written by Nathan Clayburn and Dominic Ryan

In this experiment we study light with orbital angular momentum. Circularly polarized light possesses spin angular momentum, analogous to Earth's rotation about its axis. Orbital angular momentum (OAM) of light is analogous to Earth's orbit around the Sun, with a structure explained below. We will generate beams with OAM by passing laser light through specially designed diffraction gratings. By constructing an interferometer and interfering the OAM beam with a reference plane wave, we can determine the magnitude and direction of the beam's orbital angular momentum.

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Last Modified February 3, 2012

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