Optical sorting using an array of optical vortices with fractional topological charge

An array of optical vortices with fractional topological charge is generated using a phase-only Talbot array illuminator and used to sort microparticles. Our theoretical analysis and experimental results reveal that when a particle passes through a fractional vortex array, it will be driven by two forces, intensity-gradient force and phase-gradient force, and the cooperation of these two forces can improve its ability in optical sorting because of the special intensity and phase distribution of the fractional optical vortex array. Larger angle separation could be obtained with moderate laser power.     

Generation of Circular Optical Vortex Array

We report on a novel optical vortex array named circular optical vortex array, which is generated by the superposition of two concentric perfect optical vortices. The circular optical vortex array has a constant topological charge of +1 or ?1, the number and sign of which are determined by the topological charges of the two perfect optical vortices. Moreover, the radius of the circular optical vortex array is easily adjusted by using the cone angle of an axicon. Furthermore, the circular optical vortex array and multiple circular optical vortex array can be rotated by changing the initial phase difference of the perfect optical vortices on demand. This work demonstrates a complex structured optical field, which is of significance for applications such as optical tweezers, micro‐particle manipulation, and optical imaging.     

Multifunctional double-layered diffractive optical element

We propose a novel multifunctional double-layered diffractive optical element (DOE) based on the fractional Talbot effect. This DOE consists of two layers: one is the encoding layer, in which multiple sub-DOEs, i.e., multiple optical functions, are encoded; the other is the decoding layer, which is a properly designed Talbot illuminator. This DOE can perform each of the multiple optical functions one by one by shifting the encoding layer. Experimental results demonstrate that this method is efficient. This device should be highly interesting for integrated optics, optical interconnection, secure optical storage, and dynamic optical fiber communications.     

Tunable optical vortex arrays using spontaneous periodic pattern formation in nematic liquid crystal cells

Controllable liquid crystal (LC) defects can provide an effective approach to creating tunable optical vortices. We develop a method to create tunable matter vortex arrays in an LC cell, in which +1 and −1 defects are periodically arranged in a square grid lattice. Spontaneous formation of the periodic defect array is achieved using a spontaneous standing pressure wave without using any patterned electrode or patterned alignment layer. The +1 and −1 defects in the array can induce optical vortices with opposite handedness, and the matter vortex array produces a periodic optical vortex array with orbital angular momenta of −2ℏ and +2ℏ in the same grid lattice. Because the pitch of the grid can be controlled, the method can provide a useful pathway to producing tunable optical vortex arrays for various applications such as advanced optical communication and quantum computation.     

Phase contrast Talbot array illuminators

We propose a method for designing an improved phase-only Talbot array illuminator, called a phase contrast Talbot array illuminator (PCTAI), which could be used to generate an array of spots with a special intensity structure and high efficiency. As examples, we designed two types of PCTAIs for generating an array of line and hollow spots, respectively. Some experimental results revealing the phase contrast effect and demonstrating the feasibility of the PCTAIs are also given.     

Generation of optical vortices with arbitrary shape and array via helical phase spatial filtering

We report a method for generation of arbitrary shape and array of optical vortices by use of a superposition of coherent elementary vortices based on helical phase spatial filtering in spatial frequency domain. In this method, a helical phase spatial filter (HPSF) is placed in the spatial frequency plane of a 4-f imaging processing system. We demonstrated that the output field distribution represents the convolution between the input field and an elementary vortex field introduced by the HPSF, which results in a special shape or array of optical vortices determined by the “degenerate” properties of coherent elementary vortices and the distribution formats of the input field.     

畴腐蚀掺镁铌酸锂可调阵列光分束器的研究

研究了不同畴腐蚀深度的掺镁铌酸锂二维六角可调阵列光分束器的分数Talbot效应.对不同Talbot分数β和不同畴腐蚀深度的阵列光分束器Talbot衍射像进行了数值模拟理论研究.模拟结果表明,Talbot分数β可以改变Talbot衍射像的周期及结构分布,而畴腐蚀深度可有效调制衍射像的光强分布.在理论研究的基础上,设计并制备了具有不同畴腐蚀深度的掺镁铌酸锂二维六角阵列光分束器,对其在不同Talbot分数β条件下的分数Talbot效应进行了通光实验研究,实现了畴腐蚀阵列光分束器对近场Talbot衍射光强分布的调制,实验结果与理论研究结果一致.     

