Generation of cylindrical vector vortex beams based on common-path vector optical generators

Abstract

This paper proposes a flexible and stable method to generate cylindrical vector vortex beams with different topological charges using Single-polarization Vector Optical Generators (VOG). VOG is composed of two single-polarization responsive cylindrical lenses placed oppositely at a certain distance, which is a convenient implementation of the coherent superposition by means of two orthogonally circularly polarized states instead of path interference of interferometer. In this experiment, the customized computer generated holograms are loaded on the spatial light modulator(SLM) to generate Laguerre Gaussian (LG) beams with arbitrary topological charge, and LG beams convent to vector vortex beams with corresponding topological charge through VOG. The interference pattern of the two beams projected to a linear polarization state also give the cylindrically symmetric petal beams. And the diameters of vector vortex beams with different topological charges are also measured.