Propagation of cylindrical vector beams in a turbulent atmosphere

Based on the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle, the propagation of cylindrical vector beams in a turbulent atmosphere is investigated. The intensity distribution and the polarization degree of beams on propagation are studied. It is found that the beam profile has a Gaussian shape under the influence of the atmospheric turbulence, and the polarization distribution shows a dip in the cross section as the beam propagates in the turbulent atmosphere. It is also found that the beam profile and the polarization distribution are closely related to beam parameter and atmospheric turbulence.

Polarized photoluminescence spectroscopy in WS_(2),WSe_(2) atomic layers and heterostructures by cylindrical vector beams

Due to the large exciton binding energy,two-dimensional(2D)transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDCs)provide an ideal platform for studying excitonic states and related photonics and optoelectronics.Polarization states lead to distinct light-matter interactions which are of great importance for device applications.In this work,we study polarized photoluminescence spectra from intralayer exciton and indirect exciton in WS_(2) and WSe_(2) atomic layers,and interlayer exciton in WS_(2)/WSe_(2) heterostructures by radially and azimuthally polarized cylindrical vector laser beams.We demonstrated the same in-plane and out-of-plane polarization behavior from the intralayer and indirect exciton.Moreover,with these two laser modes,we obtained interlayer exciton in WS_(2)/WSe_(2) heterostructures with stronger out-of-plane polarization,due to the formation of vertical electric dipole moment.

Controlled generation of order-switchable cylindrical vector beams from a Nd:YAG laser

We reporte and demonstrate a solid-state laser to achieve controlled generation of order-switchable cylindrical vector beams(CVBs).In the cavity,a group of vortex wave plates(VWPs)with two quarter-wave plates between the VWPs was utilized to achieve mode conversion and order-switch of CVBs.By utilizing two VWPs of first and third orders,the second and fourth order CVBs were obtained,with mode purities of 96.8%and 94.8%,and sloping efficiencies of 4.45%and 3.06%,respectively.Furthermore,by applying three VWPs of first,second,and third orders,the mode-switchable Gaussian beam,second,fourth,and sixth order CVBs were generated.

Segmented cylindrical vector beams for massively-encoded optical data storage

The possibility to achieve unprecedented multiplexing of light-matter interaction in nanoscale is of virtue importance from both fundamental science and practical application points of view. Cylindrical vector beams(CVBs) manifested as polarization vortices represent a robust and emerging degree of freedom for information multiplexing with increased capacities. Here, we propose and demonstrate massivelyencoded optical data storage(ODS) by harnessing spatially variant electric fields mediated by segmented CVBs. By tight focusing polychromatic segmented CVBs to plasmonic nanoparticle aggregates, recordhigh multiplexing channels of ODS through different combinations of polarization states and wavelengths have been experimentally demonstrated with a low error rate. Our result not only casts new perceptions for tailoring light-matter interactions utilizing structured light but also enables a new prospective for ultra-high capacity optical memory with minimalist system complexity by combining CVB’s compatibility with fiber optics.

Generation of cylindrical vector beams in a mode-locked fiber laser using a mode-selective coupler

We experimentally obtain cylindrical vector beams（CVBs） in a passively mode-locked fiber laser based on nonlinear polarization rotation. A mode-selective coupler composed of both a single-mode fiber（SMF） and a twomode fiber（TMF） is incorporated into the cavity to act as a mode converter from LP01 mode to LP11 mode with broad spectral bandwidth. CVBs in different mode-locked states including single-pulse, multi-pulse, and bound pulse are obtained, for the first time to our best knowledge. The ultrafast CVBs with different operation states have potential applications in many fields such as laser beam machining, nanoparticle manipulation, and so on.

Milli-Joule pulses post-compressed from 14 ps to 475 fs in bulk-material multi-pass cell based on cylindrical vector beam

A cylindrical vector beam is utilized to enhance the energy scale of the pulse post-compressed in a bulk-material Herriott multi-pass cell(MPC).The method proposed here enables,for the first time to the best of our knowledge,pulse compression from 14 ps down to 475 fs with throughput energy beyond 1 mJ,corresponding to a compression ratio of 30,which is the highest pulse energy and compression ratio in single-stage bulk-material MPCs.Furthermore,we demonstrate the characteristic of the vector polarization beam is preserved in the MPC.

