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Infrared broadband 50%-50% beam splitters for s-polarized light
1Department of Electrical Engineering, University of New Orleans, Louisiana 70148, USA. razzam@uno.edu
Applied Optics
|June 27, 2006
Summary
High-refractive-index prisms and slabs act as broadband, 50%-50% beam splitters (BSs) for s-polarized light. Novel designs offer 50%-50% s-polarization BS performance for interferometry and holography.
Area of Science:
- Optics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Beam splitters (BSs) are crucial optical components.
- High-refractive-index materials offer unique optical properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design broadband, 50%-50% beam splitters for s-polarized light.
- To explore novel designs for enhanced BS performance in specific spectral ranges.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing prisms and slabs made of high-refractive-index materials (ZnSe, Ge, Si).
- Employing uncoated beam-splitting faces and antireflection-coated exit faces.
- Investigating Brewster-angle incidence for orthogonal beam splitting.
Main Results:
- Achieved broadband, 50%-50% BS performance for s-polarized light.
- Demonstrated orthogonal beam propagation at the Brewster angle.
- Introduced a novel SiO2-Si interface design for 50%-50% s-polarization BS from 1.2-3.5 microm.
Conclusions:
- High-refractive-index materials enable efficient s-polarization beam splitters.
- The novel design provides a versatile BS for near- and mid-IR applications.
- These s-polarization BSs are well-suited for interferometry and holography.
