A Mach–Zehnder interferometer based on cube corner reflectors and beams with a controlled polarization structure

Reshetnikov D.D., Ryzhaya A.А., Pavelina M.E., Vashukevich E.A., Sevryugin A.А., Sokolov, A.L., Venediktov, V.Y., Petrov, V.M.

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For Russian citation (Opticheskii Zhurnal):

Решетников Д.Д., Рыжая А.А., Павелина М.Е., Вашукевич Е.А., Севрюгин А.А., Соколов А.Л., Венедиктов В.Ю., Петров В.М. Интерферометр Маха–Цендера на основе уголковых отражателей и пучки с управляемой поляризационной структурой // Оптический журнал. 2025. Т. 92. № 3. С. 58–67. http://doi.org/10.17586/1023-5086-2025-92-03-58-67

Reshetnikov D.D., Ryzhaya A.A., Pavelina M.E., Vashukevich E.A., Sevryugin A.A., Sokolov A.L., Venediktov V.Yu., Petrov V.M. A Mach–Zehnder interferometer based on cube corner reflectors and beams with a controlled polarization structure [in Russian] // Opticheskii Zhurnal. 2025. V. 92. № 3. P. 58–67. http://doi.org/10.17586/1023-5086-2025-92-03-58-67

For citation (Journal of Optical Technology):

Abstract:

Subject of study. Generation of optical beams with orbital angular momentum in a modified polarization Mach–Zehnder interferometer using cube corner retroreflectors. Aim of the study. Development and experimental study of a new interferometer design, which uses cube corner retroreflectors with special phase-shifting coatings, to generate beams with optical vortices having non-zero topological charge values and various polarization structures. Method. To generate an optical vortex, a modified scheme of the Mach–Zehnder interferometer was used, in which cube corner reflectors, coupled with polarization elements, create the necessary beam structure. The diffraction patterns were observed in the near and far field zones. Main results. The study developed an interferometer design capable of generating beams with axially symmetric polarization structures. The experimental results demonstrated the possibility of generating second-order optical vortices with such interferometer. Additionally, it was shown that the vortex structure could be controlled by varying the polarization states of the reflected beams. Practical significance. The proposed interferometer design can be applied to generate optical vortices in quantum communication and quantum cryptography systems, as well as in satellite optical data transmission systems. The design offers high flexibility and allows the formation of vortex beams with different parameters, which is important for high-speed communication applications.

Keywords:

structured light, optical vortex, retroreflectors, cubic corner reflectors, polarization of light, polarization interferometer, axially-symmetrical polarization beams

OCIS codes: 110.0110, 260.3160, 3000.30970

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