Orbital angular momentum coherent state beams

Paraxial propagation through isotropic, homogeneous, linear media exhibits invariance under rotations around the propagation axis, a symmetry described by the su(2) Lie algebra. We explore a family of paraxial beams that exploit this symmetry, constructed as linear superpositions of Laguerre¿Gaussian beams (LGBs), serving as optical analogs of generalized SU(2) Lie group coherent states. A single complex parameter controls a smooth transition between Laguerre¿Gaussian and Hermite¿Gaussian beams (HGBs), producing intermediate beams that blend the characteristics of both families. Our beams exhibit propagation-invariant properties, up to a scaling factor, a highly desirable feature for optical applications. Experimental validation via digital holography demonstrates the practical feasibility of our approach. © 2025 Optica Publishing Group. All rights, including for text and data mining (TDM), Artificial Intelligence (AI) training, and similar technologies, are reserved.

Orbital angular momentum coherent state beams Academic Article in Scopus