Ann Arbor Times

Researchers at the University of Michigan have demonstrated that bright, twisted light can be generated using technology similar to an Edison light bulb. This discovery could impact fundamental physics and offer new possibilities for robotic vision systems and other applications involving helical light patterns.

Jun Lu, an adjunct research investigator in chemical engineering at U-M and the study's first author, stated, “It’s hard to generate enough brightness when producing twisted light with traditional ways like electron or photon luminescence.” He added that they discovered an old method of generating these photons without relying on photon and electron excitations, akin to the Edison bulb.

The study explores blackbody radiation—where objects emit photons based on their temperature—and reveals that if the emitter is twisted at a micro or nanoscale level, it can affect the polarization of emitted photons. This finding suggests that twisting can lead to elliptical polarization in blackbody radiation. The degree of twisting depends on factors such as the wavelength of the photon relative to each twist's length and the material's electronic properties.

Nicholas Kotov, corresponding author of the study and director of NSF Center of Complex Particles and Particle Systems (COMPASS), explained that this advancement could help autonomous vehicles differentiate between objects like deer and humans by analyzing differences in helicity due to structural variations like fur curl versus fabric.

The team aims to address challenges related to producing twisted light with a broad spectrum by potentially developing a laser based on twisted light-emitting structures. Kotov also expressed interest in exploring further into the infrared spectrum, which may allow enhanced contrast through elliptical polarization despite noise issues.

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation via COMPASS and the Office of Naval Research. The device was constructed at U-M’s North Campus Research Complex and studied at the Michigan Center for Materials Characterization.