Imaging optical singularities: Understanding the duality of C-points and optical vortices

Galvez, Enrique J.; Rojec, Brett L.; McCullough, Kevin R.

doi:10.1117/12.2005880

Cited by 15 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…After some algebra the latter becomes a cubic equation in tan φ. The case γ = π can be solved analytically: the point at the tip of the cusp corresponds to tan β = 1/3 [24]. The equatorial line represents a unique set of modes that involve π-phase shear singularities carrying C-lines of circular polarization but no C-points [25].…”

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Generation of isolated asymmetric umbilics in light's polarization

et al. 2014

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Polarization-singularity C-points, a form of line singularities, are the vectorial counterparts of the optical vortices of spatial modes and fundamental optical features of polarization-spatial modes. Their generation in tailored beams has been limited to lemon and star C-points that contain symmetric dislocations in state-of-polarization patterns. In this article we present the theory and laboratory measurements of two complementary methods to generate isolated asymmetric C-points in tailored beams, of which symmetric lemons and stars are limiting cases; and we report on the generation of monstars, an asymmetric C-point with characteristics of both lemons and stars. So far, the study of line singularities relies on the diagnosis of natural occurrences. Non-separable superpositions of polarization and spatial mode of light can provide a vehicle for deliberately creating line-singularity patterns for their study. This polarization-spatial-mode hybridization also adds a new dimension to imaging, where polarization provides additional sensing information [10,11]. Different species exploit polarization-spatial combinations for their survival [12], and line singularities may provide the means to characterize them. At the quantum level, these hybrid modes provide larger Hilbert spaces for encoding information [13]. An investigation of polarization-spatial light modes is also essential for understanding this type of imaging at a deeper level [14].C-points are the umbilical points of the line singularities in the polarization of light because they connect the apex of two opposite cones (a diabolo): of semi-major and semi-minor axis lengths [2,15]. They consist of a state of circular polarization surrounded by a field of polarization ellipses in the optical field, with orientations that rotate about the C-point [16]. C-points are singular points of ellipse orientation. They are intimately linked to the optical vortices of scalar fields, but encode the optical dislocations in the state of polarization instead of the phase [17]. The production of the full spectrum of C-points is of interest in its own right, as it reveals a new domain of complex light not investigated before. The production and analysis of C-points are the basis for new techniques to produce and diagnose optical vortices, which are of interest in metrology due to their high sensitivity to perturbations [18].The two symmetric types of C-point singularities, known as lemons and stars, correspond to dislocations where the ellipse orientation varies linearly with and counter to the angle about the singularity, respectively. Yet, the generation of beams bearing isolated C-points (i.e., alone in a light beam) has been limited to these two cases [19][20][21]. The larger class of asymmetric C-points containing orientations evolving nonlinearly have been produced only in speckle patterns [6][7][8][9], or as C-point pairs (dipoles) in tailored beams [22].The two symmetric cases are the ends of a spectrum of C-points where the pattern of orientations in the ellipse f...

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“…These images were used to find the Stokes parameters for each pixel of the imaged beam, and thus the complete state of polarization [22,24].…”

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Generation of isolated asymmetric umbilics in light's polarization

et al. 2014

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“…We did so with two setups. Figure 2 has the most recent one, which uses an SLM to encode the modes [24]. The only difference is that to make the modes of Eq.…”

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confidence: 99%

New Methods of Entanglement with Spatial Modes of Light

Galvez¹

2014

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“…While phase singularities (wave dislocated, or optical vortices) are frequently encountered in interference of scalar waves [2,3], they resolve into polarization singularities (PSs) when the vector nature of light is retained [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. A large number of papers have studied polarized properties of vector fields [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. Measuring polarization states is the crucial step in experimental studies of polarization singularities [12].…”

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Calibration of Measurement of Multiple Polarization Singularities

Xin

Zhao

et al. 2015

Journal of the Optical Society of Korea

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In this paper, we propose a method used to measure the polarization state of a field with multiple polarization singularities (PSs), such as an array of PSs and PSs in vector speckle. A checkerboard is used to construct characteristic points, which makes it possible to calibrate the mismatches between pictures obtained during the rotation of a quarter-wave plate and a polarizer. Using this method a field with an array of PSs is measured. The experimental result is compared with the numerical simulation. We also carry out some data analysis. The comparison and analysis emphasize the necessity and feasibility of this method to measure the PSs.

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Imaging optical singularities: Understanding the duality of C-points and optical vortices

Cited by 15 publications

References 22 publications

Generation of isolated asymmetric umbilics in light's polarization

Generation of isolated asymmetric umbilics in light's polarization

New Methods of Entanglement with Spatial Modes of Light

Calibration of Measurement of Multiple Polarization Singularities

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