Unconventional Polarization States and Light-Matter Interaction

用非常规偏振态的光束照明与通常的教科书描述不同。 非常规偏振态的两个流行的例子是径向和方位角偏振（有时称为圆柱矢量光束）。存在着各种各样的非常规极化-有些已经得到很好的研究，而许多尚未探索。本研究活动汇集了三位研究人员，他们一直在研究非常规偏振态及其数学表示，偏振光的传播和聚焦，以及生物细胞内发现的小颗粒的光散射。本研究使用了一种新的数学表示法。（复焦点基础）用于建模光学聚焦和散射，研究作为复焦点基础代表的径向、方位角和全庞加莱场，以及来自介观粒子（包括细胞器）的非常规极化状态的散射。在这个过程中，我们还解决了部分相干非常规偏振态的理论的制定和测试，非常规偏振态的纳米结构的耦合，并开发了相干和部分相干光传播的数值有效的理论模型。我们利用最近引进的应力工程光学元件的概念，以适应现有的光散射显微镜进行偏振敏感散射实验。 在此过程中，我们通过引入新的散射分析分析工具、新的快速采集光瞳偏振测量实验工具来推进光学物理，并找到更好的方法将偏振用作改进投影成像系统（如LCD投影仪和半导体光刻系统）的工具。偏振--光的矢量性质--以深刻的方式影响光的散射，并且因此对于我们如何从散射光获得关于散射体的信息是基本的。 例如，这已经在推进免疫细胞研究的细胞鉴定方面取得了良好的效果。散射在用于保证计算机和电子设备的高质量半导体电路的检测过程中也很重要。 因此，更好地理解新偏振态的物理学将对光学工程和生物医学光学等领域产生广泛的影响。 教育的影响是每年通过本科生和研究生的参与，不仅作为研究助理，但作为学生在培训谁是鼓励走向独立的倡议。 我们在光学研究所的教育工作者的角色为我们提供了一个独特的平台，从中采取的工作成果，把他们带到教室在MS和BS水平，并采取偏振光的令人兴奋的功能与我们在教育活动地区学校和科学博物馆。 我们在光学研究所的存在提供技术转让给30多家公司谁是我们的工业协会计划的成员。

Illumination with beams of light in unconventional polarization states departs from the usual, textbook description. Two popular examples of unconventional polarization states are radial and azimuthal polarizations (sometimes called Cylindrical Vector Beams). A wide variety of unconventional polarizations exist -- some have been well studied, while many remain unexplored. This research activity brings together three investigators that have been studying unconventional polarization states and their mathematical representation, the propagation and focusing of polarized light, and light scattering from small particles such as those found within biological cells.This investigation makes use of a novel mathematical representation (complex-focus basis) for modeling optical focusing and scattering, the study of radial, azimuthal, and Full Poincare fields as representatives of a complex-focus basis, and the scattering of unconventional polarization states from mesoscopic particles, including cell organelles. In the process, we also address the formulation and testing of a theory of partially coherent unconventional polarization states, the coupling of unconventional polarization states to nanostructures, and develop numerically efficient theoretical models for coherent and partially coherent light propagation. We make use of the recently-introduced concept of stress- engineered optical elements to adapt an existing light scattering microscope to carry out polarization- sensitive scattering experiments. In the process, we are advancing optical physics by introducing new analytic tools for scattering analysis, a new experimental tool for rapid-acquisition pupil polarimetry, and find better ways to use polarization as a tool for improving projection imaging systems such as LCD projectors and semiconductor lithography systems.Polarization--the vector nature of light--influences the scattering of light in profound ways, and is therefore fundamental to how we gain information about a scatterer from the scattered light. This has been used to good result in advancing cell identification for immune cell research, for example. Scattering is also important in the inspection processes that are used to guarantee high quality semiconductor circuits for computers and electronic devices. A better understanding of the physics of new polarization states will therefore have a broad impact on fields such as optical engineering and biomedical optics. The educational impact is seen annually through involvement by both undergraduates and graduate students, not merely as research assistants, but as students in training who are encouraged toward independent initiatives. Our role as educators at the Institute of Optics offers us a unique platform from which to take the results of the work, bring them into the classroom at the MS and BS levels, and to take the exciting features of polarized light with us on educational activities in area schools and science museums. Our presence at the Institute of Optics offers technology transfer to over 30 companies who are members of our Industrial Associates Program.