Topological response of inhomogeneous, elliptically polarized, light fields to controlled anisotropic perturbations

The effect of controlled anisotropic losses on the topological structure of complex, elliptically polarized, light fields has been investigated. It has been shown that they can either initiate topological reactions with the appearance/disappearance of C points, saddle points, etc., or induce only their slight shift. Both strong and slight topological responses can be realized in the same field at sections with different inhomogeneity degrees of the polarization parameters of the field. (C) 2005 Pleiades Publishing, Inc.