Optical chirality of vortex beams at the nanoscale
Dale Green, Kayn A. Forbes
Abstract
light that is polarised in the direction of propagation. The influence that polarisation, spin and orbital angular momentum, radial index, degree of focusing, and diffraction has on the optical chirality is studied. The results show that the optical chirality of structured light beams at the nanoscale is significantly richer than that of the well-known circularly polarised propagating plane wave. The work lays the foundation for chiral nanophotonics, and chiral quantum optics based on structured light illumination.
Topics & Concepts
Chirality (physics)Optical vortexNanoscopic scaleVortexBessel functionOpticsBessel beamMaterials sciencePhysicsCondensed matter physicsNanotechnologyQuantum mechanicsMechanicsQuarkNambu–Jona-Lasinio modelChiral symmetry breakingOrbital Angular Momentum in OpticsQuantum Information and CryptographyPlasmonic and Surface Plasmon Research