Spin-orbit and orbit-spin conversion in the sharp focus of laser light: Theory and experiment
Victor V. Kotlyar, Anton G. Nalimov, A. A. Kovalev, Alexey P. Porfirev, Sergey S. Stafeev
Abstract
Based on the Richards-Wolf theory, it is strictly shown that in the sharp focus of a linearly polarized laser beam, the flux of a spin vector has only transverse components (the effect of photonic wheels or a photonic helicopter). For a linearly polarized optical vortex, the orbit-spin conversion leads to the appearance of both longitudinal and transverse components of the spin angular momentum (SAM) vector in the focus. We show that in the strong focus of a circularly polarized Gaussian beam, the longitudinal component of the SAM is maximal on the optical axis, with the longitudinal component of the orbital angular momentum (OAM) being maximal on a ring. In this way, the effect of SAM and OAM on the motion of a trapped microparticle can be evaluated separately. Spin-orbit conversion is experimentally demonstrated for a circularly polarized Gaussian beam when transverse energy flux (orbital angular momentum) arises in the focus, which is transmitted to a microparticle and causes it to rotate. Switching the handedness of circular polarization (from left to right) switches the direction of microparticle rotation. It is also shown here that an azimuthally polarized vortex beam with an arbitrary integer topological charge generates in the focus a SAM vector with only an axial component (pure magnetization), whereas there is no transverse spin flux.