Generation of Arbitrary Vector Vortex Beam Using a Single Q‐Plate

Abstract Vector vortex beams (VVBs) exhibit both helical phase and anisotropic polarization distributions, offering extensive application potential. Here a method is presented with only one single q‐plate to implement the simultaneous manipulation to the phase and polarization distributions of VVBs by exploiting the geometric phase‐based spin‐to‐orbit conversion. According to the geometric properties of the traditional Poincaré sphere, a phase delay system constituted of two quarter‐wave plates and a mirror to realize the evolution of arbitrary VVB is used on the Hybrid‐order Poincaré sphere (HyPS). In the proof‐of‐principle experiment, different VVBs on the same HyPS and VVBs on different HyPSs are generated and detected, and both the phase and polarization topological charges are up to 16. The change in the polarization state of VVBs during propagation caused by the Gouy phase shift is also discussed in this work. The proposed method is simple, cost‐effective, and easily integrable, providing a rapid and efficient approach for the flexible generation of VVBs