The key role of off-axis singularities in free-space vortex transmutation
Optics
2014-02-12 v2
Abstract
We experimentally demonstrate the generation of off-axis phase singularities in a vortex transmutation process induced by the breaking of rotational symmetry. The process takes place in free space by launching a highly-charged vortex, owning full rotational symmetry, into a linear thin diffractive element presenting discrete rotational symmetry. It is shown that off-axis phase singularities follow straight dark rays bifurcating from the symmetry axis. This phenomenon may provide new routes towards the spatial control of multiple phase singularities for applications in atom trapping and particle manipulation.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1306.6231,
title = {The key role of off-axis singularities in free-space vortex transmutation},
author = {David Novoa and Iñigo J. Sola and Miguel Angel Garcia-March and Albert Ferrando},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1306.6231},
year = {2014}
}
Comments
4 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Applied Physics B: Lasers and Optics