Measurement of the Angle-angular Momentum Uncertainty of a Light Beam

Leach, J., Franke-Arnold, S. , Courtial, J. , Yao, E., Barnett, S. and Padgett, M. (2003) Measurement of the Angle-angular Momentum Uncertainty of a Light Beam. In: 5th International Workshop on Laser and Fiber-Optical Networks Modeling, Alushta, Ukraine, 19-20 Sep 2003, p. 145. ISBN 9780780377097 (doi: 10.1109/LFNM.2003.1246106)

Abstract

The summary form only given. One of the many forms of the uncertainty principle concerns angular position and angular momentum. We demonstrate this in the case of light: the more the angular position of a light beam is restricted by passing it through a radial aperture, the larger the spread in the beam's angular-momentum components. We prepare laser beams in different angular momentum states by reflecting them from a phase hologram, which determines the orbital-angular-momentum state, and passing them through a quarter-wave plate, which determines the spin state. We can measure the angular-momentum components in the beam in the form of resonances of a novel beam-rotating ring resonator. Our results are in broad agreement with the predictions of the uncertainty principle.

• Item Type: Conference Proceedings
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Barnett, Professor Stephen and Courtial, Dr Johannes and Franke-Arnold, Professor Sonja and Yao, Dr Eric and Padgett, Professor Miles and Leach, Mr Jonathan
• Authors: Leach, J., Franke-Arnold, S., Courtial, J., Yao, E., Barnett, S., and Padgett, M.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
• ISBN: 9780780377097