Single-celled metasurface for labeled vortex beam generator

Vortex light is a unique beam characterized by a spiral phase as it propagates. A fundamental parameter of vortex light is the topological charge, which determines the amount of angular momentum and plays a crucial role in tailoring its behavior. However, conventional measurement methods for determining the topological charge, such as those based on interference and phase modulation, tend to be intricate and complex. In this regard, a labeled vortex beam generator is proposed, composed of a metasurface with a single-celled configuration. When the metasurface is illuminated by light of the designed wavelength, the outgoing light exhibits a vortex structure. Furthermore, the topological charge numbers can be directly observed with distinct labeled patterns when the metasurface is placed in an orthogonal-polarized optical path. With advantages such as ultra-compactness, high robustness, and exceptional precision, the proposed metasurface exhibits significant potential for applications in optical communication, light manipulation, optical sensing, etc.