Resolving enantiomers using the optical angular momentum of twisted light.

ABSTRACT: Circular dichroism and optical rotation are crucial for the characterization of chiral molecules and are of importance to the study of pharmaceutical drugs, proteins, DNA, and many others. These techniques are based on the different interactions of enantiomers with circularly polarized components of plane wave light that carries spin angular momentum (SAM). For light carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM), for example, twisted or helical light, the consensus is that it cannot engage with the chirality of a molecular system as previous studies failed to demonstrate an interaction between optical OAM and chiral molecules. Using unique nanoparticle aggregates, we prove that optical OAM can engage with materials' chirality and discriminate between enantiomers. Further, theoretical results sho

SUBMITTER: Brullot W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4795672 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature