Advances in communications using optical vortices

TLDR

Optical vortices, characterized by isolated point, polarization, or phase singularities, have attracted attention for applications in trapping, tweezers, machining, microscopy, quantum information, and communications, and are expected to enable new optical interconnects. This paper reviews recent advances in optical communications using optical vortices. The review covers basic concepts of polarization/phase vortex modulation and multiplexing, key techniques for generating and (de)multiplexing vortices, and discusses free‑space and fiber communications employing vortex modulation and multiplexing, as well as challenges and future perspectives.

Abstract

An optical vortex having an isolated point singularity is associated with the spatial structure of light waves. A polarization vortex (vector beam) with a polarization singularity has spatially variant polarizations. A phase vortex with phase singularity or screw dislocation has a spiral phase front. The optical vortex has recently gained increasing interest in optical trapping, optical tweezers, laser machining, microscopy, quantum information processing, and optical communications. In this paper, we review recent advances in optical communications using optical vortices. First, basic concepts of polarization/phase vortex modulation and multiplexing in communications and key techniques of polarization/phase vortex generation and (de)multiplexing are introduced. Second, free-space and fiber optical communications using optical vortex modulation and optical vortex multiplexing are presented. Finally, key challenges and perspectives of optical communications using optical vortices are discussed. It is expected that optical vortices exploiting the space physical dimension of light waves might find more interesting applications in optical communications and interconnects.