Abstract

We show that the depolarization caused when light is focused with a high-numerical-perture lens is accompanied by a space-variant geometrical phase. This phase results in the formation of modes with helicities and phase singularities that differ from those of the original beam. We show that this effect can be explained as a transverse shift of the rays, which is reminiscent of the recently discovered optical Hall–Magnus effect. Our results show that the asymmetric focal spot associated with the focus of linearly polarized light can be explained through geometrical effects.

© 2007 Optical Society of America

Formation of linearly polarized light with axial symmetry by use of space-variant subwavelength gratings

Avi Niv, Gabriel Biener, Vladimir Kleiner, and Erez Hasman
Opt. Lett. 28(7) 510-512 (2003)

Geometrical phase image encryption obtained with space-variant subwavelength gratings

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Generation of vector beam with space-variant distribution of both polarization and phase

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Polychromatic vectorial vortex formed by geometric phase elements

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Investigation of the center intensity of first- and second-order Laguerre-Gaussian beams with linear and circular polarization

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