Rapid complex mode decomposition of vector beams by common path interferometry

Comprehensive quantitative analysis of vector beam states based on vector field reconstruction

We demonstrate a comprehensive quantitative analysis of vector beam states (VBSs) by using a vector field reconstruction (VFR) technique integrating interferometry and imaging polarimetry, where the analysis is given by a cylindrically polarized Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) mode expansion of VBSs. From test examples of cylindrically polarized LG mode beams, we obtain the complex amplitude distributions of VBSs and perform their quantitative evaluations both in radial and azimuthal directions. The results show that we generated (l, p) = (1, 0) LG radially polarized state with a high purity of 98%. We also argue that the cylindrically polarized LG modal decomposition is meaningful for the detail discussion of experimental results, such as analyses of mode purities and mode contaminations. Thus the VFR technique is significant for analyses of polarization structured beams generated by lasers and converters.

Modal decomposition for few mode fibers using the fractional Fourier system

Modal decomposition (MD) has become an indispensable diagnostic tool for optical fibers. A novel MD method using the fractional Fourier system is developed in this paper. Firstly, the existing phase retrieval (PR) algorithm based on the the fractional Fourier transform (FrFT) power spectra is extended to account for the effect of optical vortex. The extended capability can then be employed to reconstruct the phase of modal field to high fidelity in a non-iterative and non-interferometric manner. Combining the reconstructed phase with the measured near-field (NF) intensity, the modal field could be obtained and based upon which the complete MD (involving modal weights and phases) is performed. The validity and reliability of the method are demonstrated through several numerical examples including the noisy signals with different signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) levels.

Complex imaging via coherent detection

Complex imaging via coherent detection is proposed for acquiring two-dimensional (2-D) nearfield optical image that recovers amplitude and phase simultaneously. Based on the proposed complex imaging, we experimentally demonstrate the technique by detecting few-mode-fiber (FMF) modes with high extinction-ratio, and perform mode decomposition and differential mode delay (DMD) measurement.

Pancharatnam-Berry optical element sorter of full angular momentum eigenstate

We propose and numerically demonstrate a Pancharatnam-Berry optical element (PBOE) device that simultaneously sorts spin (SAM) and orbital (OAM) angular momentum. This device exploits the circular polarization selective properties of PBOEs to modulate independently the orthogonal SAM eigenstates within a geometric optical transformation that sorts OAM, enabling single measurement characterization of the full angular momentum eigenstate. This expands the available state space for OAM communication and enables characterization of the eigenmode composition of structured polarization beams. We define the two-dimensional orientation patterns of the transversely varying half-waveplate PBOEs that implement the angular momentum sorter. We show that the device discriminates the OAM and SAM eigenstates of optical beams including laser cavity modes such as Laguerre-Gaussian OAM eigenmodes, Hermite-Gaussian modes, and hybrid modes with complex structured polarization. We also demonstrate that it can determine the m parameter of higher order LGml Laguerre-Gaussian modes. The ability of this device to decode information from spatially structured optical phase has potential for applications in communication, encryption, modal characterization, and scientific measurements.

Polarization and propagation characteristics of switchable first-order azimuthally asymmetric beam generated in dual-mode fiber

We report here the controlled generation of a linearly polarized first-order azimuthally asymmetric beam (F-AAB) in a dual-mode fiber (DMF) by appropriate superposition of selectively excited zeroth-order vector modes that are doughnut-shaped azimuthally symmetric beams (D-ASBs). We first demonstrate continually switching polarization mode structures having an identical two-lobe intensity profile (i.e., intra-F-AAB conversion). Then, under a distinct launching state, we generate mode structures progressively toggling between the doughnut-shaped profile and two-lobe pattern having dissimilar polarization orientations (i.e., F-AAB to D-ASB conversion). Interestingly, a decentralized elliptical Gaussian beam possessing homogenous spatial polarization is obtained by enhancing the contribution of the fundamental mode (HE₁₁/LP₀₁) in selectively excited F-AAB. A smoothly varying azimuth of the input beam in this situation resulted in redistribution of transverse energy procuring a unique and exciting unconventional two-grain T-polarized beam having mutually orthogonal state of polarization (SOP). All of the above three were achieved under a given set of launching conditions (tilt/offset) of a Gaussian mode (TEM₀₀) devised with changing SOP of the input beam. A strong modulation in the output beam characteristics was also observed with the variation in propagation distance (for a fixed input SOP) owing to the large difference in propagation constants of the participating modes (LP₀₁ and one of the F-AABs). Finally, this particular study led to a design for a low-cost highly sensitive strain measuring device based on tracking the centroid movement of the output intensity pattern. Each of our experimentally observed intensity/polarization distributions is theoretically mapped on a one-to-one basis considering a linear superposition of appropriately excited LP basis modes of the waveguide toward a complete understanding of the polarization and mode propagation in the dual-mode structure.

Spatially-resolved Rayleigh scattering for analysis of vector mode propagation in few-mode fibers

We use high-resolution imaging of Rayleigh scattered light through the side of few-mode optical fibers to measure the local spatial structure of propagating vector fields. We demonstrate the technique by imaging both pure modes and superpositions of modes in the LP01 and LP11 families. Direct imaging not only gives high-resolution beat length measurements, but also records the local propagation dynamics including those due to perturbations. The imaging setup uses polarization discrimination to monitor both the transverse and the longitudinal polarization components simultaneously.

Measurement of effective refractive index differences in multimode optical fibers based on modal decomposition

We demonstrate the nondestructive measurement of the effective refractive index difference of two arbitrary modes within a multimode optical fiber by utilizing a tunable fiber grating. We use a mechanical grating of variable period to couple the respective modes and measure the mode content at the fiber output based on the correlation filter technique. From the dependence of the coupling efficiency on the grating period, the effective index difference of the modes can be extracted with high accuracy.