On-chip plasmonic spin-Hall nanograting for simultaneously detecting phase and polarization singularities

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Nanotechnology
• Electromagnetism

Background:

• Phase and polarization singularities are crucial for manipulating electromagnetic fields.
• Detecting these singularities is challenging, particularly in integrated optical systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and demonstrate an on-chip plasmonic nanograting for simultaneous detection of phase and polarization singularities.
• To enable advanced optical beam characterization in compact integrated photonic circuits.

Main Methods:

• Design of a symmetry-breaking plasmonic nanograting with different periods.
• Integration of spin-Hall meta-slits for chiral polarization detection.
• Theoretical and experimental validation of the nanograting's performance.

Main Results:

• The nanograting unidirectionally excites surface plasmon polaritons based on topological charge.
• Simultaneous discrimination of topological charges and polarization states of cylindrical vortex vector beams (CVVBs).
• Successful theoretical and experimental demonstration of the structure's capabilities.

Conclusions:

• The developed on-chip plasmonic nanograting effectively detects both phase and polarization singularities.
• The structure offers a promising solution for integrated photonic circuits requiring advanced optical beam analysis.
• This work advances the capabilities of miniaturized optical systems for complex light manipulation.