Polarization shaping for control of nonlinear propagation

Bouchard, Frédéric and Larocque, Hugo and Yao, Alison M. and Travis, Christopher and De Leon, Israel and Rubano, Andrea and Karimi, Ebrahim and Oppo, Gian-Luca and Boyd, Robert W. (2016) Polarization shaping for control of nonlinear propagation. Physical Review Letters, 117 (23). 233903. ISSN 1079-7114 (https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.233903)

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Abstract

We study the nonlinear optical propagation of two different classes of{light beams with space varying polarization -- radially symmetric vector beams and Poincar\'e beams with lemon and star topologies -- in a rubidium vapour cell. Unlike Laguerre-Gauss and other types of beams that quickly experience instabilities, we observe that their propagation is not marked by beam breakup while still exhibiting traits such as nonlinear confinement and self-focusing. Our results suggest that by tailoring the spatial structure of the polarization, the effects of nonlinear propagation can be effectively controlled. These findings provide a novel approach to transport high-power light beams in nonlinear media with controllable distortions to their spatial structure and polarization properties.

  • Item type:Article
    ID code:58750
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    2 December 2016
    Published
    14 November 2016
    Accepted
    Subjects:Science > Physics > Optics. Light
    Department:Faculty of Science > Physics
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:21 Nov 2016 09:29
    Last modified:11 Apr 2024 01:14
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/58750
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