Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Results in Physics

Proposal for the generation of an ion vortex beam and study of its electromagnetic fields

Norah Alsaawi, V. E. Lembessis

Published Apr 27, 2024• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

We propose a scheme for the generation of an ion vortex beam and we study the properties of its electromagnetic field on a plane transverse to its propagation direction. The ion vortex is created by the diffraction of an ionic beam by a light mask with a spiral-like transverse intensity pattern. The diffraction is a result of a short time optical dipole interaction between the light mask and the ion which results to a phase imprint on the ionic wave function. It is shown that as the order of the vortex states that are generated by the various diffraction gets higher the electromagnetic field components have reduced magnitudes. The properties of these fields are studied against the various parameters of the problem.

DOI
10.1016/j.rinp.2024.107695

Related papers

Simulation of vortex ion generation from a cold atom ion source

Xuan Liu, Wenchang Zhou, Meng Qi +5 more

Vortex waves with orbital angular momentum (OAM) have garnered significant attention since their appearance due to their unique properties. Vortex beams are experimentally demonstrated with photons, electrons, neutrons, and atoms. However, it is still challenging to make ions with large masses produce vortex states. This study describes a scheme for generating vortex ion beams with a cold atom ion source (CAIS). In CAIS, ions are obtained by near-threshold photoionization rubidium atoms in magneto-optical trap (MOT). We investigate the propagation properties of the rubidium ion beams through simulations. In the simulation, rubidium ions extract from the CAIS and generate vortices by diffracting with holograms, where the phase of the wavefunction is changed. We analyze in detail the structure and voltage of the CAIS and propose a feasible scheme for generating vortex ions in laboratory experiments. Additionally, we propose two alternatives, one is to reduce the velocity of the ions lower, another is to use a magnetic needle to generate vortex ions. These proposals provide a new pathway for future explorations into the generation and properties of vortex ion beams.

Results in Physics•Jan 21, 2025•0 citations

Atomic Ferris wheel beams

V. E. Lembessis

We study the generation of atom vortex beams in the case where a Bose-Einstein condensate, released from a trap and moving in free space, is diffracted from a properly tailored light mask with a spiral transverse profile. We show how such a diffraction scheme could lead to the production of an atomic Ferris wheel beam.

arXiv:1702.07633•Physical Review A•Jul 24, 2017•15 citations

Laser beams with embedded vortices: tools for atom optics

Narupon Chattrapiban, Elizabeth A. Rogers, Ilya Arakelyan +2 more

Two-dimensional spatial light modulators have been employed to create static and dynamic phase masks for embedding multiple vortices and exotic intensity-void structures in laser beams. A variety of patterns of singularities, producing dark longitudinal and transverse intensity channels, have been created. The uniformity, quality, and suitability of these patterns as elements for atom optics (e.g., atom-tunnel beam splitters) have been studied as a function of the phase quantization level and spatial resolution of the phase mask. Specifically, we show that (1) high-quality modes, those that propagate long distances and can be focused, can be generated when the number of phase steps between 0 and 2pi on the phase mask exceed four and (2) atom confinement increases with the charge of the vortex.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Jan 1, 2006•26 citations

Light masks for atom diffraction created from twisted beams with a Gaussian intensity envelope

V. E. Lembessis

We show how we can construct light masks from twisted beams with Gaussian envelopes. These masks can be used for the diffraction of cold atoms and lead to the generation of atom vortex beams. We show that these types of masks are more efficient in the generation of twisted atom beams than the corresponding light masks created with Laguerre–Gaussian beams.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Mar 13, 2018•2 citations

Atom vortex beams

V. E. Lembessis, Demosthenes Ellinas, M. Babiker +1 more

The concept that all de Broglie particles can form vortex beams is analyzed for neutral atoms. It is shown how atoms diffracted from a suitably constructed optical mask configuration employing light of $l$ units of orbital angular momentum and at far-off resonance with an atomic transition can lead to the generation of a discrete set of atom vortex beams each endowed with the property of quantized orbital angular momentum about the beam axis in units of $\ensuremath{\hbar}l$. Selection criteria of atom vortex beams are derived and the functioning of the mask configuration for angular dispersion of beams in terms of de Broglie wavelength is analyzed. Prospects of applications in the areas of atom interferometry and dispersion, and quantum information processing via atom vortices are pointed out.

