Polarization singularities in superposition of vector beams

Abstract

We present a systematic study of the superposition of two vector Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams. Propagation depended field distribution obtained from the superposition of two vector LG beams has many interesting features of intensity and polarization. Characteristic inhomogeneous polarization distribution of the vector LG beam appears in the form of azimuthally modulated intensity and polarization distributions in the superposition of the beams. We found that the array of polarization singular points, whose number depends upon the azimuthal indices of the two beams, evolves during propagation of the field. The position and number of C-points generated in the field were analyzed using Stokes singularity relations. Novel intensity and polarization patterns obtained from the superposition of two vector LG beams may find applications in the field of molecular imaging, optical manipulation, atom optics, and optical lattices.