The Physics & Astronomy Colloquium Series presents Andrei Afanasev of The George Washington University, Washington, DC on “Optical Vortices and Their Interaction with Matter” on Friday, January 20, at 4:10 p.m. in Walter 245.
Andrei Afanasev
Abstract: I will present an overview of optical vortices, or the beams of light that carry large angular momenta along the direction of propagation and contain a phase singularity in the beam center. For the past two decades optical vortex beams brought advancements in optical manipulation, microscopy, quantum optics, communications, and condensed matter. Recent demonstrations of vortex beams of electrons and neutrons bring new exciting capabilities for these probes of matter. We will show examples that the absorption of the twisted photons by atomic matter follows modified quantum selection rules, and discuss recent developments in this field, including novel opportunities for nuclear and high-energy physics.
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