title: Management of the angular momentum of light: preparation of photons in multidimensional vector states of angular momentum.
abstract: We put forward schemes to prepare photons in multidimensional vector states of orbital angular momentum. We show realizable light distributions that yield prescribed states with finite or infinite normal modes. In particular, we show that suitable light vortex pancakes allow the add-drop of specific vector projections. We suggest that such photons might allow the generation of engineered quNits in multidimensional quantum information systems.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Photonics, Department of Signal Theory and Communications, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Gran Capitan UPC-D3, Barcelona, ES 08034, Spain.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Molina-Terriza
authors.forename: Juan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Lluis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Torner