Optical singularities and Möbius strip arrays in tailored non-paraxial light fields

Abstract

A major current challenge in the field of structured light represents the development from three- (3d) to four-dimensional (4d) electric field structures, in which one exploits the transverse as well as longitudinal field components in 3d space. For this purpose, non-paraxial fields are required in order to be able to access visionary 3d topological structures as optical cones, ribbons and Möbius strips formed by 3d polarization states. We numerically demonstrate the customization of such complex topological structures by controlling generic polarization singularities in non-paraxial light fields. Our approach is based on tightly focusing tailored higher-order vector beams in combination with phase vortices. Besides demonstrating the appearance of cones and ribbons around the optical axis, we evince sculpting arrays of Möbius strips realized around off-axis generic singularities.