Propagation of a multi-vortex beam: far-field diffraction of a Gaussian beam from a multi-fork phase grating

In this work, the far-field propagation of multi-vortex beams is investigated. We consider diffraction of a Gaussian wave from a spatial light modulator (SLM) in which a multi-fork grating is implemented on it at the waist plane of the Gaussian wave. In the first-order diffraction pattern a multi-vortex beam is produced, and we consider its evolution under propagation when different multi-fork gratings are implemented on the SLM. We consider two different schemes for the phase singularities of the implemented grating. A topological charge (TC) equal to l₁ is considered at the center of the grating, and four similar phase singularities all having a TC equal to l₂=l₁4 (or l₂=-l₁4) are located on the corners of a square where the l₁ singularity is located on the square center. Some cases with different values of l₁, and consequently l₂, are investigated. Experimental and simulation results show that if signs of the TCs at the corners and center of the square are the same, the radius of the central singularity on the first-order diffracted beam increases, and it convolves the other singularities. If their signs are opposite, the total TC value equals zero, and at the far-field, the light beam distribution becomes a Gaussian beam. For determining the TCs of the resulting far-field beams, we interfere experimentally and by simulation the resulting far-field beams with a plane wave and count the forked interference fringes. All the results are consistent.