Vortex Beams

This course provides a detailed and intuitive introduction to vortex beams—light beams that carry orbital angular momentum (OAM)—and their applications in optical wireless communication (OWC) and advanced photonics. With their unique helical phase structure, vortex beams open up new dimensions in data transmission and quantum communication.

• Introduction to orbital angular momentum (OAM) and physical intuition of vortex beams
• Mathematical description of helical phase fronts and topological charge
• Generation techniques: SLMs, spiral phase plates, q-plates, metasurfaces, LG and Bessel beams
• Phase singularities, intensity profiles, and beam quality metrics
• Experimental setup, alignment procedures, and measurement techniques
• Interference and modal decomposition for OAM analysis
• Applications in optical wireless communication, MIMO OWC, optical trapping, microscopy, and quantum optics

• Optical and photonics engineers working on beam shaping and advanced light sources
• Wireless and optical communication researchers exploring OAM-based multiplexing
• Graduate students and academics in optics, electromagnetics, and quantum technologies
• Laboratory researchers interested in experimental beam generation and measurement
• Signal processing and imaging specialists working with structured light
• Defense, aerospace, and sensing technology teams investigating high-capacity optical links
• R&D engineers developing optical trapping, microscopy, or precision measurement systems