A compact polarization splitter utilizing directional coupler with left-handed material

A compact polarization splitter (PS) with left-handed material (LHM) sandwiched between two right-handed material (RHM) waveguides of a directional coupler (DC) is proposed. Its operation is by setting the coupling length of TM polarization be half that of TE polarization. Theoretic analysis exhibits that the PS with a very small size of 138.4 μm × 18.6 μm can be realized due to the inclusion of LHM even when the RHM with small birefringence is used.     

Ultracompact and silicon-on-insulator-compatible polarization splitter based on asymmetric plasmonic–dielectric coupling

An ultracompact and silicon-on-insulator-compatible polarization splitter (PS) is proposed by utilizing asymmetric directional coupling between a hybrid plasmonic waveguide and a strip dielectric waveguide. Owing to the plasmon-assisted asymmetry, birefringence is highly enhanced. Polarization splitting can be realized by strong coupling of one polarization while the other polarization is phase-mismatched. As an example, a PS based on strong TM coupling is demonstrated at the wavelength of 1.55 μm with a coupling length of 4.13 μm. Extinction ratios are 20.9 and 16.4 dB for TM and TE polarizations, respectively. The device is also broadband and fabrication-tolerant.     

FDTD model of non-magnetized plasma coatings on metals based on collocated surface impedance boundary conditions

A finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) model is developed for non-magnetized plasma thin layers on metal surfaces illuminated by vertical polarization (TE) and parallel polarization (TM) plane waves at oblique incidence. The model is based on collocated first-order surface impedance boundary conditions (SIBCs), permitting one to remove the plasma coating and the substrate from the computational space. The reflection of TE and TM plane waves at varying oblique incident angles from the plasma coating surfaces is simulated. The results are numerically verified by the comparison with the exact results in the one-dimensional situation. Magnitude and phase error of the calculated reflection coefficients are studied to illustrate that the proposed model has greatly improved accuracy over the original SIBCs implementation. Finally, we calculate the radar cross-section (RCS) of a perfectly conducting cube covered with plasma coatings utilizing the proposed collocated SIBCs, which further demonstrates the practical application of the model.     

A mixed metal dielectric sandwiched grating for polarization-selective reflection

A mixed metal dielectric sandwiched grating is described for polarization-selective reflection. The novel grating is composed of substrate, metal slab, two dielectric grating layers, and covering layer. The polarization-selective grating is optimized by using rigorous coupled-wave analysis for the usual duty cycle of 0.5. With the optimized grating parameters, reflective efficiency of 96.49% can be diffracted into the −1st order for TE polarization. And two-port output of 48.26%/48.27% can be diffracted into the 0th and the −1st orders for TM polarization. Polarization-selective reflection with good performance can be obtained by the mixed metal dielectric sandwiched grating. The usual duty cycle of 0.5 makes it easy and simple to be fabricated for practical applications. Moreover, the polarization-selective beam splitter based on the mixed metal dielectric sandwiched grating has advantages of wide incident wavelength range for TE polarization and angular bandwidth for TM polarization.     

Design of an omnidirectional band gap independent of ambient media refractive indices by using a heterostructure magnetic photonic crystal

This paper aims to study the general conditions under which omnidirectional band gaps (OBGs) are achieved by using heterostructure magnetic photonic crystals (HMPCs). These structures contain periodic layers with alternative dielectric permittivity and magnetic permeability. The proposed design offers the stacking of two magnetic photonic crystals (MPCs), where one MPC has Brewster’s angle at TE polarization and another has the angle at TM polarization. The propagation of electromagnetic waves is investigated by means of the transfer matrix method. Also, the total reflection frequency range for any incident angle and polarization is discussed in this paper. As a conclusion, although each MPC has no OBG individually, the proposed HMPC may contain an OBG. The main advantage of the proposed design is that the obtained OBG is independent of the ambient media refractive index. Therefore, it can be used in engineering omnireflectors in integrated photonics.     

Guided modes in slab waveguides with a left handed material cover or substrate

We study guided modes propagating along a dielectric slab waveguide with a left handed material (LHM) cover or substrate. The dispersion relation is derived by using normalized waveguide parameters. An analytical method is then proposed to calculate the universal dispersion curves. Different from a slab waveguide with a LHM core, we find that guidance properties are strongly dependent on dielectric permittivity ε and magnetic permeability μ of the substrate and cover layers. For oscillating guided modes, fundamental zero order mode is not always absence, sometimes it exists in a restricted range of normalized propagation constant. First order mode behaves as other higher order modes and exists up to infinite high frequency. Higher order modes have no double degeneracy in the case of LHM cover layer. For surface guided modes, the existence and the type of the mode solutions with respect to different parameters are classified systematically and discussed in detail. Unlike a slab waveguide with a LHM core where the dispersion curve of TE₁ surface mode continues with that of oscillating TE₁ mode, the dispersion curve of TE₁ surface mode continues with that of oscillating TE₀ mode. It seems that the two different kinds of modes compensate each other to form one whole mode. Both TE and TM guided modes are discussed.     

