polarized vortex beams, such as in optical trapping, near-field microscopy, and material processing.     

基于双开口谐振环超表面的宽带太赫兹涡旋光束产生

提出了一种基于双开口谐振环单元结构超表面的太赫兹宽带涡旋光束产生器.该结构由金属-电介质两层构成,位于顶层的是基于双开口谐振环单元结构的超表面,底层为介质层.对单元结构阵列进行数值仿真,圆偏振的入射光可以被转换成相应的交叉偏振透射光,通过旋转表层金属谐振环,可以控制交叉偏振透射光具有相同的振幅和不同的相位.这些单元结构按照特定的规律排列,可以形成用以产生不同拓扑荷数的涡旋光束的涡旋相位板.以拓扑荷数1和2为例,设计了两种涡旋相位板,数值分析了圆偏振波垂直入射到该涡旋相位板生成交叉圆偏振涡旋光束的特性.结果表明,在1.39—1.91 THz的频率范围内产生了比较理想的不同拓扑荷数的涡旋光束,且透过率高于20%,最高可达到24%,接近单层透射式超表面的理论极限值.     

4Pi focusing of spatially modulated radially polarized vortex beams

We propose a method for generating focal beams with special intensity distributions using radially polarized vortex beams in a 4Pi configuration. A spherical dark-hollow beam and hollow beam array can be obtained by vortex beams with topological charge of m=1. A dark channel can be generated using vortex beams with topological charge of m=2. The length of the well-defined hollow beam array and the dark channel is about 30λ. These interesting beams are useful in optical trapping and manipulation.     

Switchable vortex beam polarization state terahertz multi-layer metasurface

We propose a switchable vortex beam polarization state terahertz multi-layer metasurface, which consists of three-layer elliptical metal crosses, four-layer dielectrics, and two-layer hollow metal circles, which are alternately superimposed. Under the normal incidence of left-handed circularly polarized (LCP) wave and the right-handed circularly polarized (RCP) waves, the proposed structure realizes three independent control functions, i.e., focused and vortex beam, vortex beam with different topological charges, and polarization states switching, and azimuth switching of two vortex beams with different polarization states. The results show that the proposed metasurface provides a new idea for investigating the multifunctional terahertz wave modulation devices.     

超高斯涡旋光束在空间中的传输特性

研究了超高斯涡旋光束光强最大值、光斑半径以及环围能量半径等参数随传输距离和拓扑荷数的变化规律,并与高斯涡旋光束做了比较,结果表明:超高斯涡旋光束的光斑半径和环围能量半径随拓扑荷数及传输距离呈近似线性关系;对同一拓扑荷数和传输距离,高斯涡旋光束的能量较超高斯涡旋光束要发散;当拓扑荷数较大时,超高斯涡旋光束的光斑半径比高斯涡旋光束更大。针对光束质量研究了广义光束质量因子随传输距离和拓扑荷数的变化,结果表明传输距离足够远时,拓扑荷数较小的超高斯涡旋光束具有更好的光束质量。     

Natural shaping of the cylindrically polarized beams

We have experimentally and theoretically shown that the circularly polarized beam bearing a singly charged optical vortex propagating through a uniaxial crystal can be split after focusing into the radially and azimuthally polarized beams in the vicinity of the focal area provided that the polarization handedness and the vortex topological charge have opposite signs.     

随机电磁涡旋光束的深聚焦特性

基于德拜矢量积分理论,研究了随机电磁涡旋光束经过大数值孔径透镜之后的聚焦特性及透镜的数值孔径、入射光束的偏振度、拓扑荷以及横向相干长度对焦平面附近聚焦光束的光强分布和相干度的影响.结果表明:适当地选择相关参量,可在焦平面上得到椭圆形光斑的光强分布以及平顶光强分布.随机电磁涡旋光束在焦平面上同一点处两个相互垂直分量之间的相干度,不同两点处两个相同分量之间的相干度以及不同两点处两个相互垂直分量之间的相干度研究表明,入射光束的拓扑荷和横向相干长度对聚焦光束的相干性有着十分明显的影响.     

分数阶双涡旋光束的实验研究

具有分数阶拓扑荷数的涡旋光束的产生及其传输是近几年来人们感兴趣的研究课题． 本文提出了一种新型的分数阶双涡旋光束, 该光束是由两束带有不同分数阶拓扑荷数的涡旋光束共轴叠加产生, 其光强分布为双环结构．我们对该光束分别进行了理论模拟和实验研究．研究表明, 分数阶双涡旋光束的双环携带不同的轨道角动量, 且相互独立地传输．这种新型的涡旋光束相对于整数阶或单个分数阶拓扑荷数的涡旋光束更具有控制多样性, 有望在光学镊子、光学扳手等微粒子操控领域开发新的应用．     

衍射效应诱导涡旋光束的偏振度变化

基于惠更斯-菲涅耳衍射原理以及部分相干光的相干与偏振的统一理论,研究了衍射效应诱导部分相干涡旋光束的偏振度变化.通过理论分析与数值计算表明,部分相干涡旋光束经圆孔衍射后偏振度将发生变化,在衍射场中光束的偏振度分布情况与入射光束的相干度、入射光束的拓扑电荷数、衍射孔径的大小等因素有关.     

