Title page for ETD etd-081699-155739

Document Type dissertation

Author Name Rozas, David

URN etd-081699-155739

Title Generation and Propagation of Optical Vortices

Degree PhD

Department Physics

Advisors
Dr. Grover A. Swartzlander, Jr., Advisor
Dr. Alex A. Zozulya, Committee Member
Dr. William W. Durgin, Committee Member

Keywords
optical vortices
nonlinear optics
phase singularities
optical vortex solitons
singular optics
optical vortex filaments
fluid-like motion

Date of Presentation/Defense 1999-08-20

Availability unrestricted

Abstract
Optical vortices are singularities in phase fronts of laser beams. They are characterized by a dark core whose size may dramatically affect their behavior upon propagation. Previously, only large-core vortices have been extensively studied. The object of the research presented in this dissertation was to explore ways of generating small-core optical vortices (also called optical vortex filaments), and to examine their propagation using analytical, numerical and experimental methods. Computer-generated holography enabled us to create arbitrary distributions of optical vortex filaments for experimental exploration. We used hydrodynamic paradigms to develop an heuristic model which described the dependence of vortex motion on other vortices and the background beam, both qualitatively and quantitatively. We predicted that pair of optical vortex filaments will rotate with angular rates inversely proportional to their separation distance (just like vortices in a fluid). We also reported the first experimental observation of this novel fluid-like effect. It was found, however, that upon propagation in linear media, the fluid-like rotation was not sustained owing to the overlap of diffracting vortex cores. Further numerical studies and experiments showed that rotation angle may be enhanced in nonlinear self-defocusing media.
The results presented in this thesis offer us a better understanding of dynamics of propagating vortices which may result in applications in optical switching, manipulation of micro-particles and optical limiting.

Files
rozas.pdf

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Document Type	dissertation
Author Name	Rozas, David
URN	etd-081699-155739
Title	Generation and Propagation of Optical Vortices
Degree	PhD
Department	Physics
Advisors	Dr. Grover A. Swartzlander, Jr., Advisor Dr. Alex A. Zozulya, Committee Member Dr. William W. Durgin, Committee Member
Keywords	optical vortices nonlinear optics phase singularities optical vortex solitons singular optics optical vortex filaments fluid-like motion
Date of Presentation/Defense	1999-08-20
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract Optical vortices are singularities in phase fronts of laser beams. They are characterized by a dark core whose size may dramatically affect their behavior upon propagation. Previously, only large-core vortices have been extensively studied. The object of the research presented in this dissertation was to explore ways of generating small-core optical vortices (also called optical vortex filaments), and to examine their propagation using analytical, numerical and experimental methods. Computer-generated holography enabled us to create arbitrary distributions of optical vortex filaments for experimental exploration. We used hydrodynamic paradigms to develop an heuristic model which described the dependence of vortex motion on other vortices and the background beam, both qualitatively and quantitatively. We predicted that pair of optical vortex filaments will rotate with angular rates inversely proportional to their separation distance (just like vortices in a fluid). We also reported the first experimental observation of this novel fluid-like effect. It was found, however, that upon propagation in linear media, the fluid-like rotation was not sustained owing to the overlap of diffracting vortex cores. Further numerical studies and experiments showed that rotation angle may be enhanced in nonlinear self-defocusing media. The results presented in this thesis offer us a better understanding of dynamics of propagating vortices which may result in applications in optical switching, manipulation of micro-particles and optical limiting.
Files	rozas.pdf