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.     

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.     

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.     

Parameters characterizing electromagnetic wave polarization

In this paper, generalizations of the Stokes parameters and alternative characterizations of three-dimensional (3D) time-varying electromagnetic fields is introduced. One of these characteristics is the normal of the polarization plane, which, in many cases of interest, is parallel (or antiparallel) to the direction of propagation. Others are the two spectral density Stokes parameters which describe spectral intensity and circular polarization. The analysis is based on the spectral density tensor. This tensor is expanded in a base composed of the generators of the SU(3) symmetry group, as given by Gell-Mann and Y. Ne'eman [The Eight-fold Way (Benjamin, New York, 1964)] and the coefficients of this expansion are identified as generalized spectral density polarization parameters. The generators have the advantage that they obey the same algebra as the Pauli spin matrices, which is the base for expanding the 2D spectral density tensor with the Stokes parameters as coefficients. The polarization parameters introduced are formulated in the frequency domain, thereby further generalizing the theory to allow for wide-band electromagnetic waves in contrast to the traditional quasi-monochromatic formulation.     

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.     

Generalized stokes parameters of random electromagnetic beams

A generalization of the Stokes parameters of a random electromagnetic beam is introduced. Unlike the usual Stokes parameters, which depend on one spatial variable, the generalized Stokes parameters, depend on two spatial variables. They obey precise laws of propagation, both in free space and in any linear medium, whether deterministic or random. With the help of the generalized Stokes parameters, the changes in the ordinary Stokes parameters upon propagation can be determined. Numerical examples of such changes are presented. The generalized Stokes parameters contain information not only about the polarization properties of the beam but also about its coherence properties. We illustrate this fact by expressing the degree of coherence of the electromagnetic beam in terms of one of the generalized Stokes parameters.     

Instantaneous coherent polarization and coherent polarimetric spectra

The statistics of polarization in electromagnetic waves or target vector has been studied deeply, generally using Stokes parameters. Unfortunately, all the data-processing includes the assumption that the sampling data are independent of time, without a consideration of the time coherence of the polarization data, such as instantaneous Stokes parameters. In this paper, the definitions of the instantaneous coherent polarization function and polarimetric spectrum are presented for the first time, which shows the coherences of the instantaneous Stokes parameters in both time and frequency domain, even in spatial coherence. The new formula of definition can be extended to spatial propagation coherence, both in free space or any linear medium.     

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.     

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.     

Stokes beams formed by superposition of a completely unpolarized and a completely polarized Gaussian Schell-model beam

Analytic expressions and computed examples are given to elucidate the coherence and polarization properties of Stokes beams, i.e. beams formed by superposition of a completely unpolarized and a completely polarized electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model beam. We found that superposition of such two beams cannot form a Stokes beam with a constant state of polarization on propagation. An additional constraint on the source plane parameters of the two Gaussian Schell-model beams is proposed. The resultant Stokes beam with a constant state of polarization on propagation is found to be a Gaussian Schell-model beam with the same variances as the two constituent Gaussian Schell-model beams. However, the modulus of the Gaussian intensity distributions across the source planes of these beams may be different.     

Evolution of the polarization of electromagnetic waves in weakly anisotropic inhomogeneous media — a comparison of quasi-isotropic approximations of the geometrical optics method and the Stokes vector formalism

The main methods describing polarization of electromagnetic waves in weakly anisotropic inhomogeneous media are reviewed: the quasi-isotropic approximation (QIA) of geometrical optics method that deals with coupled equations for electromagnetic field components, and the Stokes vector formalism (SVF), dealing with Stokes vector components, which are quadratic in electromagnetic field intensity. The equation for the Stokes vector evolution is shown to be derived directly from QIA, whereas the inverse cannot be true. Derivation of SVF from QIA establishes a deep unity of these two approaches, which happen to be equivalent up to total phase. It is pointed out that in contrast to QIA, the Stokes vector cannot be applied for a polarization analysis of the superposition of coherent electromagnetic beams. Additionally, the ability of QIA to describe a normal modes conversion in inhomogeneous media is emphasized. Presented at 9-th International Workshop on Nonlinear Optics Applications, NOA 2007, May 17–20, 2007, Świnoujście, Poland     

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.     

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.     

Can two planar sources with the same sets of Stokes parameters generate beams with different degrees of polarization?

It is shown that two stochastic electromagnetic beams that propagate from the source plane z = 0 into the half-space z > 0 may have different degrees of polarization throughout the half-space, even though they have the same sets of Stokes parameters in the source plane. This fact is due to a possible difference in the coherence properties of the field in that plane, but other reasons are also possible. The result is illustrated by an example.     

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.     

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.     

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。     

大气湍流中部分相干光束上行和下行传输偏振特性的比较

以部分相干的电磁高斯-谢尔模型(electromagnetic Gaussian-Schell model, EGSM) 光束为研究对象, 根据相干和偏振的统一理论以及随机光束的Stokes参量, 推导出EGSM光束在大气湍流中斜程传输时的偏振度(degree of polarization, DoP)和偏振方向角的表达式, 研究了大气湍流中上行和下行传输时EGSM光束偏振特性的不同. 研究结果表明: 在相同条件下, EGSM 光束下行传输时整个光场DoP的分布比上行传输要集中; 下行传输时轴上点的DoP达到最大值所对应的传输距离长于上行传输. 可以看出, EGSM光束沿下行路径传输时, 探测器可以接收更远距离处的波束传输信息.     

Communication modes in vector diffraction

The communication modes, which mathematically correspond to singular value decomposition, have proven a useful concept in optical scalar-field diffraction, with applications in resolution studies, image synthesis, and wave propagation. For optical near-field geometries the communication modes have to be extended to electromagnetic field accounting for the polarization properties. In this paper we present the vector-valued communication modes method based on the rigorous electric-field diffraction integral. As a special case the transverse-electric scalar field modes are obtained. The intensity and polarization properties of the leading electromagnetic communication modes in near-field arrangements with rectangular apertures are discussed in terms of the Stokes parameters. For small separations between the transmitting and receiving apertures the fundamental mode possesses a ring-shaped hollow structure. The polarization properties of the near-field modes show features on spatial scales smaller than the wavelength of light. The system symmetries lead to degenerate communication modes.