Measurement of the integer and fractional topological charge of optical vortex beams by using crossed blades

Measurement of the topological charge (TC) of vortex beams, including integer and fractional orbital angular momentum, is of great importance in diverse fields. Here we first investigate the diffraction patterns of a vortex beam from crossed blades with different opening angles and positionings on the beam by a simulation and experiment. Then the positions and opening angles of the crossed blades that are sensitive to the variation of TC are selected and characterized. We show that for a specific position of the crossed blades on the vortex beam, the integer TC can be measured directly by counting the bright spots in the diffraction pattern. Moreover, we show experimentally that for other positions of the crossed blades, by calculating the first-order moment of the intensity of the diffraction pattern, the integer TC between -10 and 10 can be obtained. In addition, this method is used to measure the fractional TC and, as an example, the TC measurement is demonstrated for a range between 1 and 2 with 0.1 steps. The result of the simulation and experiment shows good agreement.