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Optical vortex generation by magnons with spin-orbit-coupled light

Ryusuke Hisatomi1,2,*, Alto Osada3, Kotaro Taga1, Haruka Komiyama1, Takuya Takahashi1, Shutaro Karube1,2, Yoichi Shiota1,2, and Teruo Ono1,2,4

  • *Contact author: hisatomi.ryusuke.2a@kyoto-u.ac.jp
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Phys. Rev. Research 8, 043062 – Published 19 October, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/qr4c-8gnp

Abstract

Light possesses both spin and orbital angular momentum. In spatially inhomogeneous optical fields, which are characterized by a finite distribution of wave vectors in k space, these properties undergo spontaneous coupling, referred to as optical spin-orbit coupling. The study of the coupling has recently become central in modern optics due to its substantial applications in communications, sensing, and quantum control. A key challenge is to clarify the relationship between the origins of spatially inhomogeneous optical fields and the resulting spin-orbit coupling. Current research focuses on materials and configurations exhibiting spatial inhomogeneity, such as focusing lenses, interfaces, inhomogeneous media, and metasurfaces. However, Maxwell’s equations indicate that matter can introduce both spatial inhomogeneity and temporal asymmetry into optical fields. For instance, magnetic ordering breaks the time-reversal symmetry of interacting optical fields via the magneto-optic effect, introducing nonreciprocity in the resulting optical phenomena. Despite the importance, optical phenomena involving both spatially inhomogeneous and temporally asymmetric optical fields remain unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that combining temporal asymmetry and spatial inhomogeneity through magnons and light focusing, respectively, transforms an input Gaussian beam into a specific optical vortex beam in a nonreciprocal manner. This phenomenon is quantitatively explained by integrating the physics of magnon-induced Brillouin light scattering with optical spin-orbit coupling. The observed conservation of total angular momentum, encompassing both magnons and photons, further indicates that magnons can control both spin and orbital angular momentum of light. Finally, we outline future research directions enabled by optical fields exhibiting both spatial inhomogeneity and temporal asymmetry.

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Phys. Rev. Research 8, 043062– Published 19 October, 2026
  • Received 4 June 2026
  • Accepted 17 September 2026
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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