Title :
Transverse Spin Angular Momentum of Airy Beams
Author :
Kim, Kyoung-Youm
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Opt. Eng., Sejong Univ., Seoul, South Korea
Abstract :
We show that a (1+1)D Airy beam can contain the density of spin angular momentum (SAM) normal to the direction of propagation if the polarization direction of its magnetic-field component is orthogonal to the transverse axis of the Airy profile. Although the total SAM of the Airy beam is equal to zero, its main lobe (or main intensity peak) can contain a nonvanishing SAM. The transversal asymmetry inherent in the Airy beam, which results in its acceleration during propagation, determines the overall direction of this nonvanishing SAM.
Keywords :
angular momentum; laser beams; light polarisation; light propagation; (1+1)D Airy beam; SAM; magnetic-field component; polarization direction; transversal asymmetry; transverse spin angular momentum; Acceleration; Optical beams; Optical diffraction; Optical polarization; Optical propagation; Airy beam; polarization; spin angular momentum (SAM);
Journal_Title :
Photonics Journal, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/JPHOT.2012.2232286
