Title page for ETD etd-0713104-021808

Document Type dissertation

Author Name Maleev, Ivan

Email Address ivan_maleev at yahoo.com

URN etd-0713104-021808

Title Partial Coherence and Optical Vortices

Degree PhD

Department Physics

Advisors
Dr. Padmanabhan K. Aravind, Advisor
Dr. Grover A. Swartzlander, Jr., Advisor
Dr. Germano S. Iannacchione, Committee Member

Keywords
vortex
coherence

Date of Presentation/Defense 2004-06-10

Availability unrestricted

Abstract
Optical vortices are singularities in phase fronts of optical beams. They are characterized by a dark core in the center and by a helical wave front. Owing to azimuthal components of wave vectors, an optical vortex carries orbital angular momentum. Previously, optical vortices were studied only in coherent beams with a well-defined phase. The object of this dissertation is to explore vortices in partially coherent systems where statistics are required to quantify the phase. We consider parametric scattering of a vortex beam and a vortex placed on partially coherent beam. Optical coherence theory provides the mathematical apparatus in the form of the mutual coherence function describing the correlation properties of two points in a beam. Experimentally, the wave-front folding interferometer allows analysis of the cross-correlation function, which may be used to study partial coherence effects even when traditional interferometric techniques fail. We developed the theory of composite optical vortices, which can occur when two coherent beams are superimposed. We then reported the first experimental observation of vortices in a cross-correlation function (which we call spatial correlation vortices). We found numerically and experimentally how the varying transverse coherence length and position of a vortex in a beam may affect the position and existence of spatial correlation vortices.
The results presented in this thesis offer a better understanding of the concept of phase in partially coherent light. The spatial correlation vortex presents a new tool to manipulate coherence properties of an optical beam.

Files
Maleev_PhD.pdf

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Document Type	dissertation
Author Name	Maleev, Ivan
Email Address	ivan_maleev at yahoo.com
URN	etd-0713104-021808
Title	Partial Coherence and Optical Vortices
Degree	PhD
Department	Physics
Advisors	Dr. Padmanabhan K. Aravind, Advisor Dr. Grover A. Swartzlander, Jr., Advisor Dr. Germano S. Iannacchione, Committee Member
Keywords	vortex coherence
Date of Presentation/Defense	2004-06-10
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract Optical vortices are singularities in phase fronts of optical beams. They are characterized by a dark core in the center and by a helical wave front. Owing to azimuthal components of wave vectors, an optical vortex carries orbital angular momentum. Previously, optical vortices were studied only in coherent beams with a well-defined phase. The object of this dissertation is to explore vortices in partially coherent systems where statistics are required to quantify the phase. We consider parametric scattering of a vortex beam and a vortex placed on partially coherent beam. Optical coherence theory provides the mathematical apparatus in the form of the mutual coherence function describing the correlation properties of two points in a beam. Experimentally, the wave-front folding interferometer allows analysis of the cross-correlation function, which may be used to study partial coherence effects even when traditional interferometric techniques fail. We developed the theory of composite optical vortices, which can occur when two coherent beams are superimposed. We then reported the first experimental observation of vortices in a cross-correlation function (which we call spatial correlation vortices). We found numerically and experimentally how the varying transverse coherence length and position of a vortex in a beam may affect the position and existence of spatial correlation vortices. The results presented in this thesis offer a better understanding of the concept of phase in partially coherent light. The spatial correlation vortex presents a new tool to manipulate coherence properties of an optical beam.
Files	Maleev_PhD.pdf