Polarization characteristics of partially coherent radially and azimuthally polarized beams with vortex phase propagating through atmospheric turbulence

Abstract

Analytical formulas for the normalized spectral Stokes parameters of the partially coherent radially and azimuthally polarized beams with vortex phase (i.e., PCRPV and PCAPV beams) propagating through the turbulent atmosphere are derived. The polarization properties of PCRPV and PCAPV beams in atmospheric turbulence have been studied in detail. Our findings show that different correlation lengths induce nonuniform distribution to degree of polarization (DOP) and the normalized spectral Stokes parameters. And different correlation lengths also cause the polarization singularity splitting. Besides, we find also that the vortex phase will lead to the rotation of distributions of orientation angles and the normalized spectral Stokes parameters of PCRPV and PCAPV beams in turbulence, and the rotation degree will become obvious with increasing topological charge number. It can be found also that larger topological charge number can reduce the speed of polarization singularities destroyed by atmospheric turbulence, meaning that PCRPV and PCAPV beams with a larger topological charge has a stronger ability to resist atmospheric turbulence. Our studies could be important for free-space optical communications and polarization lidar system.