Trajectory-based unveiling of the angular momentum of photons

The Heisenberg uncertainty principle suggests that it is impossible to determine the trajectory of a quantum particle in the same way as a classical particle. However, we may still yield insight into novel behavior of photons based on the average photon trajectories (APTs). Here we explore the APTs of optical fields carrying spin angular momentum (SAM) and orbital angular momentum (OAM) under the paraxial condition. We define the helicity and differential helicity for unveiling the three-dimensional spiral structures of the APTs of optical fields carrying the SAM and/or the OAM. We clarify the novel behaviors of the APTs caused by the SAM and OAM as well as the SAM-OAM coupling. The APT concept is also very helpful for profoundly understanding trapped particle motion and has the potential to elucidate other physical systems. Due to the presence of the helical path caused by the SAM and/or the OAM, the actual traveling distance of the photons might be much longer than the geometric distance.