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Time-resolved plasmon-assisted generation of optical-vortex pulses
Esra Ilke Albar1, Franco P Bonafé2, Valeriia P Kosheleva1
1Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany.
Scientific Reports
|September 7, 2023
Summary
This study reveals how plasmonic spiral structures generate orbital angular momentum (OAM) in light. Numerical simulations show spiral emission shapes twisted light and transfers OAM to particles.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Optics
- Computational Physics
Background:
- The microscopic mechanisms of light-matter interactions inducing orbital angular momentum (OAM) in electromagnetic fields remain incompletely understood.
- Plasmonic optical vortex generators are key to creating structured light with OAM.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the underlying physics of OAM generation using numerical simulations.
- To investigate the spatio-temporal dynamics of OAM formation and transfer.
Main Methods:
- Time-resolved numerical simulations using the Octopus code.
- Employing Archimedean spiral vortex generators with circularly-polarized plane-wave light.
- Emulating spiral emitters with current emitters to study OAM transfer to point particles.
Main Results:
- Plasmonic spiral branch emission was confirmed to shape vortex structures and govern OAM generation.
- Spatio-temporal information of twisted light formation was captured.
- Orbital angular momentum transfer between the electromagnetic field and point particles was quantified.
Conclusions:
- The study provides detailed insights into the microscopic generation of OAM in electromagnetic fields.
- The findings enhance understanding of light-matter interactions and structured light phenomena.
- Local probing of OAM density via particle trajectories offers new avenues for characterization.
