Generation and Detection of Optical Vortex Using Spiral Phase Plate and Spatial Light Modulator

Gulfaroz Patel

Department of Physics, Electronics and Space Sciences, Gujarat University.

In this article, we have experimentally demonstrated an efficient, simple and cost effective method for generation and detection of optical vortices, phase singularities in the light field. Optical vortices are light beams that carry orbital angular momentum. In order to achieve phase singularity at the center of the beam, we generate and analyze optical vortices using two methods - (i) a spiral phase plate (SPP) and (ii) a spatial light modulator (SLM). The topological charges of the generated optical vortices are verified by tilted-lens method. Also, optical vortices of different orders were generated numerically. The experimental results are in good agreement with the numerical results.