Abstract
Optical orbital angular momentum (OAM) is a special property of photons and has evoked research onto the light-matter interaction in both classical and quantum regimes. In classical optics, OAM is related to an optical vortex with a helical phase structure. In quantum optics, photons with a twisted or helical phase structure will carry a quantized OAM. To our knowledge, however, so far, no experiment has demonstrated the fundamental property of the OAM at the single-photon level. In this Letter, we have demonstrated the average photon trajectories of twisted photons in a double-slit interference. We have experimentally captured the double-slit interference process of twisted photons by a time-gated intensified charge-coupled device camera, which is trigged by a heralded detection. Our work provides new perspectives for understanding the micro-behaviors of twisted particles and enables new applications in imaging and sensing.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 102601 |
Journal | Chinese Optics Letters |
Volume | 18 |
Issue number | 10 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 10 Oct 2020 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Double-slit interference
- Helical phase
- Orbital angular momentum
- Twisted photons