Split in phase singularities of an optical vortex by off-axis diffraction through a simple circular aperture

Opt Lett. 2017 Apr 1;42(7):1373-1376. doi: 10.1364/OL.42.001373.

Abstract

Diffraction patterns of an optical vortex through several shaped apertures reveal its topological charge. In this Letter, we theoretically and experimentally show that diffraction of a Laguerre Gaussian beam through a circular aperture at an off-axis position can be used to determine the magnitude and sign of the topological charge. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a simple circular aperture has been used to detect orbital angular momentum of an incident optical vortex.