Diffractive waveplate lenses and applications

An optical communication system with multiple focal points comprising:

• a generally unpolarized and non-monochromatic laser light source;
• a system of one or more diffractive waveplates with switchable optical power for receiving the light from the generally unpolarized and non-monochromatic laser light source, said one or more diffractive wave plates are selected from a group consisting of diffractive waveplate lenses, cycloidal diffractive waveplates, axial diffractive waveplates, axicon diffractive waveplates, beam shaping diffractive waveplates, and arrays of diffractive waveplates;
• a substrate in the optical communication system;
• and
• one or more switching devices for selectively switching the propagation direction, phase profile and optical power of said one or more diffractive waveplates, wherein the one or more diffractive waveplates and the substrate and the one or more switching devices provide controls for the optical communication system, wherein said one or more switching devices for selectively switching at least one of:
• the propagation direction, phase profile and the optical power of said optical communication system include variable phase retardation plates.