Basis function approach for diffractive pattern generation with Dammann vortex metasurfaces

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Metamaterials
• Geometric Optics

Background:

• General functions in mathematics can be represented as linear combinations of basis functions.
• This principle allows for the generation of complex patterns from simpler ones.
• Metasurfaces offer precise control over light wavefronts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a Dammann vortex metasurface (DVM) for generating diverse optical vortex patterns.
• To demonstrate the optical generation of diffraction-multiplexed vortex patterns.
• To explore the correlation between phase and intensity in different diffraction orders.

Main Methods:

• Designing a Dammann vortex metasurface (DVM) based on three custom-defined basis patterns.
• Utilizing the principle of function decomposition for pattern generation.
• Analyzing the phase and intensity distributions in various diffraction orders.

Main Results:

• Successful optical generation of an array of diverse vortex patterns.
• Demonstration of diffraction-multiplexing capabilities.
• Quantitative correlation established between phase and intensity distributions.

Conclusions:

• The DVM can generate a wide range of vortex patterns from a finite set of basis patterns.
• The DVM's ability to correlate phase and intensity is key for advanced applications.
• Potential applications include orbital angular momentum encryptions and quantum entanglement.