Spatiotemporal optical vortex reconnections of loop vortices

Abstract

Reconnections of spatiotemporal optical vortices have been shown to occur between line vortices. Here, we show that reconnections also occur between spatiotemporal loop vortices in optical waves. As optical loop vortices propagate in a media with spatial diffraction and material group velocity dispersion, unique reconnections occur. The birth and death of loops can occur, with certain loop vortices emerging from or collapsing to a single point while interacting with others. As certain parameters are varied in the model, complex arrangements of loops form in space-time from simple initial fields.