In this work, we develop a new technique to determine the topological charge of a light beam with orbital angular momentum. Our technique is based on the diffraction by a triangular aperture. By performing numerical simulations, for Laguerre-Gaus beams and Bessel beams with different values of l, we found tha the diffraction pattern contains the signature of the topological charge of the beam. Our theoretical predictions for a triangular aperture were experimentally verifiel, demonstrating the the diffraction pattern reveals the topological charge of the light beam. / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Neste trabalho, desenvolvemos uma nova técnica para determinar a carga topológica de um feixe de luz com momento angular orbital. Nossa técnica é baseada na difração por uma abertura triangular. Através da realização de simulações numérica, para feixes Laguerre-Gauss e feixes Bessel com diferentes valores de l, descobrimos que o padrão de difração contém a assinatura da carga topológica do feixe. Nossas previsões teóricas para uma abertura triangular foram verificadas experimentalmente, demonstrando que o padrão de difração revela a carga topológica do feixe de luz. Esta técnica torna possível a determinação do módulo e do sinal da carga topológica de um feixe de luz de uma maneira simples e direta.

Submitted by Irene Nascimento (irene.kessia@ufpe.br) on 2017-04-26T16:56:47Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Tese_Anderson_Amaral.pdf: 6016426 bytes, checksum: d9633b708d004572ce2495387f757089 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-26T16:56:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Tese_Anderson_Amaral.pdf: 6016426 bytes, checksum: d9633b708d004572ce2495387f757089 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-29 / CNPQ / In this thesis are presented various results regarding the transverse structure of light beams in the paraxial propagation regime, with a special concern with singularities in the transverse profile and in nonlinear optics applications. Theoretical and experimental tools were developed for the study of Optical Vortices (OV) and its most important characteristics, as the Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) and the Topological Charge (TC). In a first step, we theoretically described and experimentally demonstrated that it is possible to shape the intensity profile of a beam containing OV by distributing TC over the plane transverse to the propagation direction [1]. The TC is associated with a phase singularity that implies in points of zero intensity. By distributing the TC on the transverse plane, it is possible to shape the beam dark region and also the OAM profile with the goal of optimizing the light beam for a given application. However, a problem identified in [1] was that most of the current available techniques to characterize OAM light implicitly assume that the beam has cylindrical symmetry, thus being inadequate to characterize fields resulting from more general TC distributions. These problems were approached in a second work [2], where it was shown that by measuring the field transverse amplitude and phase profiles it is possible to measure the OAM and the TC in TC distributions with arbitrary geometries. By combination of the results [1] and [2] it is possible to optimize and characterize the TC distributions for given applications, as for example by designing the transverse forces in an optical tweezer for microparticle manipulation. An important theoretical unfold during these works was the identification of an analogous relation between the field transverse phase in a TC distribution with the Coulomb potential in two-dimensional electrostatics. We then introduced in [3] the Topological Potential (TP) concept which allows the design of structured optical beams with complex spatial profiles inspired by two-dimensional electrostatics analogies. The TP can be used to describe a broad class of TC distributions, as those from [1,2] or the more