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Spectral and Angle-Resolved Magneto-Optical Characterization of Photonic Nanostructures
Published on: November 21, 2019
Miniature circular polarization analyzer with spiral plasmonic lens
Shuangyang Yang1, Weibin Chen, Robert L Nelson
1Electro-Optics Program, University of Dayton, 300 College Park, Dayton, Ohio 45469, USA.
Optics Letters
|October 20, 2009
Summary
A spiral plasmonic lens uses geometric phase to separate light polarizations, enabling compact circular polarization analyzers. This design offers high extinction ratios and robust performance for polarimetric imaging.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Nanotechnology
- Plasmonics
Background:
- Plasmonic lenses offer subwavelength focusing capabilities.
- Circular polarization analysis is crucial for various imaging applications.
- Geometric phase effects can be exploited for advanced optical functionalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate a simple spiral plasmonic lens for its focusing properties.
- To utilize the spatial separation of circularly polarized light for device design.
- To develop a miniature circular polarization analyzer.
Main Methods:
- Analytical modeling of the spiral plasmonic lens.
- Numerical simulations to analyze light-matter interaction.
- Device fabrication and characterization (implied).
Main Results:
- The spiral plasmonic lens focuses left-hand and right-hand circular polarizations into distinct spatial regions.
- Achieved a circular polarization extinction ratio exceeding 100.
- Demonstrated functionality in a device with a size of 4λspp.
- The lens performance is insensitive to the centering of the incident beam.
Conclusions:
- Spiral plasmonic lenses effectively utilize geometric phase for polarization multiplexing.
- The developed device is a highly efficient miniature circular polarization analyzer.
- The beam-centering-independent operation makes it suitable for full Stokes parameter polarimetric imaging.
