Polarizing beam splitter of a deep-etched fused-silica grating

We described a highly efficient polarizing beam splitter (PBS) of a deep-etched binary-phase fused-silica grating, where TE- and TM-polarized waves are mainly diffracted in the -1st and 0th orders, respectively. To achieve a high extinction ratio and diffraction efficiency, the grating depth and period are optimized by using rigorous coupled-wave analysis, which can be well explained based on the modal method with effective indices of the modes for TE/TM polarization. Holographic recording technology and inductively coupled plasma etching are employed to fabricate the fused-silica PBS grating. Experimental results of diffraction efficiencies approaching 80% for a TE-polarized wave in the -1st order and more than 85% for a TM-polarized wave in the 0th order were obtained at a wavelength of 1550 nm. Because of its compact structure and simple fabrication process, which is suitable for mass reproduction, a deep-etched fused-silica grating as a PBS should be a useful device for practical applications.     

Unified design of wavelength-independent deep-etched fused-silica gratings

We present a unified design of wavelength-independent deep-etched fused-silica gratings as polarizing beam splitters and polarization-independent two-port beam splitters by using the simplified modal method. By defining unified grating parameters as the ratio of incident wavelength to grating period and the ratio of groove depth to grating period, unified grating structures are found to be approximately wavelength-independent, which is based on the modal view of the accumulated phase difference of two excited propagating grating modes. Diffraction efficiencies given by the rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) verified this unified design at the wavelength of 1064 nm. It should be noted that this unified design of wavelength-independent gratings is an analytic result, which is impossible to be derived with the well-known numerical RCWA. Modal method is powerful and presents a clear physical picture for us to obtain this unified design. Therefore, this unified design can be used as a general guideline for designing deep-etched fused-silica gratings as beam splitters for practical applications from ultraviolet to near infrared.     

Polarizing beam splitter of two-layer dielectric rectangular transmission gratings in Littrow mounting

We theoretically investigated the design of polarizing beam splitters (PBS) of two-layer dielectric rectangular transmission gratings in Littrow mounting. The PBS grating is aimed to separate TE and TM polarized waves into two different transmitted orders, i.e. the 0th and −1st orders. The polarization-dependent diffraction process is analyzed by using a simplified modal method. The mode reflection and transmission at the interface of the two layers are illustrated. Design equations are given based on the average mode indices of the even and odd modes inside the grating region, which are verified by using rigorous coupled wave analysis. Moreover, with simulated annealing algorithm, two kinds of two-layer PBS gratings are optimized for operation over the C-band (1520-1570 nm). Compared with the single-layer transmission PBS gratings, such two-layer scheme exhibits a great flexibility of design. The PBSs of two-layer dielectric transmission gratings should be useful for practical applications.     

Modal analysis of deep-etched low-contrast two-port beam splitter grating

Modal analysis of a deep-etched low-contrast two-port beam splitter grating under Littrow mounting is presented. The guideline for the design of a subwavelength transmission fused-silica phase grating as high-efficiency grating, polarizing beam splitter (PBS), and two-port beam splitter, is summarized. As an example, a polarization-independent two-port beam splitter grating is designed at wavelength of 1064 nm. We firstly analyzed the physical essence of the grating by the simplified modal method. The guideline for the grating design and the approximate grating parameters are obtained. Then using the rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) with parameters varying around the approximate ones, optimum grating parameters can be determined. With the design guideline, the time for the rigorous calculation of the grating profile parameters can be reduced significantly.     

Polarizing binary diffraction grating beam splitter

We report a polarizing beam splitter that uses binary phase gratings written onto a liquid-crystal spatial light modulator. These gratings produce several linearly polarized diffracted orders and a zeroth-order beam whose polarization state can be completely controlled. Experimental results are shown.     

Dual-function beam splitter of high contrast gratings

we preset the design and rabrication of a novel auai-iunction hign contrast gratings that can De usea as a polarizationselective beam splitter with transverse magnetic polarization,which performs two independent functions,i.e.,reflection focusing and power equalization at a wavelength of 1550 nm.This dual-function grating profile is optimized by the rigorous coupled-wave analysis and the finite-element method.Simple analytical expressions of phase and modal guideline for the beam splitter design are given.The beam splitter based on the grating structure is experimentally studied at a distance of 160 μm from the reflection plane,the results are consistent with the theoretical results basically.     

Polarizing beam splitter based on a double-layer subwavelength grating

A Si–ZnS double-layer subwavelength grating is theoretically used as a high-efficient polarizing beam splitter. To design this structure, the rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) is applied to study the reflectivity and transmissivity for the TE and TM polarization, respectively. Simulation results show that both the zero-order reflection for TE polarization and the zero-order transmission for TM polarization can exceed 90% in a wide tunable working incident angle range from 48° to 72°. Moreover, the proposed polarizing beam splitter has a working wavelength that is in the range of 1500–1600 nm.     