sophisticate examples in [3]. In another set of results, it is discussed the possibility of using concepts and the formalism of quantum mechanics to solve light propagation problems in the classical approximation. Among the results obtained, it should be remarked that the formalism obtained has a simple and direct relation with ABCD matrices and ray optics [4]. These results were used to understand light propagation in systems containing nonlinear materials, as in SLIM [5] and D4σ [6] techniques. In [5, 6] the theoretical results were compared with experimental data obtained from standard samples, as carbon dissulfide (CS2), acetone and fused silica. It was obtained a very good agreement between the measured optical nonlinearities and the results established in literature for these materials. / Nesta tese são apresentados resultados relacionados com a estrutura transversal de feixes de luz no regime paraxial de propagação, com uma atenção especial em singularidades no perfil transversal e em aplicações para óptica não linear. Foram desenvolvidas ferramentas teóricas e experimentais para o estudo de vórtices ópticos (Optical Vortices - OVs), e suas características mais importantes, como o momento angular orbital (Orbital Angular Momentum - OAM) e a carga topológica (Topological Charge - TC). Inicialmente, foi teoricamente descrito e experimentalmente demonstrado como é possível moldar o perfil de intensidade de um feixe contendo OVs usando uma distribuição de TC sobre o plano transversal à direção de propagação [1]. A TC está associada a uma singularidade na fase, o que implica em um zero de intensidade. Ao se distribuir a TC sobre o plano transversal, é possível moldar o formato da região de intensidade nula e também o perfil de OAM no intuito de otimizar o feixe para uma dada aplicação. No entanto, um problema identificado neste trabalho é que a maior parte das técnicas de caracterização disponíveis para luz com OAM implicitamente supunham que o feixe possui simetria cilíndrica, e portanto não eram adequadas para caracterizar campos obtidos a partir de distribuições de TC com geometrias mais gerais. Tais problemas foram abordados em um segundo trabalho [2], onde foi mostrado que por meio de medições dos perfis transversais de amplitude e fase do campo elétrico é possível medir o OAM e a TC em distribuições de TC com formas geométricas arbitrárias. A união dos trabalhos [1] e [2] permite então que as distribuições de TC possam ser adequadamente otimizadas e caracterizadas para aplicações específicas, como por exemplo ao moldar as forças transversais numa pinça óptica para a manipulação de micropartículas. Um desdobramento teórico importante obtido foi identificar uma relação análoga entre o perfil de fase em uma distribuição de TC com o potencial de Coulomb em eletrostática bidimensional. Foi então introduzido em [3] o conceito de potencial topológico (Topological Potential - TP) que possibilita a construção de feixes ópticos estruturados com perfis espaciais complexos inspirados em analogias com eletrostática bidimensional. O TP pode ser usado na descrição de uma grande variedade de distribuições de TC, como nos feixes em [1, 2] ou nos exemplos mais sofisticados em [3]. Posteriormente, é discutida a possibilidade de se utilizar conceitos e o formalismo da mecânica quântica na solução de problemas de propagação da luz descrita na aproximação clássica. Dentre os resultados obtidos, destaca-se que o formalismo possui uma relação simples e direta com as matrizes ABCD e a óptica de raios [4]. Estes resultados foram utilizados na compreensão da propagação da luz em sistemas contendo materiais não lineares, como nas técnicas SLIM [5] e D4σ[6]. Nos trabalhos [5,6] os resultados teóricos foram comparados com dados experimentais obtidos em amostras padrão, como dissulfeto de carbono (CS2), acetona e sílica fundida. Foi obtida uma concordância muito boa entre os valores medidos para as não linearidades ópticas nestes materiais e os valores estabelecidos na literatura.

