Optical Phase Singularities in Detection of Laser Beam Collimation

Optical phase singularities, also called optical vortices, are known to have applications in various branches of optics. Here the role played by optical vortices in collimation testing is explained. Interference and a diffractive experimental setup in which the presence of an optical vortex permits collimation testing are presented. It is shown that the moire fringes that aid in collimation detection are due solely to the presence of vortices and not to the accompanying phase factors that are involved in producing a grating structure.