Theoretical investigation on asymmetrical spinning and orbiting motions of particles in a tightly focused power-exponent azimuthal-variant vector field

Generation of polygonal non-diffracting beams via angular spectral phases

In this study, an effective approach for generating polygonal non-diffracting beams (PNDBs) is demonstrated using optical caustics and cross-phases. The resulting structured light beams display a polygonal transverse structure and exhibit a significant intensity gradient and phase gradient. Diverse PNDBs can be generated by flexibly controlling the exponent factor of the cross-phases. The experimental results show that this beam has excellent non-diffracting properties and could stably capture and manipulate particles to move along polygonal trajectories. Furthermore, by adjusting the conversion rate parameter of the cross-phase, PNDBs can manipulate the motion state of the trapped particles, such as start and stop. These various PNDBs may be useful for potential applications as optical tweezers and in micromachining.

Detection of fluid motion direction based on the rotational Doppler effect of grafted perfect vortex beam

Vortex beams have attracted much attention due to their unique rotational Doppler effect. With the in-depth study of vortex beams, many new vortex beams have been proposed gradually, while the detection of fluid motion is of great significance for the study of ocean turbulence. Based on the rotational Doppler effect of the grafted perfect vortex beam, we propose a non-embedded optical method for real-time detection of the magnitude and direction of fluid velocity and establish a two-dimensional fluid model for simulation verification. It is proved that the grafted perfect vortex beam can detect the magnitude and direction of the fluid velocity at the same time, which may provide a new way and theoretical support for the detection of fluid motion direction.

Directionally duplexed all-dielectric metalens for multifunctional structured light generation

Directionally duplexed metalenses manipulated by the geometric phase of a silicon nano-bar are theoretically designed to generate multifunctional structured light. It is numerically demonstrated that incident light with different linear and circular polarization states, along forward and backward propagation directions, can be differentially converted into multiple focusing structured beams of arbitrary topological charges, either of vector light with azimuthally variant polarizations or of vortex light with helical phases. Due to the all-silicon and nonresonant metastructural design, the resultant high working efficiencies of our proposed metalens are promising for applications such as optical communication, nanoparticle manipulation, and other direction-duplexed multifunctional optical meta-devices.

Generation and measurement of irregular polygonal perfect vortex optical beam based on all-dielectric geometric metasurface

The perfect optical vortex (POV) beam carrying orbital angular momentum with topological charge-independent radial intensity distribution possesses ubiquitous applications in optical communication, particle manipulation, and quantum optics. But the mode distribution of conventional POV beam is relatively single, limiting the modulation of the particles. Here, we originally introduce the high-order cross-phase (HOCP) and ellipticity γ into the POV beam and construct all-dielectric geometric metasurfaces to generate irregular polygonal perfect optical vortex (IPPOV) beams following the trend of miniaturization and integration of optical systems. By controlling the order of the HOCP, conversion rate u, and ellipticity factor γ, various shapes of IPPOV beams with different electric field intensity distributions can be realized. In addition, we analyze the propagation characteristics of IPPOV beams in free-space, and the number and rotation direction of bright spots at the focal plane give the magnitude and sign of the topological charge carried by the beam. The method does not require cumbersome devices or complex calculation process, and provides a simple and effective method for simultaneous polygon shaping and topological charge measurement. This work further improves the beam manipulation ability while maintaining the characteristics of the POV beam, enriches the mode distribution of the POV beam, and provides more possibilities for particle manipulation.

Shaping focal field by grafted polarization

In this paper, we propose a novel (to our knowledge) vector beam by combining the radially polarized beams with the different polarization orders, which is called the grafted polarization vector beam (GPVB). Compared with the tight focusing of traditional cylindrical vector beams, GPVB can present more flexible focal field patterns by adjusting the polarization order of two (or more) grafted parts. Moreover, because the GPVB possesses the non-axisymmetrical polarization state distribution, which will lead to the spin-orbit coupling in its tight focusing, it can obtain the spatial separation of spin angular momentum (SAM) and orbital angular momentum (OAM) in the focal plane. The SAM and the OAM are well modulated by adjusting the polarization order of two (or more) grafted parts. Furthermore, we also find the on-axis energy flow in the tight focusing of the GPVB can be changed from positive to negative by adjusting its polarization order. Our results provide more modulation freedom and potential applications in optical tweezers and particles trapping.

Cycloid-structured optical tweezers

We designed novel cycloid-structured optical tweezers based on a modified cycloid and holographic shaping techniques. The optical tweezers realize all the dynamic characteristics of the trapped particles, including start, stop, and variable-velocity motions along versatile trajectories. The superiority of the tweezers is experimentally verified using polystyrene micro-sphere manipulation. This work provides a novel platform for more complex manipulations of particles.

Linear and angular momentum properties induced by radial- and azimuthal-variant polarized beams in a strongly focused optical system

Optical linear and angular momenta have attracted tremendous research interest in recent years. In this paper we theoretically investigate the electromagnetic fields and linear and angular momentum properties of tightly focused radial- and azimuthal-variant vector input beams. Calculations show that a uniform 3D optical cage can be achieved when the optical degree of freedom of polarization in the radial direction is introduced. Furthermore, the distributions of linear and angular momenta in the focal volume are revealed. Moreover, we numerically investigate the gradient, scattering, and total forces as well as spin and orbital torques on a Rayleigh particle generated by the optical cage. It is found that there are two equilibrium positions before and after the focal plane, both of which can achieve stable 3D particles capture. Most importantly, the longitudinal spin and orbital torques show the same patterns but in opposite directions in the two equilibrium positions, thus, the unwinding of the double helix can be expected to be achieved by virtue of this special optical torque.

