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 0031-9007

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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.

    ORCID iDs

    Bouchard, Frédéric, Larocque, Hugo, Yao, Alison M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6260-5852, Travis, Christopher ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3358-3420, De Leon, Israel, Rubano, Andrea, Karimi, Ebrahim, Oppo, Gian-Luca ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5376-4309 and Boyd, Robert W.;
    • Item type:Article
      ID code:58750
      Dates:
      Date
      Event
      2 December 2016
      Published
      14 November 2016
      Accepted
      Keywords:polarization, nonlinear propagation, high-power light beam, light beams, Optics. Light, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
      Subjects:Science > Physics > Optics. Light
      Department:Faculty of Science > Physics
      Depositing user: Pure Administrator
      Date deposited:21 Nov 2016 09:29
      Last modified:06 Dec 2021 01:38
      URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/58750
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