Generalized Arago-Fresnel laws: The EME-flow-line description

We study experimentally and theoretically the influence of light polarization on the interference patterns behind a diffracting grating. Different states of polarization and configurations are been considered. The experiments are analyzed in terms of electromagnetic energy (EME) flow lines, which can be eventually identified with the paths followed by photons. This gives rise to a novel trajectory interpretation of the Arago-Fresnel laws for polarized light, which we compare with interpretations based on the concept of "which-way" (or "which-slit") information.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure

Polarization assisted fast data encoding and transmission using coherence based spectral anomalies

Two methods for fast information encoding and free space communication are proposed, which are based on the rapid transitions in coherence-based (spatial and temporal) spectral anomalies called 'spectral switches'. The information (data bits) could be encoded in terms of red and blue shifts in the source spectrum. The encoding process itself could be made fast by polarization assisted switching of spectral anomalies using a polarization selective device such as an electro-optic modulator. The advantages and limitations of this polarization based data processing mechanism are also discussed

Far field spectrum in surface plasmon-assisted Young's double-slit interferometer

We derive an expression for the resultant spectral density (spectrum) at a point in the far zone for the surface plasmons modulated Young's double-slit interference setup. The resultant spectral interference law has the same form as the standard spectral interference law for the scalar fields. This resemblance in turn provides a means for determination of the modified spectral degree of coherence at the two slits. The mathematical results also show that in an interesting situation when the field is incident at one slit only, the interference can still be observed at the observation plane. These findings are verified theoretically using a wide-band source, i.e. a black-body, having a spectrum following Planck's radiation law. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Macroscopic Bell States and their Quantum Polarization Tomography

Using three-dimensional quantum polarization tomography, the polarization properties of macroscopic Bell states are characterized. The reconstructed polarization quasi-probability distributions demonstrate squeezing in one or more Stokes parameters. (C) 2011 Optical Society of Americ

Propagation-induced changes in non-isotropically correlated vector vortex beams

We study the propagation of non-isotropically correlated vector vortex beams (NCVVBs) through an ABCD optical system. The statistical properties, namely, intensity, state of polarization, degree of polarization (DoP), and degree of coherence (DoC) of these beams are investigated. The terminology non-isotropically correlated is used for electromagnetic Gaussian Schell-model beams, that exhibit the distinguishability of spatial correlations between parallel and orthogonal electric field components. The non-isotropic feature of the correlation widths introduces an azimuthal asymmetry in the intensity, DoP, and DoC distributions. The azimuthal asymmetry in the intensity and DoC distributions become prominent around the focal plane. However, this asymmetry can be clearly observed in DoP distributions even at a very short propagation distance. It is found that the statistical properties of NCVVBs are dependent on both Poincaré-Hopf index (PHI) and the source correlation parameters. The number of beamlets in the intensity distribution is twice the magnitude of the PHI of the input beam. Unlike isotropically correlated vector vortex beams, correlation-induced polarization around the central core of the NCVVB is observed. The DoC distribution exhibits the evolution of correlation singularities in the form of dislocations at the far field plane. These dislocations in the DoC profile under lower correlations depend on the PHI, which provides a feasible approach to measure the index of NCVVBs. This study provides a technique to synthesize beams with structured correlation and polarization features

Three-dimensional quantum polarization tomography of macroscopic Bell states

The polarization properties of macroscopic Bell states are characterized using three-dimensional quantum polarization tomography. This method utilizes three-dimensional (3D) inverse Radon transform to reconstruct the polarization quasiprobability distribution function of a state from the probability distributions measured for various Stokes observables. The reconstructed 3D distributions obtained for the macroscopic Bell states are compared with those obtained for a coherent state with the same mean photon number. The results demonstrate squeezing in one or more Stokes observables

Polarization tomography of bright states of light

Polarization quantum tomography is performed on 4-mode squeezed vacuum states. Three-dimensional polarization quasiprobability functions are obtained and compared to that of an equal intensity coherent state. These distributions clearly demonstrate the difference in the polarization properties of the considered states. The reconstruction quality of the coherent state distribution is also analyzed by comparing the theoretically and experimentally obtained shapes for this state

Numerical calculation based study of spectral anomalies and their applications in modified Mach–Zehnder interferometer

The anomalous spectral behavior of polychromatic light in a modified Mach–Zehnder (MMZ) Interferometer is studied. In our numerical analysis, we found that, by varying the path difference between the interfering beams in the MMZ interferometer, one may find drastic spectral changes in the vicinity of dark rings of the interference field. In addition we extend the study to explore possibilities for information encoding and transmission in free-space using temporal coherence-induced spectral switching. By using unique features of the MMZ interferometer we propose two interesting prototype of optical devices for single channel and 1×2 channel (one input port and two output port) information transmission through spectral anomalies of interference pattern. The prototypes are based on contrived ideas and may find applications in developing spectral switching based optical devices