Topological dynamics of optical singularities in speckle-fields induced by photorefractive scattering in a LiNbO3 : Fe crystal

A natural singular dynamics of elliptically polarised speckle-fields induced by the 'optical damage' effect in a photorefractive crystal of lithium niobate by a passing beam of a helium — neon laser is studied by the developed methods of singular optics. For the polarisation singularities (C points), a new class of chain reactions, namely, singular chain reactions are discovered and studied. It is shown that they obey the topological charge and sum Poincare index conservation laws. In addition, they exist for all the time of crystal irradiation. They consist of a series of interlocking chains, where singularity pairs arising in a chain annihilate with singularities from neighbouring independently created chains. Less often singular 'loop' reactions are observed where arising pairs of singularities annihilate after reversible transformations in within the boundaries of a single speckle. The type of a singular reaction is determined by a topology and dynamics of the speckles, in which the reactions are developing.