Work

Tailorable spin-to-orbital angular momentum degree-of-freedom complete conversion with cascaded metasurfaces

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Spin-to-orbital angular momentum (OAM) conversion combined with the polarization shaping expands capabilities in optical communications and quantum optics. Whereas a single metasurface can create different OAMs depending on the input polarization, it cannot arbitrarily tailor output polarizations. We reveal how to overcome this limitation with cascaded metasurfaces, achieving complete control over the polarization and optical phase of OAMs combined with a near-unity efficiency, which can mediate the creation of quantum-entangled states. Our analytical framework of multi-channel OAM conversion predicts the optimal metasurface separation distance, and diffraction theory calculations confirm that the designed performance is preserved within nanofabrication tolerances.

Source: Photonics Research

DOI: 10.1364/prj.574200

Authors: Shiu Hei Lam, Jinyong Ma, Thomas Pertsch, Andrey A. Sukhorukov

Institutions: Australian National University, Shenzhen University

Language: English

Topic: Metamaterials and Metasurfaces Applications

Subfield: Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Australian Research Council

Awards: GRK 2675: Maßgeschneiderte Metaoberflächen – Erzeugung, Programmierung und Detektion von Licht, ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems