Abstract

We report the appearance of a geometrical phase in space-variant polarization-state manipulations. This phase is related to the classic Pancharatnam–Berry phase. We show a method with which to calculate it and experimentally demonstrate its effect, using subwavelength metal stripe space-variant gratings. The experiment is based on a unique grating for converting circularly polarized light at a wavelength of $10.6 \mu \mathrm{m}$ into an azimuthally polarized beam. Our experimental evidence relies on analysis of far-field images of the resultant polarization.

© 2001 Optical Society of America

Space-variant Pancharatnam–Berry phase optical elements with computer-generated subwavelength gratings

Ze’ev Bomzon, Gabriel Biener, Vladimir Kleiner, and Erez Hasman
Opt. Lett. 27(13) 1141-1143 (2002)

Computer-generated space-variant polarization elements with subwavelength metal stripes

Ze’ev Bomzon, Vladimir Kleiner, and Erez Hasman
Opt. Lett. 26(1) 33-35 (2001)

Formation of linearly polarized light with axial symmetry by use of space-variant subwavelength gratings

Avi Niv, Gabriel Biener, Vladimir Kleiner, and Erez Hasman
Opt. Lett. 28(7) 510-512 (2003)

Spatial Fourier-transform polarimetry using space-variant subwavelength metal-stripe polarizers

Ze’ev Bomzon, Gabriel Biener, Vladimir Kleiner, and Erez Hasman
Opt. Lett. 26(21) 1711-1713 (2001)

Radially and azimuthally polarized beams generated by space-variant dielectric subwavelength gratings

Ze’ev Bomzon, Gabriel Biener, Vladimir Kleiner, and Erez Hasman
Opt. Lett. 27(5) 285-287 (2002)