Observation of vortex-pair dance and oscillation

TL;DR

This paper investigates the complex dynamics of vortex pairs in optics, revealing a vortex-pair dance and oscillation phenomena that influence vortex interactions and extend vortex survival.

Contribution

It introduces the observation of vortex-pair dance and oscillation in optical vortex beams, providing new insights into vortex interaction dynamics.

Findings

Observed helical and intertwined vortex behaviors.

Discovered intervortex distance oscillation property.

Extended vortex survival range due to dancing and oscillation.

Abstract

Vortex dynamics, which encompass the motion, evolution, and propagation of vortices, elicit both fascination and challenges across various domains such as fluid dynamics, atmospheric science, and physics. This study focuses on fundamental dynamics of vortex-pair fields, specifically known as vortex-pair beams (VPBs) in optics. VPBs have gained increasing attention due to their unique properties, including vortex attraction and repulsion. Here, we explore the dynamics of pure-phase VPBs (PPVPBs) and observe intriguing helical and intertwined behaviors of vortices, resembling a vortex-pair dance. We uncover the oscillation property of the intervortex distance for PPVPBs in free space. The observed dancing and oscillation phenomena are intricately tied to the initial intervortex distance and can be explained well in the hydrodynamic picture. Notably, the vortex dancing and oscillation alter the process of vortex-pair annihilation, extending the survival range for opposite vortices. This discovery enhances our understanding of vortex interactions and sheds light on the intricate dynamics of both vortex-vortex and vortex-antivortex interactions.