Direct write lithography for the fabrication of geometric phase holograms

A direct-write lithography method, comprising:

• varying a polarization of light from a light source among a plurality of polarizations;
• focusing the light from the light source into a spot at a focal plane;
• and
• scanning the spot in at least two dimensions along a surface of a polarization-sensitive recording medium arranged proximate to the focal plane such that neighboring scans of the spot spatially overlap to record optical axis orientation profiles that vary along the surface of the recording medium according to a time-average of ones of the plurality of polarizations to which the recording medium is exposed in the overlap,
• wherein the varying the polarization is controlled independent of the scanning the spot.

An optical element, comprising:

• a birefringent material layer having local optical axis orientations that vary in at least one direction along a surface thereof, wherein the local optical axis orientations correspond to optical axis orientation profiles formed by:
• varying a polarization of light from a light source among a plurality of polarizations;
• focusing the light from the light source into a spot at a focal plane;
• and
• scanning the spot in at least two dimensions along a surface of a polarization-sensitive recording medium arranged proximate to the focal plane such that neighboring scans spatially overlap to define the optical axis orientation profiles that vary along the surface of the recording medium according to a time-average of ones of the plurality of polarizations to which the recording medium is exposed in the overlap,
• wherein varying the polarization and scanning the spot are performed independently.