Generation of vortex array beams from a thin-slice solid-state laser with shaped wide-aperture laser-diode pumping.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Physics
• Beam Generation

Background:

• Vortex beams carry orbital angular momentum, enabling unique light-matter interactions.
• Generating controlled vortex arrays is crucial for applications in optical manipulation and information processing.
• Solid-state lasers offer advantages in power, efficiency, and robustness for beam generation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the generation of controlled vortex array beams from a solid-state laser system.
• To investigate the formation of radial and rectangular vortex arrays using different pump-beam profiles.
• To explore the characteristics of these vortex arrays, including their oscillation frequencies and pixel density.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a thin-slice, wide-aperture, solid-state laser with laser-diode end-pumping.
• Employed symmetric and asymmetric pump-beam profiles to control vortex array formation.
• Analyzed vortex properties, including single-frequency oscillations via transverse mode locking.

Main Results:

• Successfully generated both radial and rectangular vortex arrays in a controlled manner.
• Observed single-frequency oscillations in most generated vortices due to laser nonlinearity and mode locking.
• Produced single-frequency rectangular array beams with high vortex densities (25, 36, or 46 vortex pixels) from Ince-Gaussian modes.

Conclusions:

• Thin-slice, wide-aperture solid-state lasers are effective for generating controlled vortex arrays.
• Pump-beam profile engineering is key to controlling vortex array symmetry and structure.
• The demonstrated technique offers a pathway to high-density, single-frequency vortex beams for advanced optical applications.