Methods, systems and devices for diffractive waveplate lens and mirror systems allowing electronically pointing and focusing light at different focal planes. The system can be incorporated into a variety of optical schemes for providing electrical control of transmission. In another embodiment, the system comprises diffractive waveplates of different functionality to provide a system for controlling not only focusing but other propagation properties of light including direction, phase profile, and intensity distribution. The diffractive waveplate lens and mirror systems are applicable to optical communication systems.