Pizza Lunch Meeting

Rachel Sampson, Stony Brook University '17
Summer REU at the University of Rochester, with Prof. Robert Boyd

Sorting Laguerre-Gaussian Radial Modes Via Projective Measurement

Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) orbital angular momentum modes have received considerable attention recently because of their applications in free-space communication and quantum key distribution, radial LG modes have been largely overlooked though despite applications in the same technologies. Many of the technologies that utilize LG modes require the different LG modes be properly sorted and identified. In this project, we focused on sorting LG radial modes via projective measurements. Utilizing projective measurements, we imaged an LG radial mode onto its conjugate mode, producing a Gaussian beam, which we then coupled into a single mode optical fiber. We created the LG radial modes and the phase masks to transform the beam using a hologram realized by a spatial light modulator. Using the Gerchberg-Saxton method of phase retrieval, we calculated theoretical sorting efficiencies of approximately 80% for p=1-5. Implementation of the experimental set-up is ongoing.

Andrea O'Brisky, Independent High School Student
Investigation into resonance in an LRC circuit

Libby Sutton, Stony Brook Undergraduate
Creating a white light interferometer

Ikaasa Suri, Simons Fellow
Modeling the birefringent properties of thin polymer films

Alex Kelser, Simons Fellow
Studying the rotation of particles in optical tweezers

Jon Gill, Simons Fellow
Generating 1D Airy beams using lens aberrations

Pizza Lunch Photos