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Encoding orbital angular momentum of light in space with optical catastrophes
Xiaoyan Zhou1, John You En Chan1, Chia-Te Chang1
1Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore, 487372, Singapore.
Nature Communications
|June 8, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a new method to control orbital angular momentum (OAM) beams using 3D-printed metasurfaces and catastrophe theory. This technique enables hidden OAM for secure optical encryption and communication.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Metamaterials
- Information Security
Background:
- Orbital angular momentum (OAM) beams offer vast potential for optical communication and security due to their unique properties.
- Current limitations in OAM beam control hinder their application, especially in free-space scenarios.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a versatile toolkit for tailoring OAM beams across multiple transverse planes.
- To enable dynamic control of OAM for advanced applications in optical security and communication.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing catastrophe theory to shape optical caustics for steering Poynting vectors.
- Fabricating 3D-printed metasurfaces via two-photon polymerization lithography.
- Demonstrating arbitrary shaping of OAM beams and realizing
- hidden
- OAM.
Main Results:
- Successfully tailored OAM beams across multiple transverse planes using shaped optical caustics.
- Achieved arbitrary shapes of OAM beams by steering Poynting vectors with metasurfaces.
- Demonstrated "hidden" OAM for secure optical encryption and information detection.
Conclusions:
- The developed strategy provides a unique framework for dynamic OAM control in free space.
- This approach has promising applications in optical trapping, sensing, data storage, and information security.
- The use of 3D-printed metasurfaces offers a versatile platform for advanced OAM beam manipulation.
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