Work

Efficient Sorting of Orbital Angular Momentum States of Light

Year: 2010

Type: article

Abstract: We present a method to efficiently sort orbital angular momentum (OAM) states of light using two static optical elements. The optical elements perform a Cartesian to log-polar coordinate transformation, converting the helically phased light beam corresponding to OAM states into a beam with a transverse phase gradient. A subsequent lens then focuses each input OAM state to a different lateral position. We demonstrate the concept experimentally by using two spatial light modulators to create the desired optical elements, applying it to the separation of eleven OAM states.

Source: Physical Review Letters

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.105.153601

Authors: Gregorius C. G. Berkhout, Martin P. J. Lavery, Johannes Courtial, Marco W. Beijersbergen, Miles J. Padgett

Institutions: Leiden University, Cosine (Netherlands), University of Glasgow

Language: English

Topic: Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: European Commission, FP7 Information and Communication Technologies

Award: High Dimensional Entangled Systems