Robust and adjustable C-shaped electron vortex beams

Michael Gordon Mousley; Gnanavel Thirunavukkarasu; Mohamed Elhag Babiker; Jun Yuan

doi:10.1088/1367-2630/aa6e3c

Robust and adjustable C-shaped electron vortex beams

Michael Gordon Mousley, Gnanavel Thirunavukkarasu, Mohamed Elhag Babiker, Jun Yuan

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Wavefront engineering is an important quantum technology, often applied to the production of states carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM). Here, we demonstrate the design and production of robust C-shaped beam states carrying OAM, in which the usual doughnut shaped transverse intensity structure of the vortex beam contains an adjustable gap. We find that the presence of the vortex lines in the core of the beam is crucial for maintaining the stability of the C-shape structure during beam propagation. The topological charge of the vortex core controls mainly the size of the C-shape, while its opening angle is related to the presence of vortex-anti-vortex loops. We demonstrate the generation and characterisation of C-shaped electron vortex beams, although the result is equally applicable to other quantum waves. C-shaped electron vortex beams have potential applications in nanoscale fabrication of planar split ring structures and three dimensional chiral structures as well as depth sensing and magnetic field determination through rotation of the gap in the C-shape.

Original language	English
Number of pages	10
Journal	New Journal of Physics
Early online date	20 Apr 2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/aa6e3c
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 20 Apr 2017

Bibliographical note

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10.1088/1367-2630/aa6e3c

mousley2017_New_J._Phys._10.1088_1367-2630_aa6e3c
© 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft
Accepted author manuscript, 2.32 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Robust and adjustable C-shaped electron vortex beams",

abstract = "Wavefront engineering is an important quantum technology, often applied to the production of states carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM). Here, we demonstrate the design and production of robust C-shaped beam states carrying OAM, in which the usual doughnut shaped transverse intensity structure of the vortex beam contains an adjustable gap. We find that the presence of the vortex lines in the core of the beam is crucial for maintaining the stability of the C-shape structure during beam propagation. The topological charge of the vortex core controls mainly the size of the C-shape, while its opening angle is related to the presence of vortex-anti-vortex loops. We demonstrate the generation and characterisation of C-shaped electron vortex beams, although the result is equally applicable to other quantum waves. C-shaped electron vortex beams have potential applications in nanoscale fabrication of planar split ring structures and three dimensional chiral structures as well as depth sensing and magnetic field determination through rotation of the gap in the C-shape.",

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AU - Thirunavukkarasu, Gnanavel

AU - Babiker, Mohamed Elhag

AU - Yuan, Jun

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