Spin Hall Effect Of Light In Spherical Geometry

Electromagnetic waves carry angular momenta, and, due to spin-orbit interaction, an encounter with a gradient of refractive index leads to transport of spin similar to the electronic spin Hall effect. We show here that transversal spin transport is possible even when the symmetry of optical interaction is of higher dimensionality. We demonstrate that for a wave in a pure state of polarization, the spin-orbit interaction results in a spiraling power flow that is determined by the extent of the interaction. As a result, the spin transport can be resonantly enhanced in a spherical geometry. Our results open the possibility for developing new functionalities for photonic devices. © 2009 The American Physical Society