Size invariant twisted optical modes for efficient generation of higher dimensional quantum states
Optical vortex beams are profiled as helical wavefronts with a phase singularity carrying an orbital angular momentum (OAM) associated with their spatial distribution. The transverse intensity distribution of a conventional optical vortex has a strong dependence on the carried topological charge. However, perfect optical vortex (POV) beams have their transverse intensity distribution independent of their charge. Such `size-invariant' POV beams have found exciting applications in optical manipulation, imaging and communication. In this article, we investigate the use of POV modes in the efficient generation of high dimensional quantum states of light. We generate heralded single photons carrying OAM using spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) of POV beams. We show that the heralding efficiency of the SPDC single photons generated with POV pump is greater than that with normal optical vortex beams. The dimensionality of the two-photon OAM states is increased with POV modes in the pump and projective measurements using Bessel-Gaussian vortex modes that give POV, instead of the Laguerre-Gaussian modes.