Evolution of an optical vortex with initial fractional topological charge

Abstract

In a number of theoretical (J. Opt. 6, 259 (2004)) and experimental (Opt Express 19, 5760 (2011)) works, an original fractional-TC optical vortex (with TC standing for topological charge) was shown to evolve into an integer optical vortex whose TC is equal to the nearest (i) smaller integer, if the fractional part is smaller than 1/2, and (ii) larger we show that the initial fractional optical vortex evolves into an integer optical vortex with TC equal to the nearest (i) smaller integer, if the fractional part is smaller than 0.12, and (ii) larger integer, if the fractional part is larger than 0.12. This can be explained by the fact that the additional center integer, if the fractional part is larger than 1/2. In this work, using numerical simulation, of singularity is generated on the beam periphery characterized by near zero-intensity (a millionth of the maximum), thus prohibiting the experimental detection, but allowing a numerical assessment.