Open research questions in Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics
97 gap statements mined from Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 1,197 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.
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QANTIFICATION: FISHER INFORMATION AND CRAM´ER–RAO LOWER BOUND For objects exhibiting complex angular features, visibility by itself is insufficient as a measure of image quality.
The present work is not fully comprehensive, and multiple aspects remain to be further refined. Accordingly, we propose several highly challenging research topics for interested readers to extend and improve upon this study. (1) The parameter Q1 = −0.11 is intrinsically coupled to the geometric shape of circular apertures. If the fundamental modulation constant Q1 can be derived purely from the intrinsic properties of the diffractive aperture without relying on calibration via measured Airy ring positions, this scheme would enable us to explore the essential nature of diffraction from a deeper microscopic perspective. Nevertheless, it constitutes a brand-new research project with heavy workload. This task goes far beyond merely calculating the modulation constant for circular aper- tures; systematic verification for other diffractive geometries including single slits, square apertures and so on is also required. Sufficient cross validation across diverse aperture configurations is indispensable to guarantee adequate persuasiveness of the conclusions. (2) This paper postulates that the velocity-perpendicular interaction force and electro- magnetic force belong to two distinct physical dimensions and are mutually independent. https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics13070643 Photonics 2026, 13, 643 30 of 32 It remains an extremely challenging open problem whether a quantitative correspondence between this novel interaction and classical electromagnetic force can be established, and if so, how such a correspondence could be constructed. (3) Now, the velocity-perpendicular interaction force proposed in this paper is only in- troduced as a theoretical hypothesis, which has not been rigorously derived from Maxwell’s equations, quantum optics, quantum electrodynamics (QED) or standard effective Hamilto- nians. Two core issues remain to be further explored: first, whether the proposed velocity- perpendicular interaction force can be derived based on classical quantum theory; second, whether this force model can be coupled with other mature theories, for instance, whether fundamental quantum equations such as the Schrödinger equation can be deduced from the proposed model.
Quantum Origin of Circular Aperture Diffraction: A Velocity-Perpendicular Force Mechanism for Wave–Particle Interaction · 2026 · DOIIn the absorption-peak regime, stable propagation is limited to a critical distance beyond which the field collapses; these transitions occur at a distance close to, but just before, this critical distance. No data were generated or analyzed in the presented research.
Propagation of spatiotemporal optical vortex beams in electromagnetically-induced transparency media · 2026 · DOIThis non-monotonic behavior has not been previously reported in the literature and represents a novel finding of this work.
Engineering turbulence resilience in Bessel-Vortex beams through partial coherence and topological charge pairing · 2026 · DOINevertheless, metasurface that exploits Pancharatnam-Berry (PB) phase to create multiple focusing or orbital angular momentum (OAM) with distinct polarizations remain rarely reported.
Our findings clarify the influence of key parameters on beam evolution and provide a basis for further studies on the control of complex structured fields.
Experimental generation of customized twisted partially coherent array beams for complex light field manipulation · 2026 · DOIHowever, most of its applications reported to date are limited to 1D ones, and the simultaneous measurements for multidimensional displacement have rarely been explored.
It is not limited by azimuthal or radial mode orders (determined only by detector resolution), and operates over 100 000 times faster than previous neural network methods.
Ultra‐fast and Universal Vector Mode Analyzer Based on 4D Jones Vector and Intensity‐Only Detection · 2025 · DOIHowever, the size variation of the vortex beam is limited by the integral order of the 2π phase wrap, while the waste is caused by the large side lobe around the center.
Continuously adjustable hollow beam for ultrafast laser fabrication of size‐controllable nanoparticles · 2025 · DOIDespite their popularity, however, a simple and accessible derivation of the Snell–Descartes laws is still lacking, and their generalization is still largely missing from the physics curricula.
On the generalized Snell–Descartes laws, shock waves, water wakes, and Cherenkov radiation · 2025 · DOIHowever, limited by the spatial extension of array vortices, only finite orbital angular momentum (OAM) eigenstates are available, of which the expansion will boost the bandwidth toward an inexhaustible stage.
While optical spin‐orbit coupling has traditionally facilitated valley manipulation, on‐chip control of nonlinear valley photons remains elusive.
, in terms of brightness or state fidelity, a description of spectral-spatial coupling in parametric down-conversion for the case of discrete modal decompositions remains elusive.
Vortex $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ photons, which carry large intrinsic orbital angular momenta (OAM), have significant applications in nuclear physics, atomic physics, hadron physics, high-energy particle physics, and astrophysics, but their production remains unclear.
