We present newly conceived liquid-crystal-based retardation waveplates in which the optic axis distribution has a “superelliptically” symmetric azimuthal structure with a topological charge q superimposed. Such devices, named superelliptical q-plates, act as polarization-to-spatial modes converters that can be used to produce optical beams having peculiar spiral spectra. These spectra reflect the topological charge of the optic axis distribution as well as the symmetry properties of the underlying superellipse. The peculiar capability of q-plates of producing optical modes entangled with respect to spin and orbital angular momentum is here extended to superelliptical q-plates in order to create more complex optical modes structurally inseparable with respect to polarization and spatial degrees of freedom. Such superelliptical modes can play a crucial role in studying polarization singularities or to develop polarization metrology.

Date Published: 10 March 2015
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 9379, Complex Light and Optical Forces IX, 937907 (10 March 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2078372

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9379:
Complex Light and Optical Forces IX
Enrique J. Galvez; Jesper Glückstad; David L. Andrews, Editor(s)