Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 16, 2026
08:31
Measurement of Microtubule Dynamics by Spinning Disk Microscopy in Monopolar Mitotic Spindles
Published on: November 15, 2019
6.7K
Measuring the transverse spin density of light
Martin Neugebauer1, Thomas Bauer1, Andrea Aiello1
1Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Guenther-Scharowsky-Straße 1, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany and Institute of Optics, Information and Photonics, University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Staudtstraße 7/B2, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany.
Physical Review Letters
|February 28, 2015
Summary
Researchers created optical vector beams with transverse electric fields. They measured transverse electric spin density using plasmonic probes and dielectric interfaces, revealing insights into virtual particle spin momentum density.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Plasmonics
- Quantum Electrodynamics
Background:
- Optical vector beams possess complex electric field structures.
- Understanding the spin properties of light is crucial for advanced optical applications.
- Belinfante's spin momentum density is a theoretically important but experimentally elusive quantity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To generate and characterize optical vector beams with transverse electric spin.
- To experimentally measure transverse electric spin density with high resolution.
- To determine the longitudinal electric component of Belinfante's spin momentum density.
Main Methods:
- Generation of tightly focused optical vector beams.
- Utilizing directional near-field interference with a plasmonic field probe.
- Employing a dielectric interface for near- to far-field conversion.
- Detecting far-field light directionality to infer spin properties.
Main Results:
- Successfully generated optical vector beams with transverse electric spin.
- Demonstrated a method to measure transverse electric spin density with nanoscopic resolution.
- Determined the longitudinal electric component of Belinfante's spin momentum density.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a novel experimental approach to probe light's spin properties.
- Nanoscopic measurement of transverse electric spin density is achievable.
- Experimental determination of the longitudinal component of Belinfante's spin momentum density is reported.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:08Spin–Spin Coupling Constant: Overview
1.7K
In bromoethane, the three methyl protons are coupled to the two methylene protons that are three bonds away. In accordance with the n+1 rule, the signal from the methyl protons is split into three peaks with 1:2:1 relative intensities. The methylene protons appear as a quartet, with the relative intensities of 1:3:3:1.
Qualitatively, any spin plus-half nucleus polarizes the spins of its electrons to the minus-half state. Consequently, the paired electron in the hydrogen–carbon bond must...
Qualitatively, any spin plus-half nucleus polarizes the spins of its electrons to the minus-half state. Consequently, the paired electron in the hydrogen–carbon bond must...
1.7K
01:03Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin State Overview
2.3K
NMR-active nuclei have energy levels called 'spin states' that are associated with the orientations of their nuclear magnetic moments. In the absence of a magnetic field, the nuclear magnetic moments are randomly oriented, and the spin states are degenerate. When an external magnetic field is applied, the spin states have only 2 + 1 orientations available to them. A proton with = ½ has two available orientations. Similarly, for a quadrupolar nucleus with a nuclear spin value of one, the...
2.3K
01:08Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin
5.8K
All atomic particles possess an intrinsic angular momentum, or 'spin'. Electrons, protons, and neutrons each have a spin value of ½, although protons and neutrons in nuclei may have higher half-integer spins owing to energetic factors.
Atomic nuclei have a net nuclear spin, , which can have an integer or half-integer value. In atomic nuclei, the spins of protons are paired against each other but not with neutrons, and vice versa. Consequently, an even number of protons does not contribute...
Atomic nuclei have a net nuclear spin, , which can have an integer or half-integer value. In atomic nuclei, the spins of protons are paired against each other but not with neutrons, and vice versa. Consequently, an even number of protons does not contribute...
5.8K
01:14Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin State Population Distribution
2.6K
Near absolute zero temperatures, in the presence of a magnetic field, the majority of nuclei prefer the lower energy spin-up state to the higher energy spin-down state. As temperatures increase, the energy from thermal collisions distributes the spins more equally between the two states. The Boltzmann distribution equation gives the ratio of the number of spins predicted in the spin −½ (N−) and spin +½ (N+) states.
2.6K
01:08NMR Spectroscopy: Spin–Spin Coupling
3.9K
The spin state of an NMR-active nucleus can have a slight effect on its immediate electronic environment. This effect propagates through the intervening bonds and affects the electronic environments of NMR-active nuclei up to three bonds away; occasionally, even farther. This phenomenon is called spin–spin coupling or J-coupling. Coupling interactions are mutual and result in small changes in the absorption frequencies of both nuclei involved. While nuclei of the same element are involved...
3.9K
03:06The Pauli Exclusion Principle
62.2K
The arrangement of electrons in the orbitals of an atom is called its electron configuration. We describe an electron configuration with a symbol that contains three pieces of information:
62.2K