Automated method for optimization of electric field distributions and optical parameters in thin-film polarizers

An efficient method based on the modified needle optimization technique is proposed to design high-power laser thin-film polarizers. In order to minimize the influence of the standing-wave electric field on the laser-induced damage threshold of the polarizers, a crucial optimization parameter, the maximum electric field intensity in the high-refractive-index layers, is included in the proposed merit function. The electric field distribution and optical performance obtained by the proposed method are studied. Improved electric field and identical optical characteristics are observed in comparison with those of the designs obtained by optimizing the traditional merit function without a standing-wave electric field term and by the analytical synthesis method.