The Angular Momentum of Light

Description

Recent developments in the angular momentum of light present fresh challenges to long established concepts and pave the way for new and wide-ranging applications. The scope for structured light such as optical vortices, in particular, now extends from microfluidics to quantum information. This is the first comprehensive edited collection dealing with light carrying spin and orbital angular momentum, covering both fundamental and applied aspects. Written by internationally leading specialists, the chapters have been compiled to reflect the latest scientific progress and to address the multitude of theoretical, experimental and technical issues associated with this vibrant and exciting field. The volume is an authoritative reference for academic researchers and graduate students engaged in theoretical or experimental study of optical angular momentum and its applications. It will also benefit professionals in physics, optics and optical engineering, chemistry and biology.

David L. Andrews is Professor of Chemical Physics at the University of East Anglia where he leads theoretical research on fundamental photonics and molecular energy transport. He is a Fellow of the SPIE, the Institute of Physics and of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Mohamed Babiker is Professor of Physics at the University of York and has previously held this role at the University of Essex. Professor Babiker has been researching light beams with orbital angular momentum for the past twenty years.

'This highly recommended book is suitable for physics graduate students and researchers who require an up-to-date source on light-carrying spin and orbital angular momentum. It provides a modern quantum mechanical explanation of how to measure and use light's angular momentum and its experimental techniques. The author's clear writing makes it easy to understand the physics and mathematics. Each chapter contains an introduction, theoretical physical and mathematical foundations, experimental techniques, and modern applications. The book is well-illustrated and includes pertinent references and an index. While light's energy and linear momentum date back to Maxwell, angular momentum will find numerous modern applications in the fields of optical trapping of particles with Bessel beams and quantum computing.' Barry R. Masters, Optics and Photonics News (osa-opn.org)