Location
Harrisonburg, VA
Start Date
16-5-2012 9:40 AM
End Date
16-5-2012 10:00 AM
Description
The fact that photon beams can carry large orbital angular momenta was pointed out in a pioneering work by Allen and collaborators [1] and was later demonstrated experimentally. When quantized, such beams can be described in terms of twisted photons [2] that have a peculiar property: their total angular momentum projected on the direction of propagation may range from a few to hundreds of units of h. Accelerator-based light sources may generate such twisted light with high intensities, leading to new applications in several fields of physics. Examples of such applications will be presented in this talk.
[1.] L. Allen et al., Orbital Angular Momentum of Light and the Transformation of Laguerre-Gaussian Laser Modes, Phys. Rev. A 45, 8185 (1992).
[2.] G. Mollina-Terriza et al., Nature Physics 3, 305 (2007).
Presenter Bio
Andrei Afanasev, GusWeiss Chair of Theoretical Physics and Energy Studies, Department of Physics, The George Washington University
Andrei Afanasev currently leads the physics effort for the George Washington University energy initiative. He is an author of more than 100 scientific papers and an editor of two books, “Radiation Acoustics” and “Physics with CEBAF at Jefferson Lab.” He has made significant research contributions in the field of nuclear and particle physics probed with high-power electron accelerators and free-electron lasers.
Presently, Professor Afanasev contributes to energy research in three areas: (a) High-power particle accelerators that may serve as drivers for accelerator-driven subcritical nuclear reactors (ADSR), as well as probes of new materials for energy applications; (b) Development of novel techniques in photovoltaics, including nanostructures, quantum dots, and surface acoustic waves; (c) New technologies for non-proliferation of nuclear materials.
Professor Afanasev is the Director of the Photoemission Research Laboratory where new solutions for particle accelerator sources and photovoltaics are being developed and tested.
Included in
Research Potential of the Twisted Photon Beams
Harrisonburg, VA
The fact that photon beams can carry large orbital angular momenta was pointed out in a pioneering work by Allen and collaborators [1] and was later demonstrated experimentally. When quantized, such beams can be described in terms of twisted photons [2] that have a peculiar property: their total angular momentum projected on the direction of propagation may range from a few to hundreds of units of h. Accelerator-based light sources may generate such twisted light with high intensities, leading to new applications in several fields of physics. Examples of such applications will be presented in this talk.
[1.] L. Allen et al., Orbital Angular Momentum of Light and the Transformation of Laguerre-Gaussian Laser Modes, Phys. Rev. A 45, 8185 (1992).
[2.] G. Mollina-Terriza et al., Nature Physics 3, 305 (2007).
