Demonstration of Orbital-Angular-Momentum-Based Optical Switching Using Dual-Area Mirrors

Abstract

We have designed an optical separation device called dual-area mirror for the data link of orbital angular momentum (OAM) multiplexing. Experiments show that the OAM multiplexed beams can be switched by using dual-area mirrors, using OOK to modulate four channels separately to form two inputs, channel A and channel B. There are two OAM beams that are multiplexed in each of channel A and channel B, using a spatial light modulator (SLM) to convert the OAM multiplexed beams in each channel. One of the beams is converted into a Gaussian beam, and then separated by a dual-area mirror, so as to realize the switch of a beam carrying different data in the two channels. Then these channels are detected. The waveform indicates that the switch is successful, and the measured optical power indicates that the dual-area mirror can reduce the bit error rate in the communication links. In addition, the device reduces the experimental cost, is easy to implement, is easy to integrate, and increases the angle between the separated beams.