Open AccessAngular momentum decomposition of nonparaxial light beams
Author(s) -
R. Martı́nez-Herrero,
P. M. Mejı́as
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.18.007965
Subject(s) - angular momentum , paraxial approximation , physics , orbital angular momentum multiplexing , optics , orbital angular momentum of light , angular momentum of light , polarization (electrochemistry) , light beam , total angular momentum quantum number , circular polarization , beam (structure) , angular momentum coupling , computational physics , classical mechanics , chemistry , microstrip
The total angular momentum per unit length of a general non-paraxial beam is decomposed into an orbital component associated with the spiral spectrum at the far field and a component concerning the balance between right- and left-handed circular-polarization content of the angular spectrum. Expressions for the linear momentum and energy per unit length are also provided. The well-known division into orbital and spin components is shown to be recovered in the paraxial limit.