Energy backflow in the focus of a light beam with phase or polarization singularity

V. V. Kotlyar, S. S. Stafeev, and A. G. Nalimov
Phys. Rev. A 99, 033840 – Published 19 March 2019

Abstract

We show that if a nonzero E-field intensity is found in the focus of a circularly polarized optical vortex with phase singularity or a higher-order azimuthally polarized beam with polarization singularity, an energy backflow will occur at the center of the focal plane. Using the Richards-Wolf formulas, which describe the electromagnetic field near the tight focus of an aplanatic system containing an ideal spherical lens, we prove that the negative on-axis propagation of light occurs when focusing (i) a left-hand circularly polarized optical vortex with the topological charge m=2 or (ii) a conventional second-order azimuthally polarized radially symmetric laser beam. Notably, in the former case, the negative energy flow rotates on a spiral about the optical axis, while in the latter case, the Poynting vector is perpendicular to the focal plane at any point. The theoretical conclusions are confirmed by numerical simulation.

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  • Received 29 December 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.99.033840

©2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

  1. Research Areas
General Physics

Authors & Affiliations

V. V. Kotlyar, S. S. Stafeev, and A. G. Nalimov

  • Image Processing Systems Institute of RAS–Branch of the FSRC “Crystallography and Photonics” RAS, Samara, 443001, Russia and Samara National Research University, Samara, 443086, Russia

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Issue

Vol. 99, Iss. 3 — March 2019

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