A new route for universal polarization transformations of spatially varying polarization fields

Polarization describes the orientation of oscillations in a light wave, and it plays an essential role in various optical applications—from enhancing visibility in sunglasses and camera lenses to facilitating advanced optical communication and imaging systems. Understanding and mastering the polarization of light is pivotal for advancing many optical technologies. However, manipulating the spatial distribution of the polarization state of an optical field presents significant hurdles, particularly when the synthesis of fields with non-uniform polarization states is desired.