Topological Transitions at Optical Interfaces Near Reflection Singularities

ABSTRACT Topological transitions of structured light at optical interfaces, particularly near singularities in reflection coefficients, hold significant potential for advanced light field manipulation. However, these phenomena remain largely unexplored beyond classical Brewster‐angle configurations. In this work, we establish a unified theoretical framework to describe topological transitions—from an ideal vortex to a deformed off‐axis vortex—near reflection singularities and provide experimental validation of the predictions. Through a full‐wave model, we demonstrate that the transition is governed by three independent degrees of freedom: the incident angle, the incident polarization state, and the reflected polarization state. This triple‐control mechanism enables precise manipulation of vortex deformation and lateral shifting. Furthermore, we extend this approach to multilayer systems by designing a PT‐symmetric bilayer structure satisfying r s = 0. This structure enables vortex generation and topological transition under a quasi‐Brewster condition. Our findings pave the way for enhanced topological control of structured light and offer promising prospects for advanced photonic applications.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nanophotonics
Published
2026-04-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/nap2.70068
Primary Topic
Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Topological Transitions at Optical Interfaces Near Reflection Singularities

Yawei Tan, Xiaohui Ling
Nanophotonics
Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics
article

Topological Transitions at Optical Interfaces Near Reflection Singularities

Yawei Tan, Xiaohui Ling
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Topological transitions of structured light at optical interfaces, particularly near singularities in reflection coefficients, hold significant potential for advanced light field manipulation. However, these phenomena remain largely unexplored beyond classical Brewster‐angle configurations. In this work, we establish a unified theoretical framework to describe topological transitions—from an ideal vortex to a deformed off‐axis vortex—near reflection singularities and provide experimental validation of the predictions. Through a full‐wave model, we demonstrate that the transition is governed by three independent degrees of freedom: the incident angle, the incident polarization state, and the reflected polarization state. This triple‐control mechanism enables precise manipulation of vortex deformation and lateral shifting. Furthermore, we extend this approach to multilayer systems by designing a PT‐symmetric bilayer structure satisfying r s = 0. This structure enables vortex generation and topological transition under a quasi‐Brewster condition. Our findings pave the way for enhanced topological control of structured light and offer promising prospects for advanced photonic applications.

NanophotonicsVol. 15(7)
Hengyang Normal University (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Peace, Justice and strong institutions
Openalex Percentile: Top 15%
Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics
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