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Shen Y, Wang X, Xie Z, Min C, Fu X, Liu Q, Gong M, Yuan X. Optical vortices 30 years on: OAM manipulation from topological charge to multiple singularities. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2019; 8:90. [PMID: 31645934 PMCID: PMC6804826 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-019-0194-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 376] [Impact Index Per Article: 75.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Thirty years ago, Coullet et al. proposed that a special optical field exists in laser cavities bearing some analogy with the superfluid vortex. Since then, optical vortices have been widely studied, inspired by the hydrodynamics sharing similar mathematics. Akin to a fluid vortex with a central flow singularity, an optical vortex beam has a phase singularity with a certain topological charge, giving rise to a hollow intensity distribution. Such a beam with helical phase fronts and orbital angular momentum reveals a subtle connection between macroscopic physical optics and microscopic quantum optics. These amazing properties provide a new understanding of a wide range of optical and physical phenomena, including twisting photons, spin-orbital interactions, Bose-Einstein condensates, etc., while the associated technologies for manipulating optical vortices have become increasingly tunable and flexible. Hitherto, owing to these salient properties and optical manipulation technologies, tunable vortex beams have engendered tremendous advanced applications such as optical tweezers, high-order quantum entanglement, and nonlinear optics. This article reviews the recent progress in tunable vortex technologies along with their advanced applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijie Shen
- Key Laboratory of Photonic Control Technology (Tsinghua University), Ministry of Education, 100084 Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Xuejiao Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Public Safety Risk Perception and Control by Big Data (NEL-PSRPC), China Academy of Electronics and Information Technology of CETC, China Electronic Technology Group Corporation, 100041 Beijing, China
| | - Zhenwei Xie
- Nanophotonics Research Center, Shenzhen University, 518060 Shenzhen, China
| | - Changjun Min
- Nanophotonics Research Center, Shenzhen University, 518060 Shenzhen, China
| | - Xing Fu
- Key Laboratory of Photonic Control Technology (Tsinghua University), Ministry of Education, 100084 Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Photonic Control Technology (Tsinghua University), Ministry of Education, 100084 Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Mali Gong
- Key Laboratory of Photonic Control Technology (Tsinghua University), Ministry of Education, 100084 Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement Technology and Instruments, Department of Precision Instrument, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Xiaocong Yuan
- Nanophotonics Research Center, Shenzhen University, 518060 Shenzhen, China
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