Computer-generated infrared depolarizer using space-variant subwavelength dielectric gratings.

We present a novel method for the formation of a complete depolarizer that is based on a polarization-state scrambling procedure over the space domain. Such an element can be achieved by use of cascaded, computer-generated, space-variant subwavelength dielectric gratings. We introduce a theoretical analysis and experimentally demonstrate a depolarizer for infrared radiation at a wavelength of 10.6 microm.