Adaptive correction of vortex laser beam in a closed-loop system with phase only liquid crystal spatial light modulator

We propose and demonstrate the wave front correction of a vortex laser beam by using dual phase only liquid crystal spatial light modulators (LC-SLMs) and a stochastic parallel gradient descent (SPGD) algorithm. One phase only LC-SLM is used to generate vortex laser beam by loading spiral phase screen onto the wave front of input quasi-Gaussian beam. The other phase only LC-SLM under SPGD controller based on the subzone control method adaptively compensates the wave front of vortex laser beam. Numerical simulation and experimental results show that after correction, vortex doughnut like beam is focused into a beam with airy disk pattern distribution in the far field. The adaptive corrections of vortex laser beam with different optical topological charges are studied. The results show that the optical topological charge has little influence on adaptive correction. The powers in the main lobe of far field intensity distributions of vortex laser beams with different optical topological charges are all greatly improved by adaptive correction. The technique proposed in this paper can be used in optical communication, relay mirror and atmospheric turbulence correction.     

Structure of a tightly focused vortex beam in the presence of primary coma

Structure of a tightly focused circularly polarized vortex beam in the presence of primary coma has been studied by using Debye-Wolf diffraction integral. The role of topological charge and handedness of the polarization on the focused structure has been discussed. Results have been presented for the total intensity and squares of the polarization components for left-, and right circularly polarized vortex beams. Impact of coma, on the dark core of an azimuthally polarized non-vortex beam is also investigated and compared with the dark core of a circularly polarized vortex beam. The presence of comatic aberration in the focusing system results in a positional shift of the high intensity lobes, and reduction of the intensity on one side of the center. Effect of coma on the focused structure has also been discussed in the context of STED microscopy.     

基于涡旋光束的超快速角向集束匀滑方案

针对惯性约束聚变装置对激光集束辐照均匀性的需求,提出了一种基于涡旋光束的超快速角向匀滑方案,即利用螺旋相位板使2×2集束中的两子束由超高斯光束变换为涡旋光束,而其余两子束不变,进而通过对子束偏振态和中心波长的调控,使集束中的涡旋光束和超高斯光束在靶面两两相干叠加.相干叠加后的焦斑以皮秒量级为周期超快速旋转,从而在极短时间内快速抹平焦斑强度调制,改善靶面辐照均匀性.通过建立基于螺旋相位板的激光超快速角向集束匀滑方案的物理模型,分析了其角向匀滑特性,并与光谱角色散技术和径向匀滑技术进行了比较分析.结果表明,这一新型激光集束匀滑方案能实现对焦斑的超快速角向匀滑,且能在数皮秒时间内达到最佳辐照均匀性.     

线偏振相位涡旋光束的像散特性

提出采用像散系数表征涡旋光束的像散特性。利用螺旋相位板产生了线偏振相位涡旋光束,并对其光束质量及像散特性进行了实际测量。数值模拟了不同拓扑荷数的涡旋光束的传输特性及光束质量,分析了像散系数随拓扑荷数变化的规律,结果表明:当拓扑荷数为整数时,光束无像散,像散系数为零;当拓扑荷数为半奇数时,光束的像散特性明显,像散系数达到极大值;随着拓扑荷数整数部分的增加,像散系数的极大值减小。     

Properties of circularly polarized vortex beams

The properties of circularly polarized vortex beams in cylindrical polarization bases are studied. A circularly polarized vortex beam is decomposed into radial and azimuthal polarization. With the proper combination of vortex charge and the handedness of the circular polarization, a focal field with an extremely strong longitudinal component as well as a flat-topped profile can be obtained. The cylindrical decomposition also sheds light on the connections between orbital angular momentum and the spin of the light beams.     

Vortex solitons with inhomogeneous polarization in nonlocal self-focusing nonlinear media

Both azimuthally and radially polarized vortex solitons are investigated to be able to exist in highly nonlocal nonlinear media. We get exactly analytical solutions of azimuthally polarized vortex solitons with only polarization singularities and radially polarized vortex solitons with both phase singularities and polarization singularities. Both azimuthally and radially polarized vortex solitons can exist in nonlocal self-focusing nonlinear media with proper modulation of the beam power and the degree of nonlocality. Contrary to those of radially polarized counterparts in local Kerr media, the topological charge can be any integer. When the topological charge m ≠ 0, both phase singularities and polarization singularities work. When m = 0, the polarization singularities work. Azimuthally polarized vortex solitons with polarization singularities corresponds to the linearly polarized vortex solitons with single charge. Our results show that polarization singularities work the same way as phase singularities in some sense.     

