Circularly polarized Hankel vortices

• Published in: Optics express 2017-04, Vol.25 (7), p.7778-7790
• Main Authors: Kotlyar, Victor V, Kovalev, Alexey A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1094-4087; 1094-4087
• DOI: 10.1364/OE.25.007778

We discuss vector Hankel beams with circular polarization. These beams appear as a generalization of a spherical wave with an embedded optical vortex with topological charge n. Explicit analytical relations to describe all six projections of the E- and H-field are derived. The relations are shown to satisfy Maxwell's equations. Hankel beams with clockwise and anticlockwise circular polarization are shown to have peculiar features while propagating in free space. Relations for the Poynting vector projections and the angular momentum in the far field are also obtained. It is shown that a Hankel beam with clockwise circular polarization has radial divergence (ratio between the radial and longitudinal projections of the Poynting vector) similar to that of the spherical wave, while the beam with the anticlockwise circular polarization has greater radial dependence. At n = 0, the circularly polarized Hankel beam has non-zero spin angular momentum. At n = 1, power flow of the Hankel beam with anticlockwise polarization consists of two parts: right-handed helical flow near the optical axis and left-handed helical flow in periphery. At n ≥2, power flow is directed along the right-handed helix regardless of the direction of the circular polarization. Power flow along the optical axis is the same for the Hankel beams of both circular polarizations, if they have the same topological charge.