Manifestation of the rotational Doppler effect by use of an off-axis optical vortex beam

We report what is to our knowledge the first all-optical detection of the frequency beats between Gaussian and Laguerre-Gaussian LG(0)(1) modes in their axial superposition, caused by the rotational Doppler effect. The relation between the observable off-axis optical vortex rotation and the rotational frequency shift of the Laguerre-Gaussian component is ascertained. The results can be used as a physical basis for recognition of Laguerre-Gaussian mode spectra along their orbital angular momenta. (C) 2003 Optical Society of America.