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Polarization singularities in isotropic random vector waves

Polarization singularities in isotropic random vector waves
Polarization singularities in isotropic random vector waves
Following Nye & Hajnal, we explore the geometry of complex vector waves by regarding them as a field of polarization ellipses. Singularities of this field are the C lines and L lines, where the polarization is purely circular and purely linear, respectively. The singularities can be reinterpreted as loci of photon spin 1 (C lines) and 0 (L lines). For Gaussian random superpositions of plane waves equidistributed in direction but with an arbitrary frequency spectrum, we calculate the density (length per unit volume) of C and L lines.
singularities, polarization, optics, Gaussian waves, randomness
1364-5021
141-155
Berry, M.V.
ab44fe7c-0c8c-4c7a-981f-50fe4a5bc6ad
Dennis, M.R.
ff55cf66-eb8b-4eb9-83eb-230c2f223d61
Berry, M.V.
ab44fe7c-0c8c-4c7a-981f-50fe4a5bc6ad
Dennis, M.R.
ff55cf66-eb8b-4eb9-83eb-230c2f223d61

Berry, M.V. and Dennis, M.R. (2001) Polarization singularities in isotropic random vector waves. Proceedings of the Royal Society A, 457 (2005), 141-155. (doi:10.1098/rspa.2000.0660).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Following Nye & Hajnal, we explore the geometry of complex vector waves by regarding them as a field of polarization ellipses. Singularities of this field are the C lines and L lines, where the polarization is purely circular and purely linear, respectively. The singularities can be reinterpreted as loci of photon spin 1 (C lines) and 0 (L lines). For Gaussian random superpositions of plane waves equidistributed in direction but with an arbitrary frequency spectrum, we calculate the density (length per unit volume) of C and L lines.

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Published date: 2001
Keywords: singularities, polarization, optics, Gaussian waves, randomness

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 29375
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/29375
ISSN: 1364-5021
PURE UUID: 68d07ded-4ee2-43dc-89bd-9ae2e005ae7b

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Date deposited: 11 May 2006
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 07:31

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Contributors

Author: M.V. Berry
Author: M.R. Dennis

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