Optical Angular Momentum

Spin angular momentum of photons, and the associated polarisation of light, has been known of for many years. However, it is only over the last decade or so that physically realisable laboratory light beams have been used to study the orbital angular momentum of light. In many respects orbital and spin angular momentum behave in a similar manner, but they differ significantly in others. In particular, orbital angular momentum offers exciting new possibilities with respect to the optical manipulation of matter, and to the study of the entanglement of photons. 'Optical Angular Momentum' brings together 44 landmark papers, reproduced over eight chapters, offering the first comprehensive overview of the subject as…