All-fiber polarization-dependent optical vortex beams generation via flexural acoustic wave

We report on a novel type of optical mode conversion in fiber acousto-optics. The all-fiber narrowband complete transformation of the fundamental mode into the frequency downshifted optical vortex beam of topological charge +1 or -1 via a lowest-order flexural acoustic wave is theoretically demonstrated. Moreover, such a process is found to be polarization dependent: both the topological charge and polarization state of the produced optical vortex are governed by the circular polarization handedness of the input mode. The possible applications of the established conversion for optical vortex manipulation are discussed. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America