Dynamic Vortex Fiber Laser Enabled by an Active Meta-optics Platform

Recently, tunable vortex beams in terms of wavelength and orbital angular momentum (OAM) have revolutionized applications in high-capacity optical communications, super-resolution imaging, and advanced optical manipulation. Consequently, the development of compact, efficient, and dynamic vortex lasers has become a driving trend in structured light sources. In this work, we present a novel vortex fiber laser system that could meet the aforementioned requirements, empowered by a liquid crystal variable retarder-assisted metasurface platform. The laser demonstrates great tunability in both wavelength and the OAM mode, achieving a continuous wavelength tuning range of 32 nm around 1030 nm and rapid switching (17.5/2.4 ms) between high purity OAM beams of topological charge l = 2 (95.7% purity) and l = 20 (93.0% purity). Notably, the proposed strategy exhibits (1) customizable and decoupled topological charge switching, (2) almost independent wavelength and OAM mode tuning, and (3) outstanding efficiency, which render the dynamic vortex laser very unique. The combination of multiplexing metasurface and liquid crystal variable retarders offers a robust active meta-optics alternative for compact and dynamic vortex lasers, presenting new perspectives for intracavity meta-platform design and advanced structured light sources.