Polarization-controlled evolution of light transverse modes and associated Pancharatnam geometric phase in orbital angular momentum

Journal Article · Sat May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.81.053813· OSTI ID:21408901

Karimi, Ebrahim; Marrucci, Lorenzo ^[1]; Slussarenko, Sergei; Piccirillo, Bruno; Santamato, Enrico ^[1]

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1. Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, Universita di Napoli 'Federico II', Complesso di Monte S. Angelo, I-80126 Napoli (Italy)

We present an easy, efficient, and fast method to generate arbitrary linear combinations of light orbital angular-momentum eigenstates l={+-}2 starting from a linearly polarized TEM{sub 00} laser beam. The method exploits the spin-to-orbital angular-momentum conversion capability of a liquid-crystal-based q plate and a Dove prism inserted into a Sagnac polarizing interferometer. The nominal generation efficiency is 100%, being limited only by reflection and scattering losses in the optical components. When closed paths are followed on the polarization Poincare sphere of the input beam, the associated Pancharatnam geometric phase is transferred unchanged to the orbital angular momentum state of the output beam.

• OSTI ID: 21408901
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Vol. 81, Issue 5; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.81.053813; (c) 2010 The American Physical Society; ISSN 1050-2947
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
BEAMS
CONVERSION
EFFICIENCY
EIGENSTATES
EVOLUTION
GEOMETRY
INTERFEROMETERS
LASERS
LIQUID CRYSTALS
ORBITAL ANGULAR MOMENTUM
PLATES
POLARIZATION
PRISMS
REFLECTION
SCATTERING
SPIN
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
CRYSTALS
FLUIDS
LIQUIDS
MATHEMATICS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PARTICLE PROPERTIES