• Advanced Photonics Nexus
  • Vol. 3, Issue 6, 066001 (2024)
Zhengyang Mao1,†, Haigang Liu1,*, and Xianfeng Chen1,2,*
Author Affiliations
  • 1Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Physics and Astronomy, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Communication Systems and Networks, Shanghai, China
  • 2Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Sciences, Shanghai, China
  • show less
    DOI: 10.1117/1.APN.3.6.066001 Cite this Article Set citation alerts
    Zhengyang Mao, Haigang Liu, Xianfeng Chen, "Effective sorting of fractional optical vortex modes," Adv. Photon. Nexus 3, 066001 (2024) Copy Citation Text show less

    Abstract

    The mode sorter is the crucial component of the communication systems based on orbital angular momentum (OAM). However, schemes proposed so far can only effectively sort integer OAM (IOAM) modes. Here, we demonstrate the effective sorting of fractional OAM (FOAM) modes by utilizing the coordinate transformation method, which can convert FOAM modes to IOAM modes. The transformed IOAM modes are subsequently sorted using a mode conversion method called topological charge matching. The validation of our scheme is verified by implementing two FOAM sorting processes and corresponding mode purity analyses, both theoretically and experimentally. This new sorting method exhibits great potential for implementing a highly confidential and high-capacity FOAM-based communication and data storage system, which may inspire further applications in both classical and quantum regimes.
    Supplementary Materials