Single-shot generation of composite optical vortex beams using hybrid binary fork gratings

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Quantum Information Science
• Laser Physics

Background:

• Vortex beams, characterized by helical phase fronts, are crucial in various optical applications.
• Generating complex vortex beams with tailored phase structures often requires intricate setups.
• Existing methods for creating composite vortex (CV) beams can be complex and lack flexibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a simple, single-shot method for generating arbitrary composite vortex (CV) beams.
• To demonstrate the experimental feasibility of the proposed technique.
• To extend the method for creating CV beams with multiple topological charges and radial modes.

Main Methods:

• Design and computational generation of hybrid binary fork gratings (hBFGs).
• hBFGs are created by combining fork dislocations of different azimuthal charges (ℓ).
• Optimization of hBFG geometrical parameters for efficient CV beam generation.

Main Results:

• Successful experimental demonstration of single-shot CV beam generation using hBFGs.
• Generation of CV beams with arbitrary combinations of azimuthal charges (ℓ).
• Extension of the method to produce CV beams with multiple charges and higher radial modes (p).

Conclusions:

• The developed hBFG method offers a simple and efficient way to generate complex CV beams.
• This technique avoids the need for complicated interferometry-based setups.
• The method holds potential for applications requiring engineered light beams with precise phase control.