Open AccessDecomposition of radially and azimuthally polarized beams using a circular-polarization and vortex-sensing diffraction grating
Author(s) -
Ignacio Moreno,
Jeffrey A. Davis,
Isaac Ruiz,
Don M. Cottrell
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.18.007173
Subject(s) - optics , grating , optical vortex , polarization (electrochemistry) , diffraction , physics , diffraction grating , vortex , circular polarization , linear polarization , diffraction efficiency , light beam , ptychography , beam (structure) , laser , chemistry , thermodynamics , microstrip
Both radially polarized and azimuthally polarized beams can be decomposed into linear combinations of circularly polarized vortex beams having opposite vortex charges. We show experimental evidence for this decomposition using a specially designed vortex sensing diffraction grating that generates multiple vortex patterns having different senses of circularly polarization in the different diffracted orders. When this grating is illuminated with a radially or azimuthally polarized beam, the grating separates the components into different diffracted orders. Experimental results are shown.