Scalar vortex beams produced by Pancharatnam-Berry phase optical elements that utilize polarization holography.

Abstract

We discuss the appearance of the Pancharatnam-Berry phase in polarization holography, and confirm the possibility of generating scalar vortex beams by using the Pancharatnam-Berry phase. The polarization holograms used to generate scalar vortex beams are produced in phenanthrenequinone-doped polymethylmethacrylate (PQ/PMMA), where each radial direction consists of an equivalent half-wave plate hologram with gradually changing directions. The spin angular momentum carried by a circular polarization reading wave is converted into orbital angular momentum in a reconstruction process, resulting in the formation of scalar vortex beams with positive and negative topological charges controlled by the reading polarization.