Cosmic string lens effects on CMB polarization patterns - art. no. 123510

Extending the Kaiser-Stebbins mechanism we propose here a method fur detect ing relies of topological defects such as cosmic strings based on lens-indu ced small-scale B-type polarization in the cosmic microwave background. Mod els of inflation, in which large-scale structures of the Universe emerge fr om the inflaton fluctuations, do not exclude the formation of topological d efects at the end of the inflationary phase. In such a case, we show that t he lens effect of a string on the small-scale E-type polarization of the co smic microwave background induces a significant amount of B-type polarizati on along the line of sight. The amplitude of the effect is estimated fur di fferent resolutions of cosmic microwave background experiments.