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arXiv · 1810.01306

An intuitive approach to structuring the three polarization components of light

F. Maucher·S. Skupin·S. A. Gardiner·I. G. Hughes
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Abstract

This paper presents intuitive interpretations of tightly focused beams of light by drawing analogies to two-dimensional electrostatics, magnetostatics and fluid dynamics. We use a Helmholtz decomposition of the transverse polarization components in the transverse plane to introduce generalized radial and azimuthal polarization states. This reveals the interplay between transverse and longitudinal polarization components in a transparent fashion. Our approach yields a comprehensive understanding of tightly focused laser beams, which we illustrate through several insightful examples.

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F. Maucher, S. Skupin, S. A. Gardiner, I. G. Hughes. 2018-10-02. An intuitive approach to structuring the three polarization components of light. https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630%2Faaf711

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