Characterization of Partially Polarized Light Fields

by Martinez-Herrero, Rosario; Mejias, Pedro M.; Piguero, Gemma

• ISBN13: 9783642013263
• ISBN10: 3642013260
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-08-01
• Publisher: Springer Verlag

Summary

Polarization involves the vectorial nature of light fields. In current applications of optical science, the electromagnetic description of light with its vector features has been shown to be essential: In practice, optical radiation also exhibits randomness and spatial non-uniformity of the polarization state. Moreover, propagation through photonic devices can alter the correlation properties of the light field, resulting in changes in polarization. All these vectorial properties have been gaining importance in recent years, and they are attracting increasing attention in the literature. This is the framework and the scope of the present book, which includes the authors' own contributions to these issues.

Table of Contents

Representations of the Polarization of Beamlike Fields	p. 1
Introduction	p. 1
Standard Representations of the Polarization	p. 1
The Jones Calculus	p. 2
Coherence-Polarization Matrices	p. 4
The Stokes-Müller Calculus	p. 6
Local Degree of Polarization	p. 8
Weighted Degree of Polarization	p. 10
Linear and Circular Polarization Content of Totally Polarized Beams	p. 11
Key Definitions and Physical Meaning	p. 12
Application to an Example	p. 13
Measurability	p. 15
Radial and Azimuthal Polarization Content of Totally Polarized Beams	p. 16
Key Definitions	p. 16
Relations with the Stokes Parameters	p. 19
Relations with the Output of Radial and Azimuthal Polarizers	p. 20
Measurability	p. 21
Partially Polarized Gaussian Schell-Model Beams	p. 24
Gaussian Schell-Model Beams: Scalar Case	p. 24
Gaussian Schell-Model Beams: Vectorial Case	p. 26
The Van Cittert-Zemike Theorem	p. 28
Experimental Synthesis of GSM fields	p. 31
References	p. 32
Second-Order Overall Characterization of Non-uniformly Polarized Light Beams	p. 37
Introduction	p. 37
Second-Order Overall Characterization: Scalar Case	p. 38
Formalism and Key Definitions	p. 38
Propagation and Measurement of the Irradiance Moments	p. 43
Second-Order Overall Characterization: Vectorial Case	p. 44
The Wigner Matrix	p. 44
The Stokes Matrices	p. 45
Propagation Laws and Measurement	p. 48
Invariant Parameters	p. 51
Generalized Degree of Polarization	p. 54
Definition and Properties of Generalized Degree of Polarization	p. 54
Physical Meaning and Measurement	p. 55
Generalized Degree of Polarization of Beams Emerging from Optically-Pumped Nd:YAG Rods	p. 58
Classification Scheme of Partially Polarized Beams	p. 62
Beam Quality Parameter of Partially Polarized fields	p. 63
Overall Parametric Characterization of PGSM Beams	p. 65
Beam Quality Improvement: General Considerations	p. 69
Beam Quality Improvement After Propagation Through Optical Phase Devices	p. 75
Propagation Through Anisotropic Pure-Phase Plates	p. 76
Propagation of Radially and Azimuthally Polarized Beams Through Quartic Phase Plates	p. 78
Propagation Through Spiral Phase Elements	p. 82
Global Beam Shaping with Non-uniformly Polarized Beams	p. 84
References	p. 88
Polarization and Coherence of Random Electromagnetic Fields	p. 93
Introduction	p. 93
Scalar Framework	p. 94
Spectral Degree of Coherence	p. 94
Young's Interference Experiment	p. 96
Vectorial Framework: Key Definitions	p. 98
Young's Experiment Revisited	p. 98
Degrees of Coherence of Random Electromagnetic Fields	p. 100
Relation Between Degrees of Coherence of Electromagnetic Fields	p. 103
Maximum Visibility Under Unitary Transformations	p. 107
Position-Independent Stochastic Behavior of Random Electromagnetic Fields	p. 112
Mean-Square Coherent Light: Maximum Young's Fringe Visibility Through Reversible Devices	p. 118
Comparing Special Types of Random Electromagnetic Fields	p. 122
References	p. 124
Non-Paraxial Electromagnetic Beams	p. 127
Introduction	p. 127
Formalism and Key Definitions	p. 128
Angular Plane-Wave Spectrum	p. 128
Propagating and Evanescent Waves	p. 131
TE- and TM-Decomposition of the Propagating Field	p. 131
Significance of the Longitudinal Field Component	p. 134
	Propagation of
Radial and Azimuthal Components	p. 136
Radial Case: Free-Space Propagation	p. 138
Azimuthal Case: Free-Space Propagation	p. 142
Application to a Particular Set of Fields	p. 145
Radially-Polarized Fields at Any Transverse Plane	p. 148
Closest Fieid	p. 151
Definition and Meaning	p. 151
Application to the Uniformly-Polarized Gaussian Model	p. 152
Transverse Polarization Structure of the Closest Field Associated to the Gaussian Model	p. 157
Other Examples	p. 161
Evanescent Waves Associated to Highly Non-paraxial Beams	p. 165
Formalism	p. 165
Numerical Examples	p. 167
Partially Coherent Electromagnetic TE-Fields	p. 172
References	p. 177
Index	p. 181
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