Generation and evolution of the terahertz vortex beam

Based on the complementary V-shaped antenna structure, ultrathin vortex phase plates are designed to achieve the terahertz (THz) optical vortices with different topological charges. Utilizing a THz holographic imaging system, the two dimensional complex field information of the generated THz vortex beam with the topological number l = 1 is directly obtained. Its far field propagation properties are analyzed in detail, including the rotation, the twist direction, and the Gouy phase shift of the vortex phase. An analytic Laguerre-Gaussian mode is used to simulate and explain the measured phenomena. The experimental and simulation results overlap each other very well. (C)2013 Optical Society of America