Poynting singularities in the transverse flow-field of random vector waves

Journal article (2020)

Authors

M.A. van Gogh Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft, QN/Kuipers Lab - AS
T.A. Bauer Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft, QN/Kuipers Lab - AS
L. De Angelis Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschap (KNAW), Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft
L. Kuipers QN/Quantum Nanoscience , Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft
Research Group
QN/Kuipers Lab (AS) (TU Delft)
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Published Date

2020

Language

English

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Faculty

Applied Sciences

Department

QN/Quantum Nanoscience

Research Group

QN/Kuipers Lab

Abstract

In order to utilize the full potential of tailored flows of electromagnetic energy at the nanoscale, we need to understand its general behavior given by its generic representation of interfering random waves. For applications in on-chip photonics as well as particle trapping, it is important to discern between the topological features in the flow-field of the commonly investigated cases of fully vectorial light fields and their 2D equivalents. We demonstrate the distinct difference between these cases in both the allowed topology of the flow-field and the spatial distribution of its singularities, given by their pair correlation function g(r). Specifically, we show that a random field confined to a 2D plane has a divergence-free flow-field and exhibits a liquid-like correlation, whereas its freely propagating counterpart has no clear correlation and features a transverse flow-field with the full range of possible 2D topologies around its singularities.

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