OPTICAL WAVE-FRONT DISLOCATIONS AND THEIR PROPERTIES

We analyze screw, edge and mixed screw-edge dislocations in monochroma tic light waves. Methods for the experimental determination of the top ological charge value and helicity of screw dislocations are elaborate d. By use of computer-synthesized binary gratings waves with edge and mixed screw-edge dislocations were obtained and studied experimentally . The transformation of a mixed screw-edge dislocation into a single s crew dislocation was observed and explained.