Convert Acoustic Resonances to Orbital Angular Momentum

Phys Rev Lett. 2016 Jul 15;117(3):034301. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.034301. Epub 2016 Jul 12.

Abstract

We use acoustic resonances in a planar layer of half-wavelength thickness to twist wave vectors of an in-coming plane wave into a spiral phase dislocation of an outgoing vortex beam with orbital angular momentum (OAM). The mechanism is numerically and experimentally demonstrated by producing an airborne Bessel-like vortex beam. Our acoustic resonance-based OAM production differs from existing means for OAM production by enormous phased spiral sources or by elaborate spiral profiles. Our study can advance the capability of generating phase dislocated wave fields for further applications of acoustic OAM.