Acoustic vortex beams in synthetic magnetic fields

Abstract

We analyze the propagation of acoustic vortex beams in longitudinal synthetic magnetic fields. We show how to generate two field configurations using a fluid contained in circulating cylinders: a uniform synthetic magnetic field hosting Laguerre–Gauss modes, and an Aharonov–Bohm flux tube hosting Bessel beams. For non-paraxial beams we find qualitative differences from the well-studied case of electron vortex beams in magnetic fields, arising due to the vectorial nature of the acoustic wave’s velocity field. In particular, the pressure and velocity components of the acoustic wave can be individually sensitive to the relative sign of the beam orbital angular momentum and the magnetic field. Our findings illustrate how analogies between optical, electron, and acoustic vortex beams can break down in the presence of external vector potentials. © 2019 IOP Publishing Ltd Printed in the UK