Engineering phase and polarization singularity sheets.

ABSTRACT: Optical phase singularities are zeros of a scalar light field. The most systematically studied class of singular fields is vortices: beams with helical wavefronts and a linear (1D) singularity along the optical axis. Beyond these common and stable 1D topologies, we show that a broader family of zero-dimensional (point) and two-dimensional (sheet) singularities can be engineered. We realize sheet singularities by maximizing the field phase gradient at the desired positions. These sheets, owning to their precise alignment requirements, would otherwise only be observed in rare scenarios with high symmetry. Furthermore, by applying an analogous procedure to the full vectorial electric field, we can engineer paraxial transverse polarization singularity sheets. As validation, we experimentally r

SUBMITTER: Lim SWD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8263812 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature