Optical Spin-to-Orbital Angular Momentum Conversion in Inhomogeneous Anisotropic Media
Open accessAbstract
We demonstrate experimentally an optical process in which the spin angular momentum carried by a circularly polarized light beam is converted into orbital angular momentum, leading to the generation of helical modes with a wave-front helicity controlled by the input polarization. This phenomenon requires the interaction of light with matter that is both optically inhomogeneous and anisotropic. The underlying physics is also associated with the so-called Pancharatnam-Berry geometrical phases involved in any inhomogeneous transformation of the optical polarization.
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Several experiments and numerical simulations demonstrated remarkable spin-controlled unidirectional coupling between circularly-polarized incident light and transversely-propagating surface or waveguide modes.
“Recently, several experiments and numerical simulations demonstrated remarkable spin-controlled unidirectional coupling between circularly-polarized incident light and transversely-propagating surface or waveguide modes 4 5 -5 2,125-1 28 , see Figs. 4b,c.”
From Spin–orbit interactions of light (2015) · cites this paper as [50]
The Abstract (p. 1) reports an experiment in which circular input polarization controls the helicity of generated light modes. It does not report unidirectional coupling into transversely propagating surface or waveguide modes, nor does it describe numerical simulations or several experiments demonstrating that coupling. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredIn all systems studied, the incident light propagated along the transverse y-axis carrying usual SAM depending on its helicity: Sy inc ∝ σ.
“Indeed, in all systems 4 5 -5 2,125-1 28 the incident light propagated along the transverse y -axis carrying usual SAM depending on its helicity: S y inc ∝σ .”
From Spin–orbit interactions of light (2015) · cites this paper as [50]
The passage on p. 1 says that spin angular momentum is aligned with the propagation direction and that its sign depends on circular-polarization handedness, supporting the helicity dependence. It describes propagation along the z-axis, however, and does not establish that incident light propagated along the transverse y-axis in all the systems mentioned by the citing sentence. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredCoupling transversely-propagating spinning light to evanescent tails of surface or waveguide modes results in robust spin-controlled unidirectional propagation of those modes.
“(iv) Any surface or waveguide mode possesses evanescent tails. Strikingly, coupling transversely-propagating spinning light to these evanescent tails results in a robust spincontrolled unidirectional propagation of the surface or waveguide modes 45- 52 .”
From Spin–orbit interactions of light (2015) · cites this paper as [50]
The Abstract (p. 1) describes polarization-controlled generation of helical light modes in inhomogeneous anisotropic media, and the discussion on p. 6 describes control of wavefront helicity. Searches for evanescent tails, surface or waveguide modes, and unidirectional propagation found no passage addressing the claimed coupling mechanism. (LLM, conf=0.75)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe spin-controlled unidirectional coupling effect is very robust to the details of the system and equally appears with near 100%-efficiency at metal surfaces, nanofibers, and various waveguides.
“Moreover, the effect is very robust to the details of the system and equally appears with near 100%-efficiency at metal surfaces 46,47,49 , nanofibers 48,50,126 , and various waveguides 51,52,125,127,128 .”
From Spin–orbit interactions of light (2015) · cites this paper as [50]
The Abstract (pp. 1–2) describes polarization-controlled conversion of spin to orbital angular momentum in inhomogeneous, anisotropic media. The q-plate discussion (pp. 4, 9) describes perfect conversion in a specific geometry, not near-100%-efficient unidirectional coupling across metal surfaces, nanofibers, and waveguides. Searches for those platforms and coupling efficiency found no passage addressing the attributed claim. (LLM, conf=0.76)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
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Spin-orbit interactions of light
Bliokh, K. Y., Rodriguez-Fortuno, F. J., Nori, F., & Zayats, A. V. (2015) · arXiv
- Authors
- Marrucci, L., Manzo, C., & Paparo, D.
- Affiliations
- University of Naples Federico II (IT)
- Venue
- Physical Review Letters
- Publisher
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Published
- 2006-04-28
- Volume
- 96
- Issue
- 16
- Pages
- 163905-163905
- ISSN
- 0031-9007 (ISSN-L)
- 1079-7114
- OpenAlex
- W2111540554
- Cited by
- 2,115
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 124 · 2025: 137 · 2024: 154 · 2023: 145 · 2022: 167 · 2021: 152 · 2020: 145 · 2019: 202 · 2018: 155 · 2017: 150 · 2016: 138 · 2015: 112 · 2014: 85 · 2013: 71 · 2012: 47
- FWCI
- 12.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- arxiv.org
- Locations
- Physical Review Letters (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials › Metamaterials and Metasurfaces Applications
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications
- Keywords
- spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion, orbital angular momentum, helical modes, circularly polarized light, inhomogeneous anisotropic media, Berry phase
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