Phase Topology Stability of an Optical Vortex via an Electrically Controlled Twist-Planar Oriented Liquid Crystal Fresnel Lens

TL;DR

This paper introduces an electrically tunable liquid crystal Fresnel lens that dynamically assesses the phase topology stability of optical vortices, simplifying detection and enabling real-time manipulation in photonic systems.

Contribution

The study presents a novel LC-based lens capable of real-time phase topology analysis of optical vortices without additional optical components.

Findings

The lens can switch between charge detection and propagation modes with low voltage.

Vortex topology can be identified from Fourier plane intensity profiles.

The device is low power, compact, and easily integrable.

Abstract

Optical vortices (OVs) have emerged as a revolutionary concept in modern photonics, offering a unique method of manipulating light beyond conventional Gaussian beams. Despite their vast potential, phase topology stability remains unaddressed, limiting their widespread adoption and performance in real-world environments. Here, we reveal the missing link to assessing the stability of optical vortices using an electrically tunable twist-planar liquid crystal (LC) Fresnel lens. The proposed LC-based lens leverages the birefringence and voltage-controlled reconfigurability of liquid crystals to dynamically probe the phase topology of singular beams. By modulating the LC orientation with an applied voltage, we restructure the optical phase in real-time without requiring modifications to the optical setup. The 3V and 35V voltage supply allows for the switch between the "topological charge detection" and "optical singular beam propagation" modes. This eliminates the need for additional optical elements, significantly simplifying the detection and characterization of vortex beams. Experimental and theoretical investigations demonstrate that the vortex topology can be unambiguously identified from the intensity profile observed in the Fourier plane of a lens. Furthermore, the designed device features low power consumption, compact form factor, and seamless integration potential, making it a promising candidate for scalable vortex-based photonic systems.