Orbital angular momentum of twisted light: Chirality and optical activity

Forbes, Kayn A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8884-3496 and Andrews, David L. (2021) Orbital angular momentum of twisted light: Chirality and optical activity. JPhys: Photonics, 3 (2). ISSN 2515-7647

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Abstract

Optical activity is conventionally understood as a natural difference in the optical responses of chiral materials with opposite handedness. It stems from the quantised spin angular momentum ±h per photon, with the ± representing either left- or right-handed circular polarisations. Less well known, until recently, was the possibility that matter might also respond in a similar, discriminatory way to the handedness of twisted light, or 'optical vortices', whose orbital angular momentum (OAM) is quantised as ℓh per photon, where ℓ is the topological charge whose sign determines a wavefront twist to the left or right. Initial studies focusing on whether, in spectroscopic applications, chiral matter might respond differently to the vortex handedness of +ℓ and -ℓ beams, failed to identify any viable mechanism. However, in the last few years, theory and experiment have both supplied ample evidence that, under certain conditions, such forms of interaction do exist-and as a result, the field of chirality and optical OAM is beginning to flourish at a pace. This topical review presents a survey of this new field, working up from a description of those initial studies to the cutting-edge experiments now taking place. Analysing the fundamental mechanisms provides for a revision of previous precepts, broadening their scope in the light of recent advances in understanding, and highlighting a vibrant synergy between the fields of optical activity and twisted light.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: chirality,chiroptical spectroscopy,optical helicity,plasmonics,spin-orbit interactions,structured light,atomic and molecular physics, and optics,electronic, optical and magnetic materials,electrical and electronic engineering ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3100/3107
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Chemistry
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Chemistry of Light and Energy
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Centre for Photonics and Quantum Science
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Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 03 Jun 2021 14:25
Last Modified: 09 Feb 2023 13:49
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/80202
DOI: 10.1088/2515-7647/abdb06

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