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Stimulated Stokes and Antistokes Raman Scattering in Microspherical Whispering Gallery Mode Resonators
Published on: April 4, 2016
Twisting light with micro-spheres produced by ultrashort light pulses
Martynas Beresna1, Mindaugas Gecevičius, Nadezhda M Bulgakova
1Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK. mxb@orc.soton.ac.uk
Optics Express
|October 15, 2011
Summary
Researchers created a radial polarizer using a transparent sphere. This method generates double charged optical vortices from circularly polarized light, enabling small-scale vortex generation with micro-spheres.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Optical vortices are beams with a helical phase front.
- Generating and controlling optical vortices is crucial for applications in optical manipulation and information processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and demonstrate a novel radial polarizer based on light refraction.
- To generate double charged optical vortices using a simple spherical structure.
- To apply this method for micro-scale optical vortex generation.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of light refraction on a transparent isotropic sphere.
- Experimental verification of the polarization and vortex generation.
- Fabrication of hollow micro-spheres using femtosecond laser ablation in fused silica.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that a transparent sphere can act as a radial polarizer.
- Showcased the generation of double charged optical vortices from circularly polarized light.
- Successfully produced optical vortices on a micro-scale using fabricated hollow micro-spheres.
Conclusions:
- A novel and simple method for generating radial polarization and optical vortices has been developed.
- The proposed technique offers a scalable approach for creating micro-optical vortices.
- Femtosecond laser-ablated micro-spheres provide a versatile platform for optical vortex generation.
