Numerical Analysis and Verification of Off-Axis Double Vortex Beams

Abstract

Vortex beams are unique in that they have annular spatial profiles and carry orbital angular momentum. This has led to their use in applications including laser processing, microparticle manipulation and signal transmission. Off-axis vortex beams, which may be considered a subset of vortex beams, display a broader spectrum of physical characteristics in comparison with their conventional (integer-order) counterparts. In this work, we derive the equations which describe the intensity distribution of off-axis vortex beams and use these to theoretically model their spatial profile. These models are supported by experimental generation of both integer and off-axis vortex beams, and the presence of orbital angular momentum is investigated through the use of the cylindrical lens transformation method.