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This paper develops, in precise quantum electrodynamic terms, photonicattributes of the "optical chirality density", one of several measures longknown to be conserved quantities for a vacuum electromagnetic field. Theanalysis lends insights into some recent interpretations of chiropticalexperiments, in which this measure, and an associated chirality flux, have beentreated as representing physically distinctive "superchiral" phenomena. In thefully quantized formalism the chirality density is promoted to operator status,whose exploration with reference to an arbitrary polarization basis revealsrelationships to optical angular momentum and helicity operators. Analyzingmulti-mode beams with complex wave-front structures, notably Laguerre-Gaussianmodes, affords a deeper understanding of the interplay between opticalchirality and optical angular momentum. By developing theory with duecognizance of the photonic character of light, it emerges that only the spinangular momentum of light is engaged in such observations. Furthermore, it isshown that these prominent measures of the helicity of chiral electromagneticradiation have a common basis, in differences between the populations ofoptical modes associated with angular momenta of opposite sign. Using acalculation of the rate of circular dichroism as an example, with coherentstates to model the electromagnetic field, it is discovered that two termscontribute to the differential effect. The primary contribution relates to thedifference in left- and right- handed photon populations; the only othercontribution, which displays a sinusoidal distance-dependence, corresponding tothe claim of nodal enhancements, is connected with the quantum photonnumber-phase uncertainty relation. From the full analysis, it appears that theterm "superchiral" can be considered redundant.

Chirality and angular momentum in optical radiation