Holography, an innovative optical technique for recording and reconstructing object information through wavefront modulation, was first introduced by physicist Dennis Gabor in 1948. As optical science has advanced, researchers have expanded beyond traditional interferometric methods to develop various holographic approaches, including digital holography and computational holography. Currently, multiple optical degrees of freedom—including polarization, wavelength, and temporal modes—have been utilized to enhance holographic systems. Among these, orbital angular momentum (OAM)-based holography emerges as particularly significant due to its inherent advantages. OAM, distinguished by theoretically infinite mode indices (corresponding to OAM quantum numbers), presents exceptional potential for expanding holographic information capacity through encoding data in spatially structured phase profiles. Traditional OAM holography has demonstrated benefits including high-dimensional multiplexing and enhanced channel capacity in holographic encoding. Recent developments extend OAM holography to entangled photon pairs, achieving superior precision and stability compared to classical implementations. However, the dependence on quantum entangled light sources, requiring complex experimental conditions, restricts practical scalability. Concurrently, classical optical systems that simulate quantum correlations have emerged as a viable alternative. This research presents an OAM holography scheme utilizing classical correlated light. Through comprehensive theoretical modeling and numerical simulations, we confirm its viability and demonstrate performance comparable to quantum entanglement-based methods. By connecting classical optics with quantum-inspired approaches, this work expands the theoretical framework of optical correlations while offering a cost-effective path to advance holographic technologies for practical applications.

This study investigates holographic techniques based on OAM using classically correlated light. First, we design a holographic scheme leveraging the properties of classical correlations and OAM. Subsequently, theoretical derivations are conducted to validate the feasibility of the proposed approach. Numerical simulations are then performed to model light field propagation, interference, and holographic reconstruction, thereby illustrating the theoretical performance of the scheme. Finally, a comparative analysis with quantum OAM holography is undertaken to highlight the advantages and potential applications of our classical approach. To ensure the practicality of the scheme, numerical simulations of the classically correlated light source are specifically implemented to verify its compliance with the incoherence condition—a prerequisite for exploiting statistical correlations in this study. Additionally, given the formal resemblance between the generated classical correlated light and quantum entangled sources, we adopt correlation detection methods analogous to quantum entanglement verification. Our results demonstrate that, under specific projection measurements, the classical correlated light exhibits properties akin to quantum entanglement. This finding further justifies its mathematical representation as a classical correlated state, reinforcing the validity of our theoretical framework.

We conduct numerical simulations of the proposed OAM-based classically correlated light holography process. The imaging results (Fig. 5) demonstrate excellent agreement with theoretical predictions. Notably, the theoretically unbounded OAM quantum numbers enable our holographic scheme to achieve OAM-multiplexed holography for enhanced channel capacity. Compared to conventional OAM-based holography, our protocol exhibits inherent robustness against classical stray light interference (Fig. 7), as holographic information is encoded within the correlations of classical light fields. Furthermore, leveraging structural similarities between classical correlations and quantum entanglement, we demonstrate the feasibility of implementing high-security holographic encryption protocols (Fig. 8). Significantly, while the proposed classical correlated light holography shares comparable imaging processes, outcomes, and inherent advantages with quantum entangled OAM holography, it provides substantially improved experimental feasibility and cost-effectiveness.

This research presents a classical correlated light holography scheme based on OAM, with its theoretical viability thoroughly validated through theoretical derivation and numerical simulations. The proposed scheme demonstrates formal, characteristic, and imaging equivalency to quantum entanglement holography utilizing OAM. Significantly, it addresses practical limitations inherent in quantum-entangled light systems—including stringent preparation requirements, complex modulation protocols, transmission instability, and reduced operational robustness—thereby offering enhanced feasibility for real-world implementations. Compared with conventional classical holography, the OAM-based classical correlation scheme demonstrates superior robustness by maintaining holographic information integrity and accuracy under classical stray light interference, while achieving heightened security for holographic encryption relative to standard OAM-carrying classical light. Furthermore, the intrinsic properties of OAM and classical correlations suggest promising applications in cutting-edge domains such as high-channel-capacity holographic systems. These findings advance holography development while expanding its technical horizons. However, current research remains primarily theoretical, with experimental validation and practical performance evaluation requiring further investigation. Potential implementation challenges—including precision optical alignment, interferometer stability, and environmental noise suppression—demand thorough exploration to assess system adaptability and reliability in operational scenarios. Future work will focus on experimental optimization, comprehensive property characterization, and deeper investigation of the scheme’s physical principles and technical advantages, thereby establishing a robust foundation for expanding its application spectrum.