Reconfigurable perfect vortex beam generator based on a liquid crystal spiral phase plate.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Perfect Vortex Beams (PVBs) are crucial for applications requiring precise light manipulation.
• Generating PVBs with controllable topological charges (TC) often involves complex or bulky optical systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a transmissive, adaptable optical setup for generating a wide range of PVBs with varying TCs.
• To demonstrate a system that avoids the use of moving parts for beam generation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a reconfigurable liquid crystal spiral phase plate (LC SPP) with 72 electrodes fabricated using direct laser writing (DLW) on ITO glass.
• Integrated the LC SPP with a refractive axicon and a convergent refractive lens.
• Employed in-house tailored electronics to drive the LC SPP for dynamic control.

Main Results:

• Successfully generated perfect vortex beams (PVBs) with 36 distinct positive and 36 distinct negative topological charges (TC).
• The optical setup demonstrated adaptability and tunability without mechanical components.
• Achieved a high fill factor in the LC SPP device due to DLW fabrication.

Conclusions:

• The proposed optical setup offers a versatile and compact solution for generating tunable PVBs.
• The use of a reconfigurable LC SPP provides a robust method for controlling orbital angular momentum.
• This technology has potential for advanced optical manipulation and communication systems.