Harnessing of inhomogeneously polarized Hermite-Gaussian vector beams to manage the 3D spin angular momentum density distribution

We propose vector modes based on inhomogeneously polarized Hermite-Gaussian (HG) vector beams, providing complete structural conservation of the beams during propagation. Like uniformly polarized mode beams, these beams provide structural stability (or invariance) of both the intensity and the polarization state, in turn ensuring the stability of other field characteristics, including the angular momentum. We determine the conditions imposed on the HG mode composition in the transverse components of the electromagnetic field in order to control the three-dimensional characteristics of the field, such as intensity, polarization, and spin angular momentum (SAM). For the visual analysis of the polarization state of inhomogeneously polarized beams, we use the transverse distribution of the vector of three Stokes parameters. The correspondence of the third Stokes parameter to the distribution of the longitudinal component of the SAM is used for experimental measurements. The theoretical analysis is clearly illustrated by numerical simulations and confirmed by experimental results.

Nonlinear accelerated orbiting motions of optical trapped particles through two-photon absorption

Vortex beams carrying optical angular momentum (AM) could drive the orbital motion of a small particle around the optical axis. In general, the orbital rotation speed of trapped particles increases linearly with the increasing laser power. Beyond the linear optics regime, in this work, we investigate both the optical force and torque on a two-photon absorbing Rayleigh particle produced by the tightly focused femtosecond-pulsed circularly polarized vortex beam. Different from the trapping dynamics of particles without two-photon absorption (TPA), it is shown that the orbital motion of trapped particles with TPA accelerates nonlinearly as the laser power increases. Moreover, the orbital motion acceleration of trapped particles is proportional to the TPA coefficient. The corresponding underlying mechanism is discussed in detail. Our results may find interesting applications in the characterization of the optical nonlinearity of a single nanoparticle, and AM manipulation and particle transportation in the nonlinear optics regime.

Shift of the surface plasmon polariton interference pattern in symmetrical arc slit structures and its application to Rayleigh metallic particle trapping

In symmetric nano/micro metal slit structures, interference patterns are produced by counter-propagating surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in the the center of structures, which can be employed to improve the resolution of microscopy and surface etching and to realize particle trapping. This paper focuses on the shift of the SPP interference patterns in the symmetric arc slit structures. The excitation models with one incident beam and two incident beams are established and analyzed respectively, and methods to shift the SPP interference patterns via adjusting the tilt angle and initial phase of the excitation beams are compared. The FDTD simulation results show that these methods can precisely shift the SPP interference patterns in the symmetrical arc slits. Compared to the linear slits, the SPP waves arising from arc slits are more strongly focused, resulting in a stronger gradient force. The characteristics of stronger focus and dynamic shifting of the focal spot give the symmetric arc slit structure unique advantages in the capture and transfer of the Rayleigh metallic particle.

Spin-orbital coupling of quadratic-power-exponent-phase vortex beam propagating in a uniaxial crystal

Recent studies have shown that quadratic-power-exponent-phase (QPEP) vortex and modified QPEP vortex have some novel properties and potential applications in optical manipulation, orbital angular momentum (OAM) communication, OAM multicasting and so on. In these applications, there may be potential need of processing these kinds of beams by using uniaxial crystals. In this paper, the analytical propagation equations of Gaussian QPEP vortex and modified QPEP vortex propagating in uniaxial crystals are derived and the evolution of the angular momentum via spin-orbital coupling during the propagation is investigated. This may be meaningful for guiding and promoting the applications of the QPEP vortex and modified QPEP vortex.

Grafted optical vortex with controllable orbital angular momentum distribution

In an optical vortex (OV) field, the orbital angular momentum (OAM) distribution strongly depends on the intensity, which results in difficulty in OAM independent modulation. To overcome this limitation, we propose a grafted optical vortex (GOV) via spiral phase reconstruction of two or more OVs with different topological charges (TCs). To remain the annular shape of the GOV's intensity, the Dirac δ-function is employed to restrict the energy in a ring. Theoretical analysis and manipulation experiments of polystyrene microspheres show that the magnitude and direction of the GOV's local OAM are controllable by modulating the grafted TCs while the intensity remains constant. The results of this work provide an ingenious method to control the local tangential force on the light ring, which will promote potential applications in optical trapping and rotating micro-particles.

Centrosymmetric Optical Vortex

We report on a novel optical vortex, named as centrosymmetric optical vortex (CSOV), which is constructed via four conventional optical vortices (OVs) with different topological charges (TCs). The orbital angular momentum (OAM) density satisfies centrosymmetric distribution. Meanwhile, it is confined within a single ring whose radius is determined by the cone angle of an axicon. Furthermore, its magnitude and distribution are modulated by a parameter determined via the TCs of the four OVs, named as phase reconstruction factor. Our work provides a novel detached asymmetric light field, which possesses the potential application in macro-particle manipulation, especially separating cells.