We present an experimental technique to generate partially coherent vortex beams with an arbitrary azimuthal index using only a spatial light modulator. Our approach is based on digitally simulating the intrinsic randomness of broadband light passing through a spiral phase plate. We illustrate the versatility of the technique by generating partially coherent beams with different coherence lengths and orbital angular momentum content, without any moving optical device. Consequently, we study its cross-correlation function in a wavefront folding interferometer. The comparison with theoretical predictions yields excellent agreement.
We study the dynamics of polarization singularities in the superposition of two off-axis optical vortices with orthogonal polarization states. The motion of C points, states of circular polarization, is described by varying parameters such as separation distance, constant phase difference and topological charge. We analyze the zeros of the Stokes parameters and find analytical solutions for particular cases. The results could be used to realize an alternative method to measure the vortex topological charge.
We report on the study and generation of Ince–Gaussian beams in the spatially partially coherent regime. The inherent random fluctuations both in time and space of these partially coherent fields make their characterization difficult. Our results show that the cross-correlation function (CCF) provides insight into the composition of the Ince–Gaussian beam, as well as into its spatial coherence structure and singularities. Our experimental findings are in very good agreement with the numerical simulations, particularly revealing a rich structure of nodal lines in the CCF.
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