Asymptotic theory of strong spin–orbit coupling in optical fiber

The spin-orbit coupling of light propagating in optical fiber can be dramatically enhanced by the presence of a high-contrast interface in the refractive index profile, even for modes that are highly paraxial. The resulting modes have spatial and polarization structures that depart greatly from the weak coupling form, and, in particular, are neither orbital nor spin angular momentum eigenstates. We explain the physical origins of this strong-coupling regime with a vector geometric theory of diffraction expansion.