Spin-orbit Interaction-mediated Measurement of Surface Chirality

Abstract

The spin-orbit interaction in a focused-reflected beam of light results in spatially non-uniform polarization in the beam cross-section due to the superposition of orthogonal field components and polarization-dependent interface reflection coefficients. Polarization filtering the output beam leads to an interchangeable transformation of - or + 2 charge vortex into two - or + unit charge vortices, for + or - circular polarization of the input Gaussian beam. This transformation follows a trajectory, named optical vortex trajectory, that depend on the input beam spin and hence the vortex charge and reflecting surface characteristics. The OVT is used here to quantify both the sign and the magnitude of the chiral parameter of a quartz crystal. The Jones matrix-based simulation anticipates the chirality-dependent OVT that matches with experimental measurements.