Topological configurations of cross-coupled polarization singularities in a space-variant vector field

ABSTRACT In generic elliptical-polarized light field three types of topological structures exist around points with pure circular polarization ( C -point) in the forms Star, Lemon and Monstar. We consider a kind of interaction between these polarization singularities embedded in a space-variant vector field. We use a decomposition of a vector field in the basis of orthogonal circularly polarized components. Each template is spatially nonuniform in the sense of a presence of optical vortices (zero-amplitude points with azimuth phase ramp). Optical vortices in each template generate C -points in the polarization-variant field and their phase ramps interfere each other thus varying the topological configuration and producing common topological network.