Configurable optical vortex ladder in free space

Light eigenmodes with cylindrical symmetry, such as the Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) modes, are characterized by the radial and angular quantum numbers indicating radial nodes and orbital angular momentum (OAM), which are independent and invariant upon beam propagation. Here, we connect these two quantum...

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Main Authors: Xinhao Fan, Xuanguang Wu, Liang Zhou, XinYi Bi, Jianying Du, Bingyan Wei, Yi Zhang, Sheng Liu, Jianlin Zhao, Peng Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AIP Publishing LLC 2025-03-01
Series:APL Photonics
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0248825
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author Xinhao Fan
Xuanguang Wu
Liang Zhou
XinYi Bi
Jianying Du
Bingyan Wei
Yi Zhang
Sheng Liu
Jianlin Zhao
Peng Li
author_facet Xinhao Fan
Xuanguang Wu
Liang Zhou
XinYi Bi
Jianying Du
Bingyan Wei
Yi Zhang
Sheng Liu
Jianlin Zhao
Peng Li
author_sort Xinhao Fan
collection DOAJ
description Light eigenmodes with cylindrical symmetry, such as the Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) modes, are characterized by the radial and angular quantum numbers indicating radial nodes and orbital angular momentum (OAM), which are independent and invariant upon beam propagation. Here, we connect these two quantum numbers and produce a configurable optical vortex ladder. An LG vortex ladder that consists of multiple LG modes with different radial quantum numbers is proposed, whose OAM state of the mainlobe can change step by step upon propagation. By controlling radial quantum numbers within the LG vortex ladder, every step change of the OAM state can be configured arbitrarily, such as topological charge of OAM state increasing by two in every step. Manipulating the evolution of photonic OAM states is of great significance for quantum information processing and longitudinal manipulation of OAM have potential applications in communications, all-optical switch, and optical tweezers.
format Article
id doaj-art-10d75b5db0244ff89c68db133b698d83
institution OA Journals
issn 2378-0967
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher AIP Publishing LLC
record_format Article
series APL Photonics
spelling doaj-art-10d75b5db0244ff89c68db133b698d832025-08-20T01:55:52ZengAIP Publishing LLCAPL Photonics2378-09672025-03-01103036107036107-710.1063/5.0248825Configurable optical vortex ladder in free spaceXinhao Fan0Xuanguang Wu1Liang Zhou2XinYi Bi3Jianying Du4Bingyan Wei5Yi Zhang6Sheng Liu7Jianlin Zhao8Peng Li9Key Laboratory of Light Field Manipulation and Information Acquisition, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Optical Information Technology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, ChinaKey Laboratory of Light Field Manipulation and Information Acquisition, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Optical Information Technology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, ChinaKey Laboratory of Light Field Manipulation and Information Acquisition, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Optical Information Technology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, ChinaKey Laboratory of Light Field Manipulation and Information Acquisition, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Optical Information Technology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, ChinaKey Laboratory of Light Field Manipulation and Information Acquisition, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Optical Information Technology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, ChinaKey Laboratory of Light Field Manipulation and Information Acquisition, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Optical Information Technology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, ChinaKey Laboratory of Light Field Manipulation and Information Acquisition, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Optical Information Technology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, ChinaKey Laboratory of Light Field Manipulation and Information Acquisition, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Optical Information Technology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, ChinaKey Laboratory of Light Field Manipulation and Information Acquisition, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Optical Information Technology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, ChinaKey Laboratory of Light Field Manipulation and Information Acquisition, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Optical Information Technology, School of Physical Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, ChinaLight eigenmodes with cylindrical symmetry, such as the Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) modes, are characterized by the radial and angular quantum numbers indicating radial nodes and orbital angular momentum (OAM), which are independent and invariant upon beam propagation. Here, we connect these two quantum numbers and produce a configurable optical vortex ladder. An LG vortex ladder that consists of multiple LG modes with different radial quantum numbers is proposed, whose OAM state of the mainlobe can change step by step upon propagation. By controlling radial quantum numbers within the LG vortex ladder, every step change of the OAM state can be configured arbitrarily, such as topological charge of OAM state increasing by two in every step. Manipulating the evolution of photonic OAM states is of great significance for quantum information processing and longitudinal manipulation of OAM have potential applications in communications, all-optical switch, and optical tweezers.http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0248825
spellingShingle Xinhao Fan
Xuanguang Wu
Liang Zhou
XinYi Bi
Jianying Du
Bingyan Wei
Yi Zhang
Sheng Liu
Jianlin Zhao
Peng Li
Configurable optical vortex ladder in free space
APL Photonics
title Configurable optical vortex ladder in free space
title_full Configurable optical vortex ladder in free space
title_fullStr Configurable optical vortex ladder in free space
title_full_unstemmed Configurable optical vortex ladder in free space
title_short Configurable optical vortex ladder in free space
title_sort configurable optical vortex ladder in free space
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0248825
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