Generation of a vectorial elliptic hollow beam by an elliptic hollow fiber

We propose a handy scheme to generate a vectorial elliptic hollow beam by using a short dual-mode elliptic hollow fiber, study its propagation characteristics in free space, and calculate its total angular momentum at different propagating distances. Our study shows that the resulting elliptic hollow beam has a self-focusing effect in near field, an arbitrary polarization, and a position-dependent fractional angular momentum and that the directions of the major and minor axes of the elliptical intensity profile will be interchanged after the self-focusing plane. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America