Abstract

We examine the performance of a tunable liquid crystal $q$-plate in a reflective geometry. When the device is tuned to a half-wave retardance, it operates as a $q$-plate with twice the value ($2q$) by adding a quarter-wave retarder between the mirror and the $q$-plate. However, when the device is tuned to a quarter-wave retardance, it acts as the original $q$-plate without the retarder. Experimental results are shown. Using an input tunable polarization state generator, the system allows the switchable production of all states on both the first- and second-order Poincaré spheres.

© 2015 Optical Society of America

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