Polariton dynamics of a one-dimensional gyrotropic magnetic photonic crystal in a dc electric field: I. Peculiarities of refraction

It is shown that both TE and TM waves incident on the surface of a semi-infinite one-dimensional thin-layer gyrotropic magnetic photonic crystal of the magnetic-nonmagnetic dielectric type can experience a number of refraction anomalies in an external electric field due to the effect of hybridization of evanescent waves in magnetic and nonmagnetic layers. These anomalies are absent under the same conditions in spatially homogeneous media consisting of the same materials as the photonic crystal.     

A reflective surface-relief two-layer grating for splitting beams with the polarization-selective property

A polarization-selective beam splitter is presented based on a reflective surface-relief two-layer grating with a metal slab. The grating is composed of two dielectric layers and a metal slab on the substrate. For TE polarization, efficiencies of 97.58% can be diffracted into the reflective −1st order. For TM polarization, two-port output of 47.55% and 47.11% can be split into the 0th order and the −1st order, respectively. Such a polarization-selective beam splitter can be fulfilled by one grating in reflection. The grating depths of two layers are optimized by using rigorous coupled-wave analysis with the given duty cycle of 0.6 and period of 1100 nm. The performance for different incident conditions is investigated when the incident wavelength and angle deviate from the central wavelength and the Bragg angle, respectively. For TM polarization, good uniformity can still be achieved within the given incident wavelength and angle regions. For TE polarization, the reflective polarization-selective beam splitter can have merits of wideband for different incident wavelengths.     

Bound states in the continuum in metal—dielectric photonic crystal with a birefringent defect

By using the difference of the band structure for the TE and TM waves in the metal—dielectric photonic crystals beyond the light cone and the birefringence of the anisotropic crystal, a one-dimensional photonic system is constructed to realize the bound states in the continuum (BICs). In addition to the BICs arising from the polarization incompatibility, the Friedrich—Wintgen BICs are also achieved when the leaking TM wave is eliminated due to the destructive interference of its ordinary and extraordinary wave components in the anisotropic crystal. A modified scheme favorable for practical application is also proposed. This scheme for BICs may help to suppress the radiation loss in the metal—dielectric photonic crystal systems.     

Complete Polarization Conversion Characteristics of Dielectric Grating Composed of Left-Handed Materials

The TE/TM polarization conversion characteristics of dielectric grating composed of left-handed materials for the case of plane wave oblique incidence are carefully investigated by a method which combines the multimode network theory with the rigorous mode matching method. It is indicated that complete polarization conversion between TE and TM modes can be realized using left-handed gratings. This can hardly achieve in the conventional right-handed gratings. Comparisons of polarization conversion properties between right-handed gratings and left-handed gratings are given with physical explanations. This unique merit of left-handed periodic structure is of important significance for accurate design of new millimeter wave TE/TM polarization converters.     

Surface waves at the interface between a dielectric and a topological insulator

Surface waves that propagate along the interface between an isotropic linear or nonlinear (of the Kerr type) dielectric and a topological insulator have been studied theoretically. A dispersion relation for surface waves, which are represented by superpositions of TE and TM waves, has been obtained. This hybridization occurs because, upon passage through the interface, the polarization of a surface wave changes, which is caused by an induced surface current (which is transverse to the electric field vector of the wave). The surface current of this kind is characteristic of topological insulators. Expressions for the energy flux transferred by a surface wave have been given.     

Transmission properties of asymmetric slab waveguides with left-handed materials

A new dielectric slab waveguide with a left-handed material (LHM) cover and substrate is proposed. The dispersion relations and normalized effective thickness of the asymmetric LHM slab waveguide are investigated, in view of the normalized parameters. A number of unusual properties are found, for example, the fundamental and first-order modes do not exist and higher-order modes have double degeneracy. The propagation modes are absent at the low normalized frequency, and the cutoff frequencies of some LHM slab waveguide modes decrease with increase in the asymmetry measure. Unlike traditional slab waveguides, the V –H curves of the LHM slab waveguides are in one-to-one correspondence. Both TE and TM modes are discussed; in addition, the dispersion relations and normalized effective thicknesses of the TM modes are discussed in detail, when the difference in refractive indices of the film and the substrate is small. The results show that the region of mode coexistence taking place near the cutoff frequency becomes narrower with increase in the difference in refractive indices of the film and the substrate. The influence of this difference on the normalized effective thickness curves is different, and becomes smaller and smaller with increase in the value of the asymmetry measure, if different values of the refractive indices are employed.     

Omnidirectional reflection from the one-dimensional photonic crystal containing anisotropic left-handed material

We study the transmission properties in the one-dimensional photonic crystal containing alternate anisotropic left-handed material (LHM) layers and regular isotropic right-handed material (RHM) layers. For such an anisotropic case, the dispersion relation from the Bloch theorem is derived and the Bragg gaps of the periodic structure are observed. It is found that in the m=0 Bragg gap, there is an omnidirectionally reflectional (ODR) region, which is also invariant with a change of scale length, similar with the [`(n)]=0\bar{n}=0 gap in isotropic one-dimensional photonic crystal. With the aid of effective medium theory (EMT), the analytic expressions of all six elements of the effective electric permittivity tensor and magnetic permeability tensor are obtained. By using these results, we investigate the ODR region in the m=0 Bragg gap in all the possible cases of both TE and TM modes. We find that with different choices of parameters, the m=0 Bragg gap has different transmission properties, and the ODR region in it changes, consequently. The edges of the ODR region are given out in these cases. To one's interest, these results predict a complete reflection region in the m=0 Bragg gap, which is able to omnidirectionally reflect waves in both TE and TM modes.     

