Generation of Optical Vortex Arrays Using Single-Element Reversed-Wavefront Folding Interferometer

Abstract EN

Optical vortex arrays have been generated using simple, novel, and stable reversed-wavefront folding interferometer.

Two new interferometric configurations were used for generating a variety of optical vortex lattices.

In the first interferometric configuration one cube beam splitter (CBS) was used in one arm of Mach-Zehnder interferometer for splitting and combining the collimated beam, and one mirror of another arm is replaced by second CBS.

At the output of interferometer, three-beam interference gives rise to optical vortex arrays.

In second interferometric configuration, a divergent wavefront was made incident on a single CBS which splits and combines wavefronts leading to the generation of vortex arrays due to four-beam interference.

It was found that the orientation and structure of the optical vortices can be stably controlled by means of changing the rotation angle of CBS.