Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

© 2019 The Authors There is significant interest in the generation of complex vector beams, where the combined polarisation and phase profile is chosen to have particular properties. These beams have often been implemented in an adaptable manner using liquid crystal spatial light modulators (SLMs). Existing methods have concentrated mainly on the generation of these vector beams from a fixed polarisation state, but there are also applications were conversion between vectorial states is necessary. We discuss the limitations of existing SLM-based modulation systems for conversion between arbitrary vectorial states. Three degrees of freedom are required in principle for transition between two arbitrary states. We show that a three-SLM system can provide conversion between two arbitrary polarisation states, but cannot necessarily provide a full 2π radian phase modulation. Hence, we propose a design using four SLMs that removes these limitations on the phase modulation.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.optcom.2019.125028

Type

Journal article

Journal

Optics Communications

Publication Date

15/03/2020

Volume

459