Switchable Second-Harmonic Generation of Airy Beam and Airy Vortex Beam

Airy beam and Airy vortex beam with intriguing characteristics have been extensively studied in linear optics, while their dynamic nonlinear conversion has rarely been explored and remains challenging. Here, through the collaboration of binary mask engineered nonlinear photonic crystal and space-variant liquid-crystal geometric phase element, second-harmonic Airy beam and Airy vortex beam can be generated in a switchable manner. Electrical-controlled loading of orbital angular momentum (OAM) into fundamental wave unlocks the flexibility of nonlinear process, which is well investigated in theory and further verified by experiment. Wavelength transformation, OAM conversion, and propagation trajectory inflection are realized simultaneously. This offers a convenient and universal strategy for dynamic nonlinear generation and shows great potentials in optical manipulation and information processing.

Automated summary

The collaboration of binary mask engineered nonlinear photonic crystal and space-variant liquid-crystal geometric phase element enables the switchable generation of second-harmonic Airy beam and Airy vortex beam, achieving wavelength transformation, OAM conversion, and propagation trajectory inflection simultaneously.