Optical phase singularities: Physical nature, manifestations and applications

Over the past 30 years, physical optics has been enriched by the appearance of singular optics as a new branch approved in scientific classifiers. This review briefly outlines the main concepts of the singular optics, their role in physical research and applications, and prospects of further develop...

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Main Authors: O. V. Angelsky, A. Ya. Bekshaev, M. V. Vasnetsov, C. Yu. Zenkova, P. P. Maksimyak, Jun Zheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Physics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphy.2022.1060787/full
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author O. V. Angelsky
O. V. Angelsky
A. Ya. Bekshaev
M. V. Vasnetsov
C. Yu. Zenkova
C. Yu. Zenkova
P. P. Maksimyak
Jun Zheng
author_facet O. V. Angelsky
O. V. Angelsky
A. Ya. Bekshaev
M. V. Vasnetsov
C. Yu. Zenkova
C. Yu. Zenkova
P. P. Maksimyak
Jun Zheng
author_sort O. V. Angelsky
collection DOAJ
description Over the past 30 years, physical optics has been enriched by the appearance of singular optics as a new branch approved in scientific classifiers. This review briefly outlines the main concepts of the singular optics, their role in physical research and applications, and prospects of further development. The wave singularities are considered as a sort of structured-light elements and analyzed based on the generic example of screw wavefront dislocation (optical vortex). Their specific topological and mechanical properties associated with the transverse energy circulation are discussed. Peculiar features of the non-linear optical phenomena with singular fields are exhibited, with the special attention to generation of multidimensional entangled quantum states of photons. Optical fields with multiple singularities, especially, the stochastic speckle fields, are discussed in the context of optical diagnostics of random scattering objects. The exact and approximate correspondences between characteristic parameters of the optical-field intensity and phase distributions are analyzed with the aim of recovering phase information from the intensity measurements (“phase problem” solution). Rational singularity-based approaches to informative measurements of the scattered-field distribution are discussed, as well as their employment for the objects’ diagnostics. In particular, the practical instruments are described for the high-precision rough-surface testing. Possible enhancements of the singular-optics ideas and concepts in a wider context, including the transformation optics, near-field optics (surface waves), partially-coherent fields, and wave fields of other physical nature, are briefly exposed.
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spelling doaj.art-a2d4353e1dd44b0f88dda3d322d22c482022-12-22T02:52:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physics2296-424X2022-11-011010.3389/fphy.2022.10607871060787Optical phase singularities: Physical nature, manifestations and applicationsO. V. Angelsky0O. V. Angelsky1A. Ya. Bekshaev2M. V. Vasnetsov3C. Yu. Zenkova4C. Yu. Zenkova5P. P. Maksimyak6Jun Zheng7Research Institute of Zhejiang University-Taizhou, Taizhou, Zhejiang, ChinaChernivtsi National University, Chernivtsi, UkrainePhysics Research Institute, Odessa I.I. Mechnikov National University, Odessa, UkraineDepartment of Optical Quantum Electronics, Institute of Physics of the NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, UkraineResearch Institute of Zhejiang University-Taizhou, Taizhou, Zhejiang, ChinaChernivtsi National University, Chernivtsi, UkraineChernivtsi National University, Chernivtsi, UkraineResearch Institute of Zhejiang University-Taizhou, Taizhou, Zhejiang, ChinaOver the past 30 years, physical optics has been enriched by the appearance of singular optics as a new branch approved in scientific classifiers. This review briefly outlines the main concepts of the singular optics, their role in physical research and applications, and prospects of further development. The wave singularities are considered as a sort of structured-light elements and analyzed based on the generic example of screw wavefront dislocation (optical vortex). Their specific topological and mechanical properties associated with the transverse energy circulation are discussed. Peculiar features of the non-linear optical phenomena with singular fields are exhibited, with the special attention to generation of multidimensional entangled quantum states of photons. Optical fields with multiple singularities, especially, the stochastic speckle fields, are discussed in the context of optical diagnostics of random scattering objects. The exact and approximate correspondences between characteristic parameters of the optical-field intensity and phase distributions are analyzed with the aim of recovering phase information from the intensity measurements (“phase problem” solution). Rational singularity-based approaches to informative measurements of the scattered-field distribution are discussed, as well as their employment for the objects’ diagnostics. In particular, the practical instruments are described for the high-precision rough-surface testing. Possible enhancements of the singular-optics ideas and concepts in a wider context, including the transformation optics, near-field optics (surface waves), partially-coherent fields, and wave fields of other physical nature, are briefly exposed.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphy.2022.1060787/fullsingular opticsoptical vortexnon-linear interactionsquantum entanglementspeckle fieldsingular skeleton
spellingShingle O. V. Angelsky
O. V. Angelsky
A. Ya. Bekshaev
M. V. Vasnetsov
C. Yu. Zenkova
C. Yu. Zenkova
P. P. Maksimyak
Jun Zheng
Optical phase singularities: Physical nature, manifestations and applications
Frontiers in Physics
singular optics
optical vortex
non-linear interactions
quantum entanglement
speckle field
singular skeleton
title Optical phase singularities: Physical nature, manifestations and applications
title_full Optical phase singularities: Physical nature, manifestations and applications
title_fullStr Optical phase singularities: Physical nature, manifestations and applications
title_full_unstemmed Optical phase singularities: Physical nature, manifestations and applications
title_short Optical phase singularities: Physical nature, manifestations and applications
title_sort optical phase singularities physical nature manifestations and applications
topic singular optics
optical vortex
non-linear interactions
quantum entanglement
speckle field
singular skeleton
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphy.2022.1060787/full
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AT ppmaksimyak opticalphasesingularitiesphysicalnaturemanifestationsandapplications
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