Vectorial optical fields (VOFs) exhibiting arbitrarily designed wavefronts and polarization distributions are highly desired in photonics. However, current methods to generate them either require complicated setups or exhibit limited functionalities, which is unfavorable for integration-optics applications. Here, we propose a generic approach to efficiently generate arbitrary VOFs based on metasurfaces exhibiting full-matrix yet inhomogeneous Jones-matrix distributions. We illustrate our strategy with analytical calculations on a model system and an experimental demonstration of a meta-device that can simultaneously deflect light and manipulate its polarization. Based on these benchmark results, we next experimentally demonstrate the generation of a far-field VOF exhibiting both a vortex wavefront and an inhomogeneous polarization distribution. Finally, we design/fabricate a meta-device and experimentally demonstrate that it can generate a complex near-field VOF—a cylindrically polarized surface plasmon wave possessing orbital angular momentum—with an efficiency of ~34%. Our results establish an efficient and ultracompact platform for generating arbitrary predesigned VOFs in both the near- and far-fields, which may find many applications in optical manipulation and communications.

在光子学中，非常需要表现出任意设计的波前和偏振分布的矢量光学场（VOF）。但是，当前生成它们的方法要么需要复杂的设置，要么表现出有限的功能，这对于集成光学应用是不利的。在这里，我们提出了一种通用方法，可以基于具有全矩阵但不均匀的超表面有效地生成任意VOF。琼斯矩阵分布。我们通过在模型系统上进行分析计算并通过元设备的实验演示来说明我们的策略，该元设备可以同时偏转光并控制其偏振。基于这些基准测试结果，我们接下来将通过实验证明远场VOF的产生，该远场VOF同时具有涡旋波阵面和不均匀的极化分布。最后，我们设计/制造了一个元设备，并通过实验证明了它可以产生一个复杂的近场VOF是一种具有轨道角动量的圆柱极化表面等离激元波，效率约为34％。我们的结果建立了一个高效且超紧凑的平台，可在近场和远场中生成任意预先设计的VOF，这可能会在光学操作和通信中找到许多应用。