Self-induced nonlinear spin-orbit interaction of light in liquid crystals

Mohamed El Ketara (1) , Etienne Brasselet (1)

1 LOMA - Laboratoire Ondes et Matière d'Aquitaine

We report on the observation of self-induced nonlinear spin-orbit interaction of light driven by Kerr orientational optical nonlinearities in liquid crystals. It consists of the self-induced spin-to-orbital nonlinear conversion for the angular momentum of light. The optical angular momentum conversion is driven by the creation of a topological liquid crystal defect by the light itself. Moreover, we show that such a nonlinear process can be significantly enhanced by using additional electric fields.

Domaines: Optique [physics.optics]

Mohamed El Ketara, Etienne Brasselet. Self-induced nonlinear spin-orbit interaction of light in liquid crystals. Optics Letters, 2012, 37 (4), pp.602-604. ⟨10.1364/OL.37.000602⟩. ⟨hal-00678838⟩