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Spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion in semiconductor microcavities

F. Manni, K. G. Lagoudakis, T. K. Paraïso, R. Cerna, Y. Léger, T. C. H. Liew, I. A. Shelykh, A. V. Kavokin, F. Morier-Genoud, and B. Deveaud-Plédran
Phys. Rev. B 83, 241307(R) – Published 24 June 2011

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate a technique for the generation of optical beams carrying orbital angular momentum using a planar semiconductor microcavity. Despite being isotropic systems with no structural gyrotropy, semiconductor microcavities, because of the transverse-electric–transverse-magnetic polarization splitting that they feature, allow for the conversion of the circular polarization of an incoming laser beam into the orbital angular momentum of the transmitted light field. The process implies the formation of topological entities, a pair of optical vortices, in the intracavity field.

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  • Received 1 June 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.83.241307

©2011 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

F. Manni1,*, K. G. Lagoudakis1, T. K. Paraïso1, R. Cerna1, Y. Léger1, T. C. H. Liew2, I. A. Shelykh3, A. V. Kavokin4,5, F. Morier-Genoud1, and B. Deveaud-Plédran1

  • 1Institute of Condensed Matter Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
  • 2Institute of Theoretical Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
  • 3Science Institute, University of Iceland, Dunhagi-3, IS-107, Reykjavik, Iceland
  • 4Laboratoire Charles Coulomb UMR 5221 CNRS-UM2, Université Montpellier 2, FR-34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
  • 5Physics and Astronomy School, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO171BJ, United Kingdom

  • *francesco.manni@epfl.ch

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Issue

Vol. 83, Iss. 24 — 15 June 2011

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