Metasurface higher-order poincaré sphere polarization detection clock

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Quantum Optics
• Metasurface Technology

Background:

• Characterizing the state of polarization (SoP) of complex structured light is vital for classical and quantum optics.
• Conventional SoP detection methods are bulky and complex, hindering miniaturization.
• Current metasurface polarimetry is limited to the standard Poincaré sphere framework, failing to address higher-order Poincaré spheres (HOPS).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a general polarization metrology method for fully detecting SoP on any HOPS.
• To overcome the limitations of existing techniques for SoP characterization.
• To enable real-time polarimetry of arbitrary beams with miniaturized devices.

Main Methods:

• Proposing a general polarization metrology method using a single measurement.
• Transforming optical singularities and Stokes parameters into visualized intensity patterns.
• Developing a novel meta-device: the metasurface photonics polarization clock.

Main Results:

• Demonstrating a method for fully detecting SoP on the 0th, 1st, and 2nd HOPSs.
• The metasurface photonics polarization clock provides an intuitive display of SoP with four pointers.
• Successfully resolved SoPs on various HOPSs both theoretically and experimentally.

Conclusions:

• The developed method offers a pathway towards real-time polarimetry of arbitrary beams.
• The metasurface photonics polarization clock enables miniaturized size, simple detection, and direct readout.
• This advancement promises significant progress in fields reliant on light polarization characterization.