Probing the limits of orbital angular momentum generation and detection with spatial light modulators

Spatial light modulators (SLMs) are popular tools for generating structured light fields and have fostered numerous applications in optics and photonics. Here, we explore the limits of what fields these devices are capable of generating and detecting in the context of so-called vortex beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM). Our main contributions are to quantify (theoretically and experimentally) how the pixelation of the SLM screen affects the quality of the generated vortex mode and to offer useful heuristics on how to optimise the performance of the displayed digital hologram. In so doing, we successfully generate and detect a very high order optical vortex mode with topological charge l=600

Automated summary

This study explores the limits of spatial light modulators (SLMs) in generating and detecting vortex beams, quantifying how pixelation affects the quality of vortex modes and offering heuristics for optimizing digital hologram performance. The authors successfully generated and detected a high-order optical vortex mode with a topological charge of l=600, showcasing the capabilities of SLMs in structured light fields.