Spin-to-Orbital Angular Momentum Conversion in a Strongly Focused Optical Beam
Abstract
As a fundamental property of light, the angular momentum of photons has been of great interest. Here, we demonstrate that optical spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion can occur in a homogeneous and isotropic medium. This Letter presents both theoretical and experimental studies of this conversion in a tightly focused beam and shows that the orbital rotation speeds of trapped particles are altered because of this conversion as predicted by theory.
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Focusing circularly-polarized light by a high-numerical-aperture lens generates a spin-dependent optical vortex in the focal field.
“(ii) Focusing of circularly-polarized light by a high-numerical-aperture lens results in the generation of a spin-dependent optical vortex (i.e., helical phase producing orbital angular momentum) in the focal field.”
From Spin–orbit interactions of light (2015) · cites this paper as [26]
The SAM-IOAM coupling in nonparaxial optical fields is largely independent of how the field was generated; dipole Rayleigh scattering by a small particle generates a similar conical distribution and spin-to-orbital AM conversion.
“The SAM- IOAM coupling in nonparaxial optical fields is largely independent of how the field was generated. Instead of high-NA focusing, one can consider dipole Rayleigh scattering by a small particle, which generates a similar conical distribution of the outgoing wavevectors, Fig. 2d.”
From Spin–orbit interactions of light (2015) · cites this paper as [26]
The spin-to-orbital AM conversion can be interpreted as an azimuthal spin-Hall effect in cylindrically-symmetric fields; breaking this symmetry results in a pronounced spin-Hall effect in the direction orthogonal to the symmetry-breaking axis.
“The spin-to-orbital AM conversion can be interpreted as an azimuthal spin-Hall effect in cylindrically-symmetric fields 24,26,112 . Breaking this symmetry results in a pronounced spin-Hall effect in the direction orthogonal to the symmetry-breaking axis 8,28- 33 .”
From Spin–orbit interactions of light (2015) · cites this paper as [26]
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- Authors
- Zhao, Y., Edgar, J. S., Jeffries, G. D. M., McGloin, D., & Chiu, D. T.
- Affiliations
- University of Washington (US)
- University of Dundee (GB)
- Venue
- Physical Review Letters
- Publisher
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Published
- 2007-08-15
- Volume
- 99
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 073901-073901
- ISSN
- 0031-9007 (ISSN-L)
- 1079-7114
- OpenAlex
- W2003373020
- Cited by
- 665
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2026: 30 · 2025: 52 · 2024: 52 · 2023: 59 · 2022: 58 · 2021: 55 · 2020: 47 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 33 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 19
- FWCI
- 7.55
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Physical Review Letters (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (EB005197, R01EB005197)
- 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 of light, spin angular momentum, optical trapping, particle rotation, homogeneous isotropic media, optical vortices
- MeSH terms
- Gold, Motion, Quantum Theory, Optics and Photonics
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