Submitted by Biblioteca do Instituto de Física (bif@ndc.uff.br) on 2017-03-27T20:46:23Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertação.pdf: 3142879 bytes, checksum: 86acc16510c6eb3acd7d645922238d47 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-27T20:46:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Dissertação.pdf: 3142879 bytes, checksum: 86acc16510c6eb3acd7d645922238d47 (MD5) / Trabalhos anteriores já mostraram o dobramento do momento angular orbital de feixes após a geração de segundo harmônico em meios não lineares. Nesse trabalho pretendemos usar a polarização como parâmetro auxiliar para poder incidir em um cristal não linear dois feixes colineares com momentos angulares orbitais diferentes e obter na geração de seu segundo harmônico a soma de seus momentos angulares orbitais e veri car este resultado experimentalmente. / Previous work have already shown the orbital angular momentum doubling after second harmonic generation in non-linear media. In this work we intend to use the polarization as an auxiliary parameter to focus in a non-linear crystal two colinear beams with different orbital angular momentum and obtain in its second harmonic generation the sum of their orbital angular momentum and to verify it exeperimentally.

Une onde électromagnétique est définie par son amplitude, son vecteur d'onde, sa fréquence et son moment angulaire. Ce dernier peut être séparé en deux parties : la polarisation (associée au moment angulaire de spin), et le moment angulaire orbital. Ce dernier n'a vraiment été étudié qu'à partir de ces dernières années. Cette thèse a pour but d'approfondir les connaissances sur ce moment angulaire orbital. Des prototypes ont ainsi été réalisés, et des outils d'analyse ont été développés. Dans un premier temps, une étude du transfert de ce moment angulaire orbital à un objet macroscopique, à la fréquence de 870 MHz, est présentée. Une interprétation du mécanisme de transfert est ensuite proposée, supportée par le calcul des équations de champs et des simulations électromagnétiques. Dans un second temps, la conception et la réalisation de deux antennes, pouvant générer une onde possédant un moment angulaire orbital, sont présentées. Ces deux antennes utilisent une lame de phase avec une loi à dépendance angulaire. La première est une lame de phase dite « spirale », à permittivité constante et à hauteur variable. La seconde est une lame à gradient d'indice, à permittivité variable et à hauteur constante. Ces deux antennes ont été simulées, puis mesurées au sein de la chambre anéchoïque CHEOPS (DGA-MI, Bruz). Des cartographies sur un plan du champ ont ainsi été obtenues. Dans un dernier temps, la réflexion sur des surfaces courbes et planes, et l'influence de l'échantillonnage sur l'estimation des modes d'OAM, ont été étudiées. En ce qui concerne la réflexion, les résultats de simulations sont prometteurs, et semblent indiquer l'existence d'une relation entre les déformations du faisceau réfléchi et le type de surface. Pour l'estimation des modes d'OAM, les valeurs de champs sont extraites sur un cercle. Différents paramètres (positionnement et rayon du cercle) ont été considérés, et une méthode d'estimation des modes d'OAM sur une large bande de fréquence est proposée. / An electromagnetic wave is defined by its amplitude, its wave vector, its frequency and its angular momentum. This momentum can be decomposed into two components: polarization (associated to spin angular momentum), and orbital angular momentum. The later has not been investigated thoroughly until the last few years. To deepen the knowledge on orbital angular momentum, both prototypes and analysis tools have been developed in this thesis. First, study of orbital angular momentum transfer to a macroscopic object, at a frequency of 870 MHz, is presented. An interpretation of the transfer mechanism is then proposed, supported by the calculation of field equations and electromagnetic simulations. Secondly, the conception and the realization of two antennas able to generate an EM wave with orbital angular momentum are presented. These antennas use phase plates with an angular dependent law. The first one is a “spiral” phase plate, with constant permittivity and variable height. The second one has variable permittivity and constant height. Both have been simulated and characterized in CHEOPS anechoic chamber (DGA-MI, Bruz). Measurements of magnitude and phase, on a plane, have been obtained. Lastly, total reflection on planar and curved surfaces and influence of sampling on OAM modes estimation were investigated. Simulation results of reflected waves are promising and show a relationship between the induced deformations and the object reflected on. As for OAM modes estimation, study has been performed using an extraction circle on the wave front. Several parameters (center of the circle, radius) have been considered, and a method for OAM modes estimation on a large bandwidth is proposed.

No description available.

No description available.

In this thesis, an investigation into the modal characteristics of novel beam shapes is presented. Sculpting the phase profile of a Gaussian beam can result in the generation of a beam with unique properties. Described in this thesis are Laguerre-Gaussian (LG), Hermite-Gaussian (HG) and Bessel beams (BBs). The diffraction of LG beam modes from a triangular aperture is explored and this effect can be used for the efficient measurement of the azimuthal mode index l that indicates the number of multiples of 2π of phase changes that the field displays around one circumference of the optical axis. In this study, only LG beams with zero radial mode index p, with p + 1 denoting the number of bright high intensity concentric rings around the optical axis, were considered. Then, a powerful approach to simultaneously determine both mode indices of a pure LG beam using the principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm on the observed far-field diffraction patterns was demonstrated. Owing to PCA algorithm, the shape of the diffracting element used to measure the mode indices is in fact of little importance and the crucial step is ‘training' any diffracting optical system and transforming the observed far-field diffraction patterns into the uncorrelated variables (principal components). Our PCA method is generic and it was extended to other families of light fields such as HG, Bessel and superposed beams. This reinforces the widespread applicability of this method for various applications. Finally, both theoretically and experimentally investigations using interferometry show the definitive linkage between both the radial and azimuthal mode indices of a partially coherent LG beam and the dislocation rings in the far-field cross-correlation function (CCF).

