title: Spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion in a strongly focused optical beam.
abstract: As a fundamental property of light, the angular momentum of photons has been of great interest. Here, we demonstrate that optical spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion can occur in a homogeneous and isotropic medium. This Letter presents both theoretical and experimental studies of this conversion in a tightly focused beam and shows that the orbital rotation speeds of trapped particles are altered because of this conversion as predicted by theory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1700, USA.
authors.forename: Yiqiong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: J Scott
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Edgar
authors.forename: Gavin D M
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Jeffries
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McGloin
authors.forename: Daniel T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D009038:Motion; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011789:Quantum Theory
chemical_list: D006046:Gold