Direct Generation of Radially Polarized Vector Vortex Beam with an Exciton-Polariton Laser

Abstract

Vector vortex beams are a class of optical beams with singularities in their space-variant polarization. Vector vortex beam lasers have applications in many areas including imaging and communication, where vertical cavity lasers emitting Gaussian beams have been most widely used so far. Generation of vector vortex beams from vertical cavity lasers has required external control or modulation. Here, by utilizing a polarization-selective sub-wavelength grating as one of the reflectors in a vertical semiconductor microcavity, we design the spin textures of the polariton mode and demonstrate polariton lasing in a single-mode, radially polarized vector vortex beam. Polarization and phase distributions of the emission are characterized by polarization-resolved imaging and interferometry. This way of vector vortex laser beam generation allows ultra-low threshold power, stable single-mode operation, scalability and on-chip integration, all of which are important for applications in imaging and communication.

Optical characteristics of radially-polarised twisted light

“…Radially-polarised optical vortex modes are routinely producible using commercially available devices in the form of polarisation converters [17,18]. Such modes, typically of the LG type, have also been created in the laboratory [19][20][21]. These reports indicate that such modes are endowed with the phase function e iℓϕ , with the magnitude of the winding number as large as |ℓ| up to 200 [22].…”

Stability of vortices in exciton-polariton condensates with spin–orbital-angular-momentum coupling

“…It is also conceptually interesting as polariton BEC is a non-equilibrium quantum system with macroscopic coherence, where the polariton continuously decays and simultaneously replenishes via stimulated scattering of reservoir-exciton excited by the optical pump [12,13]. The non-equilibrium nature and photonic component of polariton BEC provide a unique opportunity for investigating the dynamics of vortices [8,14,15], which can be created by various experimental techniques such as resonant excitation by Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams [16][17][18], optical parametric oscillation [19], and pumping with a circular excitation beam [20,21].…”

Bionic Plasmonic Nanoarrays Excited by Radially Polarized Vector Beam for Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence

“…Besides the plasmonic substrate, the illumination methods largely influence the MEF performance [ 34 , 35 , 36 ]. The radially polarized vector beam (RVB) [ 37 , 38 , 39 ] is an unconventional illumination light field. It has a radial distribution of polarization direction on the beam cross-section and sub-diffracted focusing spot under tight focusing condition [ 40 ].…”