Abstract: An optical element includes a plurality of stacked birefringent sublayers, such as liquid crystal sublayers, configured to alter a direction of propagation of light passing therethrough according to the Bragg condition. The stacked birefringent sublayers respectively include local optical axes that vary along respective interfaces between adjacent ones of the stacked birefringent sublayers to define respective grating periods. The respective thicknesses of the stacked birefringent sublayers may be less than a wavelength of the light. Related apparatus and methods of operation are also discussed.

Abstract: A polarization conversion system includes a geometric phase element and a retarder element. The geometric phase element has optical anisotropy with local optical axis orientations that vary non-linearly in at least one dimension along a surface thereof. The retarder element is arranged to receive light output from the geometric phase element. Related systems and methods are also discussed.