Nondiffracting vector beams where the charge and the polarization state vary with propagation distance.

Abstract

We generate nondiffracting vector beams where the charge and the polarization state vary with the propagation distance. We use reflective geometry where a parallel-aligned spatial light modulator is used to spatially modulate two orthogonal linear polarizations. We encode spiral phases with equal charge but with opposite signs onto the two polarization directions to encode a vector beam and add two axicon phases. Both the charge and the phase shift between the two axicons can be varied along the focus line. We provide experimental results that demonstrate both features.