Polarization singularities in superposition of vector beams

Sunil Vyas1, Yuichi Kozawa, Shunichi Sato

  • 1Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Sendai 980-8577, Japan. sunil@tagen.thohoku.ac.jp

Optics Express
|April 11, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Superposing two vector Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams creates complex intensity and polarization patterns. The number of polarization singular points changes with beam propagation, offering new applications.

Related Concept Videos

Potential Due to a Polarized Object01:29

Potential Due to a Polarized Object

A neutral atom consists of a positively charged nucleus surrounded by a negatively charged electron cloud. When placed in an external electric field, the external electric force pulls the electrons and nucleus apart, opposite to the intrinsic attraction between the nucleus and the electrons. The opposing forces balance each other with a slight shift between the center of masses of the nucleus and the electron cloud, resulting in a polarized atom. On the other hand, a few molecules, like water,...
Standing Electromagnetic Waves01:15

Standing Electromagnetic Waves

Electromagnetic waves can be reflected; the surface of a conductor or a dielectric can act as a reflector. As electric and magnetic fields obey the superposition principle, so do electromagnetic waves. The superposition of an incident wave and a reflected electromagnetic wave produces a standing wave analogous to the standing waves created on a stretched string.
Suppose a sheet of a perfect conductor is placed in the yz-plane, and a linearly polarized electromagnetic wave traveling in the...
Deflection of a Beam01:19

Deflection of a Beam

Accurately determining beam deflection and slope under various loading conditions in structural engineering is crucial for ensuring safety and structural integrity. Singularity functions offer a streamlined approach to analyzing beams, especially when multiple loading functions complicate the bending moment equation.
Singularity functions, described in an earlier lesson, are powerful mathematical tools that represent discontinuities within a function commonly encountered in structural loading...
Group Polarization01:01

Group Polarization

Group polarization is the strengthening of an original group attitude following the discussion of views within a group (Teger & Pruitt, 1967). That is, if a group initially favors a viewpoint, after discussion the group consensus is likely a stronger endorsement of the viewpoint. Conversely, if the group was initially opposed to a viewpoint, group discussion would likely lead to stronger opposition.
Plane Electromagnetic Waves I01:30

Plane Electromagnetic Waves I

The existence of combined electric and magnetic fields that propagate through space as electromagnetic (EM) waves is the most significant prediction of Maxwell's equations. As Maxwell's equations hold in free space, the predicted electromagnetic waves do not require a medium for their propagation. An EM wave comprises an electric field, defined as the force per charge on a stationary charge, and a magnetic field, which is the force per charge on a moving charge.
The EM field is assumed to be a...