Quantum photonic treatment of nano-polarization in diffraction gratings

Diffraction grating devices are composed of equally spaced, identical slits separated by opaque strips. Discrete or monolithic gratings are fabricated by applying fine grooves with a diamond point either on a plane glass surface or on a polished metal mirror to produce transmission or reflection gratings, respectively. In a practical examination using a He-Ne laser at a wavelength of 6328 Angstroms, some features of nano-polarization were observed in optical diffraction gratings with slit distances as significant as a micrometer or less. Here, the nano-polarization phenomenon is analyzed both theoretically and experimentally. We develop a Quantum-Photonics (Q.P.) description and apply it to a scratched transparent dielectric. The Q.P framework yields a polarization evolution through successive layers and predicts gradual or partial polarization behavior in dense gratings. It consists of both physical perception and mathematical formalism for optical phenomena at atomic scales. The theoretical trends agree with the laboratory measurements, including the dependence of transmitted intensity on the grating configuration.