Vector and tensor polarizations of light beams

Generalized Stokes vectors consisting of nine real parameters in terms of irreducible spherical and Cartesian tensor operators are considered to describe the 3D electromagnetic field. Vector and tensor polarization degrees are introduced to characterize the polarized beam. It is shown that the degree of a pure vector polarized light beam is less than 1, i.e., vector polarized light beam is only partially polarized. The geometrical interpretation of vector and tensor polarizations is presented.     

Cross-spectral purity of the Stokes parameters

We extend the concept of cross-spectral purity from the spectral density to the polarization properties of electromagnetic fields by considering the polarization Stokes parameters. We show that purity conditions similar to those in the case of electromagnetic cross-spectral purity can be derived for all the Stokes parameters. Furthermore, we introduce a situation of strict cross-spectral purity which leads to the equality of the degrees of coherence for electromagnetic fields in the space–time and space–frequency domains.     

Polarization ellipse and Stokes parameters of a stochastic electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model beam propagating through a polarization grating

An analytical propagation formula for the cross-spectral density matrix of a stochastic electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model (EGSM) beam after propagating through a polarization grating is derived with the help of a tensor method. The statistics properties, particularly the degree of polarization, polarization ellipse and Stokes parameters, of the EGSM beam on propagation after passing through a polarization grating are studied numerically. Our results clearly show that the statistics properties of the EGSM beam on propagation are closely determined by the initial parameters of the EGSM beam and the parameter of the polarization grating. The polarization grating provides one way for modulating the polarization properties of an EGSM beam.     

部分相干刃型位错光束的谱Stokes奇点

利用交叉谱密度函数的传输公式,推导出部分相干刃型位错光束在自由空间中传输的解析表达式.结合谱Stokes参数,详细讨论了其Stokes场的奇点变化规律.结果表明,部分相干刃型位错光束在自由空间传输过程中存在谱s12,s23和s31奇点.改变刃型位错的离轴量、斜率、空间相关长度等光束参数以及随着传输距离的变化,会有谱Stokes奇点的移动、产生和湮没,也会有V点的产生和C点旋性的反转.     

Stokes parameters and degree of polarization of nonparaxial stochastic electromagnetic beams

On the basis of angular spectrum representation and the stationary-phase method, far-field expressions for generalized Stokes parameters of nonparaxial stochastic electromagnetic beams are derived, which permits us to study the changes in the ordinary Stokes parameters upon propagation, and the changes in the spectral degree of polarization of partially polarized nonparaxial stochastic electromagnetic beams. It is shown that the spectral degree of polarization changes across the section on beam propagation.     

Stokes parameters of an electromagnetic light wave on scattering

Stokes parameters of an electromagnetic light wave on scattering have been discussed, which permit us to study the spectral degree of polarization of the far-zone scattered field. An example of scattering of a spatially coherent electromagnetic light wave from a quasi-homogeneous medium has been discussed to illustrate the changes of the Stokes parameters and the changes of the spectral degree of polarization of the far-zone scattered field.     

Propagation properties of a partially polarized electromagnetic twist anisotropic Gaussian Schell-model beam in turbulent atmosphere

Based on the extended Huygens-Fresnel integral formula, analytical formulae for the elements of cross-spectral density matrix of partially polarized electromagnetic twist anisotropic Gaussian Schell-model (TAGSM) beam propagating in turbulent atmosphere can been derived by a tensor method. Our main attention was focus on the effect of the atmospheric turbulence, twist parameters and partial coherence on the spectral degree of polarization, the spectral degree of coherence and the spectral density. Numerical calculation results and analysis are given.     

