Polychromatic polarization singularities

Elliptical polarization can appear in only monochromatic optical fields. In polychromatic vector fields the polarization is a Lissajous figure, but in only commensurate fields do the figures have well-defined shapes; in other fields the shapes are undefined. Nonetheless, I show that a given paraxial polychromatic vector field has a coherency ellipse field associated with it that contains polarization singularities and stationary points that are surrogates for the corresponding critical points of the parent optical field.     

Second-harmonic generation of polarization singularities

Second-harmonic generation was studied theoretically for the vector singularities (daisy modes) of linearly polarized light and for the elliptic singularities (C points) of elliptically polarized light. Topological charge doubling for C points and daisy modes, similar to that found for vortices, was found. Unlike for vortices, however, it was found that for both C points and daisy modes the sign of the charge is reversed; for C points the photon spin or handedness (right or left) is also reversed; and for daisy modes the number of intensity petals is not doubled. These findings are all unexpected because neither charge nor spin nor orbital angular momentum is conserved for C points, whereas a daisy mode in which the number of intensity petals does not equal twice the magnitude of the charge is anomalous.     

Fermionic out-of-plane structure of polarization singularities

A new classification of circular polarization C points in three-dimensional polarization ellipse fields is proposed. The classification type depends on the out-of-plane variation of the polarization ellipse axis, in particular, whether the ellipse axes are in the plane of circular polarization one or three times. A minimal set of parameters for this classification is derived and discussed in the context of the familiar in-plane C point classification into lemon, star, and monstar types. This new geometric classification is related to the M?bius index of polarization singularities recently introduced by Freund.     

Optical polarization singularities and elliptic stationary points

Polarization singularities and elliptic stationary points (collectively, elliptic critical points) were measured experimentally via the complex Stokes field S1 + iS2, where S1 and S2 are Stokes parameters. This new, easily implemented method yielded detailed, high-resolution experimental data for all elliptic critical points. These data confirm with high precision the elliptic-field topological sign rule, loop rules, and Stokes singularity relations introduced recently.     

Nongeneric polarization singularities in combined vortex beams

Nongeneric polarization structures of singular beams formed as a coherent coaxial mixture of weighted orthogonally polarized single-charged Laguerre-Gauss modes with different radial indices are analyzed. A general solution for the superposition of elliptically orthogonally polarized partial vortex beams is obtained; the limiting special cases in which the mixed modes are linearly or circularly polarized are investigated. It is established that unusual spatially stable polarization structures such as closed C contours and L contours with a fixed azimuth of linear polarization arise in such combined beams. The results are experimentally confirmed by using a new diffraction method for testing phase singularities in optical beams.     

Phase and polarization singularities of nonparaxial Gaussian vortex beams

The analytical expression for nonparaxial Gaussian vortex beams propagating in free space is derived, which enables us to study phase and polarization singularities in nonparaxial vector wavefields. Differing from the polarization singularities formed by two transverse electric-field components in the paraxial regime, the polarization singularities can be formed by the transverse and longitudinal electric-field components of nonparaxial beams, and there exist C-points and L-lines. The variation of the beam parameters and propagation distance will result in a shift of phase and polarization singularities, but their position relation remains unchanged and the topological relationship holds true.     

Evolution of polarization singularities accompanied by avoided crossing in plasmonic system

The evolution of polarization singularities supported in a one-dimensional periodic plasmonic system is studied. The lateral inversion symmetry of the system, which breaks the in-plane inversion symmetry and up-down mirror symmetry simultaneously, yields abundant polarization states. A complete evolution process with geometry for the polarization states is traced. In the evolution, circularly polarized points (C points) can stem from 3 different processes. In addition to the previously reported processes occurring in an isolated band, a new type of C point appearing in two bands simultaneously due to the avoided band crossing, is observed. Unlike the dielectric system with a similar structure which only supports at-$\varGamma$ bound states in the continuum (BICs), accidental BICs off the $\varGamma$ point are realized in this plasmonic system. This work provides a new scheme of polarization manipulation for the plasmonic systems.     

Observation of spatially coherent polarization vector fields and visualization of vector singularities

We present experimental observations of polarization vector fields from a highly isotropic microchip laser with a large Fresnel number. The experimental polarization vector field leads to complex entanglement of spatial structures and polarization states. We theoretically derive the representation of generalized coherent states to reconstruct the experimental polarization-resolved patterns. The analytical and precise reconstruction enables the vector singularities to be clearly visualized.     

