Corkscrew light promises higher optical-communication data rates

In principle, light can take on an infinite number of OAM states.But it doesn't end there. If we could but change (and detect) the OAM state of light rapidly, we would have a very efficient way to send data.The problem is rapidly switching between OAM states, which we don't currently know how to do. Depending on the direction that the light circulates (and a number of other factors), the emitted light will have OAM. Simply switching the direction of light gives you access to two OAM states.The researchers noted that, if the ring had a system that amplified the light, the laser light it emitted would have an OAM state that depended on how the laser was excited.Imagine that the ring is setup to emit the +2 (second state clockwise) and -2 (second state anti-clockwise) OAM states. Then, we have to demonstrate that we can transport and detect OAM states efficiently.Yes, the states themselves are all discrete, but that does not mean the light we produce or detect is always in a pure state, as the laser and the intervening optics could result in a mixture of OAM states.