Abstract

We theoretically show that a single free electron in circular motion radiates an electromagnetic wave possessing helical phase structure, which is closely related to orbital angular momentum carried by it. We experimentally demonstrate it by interference and double-slit diffraction experiments on radiation from relativistic electrons in spiral motion. Our results indicate that photons carrying orbital angular momentum should be created naturally by cyclotron/synchrotron radiations or Compton scatterings in various situations in cosmic space. We propose promising laboratory vortex photon sources in various wavelengths ranging from radio wave to gamma-rays.

Details

Title
Helical Phase Structure of Radiation from an Electron in Circular Motion
Author
Katoh, M 1 ; Fujimoto, M 1 ; Mirian, N S 2 ; Konomi, T 1 ; Taira, Y 3 ; Kaneyasu, T 4 ; Hosaka, M 5 ; Yamamoto, N 5 ; Mochihashi, A 5 ; Takashima, Y 5 ; Kuroda, K 6 ; Miyamoto, A 7 ; Miyamoto, K 7 ; Sasaki, S 7 

1  Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan; Sokendai (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Japan 
2  Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan 
3  National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan 
4  Saga Light Source, Tosu, Japan 
5  Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan 
6  University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan 
7  Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan 
Pages
1-8
Publication year
2017
Publication date
Jul 2017
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-06442-2
ProQuest document ID
1956141781
Copyright
© 2017. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.