Formation of polarization-dependent optical vortex beams via an engineered microsphere

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Micro-optics Engineering
• Light Manipulation

Background:

• Donut-shaped beams offer unique focusing properties.
• Controlling the spatial arrangement of light beams is crucial for advanced imaging.
• Existing methods for beam manipulation can be complex and limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel method for switchable spatial arrangement of donut-shaped focusing beams.
• To demonstrate polarization-dependent light manipulation using an engineered microsphere.
• To explore applications in multiplane imaging.

Main Methods:

• Designing and fabricating an engineered microsphere using focused ion beam (FIB) technology.
• Simulating the focus performance of the microsphere.
• Experimentally characterizing the beam formation and arrangement under different polarization states.

Main Results:

• Multiple focused donut beams were formed along the optical axis under radial polarization.
• The spatial arrangement of donut beams could be re-arranged in the transverse plane by adding a rotatable linear polarizer.
• Experimental results showed good agreement with numerical simulations.

Conclusions:

• The engineered microsphere enables tunable, polarization-dependent control over donut beam arrangements.
• This micro-optic device offers a promising approach for multiplane imaging applications.
• The method provides a versatile platform for advanced optical manipulation.