Polarization-encoded Kramers–Kronig single-path interferometer to unscramble a twisted wavefront

T Tushar Sarkar (Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of the Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University 1 , Shenzhen 518060,) Y Yizhe Li (State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Chemistry, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China) J Jiapeng Cai (Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of the Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University 1 , Shenzhen 518060,) Z Zaoxin Chen (Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of the Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University 1 , Shenzhen 518060,) X Xiang Peng (Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology) W Wenqi He

Abstract

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a single-shot approach to unscrambling a twisted wavefront, leveraging a single-path interferometer and the Kramers–Kronig (KK) relation. In a single-path interferometer, a twisted beam and a coaxial plane wave are encoded into orthogonal polarizations, i.e., horizontal and vertical, respectively, and self-interfered through a passive projection onto a diagonal basis. The self-interference of orthogonal polarizations generates a petal-like structure interferogram. By harnessing the KK relation, a twisted wavefront is unscrambled from the interferogram, yielding robust retrieval of the complex field. The proposed technique enables high-fidelity recovery of twisted wavefronts in a single exposure, offering a robust and alignment-insensitive solution for real-time structured beam diagnostics and singular optics applications.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 127, Issue 20
Published November 17, 2025
ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

Applied Physics Letters

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0003-6951 Physical Sciences

Authors (6)

T

Tushar Sarkar

Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of the Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University 1 , Shenzhen 518060,

Y

Yizhe Li

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Chemistry, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China

J

Jiapeng Cai

Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of the Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University 1 , Shenzhen 518060,

Z

Zaoxin Chen

Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of the Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University 1 , Shenzhen 518060,

X

Xiang Peng

Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology

W

Wenqi He