Orbital angular momentum and dynamics of off-axis vortex light

TL;DR

This paper clarifies the distinction between orbital angular momentum and optical vortices, analyzing the dynamics of off-axis vortex beams to deepen understanding of their fundamental differences.

Contribution

It provides a detailed investigation of off-axis vortex light, elucidating the relationship and differences between OAM and vortex topological charge.

Findings

Distinction between OAM and vortex topological charge clarified

Dynamics of off-axis vortex centers analyzed

Propagation behavior of vortex beams revealed

Abstract

The orbital angular momentum (OAM) of light and optical vortices are closely related concepts that are often conflated. The conserved OAM arises fundamentally from the SO(3) rotational symmetry of spacetime, while the concept of vortices originates from fluid mechanics. In this work, we investigate the OAM of off-axis vortex light to clarify the distinction between the two concepts. We also examine the propagation of vortex beams, revealing the dynamic behavior of both the off-axis vortex center and photon flux within the transverse plane. This helps us explore the fundamental differences between the OAM quantum number and the vortex topological charge (TC).