“Optical Rotatum” — A New Twist in Light

Vortices are a fundamental phenomenon observed throughout nature, from fluid dynamics and condensed matter systems to the formation of galaxies. In a recent publication, Dorrah et al. introduce the optical rotatum—a new class of light vortex that not only twists during propagation but also evolves in a spiraling manner, stunningly similar to patterns found in the nautilus sea shell. Developed in the Capasso Lab using a standard liquid crystal display, this work opens new avenues for microscale optical manipulation, advanced optical tweezers, and structured light applications in both classical and quantum regimes.

Check out the publication in Science Advances, the press release from Harvard SEAS and this video introducing the work.