Twisted light and twisted matter: the photonic frontier of chirality [Invited]

Abstract

Chirality, the inability of an object to match its mirror image, is central to the architecture of life. It critically influences pharmaceuticals, catalysis, and emerging photonic technologies, where controlling handedness determines function and performance. While optical chirality has traditionally been associated with circular polarization, the advent of structured light has introduced new forms of chirality through the helical wavefronts of vortex beams carrying orbital angular momentum. These developments challenge conventional frameworks and have opened new directions in the study of chiral light–matter interactions. This review focuses on the role of wavefront chirality in two emerging areas: enhancing chiroptical spectroscopies and inducing chiral structure formation in materials. We highlight how recent advances in theory and experiment have enabled structured light to serve not only as probes of chirality but also as active agents in its generation and control. By uniting progress in theory, experiment, and application, this review positions the chirality of structured light as a transformative tool in the ongoing exploration of optical and material asymmetries.