Near-unity efficiency optical vortex generation in van der Waals materials

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Byun, Sujeong, Bae, Munseong, Cho, Hangsung, Chung, Haejun, Novoselov, Kostya S., Bullock, James, Kim, Sejeong
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2026
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author Byun, Sujeong
Bae, Munseong
Cho, Hangsung
Chung, Haejun
Novoselov, Kostya S.
Bullock, James
Kim, Sejeong
author_facet Byun, Sujeong
Bae, Munseong
Cho, Hangsung
Chung, Haejun
Novoselov, Kostya S.
Bullock, James
Kim, Sejeong
contents Optical spin-orbit coupling provides a promising, fabrication-free route for developing ultra-compact optical vortex generators. However, the conversion efficiency has been theoretically limited to 0.5. Here, we demonstrate enhanced vortex generation efficiency by employing a Bessel beam as the input and propagating it through van der Waals (vdW) crystals. The large birefringence of vdW crystals and the single transverse wave vector of a Bessel beam allow a near unity spin-orbit conversion efficiency and a topological charge transition of $\ell \rightarrow \ell + 2$. Through combined analytical and experimental investigations, we demonstrate a conversion efficiency of up to 0.82 in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) crystals with a thickness of $27.4\,μ\mathrm{m}$. The higher efficiency of Bessel input beams over Gaussian beams is attributed to their distinct transverse wave vector distribution of constituent plane wave components. Furthermore, we demonstrate the dependence of conversion efficiency on the numerical aperture (NA) of the objective lens, which is in good alignment with theoretical predictions. These demonstrations provide a fabrication-free route to highly efficient optical vortex generation via microscale vdW materials platforms.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_05999
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Near-unity efficiency optical vortex generation in van der Waals materials
Byun, Sujeong
Bae, Munseong
Cho, Hangsung
Chung, Haejun
Novoselov, Kostya S.
Bullock, James
Kim, Sejeong
Optics
Optical spin-orbit coupling provides a promising, fabrication-free route for developing ultra-compact optical vortex generators. However, the conversion efficiency has been theoretically limited to 0.5. Here, we demonstrate enhanced vortex generation efficiency by employing a Bessel beam as the input and propagating it through van der Waals (vdW) crystals. The large birefringence of vdW crystals and the single transverse wave vector of a Bessel beam allow a near unity spin-orbit conversion efficiency and a topological charge transition of $\ell \rightarrow \ell + 2$. Through combined analytical and experimental investigations, we demonstrate a conversion efficiency of up to 0.82 in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) crystals with a thickness of $27.4\,μ\mathrm{m}$. The higher efficiency of Bessel input beams over Gaussian beams is attributed to their distinct transverse wave vector distribution of constituent plane wave components. Furthermore, we demonstrate the dependence of conversion efficiency on the numerical aperture (NA) of the objective lens, which is in good alignment with theoretical predictions. These demonstrations provide a fabrication-free route to highly efficient optical vortex generation via microscale vdW materials platforms.
title Near-unity efficiency optical vortex generation in van der Waals materials
topic Optics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.05999