Generation of elliptical and circular vector hollow beams with different polarizations by a Mach-Zehnder-type optical path

We present an experimental approach to convert linearly polarized Gaussian beams into elliptical and circular vector hollow beams (VHBs) with different polarization states. The scheme employed is based on a Mach-Zehnder-type optical path combined with a reflective spatial light modulator (SLM) in each path. The resulting VHBs have radial, azimuthal, and other polarization states. Our studies also show that the size of the generated VHBs remains constant during the propagation in free space over a certain distance, and can be controlled by the axial ratio of the SLM's binary phase plate. These studies deliver great optical parameters and hold promising applications in the fields of optical trapping and manipulation of particles.