Controlling the orbital angular momentum of high harmonic vortices

• Published in: Nature communications 2017-04, Vol.8 (1), p.14970-14970, Article 14970
• Main Authors: Kong, Fanqi, Zhang, Chunmei, Bouchard, Frédéric, Li, Zhengyan, Brown, Graham G., Ko, Dong Hyuk, Hammond, T. J., Arissian, Ladan, Boyd, Robert W., Karimi, Ebrahim, Corkum, P. B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 639/624/400/385; 639/624/400/3923; 639/624/400/584; Humanities and Social Sciences; Lasers; Microscopy; multidisciplinary; Optics; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Vortices
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14970

Optical vortices, which carry orbital angular momentum (OAM), can be flexibly produced and measured with infrared and visible light. Their application is an important research topic for super-resolution imaging, optical communications and quantum optics. However, only a few methods can produce OAM beams in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) or X-ray, and controlling the OAM on these beams remains challenging. Here we apply wave mixing to a tabletop high-harmonic source, as proposed in our previous work, and control the topological charge (OAM value) of XUV beams. Our technique enables us to produce first-order OAM beams with the smallest possible central intensity null at XUV wavelengths. This work opens a route for carrier-injected laser machining and lithography, which may reach nanometre or even angstrom resolution. Such a light source is also ideal for space communications, both in the classical and quantum regimes. Few methods can produce orbital angular momentum beams in the extreme ultraviolet or X-ray, and controlling orbital angular momentum on these beams remains challenging. Here the authors apply wave mixing to a tabletop high-harmonic source and control the topological charge of extreme ultraviolet beams.