Spectral properties of apertured stochastic electromagnetic twist anisotropic Gaussian Schell-model beam propagating in turbulent atmosphere

Based on the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle, analytical formulas are derived for the cross-spectral density matrix of an apertured stochastic electromagnetic twist anisotropic Gaussian Schell-model (ETAGSM) beam propagating in a turbulent atmosphere by use of a tensor method. Spectral properties of apertured ETAGSM beam are closely related with the strength of atmospheric turbulence, the aperture widths and the beam's parameters, etc. Our main attention was focused on the influence of the aperture widths, atmospheric turbulence, twist parameters and partial coherence on the spectral properties (including spectral degree of polarization, the spectral degree of coherence and the spectral density) of apertured ETAGSM beam propagating in turbulent atmosphere. Numerical calculation results and analysis are given.     

Stokes parameters and polarization contrasts in Young's interference experiment

We derive a spectral interference law that governs the behavior of the four Stokes parameters in Young's two-pinhole experiment with a random electromagnetic beam. In addition to the visibility of intensity fringes, we introduce three new contrast parameters that describe the interference-induced changes in the field's state of partial polarization. The polarization modulation depends on the electric field correlations at the pinholes and is closely related to the two-point Stokes parameters. The results are expected to be particularly useful in polarization interferometry and electromagnetic coherence theory. The formalism is demonstrated with specific examples.     

Contrasts of Stokes parameters in Young's interference experiment and electromagnetic degree of coherence

We analyze the modulation of the Stokes parameters in Young's two-pinhole interference experiment with a random electromagnetic beam. We demonstrate that the electromagnetic (spectral) degree of coherence put forward in Opt. Lett.29, 328 (2004) [or its space-time analog in Opt. Express 11, 1137 (2003)] is physically related to the contrasts of modulation in the four Stokes parameters. More explicitly, the electromagnetic degree of coherence is a measure of both the visibility of the intensity fringes and the modulation contrasts of the three polarization Stokes parameters. We also show that by using suitable wave plates the modulation in any Stokes parameter can be transformed into the form of intensity variation, and hence the electromagnetic degree of coherence can be obtained experimentally by four visibility measurements.     

Stokes parameters of optical singularities of random electromagnetic beams

In this paper,the relation between the spectral degree of coherence and degree of polarization of random electromagnetic beams is derived by the Stokes parameters.And the concept of polarization singularity is extended from spatially fully coherent beams to partially coherent electromagnetic beams.Theoretical analysis shows that correlation vortices are linearly polarized singularities.The results are illustrated by numerical examples.     

Determination of the amplitude and the phase of the elements of electric cross-spectral density matrix by spectral measurements

The amplitudes and the phases of the elements of electric cross-spectral density matrix are determined experimentally for a pair of points in the cross-section of an expanded laser beam. A modified version of the Young’s interferometer is used as an experimental tool, which separates the beams emerging from the double-slit widely and provides ease in insertion of polarizers and half wave rotators in individual beams. To determine these complex elements of the cross-spectral density matrix, the experimentally obtained values of the spectral densities at an off-axis point are put in the mathematical expressions derived by us using the spectral interference law. The four complex generalized Stokes parameters are also determined using the linear combinations of the matrix elements. This unique but simple experimental approach for determining both the two-point parameters might provide a means to investigate the polarization and the coherence properties of the random electromagnetic beams on propagation.     

Experimental verification of the electromagnetic spectral interference law using a modified version of the Young's interferometer

We present a method to verify the electromagnetic spectral interference law experimentally, which connects the combined two-beam usual Stokes parameters with the corresponding single beam usual Stokes parameters. Using polarizers and phase retarders in a modified version of the Young's interferometer, the usual Stokes parameters and the generalized Stokes parameters are determined for a laser beam. The experimentally determined single point (usual) Stokes parameters at an axial point in the observation plane for the combined beam are compared with their theoretically expected values obtained by putting the experimental data in the electromagnetic spectral interference law. A fairly good agreement is found between the two values. Not only does the proposed method provides a comparison between the two kinds of Stokes parameters but also validates the role of the generalized Stokes parameters as modulation parameters for the usual Stokes parameters.     

