Intrinsic dichroism in amorphous and crystalline solids with helical light

Area of Science:

• Solid-state physics
• Optical properties of materials
• Condensed matter physics

Background:

• Amorphous solids lack long-range atomic order and are typically considered isotropic.
• Conventional understanding states that dichroism, the differential absorption of polarized light, does not exist in amorphous solids.
• Isotropy in amorphous solids implies uniform optical properties regardless of light polarization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the existence of dichroism in amorphous solids using novel probing techniques.
• To explore the relationship between short-range order and optical properties in amorphous materials.
• To demonstrate the potential for manipulating optical properties in solids via controlled dichroism.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing helical light beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) as a probe.
• Operating in the nonlinear optical regime to enhance sensitivity.
• Employing a superposition of OAM and Gaussian beams to control dichroism.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated that dichroism is an intrinsic property of both amorphous and crystalline solids.
• Showcased helical dichroism's responsiveness to short-range order in amorphous materials.
• Confirmed helical dichroism's sensitivity to material chirality and tunability.

Conclusions:

• Challenges the established notion that amorphous solids are isotropic and do not exhibit dichroism.
• Provides a new understanding of optical phenomena in disordered materials.
• Opens avenues for controlling and tuning the optical properties of solids through engineered dichroism.