However, it is challenging for generate and control the OAM beams at the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) region due to the lack of suitable wave front shaping optics arise from being limited to the strong absorption of most materials.
Vortex bifocusing of extreme ultraviolet using modified Fermat‐spiral photon‐sieve splitter · 2024 · DOIHowever, the impact of these aberrations on torque measurements is not fully understood experimentally, partly due to a lack of theoretical guidance.
However, to date, there are no reports on simultaneously modulating the phase singularity and polarization distribution of structured light generated by RFL.
Generation of Singularity-Controllable Polarization-Varying Structured Light From Random Fiber Laser · 2024 · DOIA limitation of this study was that the results were not experimentally validated.
Data transmission rate estimates for OAM-carrying millimetre waves generated by rectangular arrangements of discrete radiating sources · 2026 · DOIThe limitations of conventional 1D OAM spectroscopy. The need for a method that can provide detailed, real-time channel state information.
Spatially-resolved atmospheric turbulence sensing with two-dimensional orbital angular momentum spectroscopy · 2026 · DOIThe sensitivity of the method to various beam parameters (beam size, wavelength, propagation distance) and how these affect the optimal radial resolution N are not explored.
Spatially-resolved atmospheric turbulence sensing with two-dimensional orbital angular momentum spectroscopy · 2026 · DOIFuture research should focus on the development of high-dimensional quantum circuitry on a chip. Future research should explore the potential of nanophotonics for quantum information processing.
The gap is in the development of high-dimensional quantum circuitry on a chip. The gap is in the creation of quantum optical Stokes skyrmions with non-trivial topology.
The paper identifies a gap in previous demonstrations of spin-orbit interactions, which have been realized through structured light-matter interactions. The gap is addressed by demonstrating a propagation-induced spin-orbit interaction channel that has not been identified in previous demonstrations.
The lack of a method for achieving stable out-of-plane rotation in highly viscous micro-environments. The limitation of conventional micromanipulation methods in diffusion-suppressing environments.
Helical opto-thermoviscous flows drive out-of-plane rotation and particle spinning in a highly viscous micro-environment · 2026 · DOIFurther studies could investigate the experimental verification of the results. The development of new optical devices and technologies based on the understanding of optical vortex beams in chiral media.
Most-cited papers in Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics
- Structured light · Nature Photonics · 2021 · 1,361 citations
- Optical trapping with structured light: a review · Advanced Photonics · 2021 · 759 citations
- Spin-decoupled metasurface for simultaneous detection of spin and orbital angular momenta via momentum transformation · Light Science & Applications · 2021 · 437 citations
- Orbital angular momentum of light for communications · Applied Physics Reviews · 2021 · 415 citations
- Plasmonic tweezers: for nanoscale optical trapping and beyond · Light Science & Applications · 2021 · 370 citations
- Orbital angular momentum and beyond in free‐space optical communications · Nanophotonics · 2021 · 359 citations
- Multidimensional phase singularities in nanophotonics · Science · 2021 · 279 citations
- Angular momentum holography via a minimalist metasurface for optical nested encryption · Light Science & Applications · 2023 · 271 citations
- Synthetic helical dichroism for six-dimensional optical orbital angular momentum multiplexing · Nature Photonics · 2021 · 239 citations
- Compensation-free high-dimensional free-space optical communication using turbulence-resilient vector beams · Nature Communications · 2021 · 235 citations
Most recent work
- Full-parameter-modulated three-dimensional vectorial generalized vortex array · Light Science & Applications · 2026
- Tunable structured laser over full spatial spectrum · Light Science & Applications · 2026
- Terahertz Pancharatnam-Berry-phase metasurface for vectorial focusing and vortex beams · Optics and Lasers in Engineering · 2026
- Unveiling Spin‐Orbital Angular Momentum Locking in Photonic Dirac Vortex Cavities · Laser & Photonics Review · 2026
- Optical fiber communications using orbital angular momentum modes · Optica · 2026
- High-dimensional multiplexing through vortex electromagnetic wave manipulation by space-time-coding metasurfaces · Light Science & Applications · 2026
- 2D optical vortices and a reverse energy flow occuring near the intensity zeros · Optics Letters · 2026
- Vector-vortex beam identification via optical correlation using deconvolution-derived filter design · Optics & Laser Technology · 2026
- Speckle tweezers near water-oil and water-air interfaces · Biomedical Optics Express · 2026
- Reinforcement learning-enabled robust phase control for OAM beam generation in coherent beam combining systems · Optics Express · 2026
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