Generation of arbitrary vector fields based on a pair of orthogonal elliptically polarized base vectors

We present an arbitrary vector field with hybrid polarization based on the combination of a pair of orthogonal elliptically polarized base vectors on the Poincare sphere. It is shown that the created vector field is only dependent on the latitude angle 2x but is independent on the longitude angle 2 Psi on the Poincare sphere. By adjusting the latitude angle 2x., which is related to two identical waveplates in a common path interferometric arrangement, one could obtain arbitrary type of vector fields. Experimentally, we demonstrate the generation of such kind of vector fields and confirm the distribution of state of polarization by the measurement of Stokes parameters. Besides, we investigate the tight focusing properties of these vector fields. It is found that the additional degree of freedom 2. provided by arbitrary vector field with hybrid polarization allows one to control the spatial structure of polarization and to engineer the focusing field. (C) 2016 Optical Society of America