Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 August 2012
The propagation of a cylindrically polarized vectorial (CPV) beam through uniaxial crystals orthogonal to the optical axis is studied. Analytical formulae are derived for the field components of the beam upon the propagation. Intensity distributions and degrees of polarization of the beam after the propagation are revealed by numerical simulations, respectively. It is demonstrated that the beam profile no longer remains cylindrically symmetric all along the propagation due to the effect of anisotropy of the crystal. Furthermore, it is also shown that both the beam properties and anisotropy of the crystal can affect the evolution of CPV beam. These conclusions may provide specific knowledge of the propagation properties of CPV beam by the use of the crystal as a fundamental optical element.