• Advanced Photonics Nexus
  • Vol. 1, Issue 1, 016003 (2022)
Shiyao Fu1、2、3、*, Zijun Shang1、2、3, Lan Hai1、2、3, Lei Huang1、2、3, Yanlai Lv1、2、3, and Chunqing Gao1、2、3、*
Author Affiliations
  • 1Beijing Institute of Technology, School of Optics and Photonics, Beijing, China
  • 2Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China, Key Laboratory of Information Photonics Technology, Beijing, China
  • 3Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic Imaging Technology and System, Beijing, China
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    DOI: 10.1117/1.APN.1.1.016003 Cite this Article Set citation alerts
    Shiyao Fu, Zijun Shang, Lan Hai, Lei Huang, Yanlai Lv, Chunqing Gao. Orbital angular momentum comb generation from azimuthal binary phases[J]. Advanced Photonics Nexus, 2022, 1(1): 016003 Copy Citation Text show less

    Abstract

    Since Allen et al. demonstrated 30 years ago that beams with helical wavefronts carry orbital angular momentum (OAM), the OAM of beams has attracted extensive attention and stimulated lots of applications in both classical and quantum physics. Akin to an optical frequency comb, a beam can carry multiple various OAM components simultaneously. A series of discrete, equally spaced, and equally weighted OAM modes comprise an OAM comb. Inspired by the spatially extended laser lattice, we demonstrate both theoretically and experimentally an approach to producing OAM combs through azimuthal binary phases. Our study shows that transition points in the azimuth determine the OAM distributions of diffracted beams. Multiple azimuthal transition points lead to a wide OAM spectrum. Moreover, an OAM comb with any mode spacing is achievable through reasonably setting the position and number of azimuthal transition points. The experimental results fit well with theory. This work presents a simple approach that opens new prospects for OAM spectrum manipulation and paves the way for many applications including OAM-based high-security encryption and optical data transmission, and other advanced applications.

    Video Introduction to the Article

    PB={0,if  Pspp<Pthπ,if  PsppPth,

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    PB(φ)=πκ=0K(1)κ+1rect(φφκ0.5),φ[0,2π),

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    E(r,φ)=12πl=+alexp(ilφ).

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    al=12π02πE(r,φ)exp(ilφ)dφ.

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    Shiyao Fu, Zijun Shang, Lan Hai, Lei Huang, Yanlai Lv, Chunqing Gao. Orbital angular momentum comb generation from azimuthal binary phases[J]. Advanced Photonics Nexus, 2022, 1(1): 016003
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