Polarization singularities in partially coherent combined beams

Vector singularities are predicted and discovered experimentally in partially polarized combined fields formed by incoherent superposition of orthogonally polarized beams. Such singularities are U contours with zero degree of polarization and isolated P points with unit degree of polarization centered at vortices of the orthogonally polarized component of the combined beam. Crossing a U contour switches the polarization state to the orthogonal one. The above-mentioned singularities are adequately described in terms of the complex degree of polarization in the Stokes-space representation. It is shown that the field elements corresponding to the extrema of the complex degree of polarization form the vector skeleton of a partially coherent nonuniformly polarized field.     

Polarization singularities in 2D and 3D speckle fields

The 3D structure of randomly polarized light fields is exemplified by its polarization singularities: lines along which the polarization is purely circular (C lines) and surfaces on which the polarization is linear (L surfaces). We visualize these polarization singularities experimentally in vector laser speckle fields, and in numerical simulations of random wave superpositions. Our results confirm previous analytical predictions [M. R. Dennis, Opt. Commun. 213, 201 (2002)] regarding the statistical distribution of types of C points and relate their 2D properties to their 3D structure.     

Composite stokes singularities in coherently and incoherently superimposed vector optical fields

The composite Stokes singularities formed in the coherent and incoherent superposition of two vector monochromatic coherent optical fields are studied and compared analytically and numerically. It is shown that the dynamic behavior of composite Stokes singularities depends on the superposition scheme (coherent or incoherent superposition), initial spatial distributions of the two superimposed fields, and propagation distance, and for the coherent superposition additionally depends on the relative phase of the two fields. There exist S₁₂ (C-points), S₃₁, S₂₃ composite singularities, and L-lines, in particular, V-points and C-lines at the transverse plane. Generally, both V-points and C-lines are unstable. For the coherent superposition the degree of polarization P=1, whereas for the incoherent superposition P may be less than 1 and is variable upon propagation. The results are illustrated analytically and numerically.     

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.     

Structure of polarization-resolved conoscopic patterns of planar oriented liquid crystal cells

The geometry of distributions of the polarization of light in conoscopic patterns of planar oriented nematic and cholesteric liquid crystal (LC) cells is described in terms of the polarization singularities including C-points (points of circular polarization) and L lines (lines of linear polarization). Conditions for the formation of polarization singularities (C-points) in an ensemble of conoscopic patterns parametrized by the polarization azimuth and ellipticity of the incident light wave have been studied. A characteristic feature of these conditions is selectivity with respect to the polarization parameters of the incident light wave. The polarization azimuth and ellipticity are determining parameters for nematic and cholesteric LC cells, respectively.     

Drive and Curiosity: What Fuels the Passion,by Istvan Hargittai

A beam of electrons may have the spins of the individual electrons preferentially polarized in a specified direction. The resulting state of polarization of the electron beam is described by a polarization vector p. This polarization vector is affected in direction and magnitude by macroscopic electric and magnetic fields. The relevance of this to precise measurement of the electronic g-factor, end to the problems of handling polarized beams (as in accelerating systems), is discussed. Some spinsensitive interactions, and various methods of producing intense highly polarized electron beams, are described. In a final paragreph an outline is given of the mathematical formalism used in describing polarization phenomene.     

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.     

Cluster self-organization of nanotubes in a nematic phase: The percolation behavior and appearance of optical singularities

The structural features, as well as the optical and electrophysical properties of a 5CB nematic liquid crystal with additions of multilayer carbon nanotubes, have been investigated in the concentration range C = 0.0025–0.1 wt %. The self-aggregation of nanotubes into clusters with a fractal structure occurs in the liquid crystal. At 0.025 wt %, the clusters are merged, initiating the percolation transition of the composite to a state with a high electric conductivity. The strong interaction of 5CB molecules with the surface of nanotube clusters is responsible for the formation of micron surface liquid crystal layers with an irregular field of elastic stresses and a complex structure of birefringence. They are easily observed in a polarization microscope and visualize directly invisible submicron nanotube aggregates. Their transverse size increases when an electric field is applied to the liquid crystal cell. Two mechanisms of the generation of optical singularities in the passing laser beam have been revealed. Optical vortices appear in the speckle fields of laser radiation scattered at the indented boundaries of the nanotube clusters, whereas the birefringence of the beam in surface liquid-crystal layers is accompanied by the appearance of polarization C points.     