Generation and detection of optical vortices using all fiber-optic system

We demonstrate simultaneous generation, propagation and detection of optical vortices using all fiber-optic system. A fiber-optic Y-coupler was used for generating spherical and doughnut beams, simultaneously. Gaussian (TEM₀₀) beam emitted from CW red He-Ne laser is coupled into the fiber coupler and is converted into vortex beam via second arm of fiber which propagates with azimuthal phase dependence having well defined orbital angular momentum. The phase structure of vortex beam was detected by interfering both the beams using simple fiber-optic interferometer. The present all fiber-optic system might find application for detecting, sensing physical parameters and is simple and cost effective for generating and detecting optical vortices.     

Observation of orbital angular momentum transfer between acoustic and optical vortices in optical fiber

Acousto-optic interaction in optical fiber is examined from the perspective of copropagating optical and acoustic vortex modes. Calculation of the acousto-optic coupling coefficient between different optical modes leads to independent conservation of spin and orbital angular momentum of the interacting photons and phonons. We show that the orbital angular momentum of the acoustic vortex can be transferred to a circularly polarized fundamental optical mode to form a stable optical vortex in the fiber carrying orbital angular momentum. The technique provides a useful way of generating stable optical vortices in the fiber medium.     

Characterization of focusing performance of spiral zone plates with fractal structure

We propose an efficient method of generating a vortex beam with multi-foci by using a fractal spiral zone plate(FSZP), which is designed by combining fractal structure with a spiral zone plate(SZP) in the squared radial coordinate.The theoretical analysis reveals that the number of foci that embed vortices is significantly increased as compared with that obtained by using a conventional SZP. Furthermore, the influence of topological charge on the intensity distribution in focal plane is also discussed in detail. For experimental investigation, an FSZP with topological charge p = 1 and 6.4 mm diameter is fabricated by using a photo-etching technique. The calibration indicates that the focusing performances of such a kind of zone plane(ZP) accord well with simulations, thereby providing its potential applications in multi-dimensional optical manipulation and optical imaging technology.     

Rectified vortex motion in an Nb film with a spacing-graded array of holes

Superconducting Nb thin films with a spacing-graded array of holes were prepared by electron beam lithography. Two films with different hole gradients were fabricated. The ac-driven vortices were investigated in Nb superconductors with a spacing-graded array of holes. The measurements revealed pronounced rectified voltage when the vortex lattice is driven by an ac injected current. The rectified voltage is mainly caused by the strength of the vortex–vortex interaction. The rectified motion of a vortex is affected by the pinning potential of the spacing-graded array and the applied magnetic field. The vortex–vortex interaction strength changes the effective pinning landscape of the vortices and an asymmetric potential is formed. Vortices depin easily from high concentration to low concentration of pinning sites. In both samples, the ac-driven vortices exhibit a variety of dynamical responses and the rectified voltage is tunable with the applied magnetic field.     

Unveiling Talbot Effect under Fresnel Diffraction at a Fork-Shaped Grating

The near-field effect of diffraction image self-reproduction or self-imaging of a periodic grating illuminated by quasi-monochromatic wave is well-known as the Talbot effect. Introducing a dislocation to a periodic structure provides a fork-shaped modulation of the phase/amplitude, which produces discrete diffraction pattern in a far-field consisting of optical vortices. In this paper, Fresnel diffraction at amplitude fork-shaped grating is theoretically and experimentally studied. The coexistence of spatial ordering and local violation of translational symmetry of the structure manifests itself in a strict diffraction pattern consisting of optical vortices in the far-field, which is shown to be accompanied by formation of a spatially ordered intensity distribution in the near-field, reminiscent the Talbot carpets for periodic structures. These results demonstrate the first evidence of Talbot effect occurred under light diffraction at fork-shaped gratings, being promising for deep understanding of near-field singular optics phenomena.     

