Thermalization of Orbital Angular Momentum Beams in Multimode Optical Fibers
E. Podivilov, Fabio Mangini, Oleg Sidelnikov, Mario Ferraro, Mikhail Gervaziev, D. S. Kharenko, Mario Zitelli, М. П. Федорук, S. A. Babin, S. Wabnitz
Abstract
We report on the thermalization of light carrying orbital angular momentum in multimode optical fibers, induced by nonlinear intermodal interactions. A generalized Rayleigh-Jeans distribution of asymptotic mode composition is obtained, based on the conservation of the angular momentum. We confirm our predictions by numerical simulations and experiments based on holographic mode decomposition of multimode beams. Our work establishes new constraints for the achievement of spatial beam self-cleaning, giving previously unforeseen insights into the underlying physical mechanisms.
Topics & Concepts
Angular momentumMulti-mode optical fiberThermalisationPhysicsOrbital angular momentum of lightHolographyBeam (structure)Angular momentum of lightMomentum (technical analysis)OpticsWork (physics)Computational physicsAngular momentum couplingClassical mechanicsTotal angular momentum quantum numberOptical fiberQuantum mechanicsEconomicsFinanceOrbital Angular Momentum in OpticsAdvanced Fiber Laser TechnologiesPhotonic Crystal and Fiber Optics