包含左手材料的四层平板波导中的光导模

研究一个芯子层是左手材料,其他三层由传统材料构成的四层平板光波导系统,利用图解法对各种TE偏振的导波模式的解进行详细分析.研究表明,四层左手材料光波导既能支持振荡导模,也能支持表面导模,与三层左手材料光波导相比较,此四层波导的导波模式呈现一些新的特性.对于中间传统材料层存在振荡场的情形:芯子层支持振荡导模的光波导中存在基模,并且高阶振荡导模出现模式缺失的性质;芯子层支持表面导模的光波导可以支持基模和多个高阶模式,并且存在模式兼并的性质.对于中间传统材料层存在衰减场的情形,此四层波导结构可等效为三层左手材料光波导.这些新的光波导传输性质对各种光波导器件的制作有潜在的应用价值.     

Design of wire-grid polarizer with effective medium theory

A design concept of a wire-grid polarizer, which is based on the effective-medium theory, has been proposed. The effective indices of a wire-grid grating are evaluated with the effective-medium theory. The results show that, the wire-grid grating acts as a metal for TE polarization, but it behaves like a dielectric material for TM polarization. According to the different effective optical properties of the wire-grid grating for the different polarizations, a wire-grid polarizer with a high polarization ratio can be obtained by enhancing both the transmission for TM polarization and the reflection for TE polarization.     

Effect of uniaxial anisotropy of left-handed layers on created surface waves in a one dimensional photonic crystal

We investigate theoretically the creation conditions of TE and TM polarized surface waves created at the interface between a homogeneous medium and one dimensional photonic crystal (1D PC). The 1D PC is composed of uniaxially anisotropic left-handed (LH) and isotropic right-handed (RH) layers. We show that the characteristics of surface waves created in the 1D PC are significantly different from those created in the structure composed of isotropic LH and RH layers. We also prove that the coexistence of TE and TM surface waves at the interface is possible in the same frequency domain. Moreover, it is shown that in this structure backward and forward surface waves are created in wider ranges of frequency and angle of incident light, in comparison with the structure in which the left-handed layers are isotropic.     

Polarization- and direction-independent defect modes in a wide incident-angle range within Bragg gaps by photonic heterostructures containing negative-index materials

We propose a type of photonic heterostructure by combining dielectric one-dimensional (1D) defective photonic crystals (PCs) and magnetic 1D defective PCs. Both of the two PCs consist of alternating positive-index-material (PIM) layers with a negative-index-material (NIM) defect layer. It is demonstrated by transfer matrix method that there is a polarization- and direction-independent defect mode in a wide incident-angle range within Bragg gaps in the heterostructure. The field distributions prove that the dielectric 1D defective PC benefits to achieve the approximately omnidirectional defect mode for TE waves while the magnetic 1D defective PC benefits for TM waves. Such a structure is useful for designing polarization-independent and omnidirectional or large incident angle narrow-passband filters in optical devices.     

Polarization-Independent Directional Beaming of Light by a Subwavelength Metal Slit

We present the directional beaming effect of light at the terahertz frequency by using a subwavelength slit in the metal film. The metal is dressed with anisotropic dielectric so that both the transverse electric （TE） and transverse magnetic （TM） polarized waves can be well guided on the metal surface and reach the phase matching. By using a periodical array of dielectric ridges and grooves around the slit, the guided waves can be scattered out of the slit and interfere with the transmitted light directly through the slit. The results performed by finite-difference at time-domain computations indicate that the directional beaming of light can be obtained simultaneously for both the TE and TM polarized waves after optimizing the geometric parameters. The structure may find great applications in polarization-independent optical devices such as couplers, connectors, beam collimator, and etc.     

Surface stress measurement by the optical waveguide effect in thermally-tempered float glass

Float glasses have tin-diffused layers on one side. These layers show an optical waveguide effect caused by refractive index gradients in the layer. Surface stress, caused by tempering, gives different refractive index distribution for TM and TE waves via the stress birefringence effect. Non-destructive and rapid stress determination is possible by observing the effective index distributions of propagating modes in TM and TE waves.     

Thin-film-based sensitivity enhancement for total internal reflection fluorescence live-cell imaging

We investigated experimentally the evanescent field enhancement based on dielectric thin films in total internal reflection microscopy. The sample employed two layers of Al2O3 and SiO2 deposited on an SF10 glass substrate. Field intensity enhancement measured by fluorescent excitation of microbeads relative to that of a control sample without dielectric films was polarization dependent, determined as 4.2 and 2.4 for TE and TM polarizations, respectively, and was in good agreement with numerical results. The thin-film-based field enhancement was also applied to live-cell imaging of quantum dots, which confirmed the sensitivity enhancement qualitatively.