Dual polarization split lenses

We report the realization of polarization sensitive split lens configurations. While split lenses can be used to easily generate different types of controlled structured light patterns, their realization has been limited so far to scalar beams. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate their generalization to vectorial split lenses, leading to light patterns with customized intensity and state of polarization. We demonstrate how these polarization split lenses can be experimentally implemented by means of an optical system using two liquid crystal spatial light modulators, each one phase modulating one orthogonal polarization component. As a result, we demonstrate the experimental generation of vectorial beams with different shapes generated with these dual polarization split lenses. Excellent experimental results are provided in each case. The proposed technique is a simple method to generate structured light beams with polarization diversity, with potential applications in polarimetry, customized illuminators or quantum optics.