Conference: Twisted Light in Nanophotonic and Quantum Systems

Duke University, Durham NC

Investigators

Abstract

Nontechnical summary: Recent advances in optics have enabled scientists to create and control "twisted light," a type of light that propagates in a spiral, carrying orbital angular momentum. Unlike ordinary light, twisted light can interact with matter in entirely new ways, allowing researchers to probe and manipulate systems at the nanoscale and quantum level. This unique form of light is showing great promise in emerging technologies, including quantum computing, secure communications, advanced imaging, and sensing. The workshop "Twisted Light in Nanophotonic and Quantum Systems" will bring together researchers from diverse fields, including physics, engineering, materials science, and computational modeling, to explore how twisted light can be generated, controlled, and applied in modern scientific and technological contexts. While twisted light has traditionally been studied in large-scale systems, its integration with nanoscale structures, such as metamaterials and optical cavities, is enabling new types of lasers and optical devices. At the same time, experiments with atoms, molecules, and condensed matter systems are uncovering new physical effects, such as chiral sensitivity and access to otherwise forbidden quantum transitions. The goal of the workshop is to identify the most critical challenges and opportunities in this fast-growing area and to foster collaborations that will help shape the future of twisted light research. Technical Summary: This interdisciplinary workshop will address emerging challenges and opportunities in the science and technology of twisted light (TL), electromagnetic fields carrying structured orbital angular momentum (OAM), as applied to nanophotonic and quantum systems. The program will bring together researchers focused on TL generation and detection using advanced nanostructures such as metasurfaces, nonlinear metamaterials, and photonic cavities. Recent developments have demonstrated TL-based micro- and nanoscale light sources, as well as their use in imaging through nonlinear colloidal media and in probing chiral molecular responses. The workshop will also highlight experimental advances in TL-induced atomic and molecular transitions, including quantum selection rules in ion traps and TL-induced photocurrents in solids. Theoretical sessions will explore light-matter interactions beyond the dipole approximation, addressing complex electronic structures and non-dipole contributions relevant to atomic clocks, laser cooling, and quantum sensing. Additional topics include orbital angular momentum multiplexing for optical and quantum communication, spatio-temporal vortex beams, and accelerator-based TL sources. By integrating expertise from quantum optics, condensed matter physics, high-energy physics, optical engineering, and computational modeling (including machine learning), the workshop will outline a strategic roadmap for advancing the fundamental understanding and practical applications of TL. Particular emphasis will be placed on interdisciplinary collaboration, bridging traditionally separate research communities to accelerate progress in structured light science. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.