We present analysis and measurements of the polarization patterns produced by non-collinear superpositions of Laguerre-Gauss spatial modes in orthogonal polarization states, which are known as Poincaré modes. Our findings agree with predictions (I. Freund Opt. Lett. 35, 148-150 (2010)), that superpositions containing a C-point lead to a rotation of the polarization ellipse in 3-dimensions. Here we do imaging polarimetry of superpositions of first- and zero-order spatial modes at relative beam angles of 0-4 arcmin. We find Poincaré-type polarization patterns showing fringes in polarization orientation, but which preserve the polarization-singularity index for all three cases of C-points: lemons, stars and monstars.

Date Published: 10 March 2015
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 9379, Complex Light and Optical Forces IX, 93790A (10 March 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2079058

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9379:
Complex Light and Optical Forces IX
Enrique J. Galvez; Jesper Glückstad; David L. Andrews, Editor(s)