Evolution of emergent C-points, L-lines, and C-lines in free space

Polarization singularities,which emerge from the incoherent superposition of two vector electric fields with the same frequency,and their evolution in free space are studied analytically and illustrated by numerical examples.It is shown that there exist C-points,L-lines,in particular,C-lines in incoherently superimposed two-dimensional wavefields.Usually,the C-lines are unstable and disappear during the free-space propagation.The motion,pair creation-annihilation process of the emergent C-points,as well as the distortion of the L-lines may take place,and the degree of polarization of the emergent C-points varies upon propagation and may be less than 1.     

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.     

Topological invariants and the dynamics of an axial vector torsion field

A generalized theory of gravitation is discussed which is based on a Riemann-Cartan space-time,U ₄, with an axial vector torsion field. Besides Einstein's equations determining the metric of theU ₄, a system of nonlinear field equations is established coupling an axial vector source current to the axial vector torsion field. The properties of the solutions of these equations are discussed assuming a London-type condition relating the axial current and torsion field. To characterize the solutions use is made of the Euler and Pontrjagin forms and the associated quadratic curvature invariants for theU ₄ space-time. It is found that there exists for a Riemann-Cartan space-time a relation between the zeros of the axial vector torsion field and the singularities of the Pontrjagin invariant, which is analogous to the well-known Hopf relation between the zeros of vector fields and the Euler characteristic.     

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.     

Composite spectral Stokes singularities in coherent and incoherent superpositions of partially coherent nonparaxial vortex beams

Taking the partially coherent cosh-Gaussian (ChG) vortex beam as an illustrative example, the composite spectral Stokes singularities formed by coherent and incoherent superpositions of partially coherent vortex beams beyond the paraxial approximation are studied, where the effect of superposition scheme on composite spectral Stokes singularities is stressed. It is shown that there exist s₁₂ (C-points), s₂₃ and s₃₁ composite spectral Stokes singularities, which are variable by varying a control parameter, such as the spatial correlation length, waist width, off-axis distance, or decentered parameter, as well as the propagation distance. In particular, the number, position, degree of polarization of composite spectral Stokes singularities and the critical point at which the creation–annihilation process takes place depend on the superposition scheme. A comparison with the previous work is also made.     

A cascade of singular field patterns in Young’s interference experiment

We analyze Young’s interference experiment for the case that two correlated, linearly polarized beams are used. It is shown that even when the incident fields are partially coherent, there are always correlation singularities (pairs of lines where the fields are completely uncorrelated) on the observation screen. These correlation singularities evolve in a non-trivial manner into dark lines (phase singularities in the paraxial approximation). The latter in turn each unfold into a triplet of polarization singularities, namely an L-line and two C-lines of opposite handedness.     

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.     

Singularities in speckled speckle

Speckle patterns produced by random optical fields with two (or more) widely different correlation lengths exhibit speckle spots that are themselves highly speckled. Using computer simulations and analytic theory we present results for the point singularities of speckled speckle fields, namely, optical vortices in scalar (one polarization component) fields and C points in vector (two polarization components) fields. In single correlation length fields both types of singularities tend to be more or less uniformly distributed. In contrast, the singularity structure of speckled speckle is anomalous; for some sets of source parameters vortices and C points tend to form widely separated giant clusters, for other parameter sets these singularities tend to form chains that surround large empty regions. The critical point statistics of speckled speckle is also anomalous. In scalar (vector) single correlation length fields phase (azimuthal) extrema are always outnumbered by vortices (C points). In contrast, in speckled speckle fields, phase extrema can outnumber vortices and azimuthal extrema can outnumber C points by factors that can easily exceed 10(4) for experimentally realistic source parameters.     

Investigation of the intershell higher order resonant recombination and polarization of X-ray emission of B-like silicon ions

K-shell dielectronic, trielectronic, and quadruelectronic recombination and polarization of X-ray emission have been studied for the highly charged Si⁹⁺ ions in the initial ground state ²P_1/2 and the metastable state ²P_3/2 using the Flexible Atomic Code. It is found that the resonant recombination cross section from the long-lived metastable state is comparable in magnitude with that of the ground state, so it is important for plasma diagnostics. For Si⁹⁺(²P_1/2), trielectronic recombination contributions of nearly 25% to the total resonant recombination strength are predicted, which is less than previous calculations. We compare the degree of linear polarization for the eleven dominant resonant recombination satellite lines from the initial parent Si⁹⁺(²P_1/2) and Si⁹⁺(²P_3/2) ions. For the same X-ray lines, large variations of polarization are found between ²P_1/2 and ²P_3/2, which can be employed to diagnose formation mechanisms of intermediate resonance states and corresponding X-ray lines.