Polarization singularities in paraxial vector fields: morphology and statistics

Polarization patterns in the transverse plane generically contain singularities: points of circular polarization (C points), lines of linear polarization (L lines), instantaneous zeros (disclinations) and component zeros. We investigate the geometry of ellipse fields at these singularities, using th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Optics communications 2002-12, Vol.213 (4), p.201-221
Main Author: Dennis, M.R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
C points
Exact sciences and technology
Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications)
Gaussian randomness
Optics
Phase singularities
Physics
Polarization
Stokes parameters
Wave optics
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Description
Summary:Polarization patterns in the transverse plane generically contain singularities: points of circular polarization (C points), lines of linear polarization (L lines), instantaneous zeros (disclinations) and component zeros. We investigate the geometry of ellipse fields at these singularities, using the Stokes parameters and others to characterize the singular geometry and morphology. Comparison is made with analogous structures on random surfaces, namely umbilic points and parabolic lines. The densities and correlations of the different types of polarization singularities are calculated in random polarization fields, and compared to the statistics of phase singularities and random surfaces.
ISSN:0030-4018
1873-0310
DOI:10.1016/S0030-4018(02)02088-6