Vectorial vortex generation and phase singularities upon Brewster reflection

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate the emergence of a purely azimuthally polarized vectorial vortex beam with a phase singularity upon Brewster reflection of focused circularly polarized light from a dielectric substrate. The effect originates from the polarizing properties of the Fresnel reflection coefficients described in Brewster's law. An astonishing consequence of this effect is that the reflected field's Cartesian components acquire local phase singularities at Brewster's angle. Our observations are crucial for polarization microscopy and open new avenues for the generation of exotic states of light based on spin-to-orbit coupling, without the need for sophisticated optical elements.

7 pages, 6 figures

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Cited by in corpus (5)

• Optical Singularity Dynamics and Spin-Orbit Interaction due to a Normal-Incident Optical Beam Reflected at a Plane Dielectric Interface
• Generic Optical Singularities in Brewster-reflected Post-paraxial Beam-fields
• Generalized Matrix Transformation Formalism for Reflection and Transmission of Complex Optical Waves at a Plane Dielectric Interface
• Generic Optical Singularities and Beam-field Phenomena due to General Paraxial Beam Reflection at a Plane Dielectric Interface
• Complex far fields and optical singularities due to propagation beyond tight focusing: combined effects of wavefront curvature and aperture diffraction