There are many ways to spin a photon: Half-quantization of a total optical angular momentum
File Type:
PDFItem Type:
Journal ArticleDate:
2016Access:
openAccessCitation:
Ballantine, K.E., Donegan, J.F. & Eastham, P.R., There are many ways to spin a photon: Half-quantization of a total optical angular momentum, 2016, Science Advances, 2, 4Download Item:
Abstract:
The angular momentum of light plays an important role in many areas, from optical trapping to quantum information. In the usual three-dimensional setting, the angular momentum quantum numbers of the photon are integers, in units of the Planck constant ħ. We show that, in reduced dimensions, photons can have a half-integer total angular momentum. We identify a new form of total angular momentum, carried by beams of light, comprising an unequal mixture of spin and orbital contributions. We demonstrate the half-integer quantization of this total angular momentum using noise measurements. We conclude that for light, as is known for electrons, reduced dimensionality allows new forms of quantization.
Sponsor
Grant Number
Higher Education Authority (HEA) PRTLI-5 postgraduate award
09/SIRG/I1592
Science Foundation Ireland
SFI/12/RC/2278
Author's Homepage:
http://people.tcd.ie/easthamphttp://people.tcd.ie/jdonegan
Description:
PUBLISHEDSponsor:
Higher Education Authority (HEA) PRTLI-5 postgraduate awardScience Foundation Ireland
Type of material:
Journal ArticleCollections
Series/Report no:
Science Advances;2;
4;
Availability:
Full text availableKeywords:
Angular momentum, Photons, SpinSubject (TCD):
Physics , QUANTUM OPTICS , Theoretical PhysicsDOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1501748Metadata
Show full item recordLicences: