Analysis of the topological charge of vortex beams using a hole wheel

The measurement of the topological charge of a vortex beam is demonstrated using the diffraction pattern produced by hole wheel. The resulting mandala-like interference pattern depends on the number of holes relatively to the topological charge. The interference at the centre of the pattern -bright or dark- enables us to determine the topological charge in a procedure when hole wheels with different number of holes are applied. This method is direct and wavelength independent. It does not require any image analysis and could find applications in classical telecommunications or quantum optics using twisted light. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2015