This artist's concept depicts a twisted vortex beam striking the gated photodetector, which filters the waveform by matching its twist pattern. This allows scientists to embed data in the waveform.

When we think of light, we often imagine beams shining in straight lines or spreading out through space. But there’s a more complex, lesser-known side to it—light that spirals like a corkscrew. This ...

Scientists at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) have devised a new way of creating twisted laser beams -- optical vortexes -- for carrying vast, near-infinite amounts of data down optical ...