#  “Optical Rotatum” — A New Twist in Light 

 





April 13, 2025

 

 

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](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr9092#:~:text=Light%2C%20too%2C%20can%20evolve%20like,momentum%20along%20the%20optical%20path.) in Science Advances, the [press release](https://seas.harvard.edu/news/2025/04/light-spirals-nautilus-shell) from Harvard SEAS and this [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnfRepjJ8t0) introducing the work.



 

 

 



 

 

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