Abstract:

A metasurface laser generates orbital angular momentum states with quantum numbers reaching l = 100. Simultaneous output vortex beams, with Delta l as great as 90, are demonstrated in the visible regime. Orbital angular momentum (OAM) from lasers holds promise for compact, at-source solutions for applications ranging from imaging to communications. However, conjugate symmetry between circular spin and opposite helicity OAM states (+/- l) from conventional spin-orbit approaches has meant that complete control of light's angular momentum from lasers has remained elusive. Here, we report a metasurface-enhanced laser that overcomes this limitation. We demonstrate new high-purity OAM states with quantum numbers reaching l = 100 and non-symmetric vector vortex beams that lase simultaneously on independent OAM states as much as Delta l = 90 apart, an extreme violation of previous symmetric spin-orbit lasing devices. Our laser conveniently outputs in the visible, producing new OAM states of light as well as all previously reported OAM modes from lasers, offering a compact and power-scalable source that harnesses intracavity structured matter for the creation of arbitrary chiral states of structured light.