Spatial distribution of phase singularities in optical random vector waves

L De Angelis; F Alpeggiani; Andrea Di Falco; L Kuipers

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.093901

Spatial distribution of phase singularities in optical random vector waves

L De Angelis, F Alpeggiani, Andrea Di Falco, L Kuipers

School of Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review

Abstract

Phase singularities are dislocations widely studied in optical fields as well as in other areas of physics. With experiment and theory we show that the vectorial nature of light affects the spatial distribution of phase singularities in random light fields. While in scalar random waves phase singularities exhibit spatial distributions reminiscent of particles in isotropic liquids, in vector fields their distribution for the different vector components becomes anisotropic due to the direct relation
between propagation and field direction. By incorporating this relation in the theory for scalar fields by Berry and Dennis, we quantitatively describe our experiments.

Original language	English
Article number	093901
Number of pages	5
Journal	Physical Review Letters
Volume	117
Issue number	9
Early online date	23 Aug 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.093901
Publication status	Published - 26 Aug 2016

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DeAngelis_Spatial_PhysRevLett_AAM
© 2016, American Physical Society. This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at journals.aps.org / https://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.093901
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Equipment Account: Characterisation and Manipulation of Advanced Functional Materials and their Interfaces at the Nanoscale
Samuel, I. D. W. (PI)
EPSRC
1/10/13 → 30/09/23
Project: Standard
Upgrade Small Equipment Base: Small items of research equipment at the University of St Andrews. Supporting a new generation of physical sciences research
Woollins, J. D. (PI)
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Andrea Di Falco
- adf10st-andrews.acuk
- School of Physics and Astronomy - Director of Impact, Professor
- Centre for Biophotonics
Person: Academic

Data underpinning - Spatial distribution of phase singularities in optical random vector waves
De Angelis, L. (Creator), Alpeggiani, F. (Creator), Di Falco, A. (Creator) & Kuipers, L. (Creator), University of St Andrews, 2 Aug 2018
DOI: 10.17630/c0539d3c-9c24-4446-bfff-9e6c04a1f7de
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title = "Spatial distribution of phase singularities in optical random vector waves",

abstract = "Phase singularities are dislocations widely studied in optical fields as well as in other areas of physics. With experiment and theory we show that the vectorial nature of light affects the spatial distribution of phase singularities in random light fields. While in scalar random waves phase singularities exhibit spatial distributions reminiscent of particles in isotropic liquids, in vector fields their distribution for the different vector components becomes anisotropic due to the direct relationbetween propagation and field direction. By incorporating this relation in the theory for scalar fields by Berry and Dennis, we quantitatively describe our experiments.",

author = "{De Angelis}, L and F Alpeggiani and {Di Falco}, Andrea and L Kuipers",

note = "We acknowledge funding from ERC Advanced, Investigator Grant (no. 240438-CONSTANS). ADF acknowledges support from EPSRC (EP/L017008/1).",

year = "2016",

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doi = "10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.093901",

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T1 - Spatial distribution of phase singularities in optical random vector waves

AU - De Angelis, L

AU - Alpeggiani, F

AU - Di Falco, Andrea

AU - Kuipers, L

N1 - We acknowledge funding from ERC Advanced, Investigator Grant (no. 240438-CONSTANS). ADF acknowledges support from EPSRC (EP/L017008/1).

PY - 2016/8/26

Y1 - 2016/8/26

N2 - Phase singularities are dislocations widely studied in optical fields as well as in other areas of physics. With experiment and theory we show that the vectorial nature of light affects the spatial distribution of phase singularities in random light fields. While in scalar random waves phase singularities exhibit spatial distributions reminiscent of particles in isotropic liquids, in vector fields their distribution for the different vector components becomes anisotropic due to the direct relationbetween propagation and field direction. By incorporating this relation in the theory for scalar fields by Berry and Dennis, we quantitatively describe our experiments.

AB - Phase singularities are dislocations widely studied in optical fields as well as in other areas of physics. With experiment and theory we show that the vectorial nature of light affects the spatial distribution of phase singularities in random light fields. While in scalar random waves phase singularities exhibit spatial distributions reminiscent of particles in isotropic liquids, in vector fields their distribution for the different vector components becomes anisotropic due to the direct relationbetween propagation and field direction. By incorporating this relation in the theory for scalar fields by Berry and Dennis, we quantitatively describe our experiments.

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.093901

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.093901

M3 - Letter

SN - 0031-9007

VL - 117

JO - Physical Review Letters

JF - Physical Review Letters

IS - 9

M1 - 093901

ER -

Spatial distribution of phase singularities in optical random vector waves

Abstract

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Equipment Account: Characterisation and Manipulation of Advanced Functional Materials and their Interfaces at the Nanoscale

Upgrade Small Equipment Base: Small items of research equipment at the University of St Andrews. Supporting a new generation of physical sciences research

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Andrea Di Falco

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Data underpinning - Spatial distribution of phase singularities in optical random vector waves

Cite this