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Laser beams: knotted threads of darkness

Laser beams: knotted threads of darkness
Laser beams: knotted threads of darkness
Destructive interference may lead to complete cancellation when light waves travelling in different directions cross, and in three-dimensional space this occurs along lines that are vortices of electromagnetic energy flow. Here we confirm theoretical predictions by experimentally creating combinations of optical laser beams in which these dark threads form stable loops that are linked and knotted.
0028-0836
165
Leach, Jonathan
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Dennis, Mark R.
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Courtial, Johannes
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Padgett, Miles J.
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Leach, Jonathan
0efc4fc1-c16e-4ff8-b9e3-636d718d5b58
Dennis, Mark R.
8b00c8a0-30e2-4690-bfde-02916f80de2f
Courtial, Johannes
6389c2b7-7582-46cf-a437-a2be088daf4a
Padgett, Miles J.
1d3c83cc-af4d-4ca6-9325-93e7e995ba89

Leach, Jonathan, Dennis, Mark R., Courtial, Johannes and Padgett, Miles J. (2004) Laser beams: knotted threads of darkness. Nature, 432 (7014), 165. (doi:10.1038/432165a).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Destructive interference may lead to complete cancellation when light waves travelling in different directions cross, and in three-dimensional space this occurs along lines that are vortices of electromagnetic energy flow. Here we confirm theoretical predictions by experimentally creating combinations of optical laser beams in which these dark threads form stable loops that are linked and knotted.

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Published date: 2004
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Local EPrints ID: 29392
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/29392
DOI: doi:10.1038/432165a
ISSN: 0028-0836
PURE UUID: 2fcfd967-d819-4821-9e23-a5e937421da3

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Date deposited: 11 May 2006
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 07:31

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Contributors

Author: Jonathan Leach
Author: Mark R. Dennis
Author: Johannes Courtial
Author: Miles J. Padgett

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