All-Dielectric Multichannel Terahertz Metasurface Empowering Independent Wavefront Manipulation

Metasurfaces have demonstrated unprecedented capabilities in modulating the polarization and phase of electromagnetic waves and formed an emerging field of research, driving the exploitation of versatile compact devices. In this work, one transmission-mode, multichannel all-silicon metasurface platform that can implement functionalities separately in two orthogonally polarized output fields under linearly polarized incidences is proposed, which can effectively promote the design flexibility. Specifically, a single metasurface can realize multiple independent target phase distributions carrying specific phase relationships, thus enabling different information processing in different linear polarization states. For proof-of-principle experimental exhibitions, a monolayer metasurface composed of silicon pillars is designed, fabricated, and characterized to demonstrate the ability of multi-dimensional light field control, such as polarization-switchable focusing beam. Moreover, the other designed metasurface can generate polarization-switchable Bessel vortex beams under linearly polarized incidences, which also verifies the flexibility and practicality of such platform. This metasurface platform may lead to new optical components, involving multichannel singular beam generators, information encoders, and holographic encryption devices.     

Polarization converter for higher-order laser beams using a single binary diffractive optical element as beam splitter

We propose a new approach to generating a pair of initial beams for a polarization converter that operates by summing up two opposite-sign circularly polarized beams. The conjugated pairs of vortex beams matched with laser modes are generated using binary diffractive optical elements (DOEs). The same binary element simultaneously serves two functions: a beam shaper and a beam splitter. Two proposed optical arrangements are compared in terms of alignment complexity and energy efficiency. The DOEs in question have been designed and fabricated. Natural experiments that demonstrate the generation of vector higher-order cylindrical beams have been conducted.     

利用全息法在偶氮聚合物薄膜中记录涡旋光场

利用全息技术在偶氮聚合物薄膜中记录了拓扑荷数q=–1,1,2,4的涡旋光场,并将记录的原始叉形光栅与计算全息光栅进行对比,对不同拓扑荷数涡旋光的记录速率和偶氮材料的可重复擦写性能进行了测试;记录完成后,将复现涡旋光与高斯光束干涉,并与原始涡旋光和原始叉形光栅对比,分析了记录质量.实验结果表明:高阶涡旋光场的全息叉形光栅会在记录过程中发生劈裂,轻微劈裂的涡旋光束仍维持一个稳定的环状结构;全息记录过程中不同拓扑荷数的涡旋光束记录速率较为统一,偶氮材料可经过上百次的擦写而不出现疲劳;再现涡旋光与原始涡旋光在光强分布结构上保持高度一致,再现涡旋光的干涉条纹与原始涡旋全息光栅保持高度一致,涡旋光及其携带的拓扑荷信息可被有效记录和读取.     

STED microscopy based on axially symmetric polarized vortex beams

A stimulated emission depletion(STED) microscopy scheme using axially symmetric polarized vortex beams is proposed based on unique focusing properties of such kinds of beams. The concept of axially symmetric polarized vortex beams is first introduced, and the basic principle about the scheme is described. Simulation results for several typical beams are then shown, including radially polarized vortex beams, azimuthally polarized vortex beams, and high-order axially symmetric polarized vortex beams. The results indicate that sharper doughnut spots and thus higher resolutions can be achieved, showing more flexibility than previous schemes based on flexible modulation of both phase and polarization for incident beams.     

共轴双涡旋声束形成离轴多涡旋的定位

涡旋声束具有螺旋的相位波前,中轴线上形成声强为零的相位奇点,其所携带的轨道角动量在粒子操控领域有着广阔的应用前景。传统声涡旋只在传播轴线上形成一个拓扑荷可控的涡旋波束,这限制了声涡旋的应用灵活性。基于环形点声源阵列和相位编码技术,利用奇偶声源分别产生共轴双涡旋声束的声场叠加,在传播截面上形成了具有中心涡旋和子涡旋的离轴多涡旋声场;研究了双涡旋拓扑参数对离轴涡旋的个数、位置及拓扑荷的影响,基于声涡旋的径向声压和相位分布,确定了离轴涡旋的离轴半径,并结合声源位置推导子涡旋中心方位角的计算公式,实现离轴涡旋的精确定位。本研究突破了沿轴分布的涡旋声场只能形成单点涡旋势阱的操控局限,为利用离轴多涡旋实现多点粒子捕获提供了理论依据,促进涡旋声场在精确粒子操控和传输方面的高效应用。