Achromatic orbital angular momentum generator

作者:Bouchard Frederic*; Mand Harjaspreet; Mirhosseini Mohammad; Karimi Ebrahim; Boyd Robert W
来源:New Journal of Physics, 2014, 16(12): 123006.
DOI:10.1088/1367-2630/16/12/123006

摘要

We describe a novel approach for generating light beams that carry orbital angular momentum (OAM) by means of total internal reflection in an isotropic medium. A continuous space-varying cylindrically symmetric reflector, in the form of two glued hollow axicons, is used to introduce a nonuniform rotation of polarization into a linearly polarized input beam. This device acts as a full spinto- orbital angular momentum convertor. It functions by switching the helicity of the incoming beam%26apos;s polarization, and by conservation of total angular momentum thereby generates a well-defined value of OAM. Our device is broadband, since the phase shift due to total internal reflection is nearly independent of wavelength. We verify the broad-band behaviour by measuring the conversion efficiency of the device for three different wavelengths corresponding to the RGB colours, red, green and blue. An average conversion efficiency of 95% for these three different wavelengths is observed. This device may find applications in imaging from micro-to astronomical systems where a white vortex beam is needed.

  • 出版日期2014-12-2