Space-variant polarization patterns of non-collinear Poincare superpositions

E. J. Galvez; K. Beach; Jonathan J. Zeosky; B. Khajavi

doi:10.1117/12.2079058

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10 March 2015 Space-variant polarization patterns of non-collinear Poincaré superpositions

E. J. Galvez, K. Beach, Jonathan J. Zeosky, B. Khajavi

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Proceedings Volume 9379, Complex Light and Optical Forces IX; 93790A (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2079058
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2015, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

We present analysis and measurements of the polarization patterns produced by non-collinear superpositions of Laguerre-Gauss spatial modes in orthogonal polarization states, which are known as Poincaré modes. Our findings agree with predictions (I. Freund Opt. Lett. 35, 148-150 (2010)), that superpositions containing a C-point lead to a rotation of the polarization ellipse in 3-dimensions. Here we do imaging polarimetry of superpositions of first- and zero-order spatial modes at relative beam angles of 0-4 arcmin. We find Poincaré-type polarization patterns showing fringes in polarization orientation, but which preserve the polarization-singularity index for all three cases of C-points: lemons, stars and monstars.

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E. J. Galvez, K. Beach, Jonathan J. Zeosky, and B. Khajavi "Space-variant polarization patterns of non-collinear Poincaré superpositions", Proc. SPIE 9379, Complex Light and Optical Forces IX, 93790A (10 March 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2079058

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