Generation and evolution of vortex array with variable-ratio lateral-shearing interferometry

Abstract

Abstract Different from the method by plane-wave interference, here an efficient approach is proposed to generate optical vortex array (VA) based on lateral-shearing interferometer, in which the evolution from light spot array to VA can be observed by continuously variable shear ratio in a certain range. VAs with topological charge 2 and 1 are simulated by software GLAD and proved to be effectiveness through optical experiment. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that when the shear ratio approaches to zero, we can stably obtain a VA with high density and variable topological charge.