Propagation of polarized light in opals: Amplitude and phase anisotropy

The interaction of linearly polarized light with photonic crystals based on bulk and thin-film synthetic opals is studied. Experimental transmission spectra and spectra showing the polarization state of light transmitted through opals are discussed. A change in polarization is found for waves experiencing Bragg diffraction from systems of crystallographic planes of the opal lattice. It is shown that the polarization plane of the incident linearly polarized wave at the exit from photonic crystals can be considerably rotated. In addition, incident linearly polarized light can be transformed to elliptically polarized light with the turned major axis of the polarization ellipse. Analysis of polarization states of transmitted light by using the transfer-matrix theory and homogenization theory revealed good agreement between calculated and experimental spectra.     

Polarization transforming properties of Dove prisms

We analyze the polarization changes introduced by a rotated Dove prism on the linearly polarized light, using the Jones calculus and the exact ray trace analysis. The state of polarization changes from the linear to a mildly elliptical one when a plane wave front passes through a rotated Dove prism: its semi-major axis is nearly parallel to the input plane of polarization, for any angle of prism rotation. The interferogram contrast remains high for all shearing angles in spite of polarization changes when the Dove prism is incorporated into a rotational shearing interferometer. These results are confirmed experimentally.     

The effect of the optical anisotropy of scattering media on the polarization state of scattered light

The effect of the optical anisotropy of scattering media on the polarization state of scattered light is studied. The study is performed using a simple polarization method based on the comparison of the spectral composition of the co-and cross-polarized components of transmitted light measured for samples differently oriented with respect to the plane of polarization of probe linearly polarized light. The experimental results obtained are interpreted theoretically in terms of ordinary methods used in optics of birefringent media. Using rat skin as an example, it is shown that surface tissues can be characterized by a high degree of orientational order of the local optical axis of a medium within large areas (with a size of 5 mm or more), which manifests itself in macroscopic optical measurements. In such measurements in the spectral range 550–700 nm, whole rat skin behaves as a partially depolarized phase plate with a difference between the principal refractive indices Δn ≈ 0.00023.     

Theory of coupled mode oscillation in a laser with axial magnetic field

The nonlinear laser theory without noise is applied to calculate amplitudes, frequencies and beat frequencies of two circularly polarized modes in a laser with axial magnetic field. The resonator is allowed to have different damping constants for waves polarized inx- andy-direction. For small beat frequencies frequency locking occurs, and the modes combine to a linearly or elliptically polarized mode. The plane of polarization rotates with increasing magnetic field up to ± π/4.     

Different angle-resolved polarization configurations of Raman spectroscopy: A case on the basal and edge plane of two-dimensional materials

Angle-resolved polarized Raman(ARPR) spectroscopy can be utilized to assign the Raman modes based on crystal symmetry and Raman selection rules and also to characterize the crystallographic orientation of anisotropic materials.However, polarized Raman measurements can be implemented by several different configurations and thus lead to different results. In this work, we systematically analyze three typical polarization configurations: 1) to change the polarization of the incident laser, 2) to rotate the sample, and 3) to set a half-wave plate in the common optical path of incident laser and scattered Raman signal to simultaneously vary their polarization directions. We provide a general approach of polarization analysis on the Raman intensity under the three polarization configurations and demonstrate that the latter two cases are equivalent to each other. Because the basal plane of highly ordered pyrolytic graphite(HOPG) exhibits isotropic feature and its edge plane is highly anisotropic, HOPG can be treated as a modelling system to study ARPR spectroscopy of twodimensional materials on their basal and edge planes. Therefore, we verify the ARPR behaviors of HOPG on its basal and edge planes at three different polarization configurations. The orientation direction of HOPG edge plane can be accurately determined by the angle-resolved polarization-dependent G mode intensity without rotating sample, which shows potential application for orientation determination of other anisotropic and vertically standing two-dimensional materials and other materials.     

Optic axis determination accuracy for fiber-based polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography

We present a generalized analysis of fiber-based polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography with an emphasis on determination of sample optic axis orientation. The polarization properties of a fiber-based system can cause an overall rotation in a Poincaré sphere representation such that the plane of possible measured sample optic axes for linear birefringence and diattenuation no longer lies in the QU-plane. The optic axis orientation can be recovered as an angle on this rotated plane, subject to an offset and overall indeterminacy in sign such that only the magnitude, but not the direction, of a change in orientation can be determined. We discuss the accuracy of optic axis determination due to a fundamental limit on the accuracy with which a polarization state can be determined as a function of signal-to-noise ratio.     

Effect of a dielectric film on the characteristics of an open Fabry-Perot resonator cavity

It is demonstrated that placing a thin dielectric film inside the cavity of an open Fabry-Perot resonator, at an angle to its axis, will remove the polarizational degeneracy of the principal TEM_q00 oscillation modes. Upon excitation of such a resonator cavity by a plane wave, the reflected electromagnetic field is in general elliptically polarized. The shape of the resonance curve depends on the thickness of that film, on its orientation inside the cavity, on the conditions under which the cavity has been excited, and on the conditions under which the reflected signal appears in the receiver. Changing the polarization plane of the incident plane wave does not result in a smooth variation of the resonator Q factor.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 21, No. 11, pp. 1648–1652, November, 1978.     