Vortex emission accompanies the advection of optical localized structures

We show that the advection of optical localized structures is accompanied by the emission of vortices, with phase singularities appearing in the wake of the drifting structure. Localized structures are obtained in a light-valve experiment and made to drift by a mirror tilt in the feedback loop. Pairs of oppositely charged vortices are detected for small drifts, whereas for large drifts a vortex array develops. Observations are supported by numerical simulations and linear stability analysis of the system equations and are expected to be generic for a large class of translated optical patterns.     

Conversion of topological charge of optical vortices in a parametric frequency converter

It is shown that sum-frequency generation of light beams with vortices allows to construct vortices of different topological charges. An optical parametric amplifier enables to produce a vortex with opposite topological charge (to the reverse vortex). In this way, a frequency converter can be seen as a prototype of an optical processor which allows to produce simple arithmetical operations with topological charges of the interacting vortices.     

Creating vortex retarders using photoaligned liquid crystal polymers

We present developments using photoaligned liquid crystal polymers for creating vortex retarders, half-wave retarders with a continuously variable fast axis. Polarization properties of components designed to create different polarization vortex modes are presented. We assess the viability of these components by using the theoretical and experimental point spread functions in Mueller matrix format, or a point spread matrix (PSM). The measured PSM of these components in an optical system is very close to the theoretically predicted values, thus showing that these components should provide excellent performance in applications utilizing polarized optical vortices.     

Compound plasmonic vortex generation based on spiral nanoslits

In view of wide applications of structured light fields and plasmonic vortices, we propose the concept of compound plasmonic vortex and design several structured plasmonic vortex generators. This kind of structured plasmonic vortex generators consists of multiple spiral nanoslits and they can generate two or more concentric plasmonic vortices. Different from Laguerre–Gaussian beam, the topological charge of the plasmonic vortex in different region is different. Theoretical analysis lays the basis for the design of radially structured plasmonic vortex generators and numerical simulations for several examples confirm the effectiveness of the design principle. The discussions about the interference of vortex fields definite the generation condition for the structured vortex. This work provides a design methodology for generating new vortices using spiral nanoslits and the advanced radially structured plasmonic vortices is helpful for broadening the applications of vortex fields.     

Astigmatic telescopic transformation of a high-order optical vortex

Properties of an optical vortex light beam formed after the astigmatic telescopic transformation of a circular Laguerre-Gaussian mode are considered both theoretically and experimentally. The beam evolution is found to be in conformity with the general notions on the high-order optical vortex symmetry breakdown. Upon propagation, the asymmetric beam shows a sort of rotation of its transverse profile in accord with the energy circulation in the original circular mode; this process is described on the base of the beam intensity moments and the vortex and asymmetry components of its orbital angular momentum. An l-charged optical vortex converts into |l| secondary first-order vortices positioned on a straight line crossing the beam axis. Orientation of this straight line in the beam cross section and spatial separation of the secondary vortex cores depend on the propagation distance. Morphology (orientation and anisotropy) of all the secondary vortices is the same and depends on the propagation distance; the anisotropy can be characterized by the vortex component of the beam angular momentum. At certain distance, relative separation of secondary vortices with respect to the beam transverse size reaches its maximum that corresponds to the minimum anisotropy of the vortices. The results can be useful in the context of current research of the optical vortex arrays.     

Optical vortices in self-focusing Kerr nonlinear media

In this work we numerically compare the interaction of optical vortices (OVs) in self-defocusing and self-focusing Kerr nonlinear media. We find that the basic scenarios (attraction/repulsion, translation/rotation vs. background) in the interaction of two and three vortices with equal and alternative topological charges (TCs) are the same in both media. However, the vortex dynamics under self-focusing conditions is influenced by the reshaping of the surrounding part of the background. Square structure of OVs with alternating TCs is found to be stable with respect to the vortex positions in self-focusing media. This elementary cell is successfully generalized in a large square array of OVs with alternative TCs which brings ordering in the multiple filamentation of the background beam in self-focusing conditions.     

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.     

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.