We investigate the polarization-to-phase conversion of space-variant polarized light waves. Our analysis can be considered as an extension of Pancharatnam’s phase to the case of space-variant polarization. In two particular cases—azimuthally and radially variant polarization—we found striking consequences. Using an azimuthally variant polarizer combined with a circular analyzer, it is possible to induce spin-to-orbital angular momentum exchange and to generate optical vortices of arbitrary charge. Radially variant polarizers with linear or quadratic radial dependence of the transmission direction generate nondiffracting beams or focus light, respectively. Our results are potentially relevant for the design of achromatic wavefront forming (and correcting) elements based strictly on space-variant polarization optics.

• Received 7 August 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.76.053815