Angular-multiplexed multichannel optical vortex arrays generators based on geometric metasurface

Summary: Recently, metasurface-based multichannel optical vortex arrays have attracted considerable interests due to its promising applications in high-dimensional information storage and high-secure information encryption. In addition to the well-known wavelength and polarization multiplexing technologies, the diffraction angle of light is an alternative typical physical dimension for multichannel optical vortex arrays. In this paper, based on angular multiplexing, we propose and demonstrate multichannel optical vortex arrays by using ultrathin geometric metasurface. For a circularly polarized incident light, the desired optical vortex arrays are successfully constructed in different diffraction regions. Moreover, the diffraction angle of the optical vortex array can be regulated by changing the illumination angle of incident light. Capitalizing on this advantage, the angular-multiplexed recombination of optical vortex array is further investigated. The combination of the diffraction angle of light and optical vortex array may have significant potential in applications of optical display, free-space optical communication, and optical manipulation.