Evolution of orbital angular momentum in three-dimensional structured light

Light beams with an azimuthal phase dependency of ei φ have helical phase fronts and thus carry orbital angular momentum (OAM), a strictly conserved quantity with propagation. Here we engineer quasi-three-dimensional (3D) structured light fields and demonstrate unusual scenarios in which OAM can vary locally in both sign and magnitude along the beam's axis, in a controlled manner, under free-space propagation. To reveal the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon, we perform full modal decomposition and reconstruction of the generated beams to describe the evolution of their intrinsic OAM and topological charge with propagation. We show that topological transition and the associated variation in local OAM rely on the creation, movement, and annihilation of local vortex charges without disturbing the global net charge of the beam, thus conserving the global OAM while varying it locally. Our results may be perceived as an experimental demonstration of the Hilbert Hotel paradox, while advancing our understanding of topological deformations in general.