Generation of optical vector beams using a two-mode fiber

We present the generation of optical vector beams using a two-mode fiber (TMF)-based beam converter. The TMF converts the input Gaussian (TEM00) beam into linearly polarized Hermite-Gaussian (HG(10), HG(10)) beams, a radially polarized Laguerre-Gaussian (LG(0)(1)) beam with single helical charge or coherent linear combinations of the different vector modes guided in the fiber, depending on the input beam polarization, the fiber length, and the launch condition. Polarization and two-beam interference analyses of the output beam characterize the electric field orientations of the output beam and the presence of transverse and longitudinal optical vortex in the generated HG and LG beams. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America