Broadband wave plates: Approach from one-dimensional photonic crystals containing metamaterials

Broadband wave plates working in subwavelength scale are realized by one-dimensional photonic crystals containing negative-index materials. It is demonstrated that the phase shift of reflected wave as a function of frequency changes smoothly within the stop band of the photonic crystal, while it changes sharply within the pass band. In the stop band, the difference between the phase of TE and that of TM reflected wave could remain constant in a rather wide frequency range. These properties are useful for designing compact wave plates or phase retarders which can be used in broad spectral bandwidth.