Free-space propagation of spatiotemporal optical vortices

By S. Hancock, Sina Zahedpour, A. Goffin, H. Milchberg. Optica, 2019

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Spatiotemporal optical vortices (STOVs) are a new type of optical orbital angular momentum (OAM) with optical phase circulation in space–time. In prior work [Phys. Rev. X.6, 031037 (2016)PRXHAE2160-330810.1103/PhysRevX.6.031037], we demonstrated that a STOV is a universal structure emerging from the arrest of self-focusing collapse leading to nonlinear self-guiding in material media. Here, we demonstrate linear generation and propagation in free space of STOV-carrying pulses. Our measurements and simulations demonstrate STOV mediation of space–time energy flow within the pulse and conservation of OAM in space–time. Single-shot amplitude and phase images of STOVs are taken using a new diagnostic, transient grating single-shot supercontinuum spectral interferometry.

Subfields: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Statistical and Nonlinear Physics

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/1738cd596a45938fd9f4ef2b6cf7b3568f468adb