Abstract

The fundamental guided mode in an optical nanofiber exhibits a significant polarization component that points in the direction of propagation of the light. In contrast to paraxial light fields, the corresponding intrinsic angular momentum of the light field is position-dependent - an effect referred to as spin-orbit interaction of light. Remarkably, the light’s spin can even be perpendicular to the propagation direction. The interaction of emitters with such light fields leads to new and surprising effects. In particular, the intrinsic mirror symmetry of the emission of light by gold nanoparticles as well as by atoms near a silica nanophotonic waveguide is broken, see Fig. 1.

© 2015 IEEE