In this doctoral thesis we investigate several experiments exploring the light orbital angular momentum and the Fraunhofer diffraction of light. Our investigations goes from coherent propagation, continue through incoherent propagation, arriving at semiclassical states used to explore one fundamental problem in quantum mechanics, i. e., the Born’s rule. Therefore, concerning coherent propagation of light with orbital angular momentum, we were first involved with studies about Fraunhofer diffraction of this type of light, by a single slit and by a square aperture. In the former work we studied the Fraunhofer diffraction when the slit center is aligned with the vortex center and when it is out of the vortex center. Concerning the work related to the square aperture, we show that the diffraction by such aperture is not sufficient to characterize the topological charge. Continuing the works, we also investigate the Fraunhofer diffraction of light with orbital angular momentum of fractional topological charge in the real space. An interesting phenomenon, the birth of a vortex, was studied at Fraunhofer plane, showing new conclusions in the study of fractional topological charges. Our studies continued with the Fraunhofer propagation of vortices in incoherent light, unveiling strong correlations between incoherent vortices. Finally, we explored semiclassical aspects of light with orbital angular momentum. Firstly, the topological charge determination via the spatial probability distribution of detection of photons diffracted by a triangular aperture. After, the validation of the Born’s rule using diffraction, by three slits disposed in a triangular configuration, of photons with an extra phase, i. e., the azimuthal phase added to the path phase. / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Nesta tese de doutorado investigamos diversos experimentos que exploram o momento angular orbital da luz e a difração de Fraunhofer. Nossas investigações abrangeram desde propagação coerente, passando por propagação incoerente, chegando a estados semiclássicos usados para explorar uma questão fundamental da mecânica quântica, a saber, a regra de Born. Portanto, no que concerne à propagação de luz coerente com momento angular orbital, estivemos envolvidos primeiramente com estudos da difração de Fraunhofer deste tipo de luz, por uma fenda simples e por uma abertura quadrada. No primeiro trabalho estudamos a difração de Fraunhofer quando o centro da fenda está alinhado com o centro do vórtice e quando está deslocado do centro do vórtice. Quanto ao trabalho relacionado à abertura quadrada, mostramos que a difração de Fraunhofer por tal abertura não permite caracterizar a carga topológica. Prosseguindo os trabalhos, investigamos também a difração no plano de Fraunhofer de luz com momento angular de carga fracionária no plano real. Um interessante fenômeno, o nascimento de um vórtice, foi estudado no plano de Fraunhofer, mostrando novas conclusões nos estudos relacionados à carga fracionária. Nossos estudos continuaram com a propagação de Fraunhofer de vórtices em luz incoerente, revelando fortes correlações entre vórtices incoerentes. Por fim, exploramos aspectos semiclássicos da luz com momento angular orbital. Primeiramente, a determinação da carga topológica via distribuição de probabilidade espacial de detecção de fótons difratados por uma abertura triangular. Posteriormente, a validação da regra de Born utilizando difração, por três fendas simples dispostas na forma triangular, de fótons com uma fase extra, ou seja, a fase azimutal, adicionada à fase de caminho.

