Topological meronic beams

This presentation demonstrates the creation and characterization of a family of structured light referred to as meronic beams. The topological structures of merons (half-skyrmions) and their higher order variants are characterized, and we show how meronic beams can be generated using gradient index lens cascades. This also includes the generation of quadrumeron and quadrumeronium beams as well as more complex light fields with high beam quality. Finally, we show how meron beams of arbitrary order can be generated using spatial light modulators and can be subsequently reconfigured to demonstrate tuning of the beam profile.