Since their discovery in the 1990s, vortex beams, known for their ability to carry orbital angular momentum (OAM), have found substantial applications in optical manipulation and high-dimensional classical and quantum information communication. However, their inherent diffraction in free space, resulting in OAM-dependent beam expansion, has constrained their utility in spatial mode multiplexing communication, fiber optic transmission, and particle manipulation. These domains necessitate vortex beams with OAM-independent propagation characteristics. Addressing this, we report an approach that employs the energy redistribution mechanism to reverse the radial energy flows of traditional vortex beams, thereby presenting iso-propagation vortex beams (IPVBs) with OAM-independent propagation dynamics. These IPVBs, attributed to their reversed radial energy flows, maintain resilience in diverse environments, from free space to challenging media, including sustaining their form post-damage, retaining consistent intensity in lossy media, and experiencing reduced modal scattering in atmospheric turbulence. Their unique features position IPVBs as promising candidates for applications in imaging, microscopy, optical communication, metrology, quantum information processing, and light-matter interactions. Case studies within optical communication reveal that the IPVB basis potentially unlocks a broader spectrum of data channels, enhancing information capacity over traditional spatial multiplexing techniques.
Open Access
HOLOEYE Photonics AG
Volmerstrasse 1
12489 Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49 (0)30 4036 9380
Fax: +49 (0)30 4036 938 99
contact@holoeye.com
© 2023 HOLOEYE Photonics AG