Evolution of the Stokes parameters, polarization singularities, and optical skyrmion

The topology of a photonic skyrmion texture can be very stable and resilient to disorder and perturbation in complex media unless catastrophic events.

“(iv) topological protection-the topology of a photonic skyrmion texture can be very stable and resilient to disorder and perturbation in complex media unless catastrophic events [64,73]”

Such topological protection was theoretically and experimentally demonstrated for different perturbations in complex media such as liquid and atmosphere turbulence.

“Such topological protection was recently theoretically and experimentally demonstrated for different kinds of perturbations in complex media such as liquid and atmosphere turbulence, laying the base for applying free-space skyrmions as a nextgeneration robust carrier for information transfer [73,74].”

When a space-polarization nonseparable vector beam propagates in complex media, scattering can distort scalar mode components and local polarization, but the global topology is very difficult to change.

“When such a space-polarization nonseparable vector beam propagates in complex media, the scattering can easily distort scalar mode components and local polarization, however, the global topology related to the orthogonality and nonseparablity of spatial mode and polarization is very difficult to change [73].”

Topological protection was demonstrated as a salient property of vectorial structured light due to its polarization inhomogeneity, in contrast to scalar structured light.

“This topological protection was demonstrated as a salient property of vectorial structured light due to its polarization inhomogeneity, in contrast to scalar structured light [73].”