Nonparaxial propagation of spatially and spectrally partially coherent electromagnetic Cosh-Gaussian pulsed beams

Based on the generalized Rayleigh–Sommerfeld diffraction integral, the analytical expression for 3×3 cross-spectral density matrix of nonparaxial spatially and spectrally partially coherent electromagnetic Cosh-Gaussian (ChG) pulsed beams propagating in free space is derived, and used to formulate the spectral density and spectral degree of polarization of electromagnetic pulsed beams at the z-plane. It is found that the parameters f and f_αα are the key parameters in determining the nonparaxiality of spatially and spectrally partially coherent electromagnetic ChG pulsed beams. And the decentered parameter, pulse duration and temporal coherence length can change the nonparaxial behavior of the electromagnetic ChG pulsed beams. The effect of decentered parameter, pulse duration and temporal coherence length on the spectral density and spectral degree of polarization of electromagnetic ChG pulsed beams is illustrated through numerical calculations. Propagation of nonparaxial spatially and spectrally partially coherent electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model pulsed beams can be treated as a special case when the decentered parameter of electromagnetic ChG pulsed beams approaches to zero.     

Degree of polarization in near fields of thermal sources: effects of surface waves

We introduce the concept of degree of polarization for electromagnetic near fields. The approach is based on the generalized Stokes parameters that appear as expansion coefficients of the 3 x 3 coherence matrix in terms of the Gell-Mann matrices. The formalism is applied to optical near fields of thermally fluctuating half-space sources with particular interest in fields that are strongly polarized owing to resonant surface plasmons or phonons. This novel method is particularly useful when assessing the full vectorial characteristics of random evanescent fields, e.g., for near-field spectroscopy and polarization microscopy.     

Spectral shift of a twisted electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model beam focused by a thin lens

Spectral changes of a twisted electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model (EGSM) beam focused by a thin lens are investigated by using a tensor method. It is shown that the spectral shift is mainly determined by the degree of polarization, twist phase and correlation coefficients of the initial beam. Generically the blue shift occurs at on-axis points, while the red shift can occur at off-axis points.     

Generalized Stokes parameters of stochastic spatially and spectrally partially coherent electromagnetic pulsed beams

The analytical expressions for the generalized (two-point) Stokes parameters of stochastic electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model pulsed (GSMP) beams propagating in free space are obtained. The changes in the spectral Stokes parameters in free space propagation are studied. The dependence of on-axis and transverse spectral Stokes parameters of stochastic electromagnetic GSMP beams on the pulse parameters including pulse duration and temporal coherence length is stressed and illustrated numerically. The results are interpreted physically.     

部分相干部分偏振电磁束通过光阑透镜的传输

基于广义斯托克斯参量,推导出了部分相干部分偏振高斯谢尔模型(GSM)电磁柬通过光阑透镜后交叉谱密度矩阵、光强、偏振度、偏振椭圆的方位角及椭偏角的解析表达式,并用以研究菲涅耳数、自相关和互相关长度以及束腰宽度对焦移和偏振特性的影响.对主要数值计算结果做了物理解释.     

Effects of coherence on anisotropic electromagnetic Gaussian-Schell model beams on propagation

An analytical formula for the cross-spectral density matrix of the electric field of anisotropic electromagnetic Gaussian-Schell model beams propagating in free space is derived by using a tensor method. The effects of coherence on those beams are studied. It is shown that two anisotropic stochastic electromagnetic beams that propagate from the source plane z=0 into the half-space z>0 may have different beam shapes (i.e., spectral density) and states of polarization in the half-space, even though they have the same beam shape and states of polarization in the source plane. This fact is due to a difference in the coherence properties of the field in the source plane.     

部分相干部分偏振电磁束通过光阑透镜的传输

基于广义斯托克斯参量,推导出了部分相干部分偏振高斯谢尔模型(GSM)电磁束通过光阑透镜后交叉谱密度矩阵、光强、偏振度、偏振椭圆的方位角及椭偏角的解析表达式,并用以研究菲涅耳数、自相关和互相关长度以及束腰宽度对焦移和偏振特性的影响。对主要数值计算结果做了物理解释。