An ultrathin transparent metamaterial polarization transformer based on a twist-split-ring resonator

In this paper, an ultrathin transparent metamaterial polarization transformer using a circular twist-split-ring resonator (TSRR) was proposed and investigated experimentally and numerically. The experimental and simulated results exhibit an asymmetric transmission only for forward and backward propagating linearly polarized waves. An incident linearly polarized wave can convert its polarization nearly completely to the cross direction after transmission under certain conditions. The simulated spatial evolution of the electric field further indicates that the twist structure functions as a perfect polarization transformer at certain frequencies.     

Optical anisotropy of surface-emitting ZnSe/BeTe LEDs

The electric field-induced in-plane optical anisotropy (Pockels effect) of ZnSe/BeTe multi-layered heterostructures has been studied by analysing the linear polarization of the spatially indirect photoluminescence. A pronounced quantum-confined Pockels effect was found in ZnSe/BeTe double-barrier structures. A tight-binding model is proposed which consistently interprets the experimental findings and suggests a new mechanism for the effect as realized in type-II heterostructures. The model takes into account that the ZnSe/BeTe heterosystem exhibits a type-II band alignment with large band offsets and that in the zinc-blende lattice the chemical bonds are oriented in 〈111〉 directions and, when shifted along the [001] principal axis, alternatively change their orientation in the (001) plane from [1 1 0] to [110] and vice versa. A light-emitting diode based on a single ZnSe/BeTe interface is demonstrated.     

Subwavelength polarization rotators via double-layer metal hole arrays

We show that the polarization of linearly polarized light can be rotated an arbitrary angle by double-layer metal hole array structures in a subwavelength regime. The transmitted light with the rotated polarization, however, remains of nearly the same strength as the incident field at particular frequencies. The mechanism can be attributed to the subwavelength feature of the rectangular holes, and the tangential guiding modes between layers modulated by the orientation of the holes. The structures have potential applications as polarization rotators in a broad frequency range covering from terahertz (THz) to infrared frequencies.     

Laser-induced periodic surface structures formed on the sidewalls of microholes trepanned by a femtosecond laser

Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSSs) were observed on the sidewalls of 300-μm-diameter holes trepanned on cemented tungsten carbide using femtosecond laser pulses at a wavelength of 800 nm. For a circularly polarized beam, LIPSSs were formed at a period of 300 nm and oriented perpendicularly to the plane of incidence on the sidewalls. For a linearly polarized beam, LIPSS formation was dependent on the relative angle α between the polarization direction and the plane of incidence. For relative angles α from 0° to 70° and from 110° to 180°, LIPSS spacing was 300 nm. However, there were two types of LIPSSs coexisting from 70° to 110°. One had a spacing of 120 nm and the other had a spacing that varied from 500 to 760 nm. It was found that the orientation angle of LIPSSs measured between the LIPSS orientation and the plane of incidence had a nonlinear dependence on α. To understand this dependence, a model was proposed in which LIPSSs are assumed to align perpendicularly to the direction of the absorbed electric field lying in the tangent plane of the sidewall of a drilled hole. The calculated results from this model showed good agreement with the experimental results.     

Controlled rotation and orientation of rubrene particles and Escherichia coli using optical tweezers

Optical trapping and rotating of suspended micro-sized rubrene particles were performed using optical tweezers with circularly polarized light. The experimental results show that the rotation speed of the rubrene particles is proportional to the laser power, and the orientation of the rubrene particles can be controlled by the optical tweezers with linearly polarized light. Interestingly, by combining with the rubrene particle, the Escherichia coli (E. coli) can be rotated and oriented by optical tweezers. However, the rotating and orientating are mainly determined by the characteristics of rubrene particles. Our experiment provides a simple and convenient way to orient biological particles even if they are not sensitive to the polarization of the laser beam. Moreover, the rubrene can emit strong fluorescence when excited by the laser at the wavelength of 532 nm, and which can be potential applied to manipulate other particles with the fluorescence characteristics.     

Spirally polarized beams for polarimetry measurements of deterministic and homogeneous samples

The use of spirally polarized beams (SPBs) in polarimetric measurements of homogeneous and deterministic samples is proposed. Since across any transverse plane such beams present all possible linearly polarized states at once, the complete Mueller matrix of deterministic samples can be recovered with a reduced number of measurements and small errors. Furthermore, SPBs present the same polarization pattern across any transverse plane during propagation, and the same happens for the field propagated after the sample, so that both the sample plane and the plane where the polarization of the field is measured can be chosen at will. Experimental results are presented for the particular case of an azimuthally polarized beam and samples consisting of rotated retardation plates and linear polarizers.     

