Polarization-encoded field measurement in subwavelength scattering

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Interferometry
• Scattering Phenomena

Background:

• Measuring phase and amplitude of scattered light is crucial for characterizing materials and phenomena.
• Existing interferometric techniques can be sensitive to environmental noise and limited in efficiency.
• Subwavelength scattering presents unique challenges due to weak signal detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a novel polarization-encoded common-path interferometer.
• To achieve robust and high-sensitivity measurements of scattered optical fields.
• To enhance interferometric visibility for inefficient scattering scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing polarization encoding to create a common-path interferometer.
• Implementing a design that maximizes interferometric visibility for a given detector array.
• Applying the technique to measure both phase and amplitude of scattered light.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a convenient and robust common-path interferometer.
• Achieved maximized interferometric visibility, enabling sensitivity limits for field measurement.
• Showcased the approach's effectiveness in inefficient scattering scenarios, including subwavelength scattering.

Conclusions:

• Polarization encoding offers a practical solution for advanced optical field measurements.
• The developed interferometer design pushes the boundaries of sensitivity in scattering measurements.
• This technique holds significant promise for applications involving weak or subwavelength scattering.