Generation of curvilinear inhomogeneous polarization beams

In this work, we discuss the generation of spatially inhomogeneous polarization beams (SIPBs), by using two liquid crystal polarization holograms (PHs). The first PH generates two circularly opposed polarized scalar beams, which are collinearly recombined by the second PH. Owing to the tunability of the liquid crystal birefringence, we demonstrate experimentally the generation of SIPBs with efficiency near to 100%. By taking advantage of the diffraction properties, the high efficiency, and the intrinsic achromaticity of the polarization holograms, the method aims to overcome the limitations related to stability and efficiency, making it attractive for applications.