reviewLight Science & ApplicationsOct 2, 2019GOLD OA

Optical vortices 30 years on: OAM manipulation from topological charge to multiple singularities

Research Institute of Precision Instruments (Russia) · Tsinghua University · +4 more institutions

PubMed
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Abstract

Thirty years ago, Coullet et al. proposed that a special optical field exists in laser cavities bearing some analogy with the superfluid vortex. Since then, optical vortices have been widely studied, inspired by the hydrodynamics sharing similar mathematics. Akin to a fluid vortex with a central flow singularity, an optical vortex beam has a phase singularity with a certain topological charge, giving rise to a hollow intensity distribution. Such a beam with helical phase fronts and orbital angular momentum reveals a subtle connection between macroscopic physical optics and microscopic quantum optics. These amazing properties provide a new understanding of a wide range of optical and physical phenomena,…

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