2010/07/24 by Sergei Slussarenko, Ebrahim Karimi, Bruno Piccirillo +2
Chemistry · Computer Science · Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Angular momentum #Angular momentum coupling #Angular momentum of light #Beam (structure) #Chemistry #Light beam #Optical communication #Optics #Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics #Orbital angular momentum multiplexing #Orbital angular momentum of light #Paraxial approximation #Physics #Plasmonic and Surface Plasmon Research #Polarization (electrochemistry) #Quantum Information and Cryptography #Quantum mechanics #Total angular momentum quantum number #physics.optics
paper · pdf · doi:10.1364/josaa.28.000061
published as J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 28, 61-65 (2011) · 5 pages, 5 figures, 1 table. Submitted
arxiv created 2010/07/24 · openalex publication_date 2010/12/23 · arxiv updated 2012/01/06 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We present an optical scheme to encode and decode 2 bits of information into different orbital angular momentum (OAM) states of a paraxial optical beam. Our device generates the four light angular momentum states of order ±2 and ±4 by spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion in a triangular optical loop arrangement. The switching among the four OAM states is obtained by changing the polarization state of the circulating beam by two quarter-wave plates, and the 2 bit information is transferred to the beam OAM exploiting a single q plate. The polarization of the exit beam is left free for an additional 1 bit of information. The switching among the different OAM states can be as fast as a few nanoseconds, if suitable electro-optical cells are used. This may be particularly useful in communication systems based on light OAM.