An optical pulse shaper comprising: - an optical delay line; - a spatial light modulator placed at a Fourier plane of the optical delay line, the spatial light modulator comprising: - a spectral amplitude spatial light modulator, - a spectral phase and polarization ellipticity spatial light modulator, and - a spectral polarization rotator; and - a controller configured to independently control an amplitude, a phase and a polarization of an optical pulse; characterized in that: - the spectral amplitude spatial light modulator comprises first and second linear polarizers (53, 53') and a single layer liquid crystal array located between the first and second linear polarizers, wherein the single layer liquid crystal array has a variable index axis at approximately 45 degrees to an acceptance orientation of the first polarizer; - the spectral phase and the polarization ellipticity spatial light modulator comprises a dual layer liquid crystal array, wherein a first layer of the dual layer liquid crystal array has a variable index axis oriented at approximately 45 degrees to an input polarization into the array, wherein a second layer of the dual layer liquid crystal array has a variable index axis oriented substantially orthogonal to the variable index axis of the first layer; - the spectral polarization rotator comprises first and second quarter-wave retardance waveplates (59, 59') and a single layer liquid crystal array located between said retardance waveplates, wherein the first waveplate has a fast axis oriented parallel to the second polarizer of the spectral amplitude modulator, wherein the single layer liquid crystal element array has a variable axis rotated approximately 45 degrees from the fast axis of the first waveplate, wherein the second waveplate has a fast axis oriented substantially orthogonal to the fast axis of first waveplate. - an optical delay line; - a spatial light modulator placed at a Fourier plane of the optical delay line, the spatial light modulator comprising: - a spectral amplitude spatial light modulator, - a spectral phase and polarization ellipticity spatial light modulator, and - a spectral polarization rotator; and - a controller configured to independently control an amplitude, a phase and a polarization of an optical pulse; - a spectral amplitude spatial light modulator, - a spectral phase and polarization ellipticity spatial light modulator, and - a spectral polarization rotator; and - a controller configured to independently control an amplitude, a phase and a polarization of an optical pulse; - the spectral amplitude spatial light modulator comprises first and second linear polarizers (53, 53') and a single layer liquid crystal array located between the first and second linear polarizers, wherein the single layer liquid crystal array has a variable index axis at approximately 45 degrees to an acceptance orientation of the first polarizer; - the spectral phase and the polarization ellipticity spatial light modulator comprises a dual layer liquid crystal array, wherein a first layer of the dual layer liquid crystal array has a variable index axis oriented at approximately 45 degrees to an input polarization into the array, wherein a second layer of the dual layer liquid crystal array has a variable index axis oriented substantially orthogonal to the variable index axis of the first layer; - the spectral polarization rotator comprises first and second quarter-wave retardance waveplates (59, 59') and a single layer liquid crystal array located between said retardance waveplates,