Spatially Tailored 3D Cylindrical Vector Beams Array Generation Based on Metasurface

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Authors: Yang Cui, Xi Zhang, Ruizhe Zhao, Shifei Zhang, Aoqi Ma, Guangzhou Geng, Junjie Li, Hao Sun, Yongtian Wang, Lingling Huang
Cited by: 2
References: 38

Abstract

ABSTRACT Cylindrical vector beams (CVBs) that possess inhomogeneous spatial polarization distributions exhibit exceptional orthogonality between different modes, facilitating advanced applications in optical trapping, communication and quantum information processing. Nevertheless, existing CVB modulation suffers from limited channel capacity and uniform spatial vectorial distribution across diffraction orders, lacking flexible 3D multi‐channel manipulation. Here, we investigate and experimentally demonstrate the spatially tailored 3D CVBs array generation via near‐field superposition of right circularly polarized and left circularly polarized components based on a single metasurface, where the two polarization channels simultaneously produce 3D vortex beams (VBs) array with spatially varying and opposite topological charges spreading in M × N × P diffraction orders. The resulting 3D CVBs array exhibits distinct vectorial properties at each spatial diffraction order. Furthermore, we perform a comprehensive vectorial characterization and topological charge measurement of the generated high‐capacity CVBs array and validate that the proposed method can be applied to construct complex vector vortex beams (VVBs) array. The engineered VVBs array incorporates multi‐dimensional information of spatial position, spatial polarization distribution, and topological charge, endowing each diffraction order with distinctive and unique identity. While, the generation of 3D singular beams array unlocks new possibilities in optical manipulation, optical information encryption, parallel laser manufacturing, and optical metrology.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics Metamaterials and Metasurfaces Applications Plasmonic and Surface Plasmon Research

Publication details

Journal / source
Laser & Photonics Review
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
20
Issue
12
Publication date
2 February 2026
Language
EN