Structured superpositions of nonuniform vortex beams for distinct intensity patterns

Abstract

We present a theoretical and experimental study on the generation and propagation of nonuniform vortex beams (NUVBs) with controlled phase jump (PJ) positions. Unlike conventional Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) modes, NUVBs offer additional degrees of freedom by adjusting the azimuthal separation of PJs, enabling the creation of diverse intensity and phase distributions. We derive analytical expressions for the far-field amplitude of NUVBs and validate our findings through numerical simulations and experiments. Furthermore, we generate NUVBs and investigate their superpositions, demonstrating the impact of PJ positioning on intensity patterns. Our results indicate that varying PJ locations produces significantly lower correlation between intensity profiles, facilitating robust optical communication. A total of 256 optimal superposition states were selected to transmit an image, successfully decoded at the receiver without errors. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025.