Influence of the photon orbital angular momentum on electric dipole transitions: negative experimental evidence

• DOI: 10.1364/ol.42.000219
• Publication Date: 2017-01-04T20:25:12Z
• Authors: F. Giammanco; A. Perona; P. Marsili; F. Conti; F. Fidecaro; S. Gozzini; A. Lucchesini
• Keywords: Rubidium

We describe an experiment of atomic spectroscopy devoted to ascertaining whether the orbital angular momentum (OAM) photons has same property interacting with atoms or molecules as occurs for spin (SAM). In our experiment, rubidium vapors are excited by means laser radiation different combinations OAM and SAM, particularly selected inhibit enhance fluorescence according selection rules electric dipole transitions between fundamental state first doublet. Our results clearly show that electric-dipole-type transition is insensitive value, provide original validation a problem long debated in theoretical works.