Detection of cylindrical vector beams with chiral plasmonic lens

The cylindrical vector beam(CVB) has been extensively studied in recent years, but detection of CVBs with on-chip photonic devices is a challenge. Here, we propose and theoretically study a chiral plasmonic lens structure for CVB detection. The structure illuminated by a CVB can generate single plasmonic focus, whose focal position depends on the incident angle and the polarization order of CVB. Thus, the incident CVB can be detected according to the focal position and incident angle and with a coupling waveguide to avoid the imaging of the whole plasmonic field. It shows great potential in applications including CVB-multiplexing integrated communication systems.

Vector dynamics of ultrafast cylindrical vector beams in a mode-locked fiber laser

The vector dynamics of solitons are crucial but easily neglected for realizing vortex solitons. In this Letter, we investigate the effect of vector dynamics on cylindrical vector beams(CVBs) implementation and propose a novel technical method to realize femtosecond CVBs based on vector-locked solitons, which are presented as group-velocity-locked vector solitons(GVLVSs) in the experiment. The outstanding vector properties of GVLVSs not only greatly improve the efficiency of solitons converted into CVBs and output power of CVBs(2.4 times and 4.1 times that of scalar solitons and vector change periodical solitons, with the purity of 97.2%), but also relax the obstacle of ultrafast CVBs from the fundamental frequency to the harmonic regime(up to 198 MHz) for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. This is the highest repetition rate reported for ultrafast CVBs based on passive mode-locking. The investigation of the influence of solitons vector dynamics evolution on the realization of CVBs provides guidance for the excellent performance of ultrafast CVBs.

Cylindrical vector beam rotary Nd:YAG disk laser with birefringent crystal

A rotating neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet(Nd:YAG)disk laser resonator for efficiently generating vector beams with azimuthal and radial polarization is demonstrated.In the study,the laser crystal rotary for thermal alleviation and polarization discrimination uses c-cut ytterbium vanadate(YVO_(4)).The laser output could be switched between azimuthal and radial polarizations by simply adjusting the cavity length.The laser power reached 4.38 W and 4.64W for azimuthally and radially polarized beams at the slope efficiencies of 45.3%and 48.5%,respectively.Our study proved that an efficient,high-power vector rotary disk laser would be realistic.

Vectorial optical fields： recent advances and future prospects

Driven by their potential applications, vectorial optical fields with spatially inhomogeneous states of polarization within the cross section have drawn significant attention recently. This work intends to review some of the latest development of this rapidly growing field of optics and offer a general overview of the current status of this field in a few areas. Mathematical descriptions of generalized vectorial optical fields are provided along with several special examples. A time-reversal methodology for the creation of a wide variety of exotic optical focal fields with prescribed characteristics within the focal volume is presented. Recently developed methods for the generation of vectorial optical fields that utilize fiber lasers,digital lasers, vectorial optical field generator, metasurfaces or photoalignment liquid crystals are summarized. The interactions of these vectorial optical fields with various micro-and nano-structures are presented and the prospects of their potential applications are discussed. The connection of vectorial optical fields with higher dimensionality in quantum information is summarized.

Generation of polarization and phase singular beams in fibers and fiber lasers

Cylindrical vector beams and vortex beams,two types of typical singular optical beams characterized by axially symmetric polarization and helical phase front,possess the unique focusing property and the ability of carrying orbital angular momentum.We discuss the formation mechanisms of such singular beams in few-mode fibers under the vortex basis and show recent advances in generating techniques that are mainly based on long-period fiber gratings,mode-selective couplers,offset-spliced fibers,and tapered fibers.The performances of cylindrical vector beams and vortex beams generated in fibers and fiber lasers are summarized and compared to give a comprehensive understanding of singular beams and to promote their practical applications.

Simultaneous tailoring of longitudinal and transverse mode inside an Er:YAG laser

In this paper, we demonstrate a scheme to tailor both longitudinal and transverse modes inside a laser cavity and constitute an eye-safe single longitudinal mode Er∶Y_(3)Al_(5)O_(12)(Er:YAG) vector laser. A q-plate is employed as a spin-orbital conversion element to modulate the transverse mode and obtain cylindrical vector beams. An optical isolator is employed as a nonreciprocal element for the ring cavity to enforce unidirectional operation and achieve single longitudinal oscillation. The characteristics of power, transverse intensity, and polarization spectrum of the output beams are observed. The observed typical single longitudinal mode and highly matched special polarizations prove the successful tailoring of both longitudinal and transverse modes.