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Optical vortex-antivortex crystallization in free space

Author

Listed:
  • Haolin Lin

    (Jinan University
    Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber Sensing and Communications)

  • Yixuan Liao

    (Jinan University
    Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber Sensing and Communications)

  • Guohua Liu

    (Jinan University
    Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber Sensing and Communications)

  • Jianbin Ren

    (Jinan University
    Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber Sensing and Communications)

  • Zhen Li

    (Jinan University
    Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber Sensing and Communications
    Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Crystal and Laser Technology)

  • Zhenqiang Chen

    (Jinan University
    Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber Sensing and Communications
    Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Crystal and Laser Technology)

  • Boris A. Malomed

    (Tel Aviv University
    Universidad de Tarapacá)

  • Shenhe Fu

    (Jinan University
    Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber Sensing and Communications
    Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Crystal and Laser Technology)

Abstract

Stable vortex lattices are basic dynamical patterns which have been demonstrated in physical systems including superconductor physics, Bose-Einstein condensates, hydrodynamics and optics. Vortex-antivortex (VAV) ensembles can be produced, self-organizing into the respective polar lattices. However, these structures are in general highly unstable due to the strong VAV attraction. Here, we demonstrate that multiple optical VAV clusters nested in the propagating coherent field can crystallize into patterns which preserve their lattice structures over distance up to several Rayleigh lengths. To explain this phenomenon, we present a model for effective interactions between the vortices and antivortices at different lattice sites. The observed VAV crystallization is a consequence of the globally balanced VAV couplings. As the crystallization does not require the presence of nonlinearities and appears in free space, it may find applications to high-capacity optical communications and multiparticle manipulations. Our findings suggest possibilities for constructing VAV complexes through the orbit-orbit couplings, which differs from the extensively studied spin-orbit couplings.

Suggested Citation

  • Haolin Lin & Yixuan Liao & Guohua Liu & Jianbin Ren & Zhen Li & Zhenqiang Chen & Boris A. Malomed & Shenhe Fu, 2024. "Optical vortex-antivortex crystallization in free space," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-50458-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50458-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. J. Verbeeck & H. Tian & P. Schattschneider, 2010. "Production and application of electron vortex beams," Nature, Nature, vol. 467(7313), pages 301-304, September.
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