Physical Review A•May 15, 2014•61 citations

Optical vortex with a small core and Gaussian intensity envelope for light-matter interaction

Yisa S. Rumala, A. E. Leanhardt

Optical vortices with a vortex core size that is at least two orders of magnitude smaller than the laser beam waist is presented. The optical vortex is generated by a spiral phase plate (SPP) and counterrotating optical vortex pairs are created in a modified Mach–Zehnder interferometer surrounded by a 4f lens arrangement. The azimuthal variation of the counterrotating optical vortex forms a sinusoidal intensity modulation for which the winding number of the optical vortex is deduced accurately and precisely by fitting it to a sinusoidal function. These results are of interest in designing novel optical vortex gratings for manipulating matter waves (e.g., in Kapitza–Dirac scattering). A theory of atomic angular Kapitza–Dirac scattering with optical vortices is presented. The large beam waist combined with a small optical vortex core size would also be of interest when using an optical vortex to perform spectroscopy in a wide range of matter systems including solid, liquid, atomic, and molecular systems, as well as in short-range optical communication.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Apr 6, 2017•12 citations
We propose a scheme for the generation of an ion vortex beam and we study the properties of its electromagnetic field on a plane transverse to its propagation direction. The ion vortex is created by the diffraction of an ionic beam by a light mask with a spiral-like transverse intensity pattern. The diffraction is a result of a short time optical dipole interaction between the light mask and the ion which results to a phase imprint on the ionic wave function. It is shown that as the order of the vortex states that are generated by the various diffraction gets higher the electromagnetic field components have reduced magnitudes. The properties of these fields are studied against the various parameters of the problem.
Vortex waves with orbital angular momentum (OAM) have garnered significant attention since their appearance due to their unique properties. Vortex beams are experimentally demonstrated with photons, electrons, neutrons, and atoms. However, it is still challenging to make ions with large masses produce vortex states. This study describes a scheme for generating vortex ion beams with a cold atom ion source (CAIS). In CAIS, ions are obtained by near-threshold photoionization rubidium atoms in magneto-optical trap (MOT). We investigate the propagation properties of the rubidium ion beams through simulations. In the simulation, rubidium ions extract from the CAIS and generate vortices by diffracting with holograms, where the phase of the wavefunction is changed. We analyze in detail the structure and voltage of the CAIS and propose a feasible scheme for generating vortex ions in laboratory experiments. Additionally, we propose two alternatives, one is to reduce the velocity of the ions lower, another is to use a magnetic needle to generate vortex ions. These proposals provide a new pathway for future explorations into the generation and properties of vortex ion beams.
Two-dimensional spatial light modulators have been employed to create static and dynamic phase masks for embedding multiple vortices and exotic intensity-void structures in laser beams. A variety of patterns of singularities, producing dark longitudinal and transverse intensity channels, have been created. The uniformity, quality, and suitability of these patterns as elements for atom optics (e.g., atom-tunnel beam splitters) have been studied as a function of the phase quantization level and spatial resolution of the phase mask. Specifically, we show that (1) high-quality modes, those that propagate long distances and can be focused, can be generated when the number of phase steps between 0 and 2pi on the phase mask exceed four and (2) atom confinement increases with the charge of the vortex.
The concept that all de Broglie particles can form vortex beams is analyzed for neutral atoms. It is shown how atoms diffracted from a suitably constructed optical mask configuration employing light of lll units of orbital angular momentum and at far-off resonance with an atomic transition can lead to the generation of a discrete set of atom vortex beams each endowed with the property of quantized orbital angular momentum about the beam axis in units of $\ensuremath{\hbar}l$. Selection criteria of atom vortex beams are derived and the functioning of the mask configuration for angular dispersion of beams in terms of de Broglie wavelength is analyzed. Prospects of applications in the areas of atom interferometry and dispersion, and quantum information processing via atom vortices are pointed out.
Optical vortices with a vortex core size that is at least two orders of magnitude smaller than the laser beam waist is presented. The optical vortex is generated by a spiral phase plate (SPP) and counterrotating optical vortex pairs are created in a modified Mach–Zehnder interferometer surrounded by a 4f lens arrangement. The azimuthal variation of the counterrotating optical vortex forms a sinusoidal intensity modulation for which the winding number of the optical vortex is deduced accurately and precisely by fitting it to a sinusoidal function. These results are of interest in designing novel optical vortex gratings for manipulating matter waves (e.g., in Kapitza–Dirac scattering). A theory of atomic angular Kapitza–Dirac scattering with optical vortices is presented. The large beam waist combined with a small optical vortex core size would also be of interest when using an optical vortex to perform spectroscopy in a wide range of matter systems including solid, liquid, atomic, and molecular systems, as well as in short-range optical communication.