Polarization-multiplexed phase-only diffractive optical elements with subwavelength structures are proposed and fabricated. The differences among the phase modulations result from the differences among the effective indices exhibited in the subwavelength structures with various filling factors and surface profiles, and the phase retardations are obtained by the relief depth of the structures. The polarization-selective property is achieved by the polarization dependence of the effective indices exhibited in the one-dimensional subwavelength structures and the polarization independence exhibited in the two-dimensional structures. Additionally, the polarization contrast of our polarization-multiplexed elements, defined as the cross talk between the two polarization incidences, is independent of the relief depth. The principle of the polarization multiplexing by use of the subwavelength structures is described, and the fabrication results for the polarization-multiplexed computer-generated holograms are demonstrated. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America. [References: 12]
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