Optical helicity of interfering waves

DOI10.1080/09500340.2013.829874MaRDI QIDQ2962769zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Robert P. Cameron, Stephen M. Barnett, Alison M. Yao

Publication date 17 February 2017

Published in Journal of Modern Optics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1308.1308

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Waves and radiation in optics and electromagnetic theory (78A40)

Abstract: Helicity is a property of light which is familiar from particle physics but less well-known in optics. In this paper we recall the explicit form taken by the helicity of light within classical electromagnetic theory and reflect upon some of its remarkable characteristics. The helicity of light is related to, but is distinct from, the spin of light. To emphasise this fact, we draw a simple analogy between the helicity of light and electric charge and between the spin of light and electric current. We illustrate this and other observations by examining various superpositions of plane waves explicitly.

Recommendations

• One more time on the helicity decomposition of spin and orbital optical currents
• Helicity and spin of linearly polarized Hermite-Gaussian modes
• Optical helicity, optical spin and related quantities in electromagnetic theory
• Optical helicity and Hertz vectors
• Chirality, helicity and the rotational content of electromagnetic fields

Cites work

• A THEOREM ON FORCE-FREE MAGNETIC FIELDS
• Duality rotation as a Lie–Bäcklund transformation
• Notes on the theory of radiation
• Rotation of electromagnetic fields and the nature of optical angular momentum
• Sur le moment d'impulsion d'une onde électromagnétique

Cited in

(9)

• Measurement of the helicity of photon pairs using the optical Berry phase
• Optical acceleration cancellation: a viable interception strategy?
• Photon helicity and quantum anomalies in curved spacetimes
• Gauge invariance of the helicity continuity equation
• Helicity and spin of linearly polarized Hermite-Gaussian modes
• Chirality and the angular momentum of light
• One more time on the helicity decomposition of spin and orbital optical currents
• Scattering of plane-wave and twisted photons by helical media
• Rotational waves in an optical system with diffraction and rotation of spatial arguments

This page was built for publication: Optical helicity of interfering waves

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q2962769)