Energy extraction of Porro resonator in Pockels cell Q-switch operation

Deviation of a practical Pockels cell Q-switch bias voltage from the ideal bias value significantly affects the extraction of useful output energy. The losses of two practical bias voltages are calculated and the properly rotated angle towards the right-hand side prism of the Porro resonator is determined to simulate the different losses. The losses are due to deviation of the Q-switch bias voltage from the ideal value. It not only degrades the useful output energy, but introduces a useless energy loss in the reverse output direction. For the different losses of these two practical Pockels cell bias voltages, the useful output energy difference is about 30%. The useful output energy and lost energy ratios of the two equivalent loss configurations are 0.54 and 0.89, respectively. These ratios agreed quite well with the theoretical results.     

显微物镜聚焦光场任意三维偏振方向的控制

线性偏振光在显微物镜焦斑处入射,与径向偏振光相干叠加产生三维偏振光场,通过调节两束光光强比率和入射线偏振光偏振方向实现聚焦光场任意三维偏振方向的控制.基于矢量光场衍射理论建立了仿真计算模型,对所提三维偏振方向控制方法的可行性进行理论验证和实验评估.构建实际控制光路并进行初步测试,实验结果表明了该方法的可行性,且相比于其他三维偏振控制方法,本文所提方法和其控制光路更为简单易实现.     

Electrically-Controllable Liquid Crystal Polarizing Filter for Eliminating Reflected Light

A high-speed controllable polarizing filter has been developed to eliminate obstructive polarized light reflected from glass and watery surfaces for image pickup in video media program producing and marine dynamic remote sensing. In this device, the polarization plane of incident light is rotated through 0°, 45°, 90° or 135° by an electrically-controllable polarization rotator composed of 45° and 90° twisted nematic liquid crystal cells, and the polarization component of reflected light is absorbed by a fixed polarizing film. It selectively absorbs more than 80% of incident white light linearly polarized in an arbitrary direction. With the drastic reduction of reflected light, the object images hidden by the bright reflected light are clearly captured in real time. Another type of polarizing filter, using a guest-host liquid crystal cell instead of the polarizing film, controls light absorption as well as polarization angle.     

折叠式角锥棱镜谐振腔的偏振特性理论与实验研究

建立了角锥棱镜的偏振模型,分析了角锥棱镜对入射线偏振光的偏振态的影响,分析表明角锥棱镜的单个入射区域存在特殊的偏振方向,该方向的线偏振光被角锥棱镜反射后仍然是线偏振光。利用角锥棱镜的该特性设计了腔内存在线偏振光振荡的角锥棱镜激光谐振腔,能够使用电光开关调Q,在振动环境中具有较好的抗失调稳定性。研制了激光器样机并进行了实验,在重复频率为10 Hz时,输出激光单脉冲能量大于300 mJ,光束质量因子β值在2左右,实验结果也表明角锥棱镜的棱和顶点并不影响输出激光的光束质量。     

磁光玻璃光纤的偏振特性及其在全光纤电流传感器中的应用

在磁光玻璃裸光纤偏振特性研究的基础上，研制磁光玻璃光纤，偏振特性及其在全光纤电流传感器中的应用。将采用模管法拉制成的磁光玻璃光纤置于亥姆霍兹线圈产生的磁场中，当线偏振光通过该光纤时，其偏振面旋转一定角度，把该角度转换成光信号的强度，然后再用仪器进行检测。通过对线偏振光偏振面在磁场中的偏振特性的测试与实验，提出用磁光玻璃光纤构成的全光纤电流传感器，可用于电流和磁场测试。     

A type of electro-optic Q-switch designed by using optically active crystal

A type of electro-optic Q-switch is designed by using optically active crystal La₃Ga₅SiO₁₄ (abbreviated as LGS), in which the polarization plane gyration and electro-optic effect exist simultaneously. The configuration of the Q-switch is based on the consideration that the total rotation angle of the polarization plane of the polarized laser is zero, while the laser in the cavity propagates through the Pockels cell back and forth. The Q-switch placed in a Nd^{3 +}:YAG laser behaves normally, like those without optical activity. Compared with the DKDP Q-switch, the LGS Q-switch has more superiorities, which make it a suitable replacement for the DKDP Q-switch in lasers with medium-output energy.     

Manipulation of the overall polarization orientation in the focal volume of high numerical objectives

We propose an approach for tuning the three-dimensional polarization of a focusing subwavelength spot by a high numerical aperture objective. The incident beams are composed of a radially polarized beam, an azimuthally polarized beam, and a linearly polarized beam with three different weighting factors, respectively. A specially designed adjustable amplitude angular selector is also inserted at the back aperture of the objective for tuning the polarization azimuthally. It is shown that any desired overall polarization orientation can be obtained. We calculated the overall polarization orientation in the focal volume. It is found that the polar angle of the overall polarization orientation can be arbitrarily tuned by the combination of a radially polarized beam and a linearly polarized beam with different weighting factors, and the azimuthal angle can be tuned by rotating the orientation of the linearly polarized beam azimuthally.