Hyperboloid structures formed by polarization singularities in coherent vector fields with longitudinal-transverse coupling

The propagation-dependent polarization vector fields are experimentally created from an isotropic microchip laser with a longitudinal-transverse coupling and entanglement of the polarization states. The experimental three-dimensional coherent vector fields are analytically reconstructed with a coherent superposition of orthogonal circularly polarized vortex modes. Each polarized component is found to comprise two Laguerre-Gaussian modes with different topological charges. With the analytical representation, the polarization singularities, on which the electric polarization ellipse is purely circular (C lines) or purely linear (L surfaces), are explored. The C line singularities are found to form an intriguing hyperboloidal structure.     

聚焦高斯涡旋光束焦区电场和磁场的偏振奇点

以高斯涡旋光束为例,研究了聚焦场中电场和磁场的偏振奇点变化规律.结果表明,高斯涡旋光束经透镜聚焦后,在焦区存在二维和三维电场和磁场的偏振奇点,其位置一般不重合.适当改变与焦面的距离以及光阑截断参数等出现圆偏振奇点的移动、产生和湮没.不同二维和三维电场和磁场圆偏振奇点湮没所对应的各参数临界值不同.在二维电场中,几何焦面上会有V点的产生.     

高斯涡旋光束在自由空间传输中电场和磁场的偏振奇点

利用矢量菲涅尔衍射积分公式, 以高斯涡旋光束为例, 推导出傍轴高斯涡旋光束在自由空间传输过程中电场分量和磁场分量的解析表达式, 详细研究了自由空间中电场和磁场的偏振奇点变化规律. 结果表明, 高斯涡旋光束在自由空间传输中, 存在二维和三维电场和磁场的偏振奇点, 其位置一般不重合. 改变光束束腰宽度比、 振幅比以及传输距离, 偏振奇点出现移动. 在二维电场和磁场中, 当满足一定条件时, 会有V点产生.     

Topological scenarios of the creation and annihilation of polarization singularities in nonstationary optical fields

The dynamics of the polarization structure of the speckle field of the photo-induced scattering in LiNbO₃:Fe (unsteady regime) has been analyzed with the use of the methods of the modified Stokes polarimetry. It has been shown that the creation and annihilation of pairs of circularly polarized points (C points) in varying singular elliptically polarized fields proceed via two topological scenarios. It has been found that the creation of pairs of C points is preceded by the appearance of a region where the average ellipticity is larger than the values in the neighboring regions. A similar structure holds after the annihilation of C points.     

Measurement of the morphological forms of polarization singularities and their statistical weights in optical vector fields

Using the developed optical method, elliptically polarized fields were taken as examples for the experimental measurement of all three possible morphological forms in the vicinities of the circular polarization points and of their statistical weights in generic speckle fields.     

Lissajous singularities

Coherent optical Lissajous states are easily created by nonlinear processes such as second-harmonic generation (SHG). Singular properties of such states are discussed and illustrated theoretically with non-phase-matched SHG of an ellipse field containing a C point.     

Space-time singularities

A set of conditions for the reasonableness of space-time is proposed and investigated. Using these, together with strong causality and an assumption of genericness, it is shown that future timelike or null geodesically incomplete space-times contain either curvature or intermediate singularities, or primordial singularities.     

Emergent spin

Quantum mechanics and relativity in the continuum imply the well known spin–statistics connection. However for particles hopping on a lattice, there is no such constraint. If a lattice model yields a relativistic field theory in a continuum limit, this constraint must “emerge” for physical excitations. We discuss a few models where a spin-less fermion hopping on a lattice gives excitations which satisfy the continuum Dirac equation. This includes such well known systems such as graphene and staggered fermions.     

Recovering singularities of a potential from singularities of scattering data

In this paper we show that the leading singularities of certain potentials can be determined from the leading singularities of the backscattering (as well as other determined sets of scattering data). The potentials in question are conormal with respect to smooth surfaces of arbitrary dimension; the restrictions on their orders allow for unbounded potentials in all dimension greater than or equal to three.Partially supported by NSF Grant DMS-9101298 and an Alfred P. Sloan Research FellowshipPartially supported by NSF Grant DMS-9100178