On the orbit-induced spin density of tightly focused optical vortex beams: ellipticity and helicity

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Author: Forbes, Kayn A.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Forbes, Kayn A.
author_facet Forbes, Kayn A.
contents It has recently been established that a linearly-polarized optical vortex possesses spin angular momentum density in the direction of propagation (longitudinal spin) under tight-focusing. The helicity of light has long been associated with longitudinal spin angular momentum. Here we show that the longitudinal spin density of linearly-polarized vortices is anomalous because it has no associated helicity. It was also recently determined that the polarization-independent helicity of tightly-focused optical vortices is associated with their transverse spin momentum density. The key finding of this work is the fact that, in general, longitudinal spin can not necessarily be associated with helicity, and transverse spin is in general not associated with a zero helicity, and such extraordinary behaviour manifests most clearly for optical vortices under non-paraxial conditions.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2403_12558
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle On the orbit-induced spin density of tightly focused optical vortex beams: ellipticity and helicity
Forbes, Kayn A.
Optics
It has recently been established that a linearly-polarized optical vortex possesses spin angular momentum density in the direction of propagation (longitudinal spin) under tight-focusing. The helicity of light has long been associated with longitudinal spin angular momentum. Here we show that the longitudinal spin density of linearly-polarized vortices is anomalous because it has no associated helicity. It was also recently determined that the polarization-independent helicity of tightly-focused optical vortices is associated with their transverse spin momentum density. The key finding of this work is the fact that, in general, longitudinal spin can not necessarily be associated with helicity, and transverse spin is in general not associated with a zero helicity, and such extraordinary behaviour manifests most clearly for optical vortices under non-paraxial conditions.
title On the orbit-induced spin density of tightly focused optical vortex beams: ellipticity and helicity
topic Optics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.12558