Multiplication of orbital angular momentum via multi-plane light conversion

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Optical Communications
• Quantum Information Processing

Background:

• Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) mode multiplication is crucial for OAM optical networks.
• Current methods using optical coordinate transformation face scalability limitations due to the ray model.
• Existing schemes are restricted in supporting higher-order radial OAM states.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a scalable scheme for OAM mode multiplication.
• To extend the capabilities of OAM multipliers to higher azimuthal and radial indices.
• To unlock new degrees of freedom for radial high-order OAM states.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a modified multi-plane light conversion (MPLC) approach.
• Implementing a novel optical transformation for OAM mode manipulation.
• Performing simulations and experimental validation.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated scalable multiplication of OAM modes, including radial index p=0 and p=1.
• Successfully multiplied 20 OAM modes (p=0) and 10 OAM modes (p=1).
• Achieved a 3-dB optical bandwidth covering the C-band for OAM mode purity.

Conclusions:

• The modified MPLC scheme offers a scalable and flexible strategy for OAM mode multiplication.
• This approach overcomes limitations of previous methods, enabling higher-order radial OAM states.
• The findings are valuable for advancing high-capacity OAM optical communication and high-dimensional quantum information processing.