Holographic approach for the investigation of singular optics – from phase to polarization singularities

The individual field of singular optics has attracted rising attention within the last years [1]. Originally covering phase singularities in scalar light beams, the field underwent a reinvention with the investigation of polarization singularities [2]. We present a holographic method [3] facilitating the spatial modulation of amplitude, phase and polarization and by this enabling the generation of sophisticated scalar tailored light fields as well as vectorial Poincaré beams. Complex singularity structures in phase and polarization, not investigated before, are realized. Beside the analysis of the transverse phase and polarization distribution the longitudinal evolution of singularities will be demonstrated. Moreover, influence of orbital and spin angular momentum will be discussed, which is of special interest regarding applications in e.g. optical micromanipulation and information technology. [1] M. Dennis et al., Prog. Opt. 53, 293-363 (2009) [2] I. Freund, Opt. Commun. 201, 251-270 (2002) [3] C. Alpmann et al., “Dynamic modulation of Poincaré beams”, submitted (2015)