Polarization basis for vortex beams

Attention is called to a polarization basis formed by four Jones vectors th at is reducible to two basic structures. In these states the field is linea rly polarized at any point, but the polarization direction changes with the angular coordinate. Very simple equations hold for the field lines of thes e basis vectors. The adoption of this basis is of interest for beams posses sing a single vortex of any order, say, m, as well as for beams with two vo rtices of opposite charges, n and -m. As an example, the application to vec torial Bessel-Gauss beams is briefly discussed. (C) 2001 Optical Society of America.