Le moment orbital angulaire (OAM) de la lumière est une grandeur quantifiée associée à la phase d’un vortex optique et est actuellement une des variables explorées pour les technologies quantiques.Dans ce contexte, cette thèse étudie expérimentalement la conversion de vortex optiques par une vapeur de rubidium, via la transition Raman stimulée à deux photons 5S₁/₂ − 5D₅/₂. Quand les atomes sont soumis à deux lasers respectivement à 780 nm et 776 nm, ils génèrent des rayonnements cohérents, infrarouge à 5,23 μm et bleu à 420 nm. On examine le rayonnement bleu lorsque l’un des lasers ou les deux sont des vortex, en particulier des modes de Laguerre-Gauss. Dans une première partie nous montrons que si l’OAM est porté par le laser à 776 nm, alors le rayonnement bleu émis porte un OAM qui respecte l’accord de phase azimutale et de phase de Gouy. Nous montrons aussi que la conversion est efficace sur une grande plage d’OAM allant de -50 à +50, que l’efficacité est gouvernée par le produit des intensités des lasers incidents et que le rayonnement bleu se comporte comme un mode de Laguerre-Gauss pur. Dans une deuxième partie nous montrons qu’il est possible de convertir une superposition de vortex ou une paire de vortex coaxiaux et que l’OAM du rayonnement bleu émis obéit à la règle de somme des OAM incidents. Pour les cas étudiés, nous proposons un modèle de mélange à quatre ondes qui établit les règles de sélection du processus de conversion d’OAM. Ce travail ouvre la voie vers la conversion d’OAM utilisant des transitions vers des niveaux atomiques plus élevés. / The orbital angular momentum of light (OAM) is a quantized quantity arising from the azimuthal phase carried by optical vortices and is well-known for quantum technology applications. Its set of values is theoretically infinite.In this context this thesis experimentally study the conversion of optical vortices in a rubidium vapor through the 5S₁/₂ − 5D₅/₂ stimulated Raman transition. When the atoms are illuminated with laser beams at 780 nm and 776 nm they generate two coherent light beams at 5,23 μm and 420 nm. We investigate the blue light when one laser or both are optical vortices, in particular Laguerre-Gaussian modes. In a first part we show that if the laser at 776 nm carries an OAM the blue light is an optical vortex with an OAM which respects azimutal and Gouy phase matchings. We further show that the conversion is efficient on a large set of OAM from -50 to +50, that the efficiency is governed by the product of the input laser intensities and that the blue light behaves like a pure Laguerre-Gaussian mode. In a second part we demonstrate the conversion of a vortex superposition or a pair of coaxial vortices and that the OAM of the emitted light obeys the conservation rule of total OAM. For each studied case we propose a four wave mixing model establishing selection rules for the conversion process. This work opens possibilities towards OAM conversion using higher atomic levels.

La génération d’harmoniques d’ordre élevé est un processus d’interaction lumière-matière hautement non-linéaire permettant la synthèse d’impulsions sub-femtosecondes, dites attosecondes (1 as = 10⁻¹⁸ s). Mes travaux de thèse portent sur l’étude du transfert de moment angulaire lors de ce processus, afin de contrôler les caractéristiques spatiales et de polarisation du rayonnement émis dans l’extrême ultraviolet. Comme pour la matière, le moment angulaire de la lumière peut être séparé en une composante de spin, associée à l’état de polarisation du faisceau, et une composante orbitale, reliée à la forme du front d’onde. La maitrise complète du moment angulaire des harmoniques nécessite de recourir à des schémas de génération à deux faisceaux non-colinéaires, créant un réseau de diffraction dans le milieu générateur. Nous avons montré que, bien que les règles de transfert obéissent à des lois de conservation du moment angulaire, la description fine du phénomène requiert une analyse précise du champ laser dans le milieu de génération. Ces travaux ouvrent des perspectives de mise en forme avancée des impulsions attosecondes. / High-order harmonic generation is a highly nonlinear laser-matter interaction process which allows the synthesis of sub-femtosecond pulses, also called attosecond (1 as = 10⁻¹⁸ s) pulses. My PhD is centered around the study of angular momentum transfer during this process, in order to control spatial and polarization features of the radiation which is emitted in the extreme ultraviolet. As for matter, the angular momentum of light can be divided into a spin component, associated with the beam’s polarization, and an orbital component, related to the shape of the wavefront. The control of high harmonics’ angular momentum requires generating schemes involving two crossing beams, thus creating a diffraction grating in the generating medium.We have shown that, although the transfer rules obey conservation laws of the angular momentum, the fine description of the phenomenon requires an accurate analysis of the laser field in the generation medium. This work opens the road for advanced shaping of attosecond pulses.