Phase singularities and optical vortices in photonics

A.P. Porfirev^a, b, A.A. Kuchmizhak^c, d, S.O. Gurbatov^c, d, S. Juodkazis^e, f, S.N. Khonina^a, b, Yu.N. Kulchin^c, d
^aSamara National Research University, Moskovskoe sh. 34, Samara, 443086, Russian Federation
^bImage Processing Systems Institute of the RAS — Branch of the FSRC "Crystallography and Photonics" RAS, Molodogvardejskaya st. 151, Samara, 443001, Russian Federation
^cInstitute of Automation and Control Processes, Far East Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russian Federation
^dFar Eastern Federal University, Sukhanova str. 8, Vladivostok, 690950, Russian Federation
^eSwinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
^fMelbourne Centre for Nanofabrication, Australian National Fabrication Facility, Wellington Road, Clayton 151, Melbourne, 3168, Australia

Since the second half of the 20th century, ideas to develop methods for the formation of optical vortices (OVs) or OV beam — regions of circular motion of energy flow in an electromagnetic wave around so-called phase singularity points — have become widespread. Such optical beams are unique because of the special spiral shape of the wave front, endowing them with orbital angular momentum (OAM) that can be transferred to matter and cause rotation of nano- and micro-objects. Presently, OV beams are actively used to solve both applied and fundamental problems in optics and photonics. We systematically discuss the development stages and the main advantages and disadvantages of methods for the formation of OV beams, from the appearance of phase singularities in light scattering in inhomogeneous media to the latest developments in vortex microlasers for controlled generation of light fields with a predefined OAM on nano- and microscales.

Keywords: singular optics, optical vortices, topological charge, spiral phase plate, spin-orbit interaction, fork-shaped holograms, metasurfaces, integrated optical elements, laser nanofabrication
PACS: 07.60.−j, 42.62.−b, 42.70.−a, 42.79.−e, 42.82.−m, 78.20.Fm (all)
DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.2021.07.039028
URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2022/8/b/
Web of Science

001099034300001
Scopus

2-s2.0-85182905740
Citation: Porfirev A P, Kuchmizhak A A, Gurbatov S O, Juodkazis S, Khonina S N, Kulchin Yu N "Phase singularities and optical vortices in photonics" Phys. Usp. 65 789–811 (2022)

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Received: 17th, May 2021, revised: 19th, July 2021, accepted: 23rd, July 2021

Оригинал: Порфирьев А П, Кучмижак А А, Гурбатов С О, Йодказис С, Хонина С Н, Кульчин Ю Н «Фазовые сингулярности и оптические вихри в фотонике» УФН 192 841–866 (2022); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.2021.07.039028