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Light with transverse polarization structures, such as radial and azimuthal polarization, enables and revives lots of applications based on a light-matter interaction due to its unique focal properties. To date, studies referring to this topic mainly concentrate on a weak-light domain, yet it should have gained more attention in a high-energy domain. Here, we demonstrate the generation of strong single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) cylindrical vector (CV) short pulses via stimulated Brillouin amplification. As a proof-of-principle work, the energy is transferred from a pair of 700 ps pumps to a 300 ps Stokes pulse via parametrically exciting coherent phonons in fluorocarbon liquid. After amplification, a 100 mJ-level SLM CV pulse light with 300 ps duration is obtained. Meanwhile, the phase and polarization structures are high fidelity maintained. This result provides a practicable way to generate strong CV light, and by further extending this mechanism into the beam combination system, even an ultra-high intensity CV light can be expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arbitrary vector beams (VBs) are realized by the designed polarization converters and corresponding vector-photoaligned q-plates. The polarization converter is a specific twisted nematic cell with one substrate homogeneously aligned and the other space-variantly aligned. By combining a polarization-sensitive alignment agent with a dynamic micro-lithography system, various categories of liquid crystal polarization converters are demonstrated. Besides, traditional radially/ azimuthally polarized light, high-order and multi-ringed VBs, and a VB array with different orders are generated. The obtained converters are further utilized as polarization masks to implement vector-photoaligning. The technique facilitates both the volume duplication of these converters and the generation of another promising optical element, the q-plate, which is suitable for the generation of VBs for coherent lasers. The combination of proposed polarization converters and correspondingly fabricated q-plates would drastically enhance the capability of polarization control and may bring more possibilities for the design of photonic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polarization independence of liquid crystal gratings with alternate orthogonal aligned regions is theoritically studied and demonstrated by means of photoalignment technique. The different alignments in adjecent regions are achieved by two-step photo exposure to guide orientations of sulfonic azo dye layers and further align the liquid crystal molecules. Both one-dimensional and two-dimensional switchable phase gratings have been demonstrated. Such polarizer-free gratings show very high transmittance (∼92%), diffraction efficiency (over 31%), and optical contrast (over 150) including low power consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid crystal q-Airy-plates with director distributions integrated by q-plates and polarization Airy masks are proposed and demonstrated via the photoalignment technique. Single/dual vortex Airy beams of opposite topological charges and orthogonal circular polarizations are directly generated with polarization-controllable characteristic. The singular phase of the vortex part is verified by both astigmatic transformation and digital holography. The trajectory of vortex Airy beams is investigated, manifesting separate propagation dynamics of optical vortices and Airy beams. Meanwhile, Airy beams still keep their intrinsic transverse acceleration, self-healing, and nondiffraction features. This work provides a versatile candidate for generating high-quality vortex Airy beams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]