Intrinsic and extrinsic nature of the orbital angular momentum of a light beam

O'Neil, A.T., MacVicar, I., Allen, L. and Padgett, M.J. (2002) Intrinsic and extrinsic nature of the orbital angular momentum of a light beam. Physical Review Letters, 88(5), 053601. (doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.88.053601)

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Publisher's URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.88.053601

Abstract

We explain that, unlike the spin angular momentum of a light beam which is always intrinsic, the orbital angular momentum may be either extrinsic or intrinsic. Numerical calculations of both spin and orbital angular momentum are confirmed by means of experiments with particles trapped off axis in optical tweezers, where the size of the particle means it interacts with only a fraction of the beam profile. Orbital angular momentum is intrinsic only when the interaction with matter is about an axis where there is no net transverse momentum.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Padgett, Professor Miles
Authors: O'Neil, A.T., MacVicar, I., Allen, L., and Padgett, M.J.
Subjects:Q Science > QC Physics
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
Journal Name:Physical Review Letters
Publisher:American Physical Society
ISSN:0031-9007
ISSN (Online):1079-7114

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