Nondiffractive three-dimensional polarization features of optical vortex beams

Abstract

Vector optical vortices exhibit complex polarization patterns due to the interplay between spin and orbital angular momenta. Here we demonstrate, both analytically and with simulations, that certain polarization features of optical vortex beams maintain constant transverse spatial dimensions independently of beam divergence due to diffraction. These polarization features appear in the vicinity of the phase singularity and are associated with the presence of longitudinal electric fields. The predicted effect may prove important in metrology and high-resolution imaging applications.