Analysis of polarization diffractive patterned polarizers and retarders

This work presents polarization effects caused by the diffraction by patterned polarizing elements, patterned polarizers or patterned retarders. The Fourier transform and Jones matrix formalism is applied to analyze the diffraction pattern. The approach will be applied to analyze simple diffractive elements and vectorial vortex diffraction gratings, as well as for polarizing Fourier transform systems. Theoretical and computational analysis is completed with experimental results using patterned polarizers and spatial light modulators.