Recently, Australia academician of academy of sciences, Australian institute of science and engineering research team led by Karl min ku using optical chips for the first time realized the nanoscale manipulation of the angular momentum of a photon. This is a breakthrough in the field of optical information technology, which provides a new angular momentum of a photon coding technology is expected to be used in the ultra fast optical communications, high-definition display, safety information encryption, ultra efficient quantum communication and quantum computing and other fields. Related results were published online in science.
The angular momentum of a photon can carry, including associated with circularly polarized light spin angular momentum and orbital angular momentum and spiral phase correlation. Photon orbital angular momentum because of its carrying amount of information is not restricted in theory, in recent years widely attention in the field of quantum communication and optical communication, etc. However, the nanoscale information encoding and decoding on the angular momentum of a photon has always been a worldwide problem. Research team using a specially designed grooves and nano ring structure, take the lead in realizing the nanometer scale of the angular momentum of a photon mode coding and decoding, transfer, new technology.
"Through nanoscale structures on the photon chip designed ably, for the first time, we realize the manipulation of the spiral beam on the chip." Karl min ku said that the chip is designed by the metal surface nano grooves, the angular momentum of the photons into angular momentum field distribution, surface plasmon reuse nano structure model for the angular momentum of the latter for identification and selectively transmission. Team, through a specially designed optical chips can be accurately will selectively to different angular momentum of a photon signal and its transmission in different nano ring out, this information is not lost. In addition, the invention can also increase as the number of optical processing speed.
