In a world-first, scientists from the University of Adelaide have developed a revolutionary way to manipulate angular momentum of light using a hologram-like device. This new device, known as a ‘metasurface’, can increase the angular momentum of light by up to five orders of magnitude compared to traditional methods. This could lead to exciting new applications in optical communications, quantum computing and microscopy.

This metasurface is made up of a two-dimensional array of tiny metal particles, each one acting as a nanoscale antenna. They are arranged in a specific pattern which is designed to interact with the light in a predetermined way. By adjusting the size, shape and arrangement of these particles, the scientists have been able to control the angular momentum of the light with unprecedented accuracy.

This breakthrough could open up a world of possibilities. For example, it could enable researchers to create holograms with much higher resolution, as well as enable more efficient optical communications and microscopy. In addition, this technology could also be used to create advanced quantum computing algorithms.

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source: Phys.org