Polarization-independent triangular-groove fused-silica gratings with high efficiency at a wavelength of 1550 nm

We describe polarization-independent triangular-groove fused-silica gratings illuminated by incident lights in the C + L bands as (de)multiplexers for dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) application. The physical mechanisms of the grating can be shown clearly by using the simplified modal method with consideration of the corresponding accumulated average phase difference of two excited propagating grating modes, which illustrates that the grating structure depends mainly on the ratio of the average effective indices difference to the incident wavelength. Exact grating profile is optimized by using the rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA). With the optimized grating parameters, the grating exhibits diffraction efficiencies of greater than 90% under TE- and TM-polarized incident lights for 101 nm spectral bandwidths (1500-1601 nm) and it can reach an efficiency of more than 99% for both polarizations at a wavelength of 1550 nm. Without loss of metal absorption, coating of dielectric film layers, the designed triangular-groove fused-silica grating should be of great interest for DWDM application.     

Design of a 50/50 splitting ratio non-polarizing beam splitter based on the modal method with fused-silica transmission gratings

The optical design of a beam splitter that has a 50/50 splitting ratio regardless of the polarization is presented. The non-polarizing beam splitter (NPBS) is based on the fused-silica rectangular transmission gratings with high intensity tolerance. The modal method has been used to estimate the effective index of the modes excited in the grating region for TE and TM polarizations. If a phase difference equals an odd multiples of π/2 for the first two modes (i.e. modes 0 and 1), the incident light will be diffracted into the 0 and ?1 orders with about 50% and 50% diffraction efficiency for TM and TE polarizations, respectively.     

High-efficiency fused-silica transmission gratings

We describe the design, fabrication, and performance of high-efficiency transmission gratings fabricated in bulk fused silica for use in high-power ultraviolet laser systems. The gratings exhibit a diffraction efficiency of 94% in order m=-1 and a damage threshold greater than 13>J/cm( 2) for 3-ns pulses at 351 nm. Model calculations and experimental measurements are in good agreement.     

Slow light beam splitter

We demonstrate a slow light beam splitter using rapid coherence transport in a wall-coated atomic vapor cell. We show that particles undergoing random and undirected classical motion can mediate coherent interactions between two or more optical modes. Coherence, written into atoms via electromagnetically induced transparency using an input optical signal at one transverse position, spreads out via ballistic atomic motion, is preserved by an antirelaxation wall coating, and is then retrieved in outgoing slow light signals in both the input channel and a spatially-separated second channel. The splitting ratio between the two output channels can be tuned by adjusting the laser power. The slow light beam splitter may improve quantum repeater performance and be useful as an all-optical dynamically reconfigurable router.     

Reflecting polarizing beam splitter

We propose and experimentally demonstrate the use of metal-covered lamellar relief gratings as a polarizing beam splitter operating at a single wavelength near Littrow incidence. We report the characteristics of a grating produced by holography and reactive ion etching that was calculated for operation as beam splitter at lambda = 633 nm (for a He-Ne laser).     

Optimal design of sub-wavelength metal rectangular gratings for polarizing beam splitter based on effective medium theory

A novel optimal design of sub-wavelength metal rectangular gratings for the polarizing beam splitter (PBS) is proposed. The method is based on effective medium theory and the method of designing single layer antireflection coating. The polarization performance of PBS is discussed by rigorous couple-wave analysis (RCWA) method at a wavelength of 1550~nm. The result shows that sub-wavelength metal rectangular grating is characterized by a high reflectivity, like metal films for TE polarization, and high transmissivity, like dielectric films for TM polarization. The optimal design accords well with the results simulated by RCWA method.     

A planar waveguide beam splitter

A 50:50 beam splitter for the light and matter waves based on a planar waveguide is studied. The light version of such a beam splitter is demonstrated experimentally. Applications of such a beam splitter in atom optics, interferometry and lithography are discussed.     

一种激光平行分束器的设计

为满足波面剪切干涉和双细光束干涉曲反射表面非接触精密测量、台阶高度测量以及其他平行分光需要,利用双折射晶体特性,研究并设计了一种单一平板激光平行分束器。当一束激光入射到双折射晶体时,它的2个相互正交的的偏振分量将有不同的折射特性,因此特定晶轴方向和厚度的晶体平行平板可以实现入射光束的平行分束。描述了双折射晶体平行平板的分束原理,推导了分束距离与光轴方向、晶体厚度、入射角的关系,分析了分束距离随主要设计参数的变化规律。采用设计的晶体激光分束器进行了实验测试,验证了分析与实测结果的一致性。     

Polarizing properties of wire gratings in the long wave infrared

The parameters of wire gratings with various relationships between their period and the spacing of the wires have been studied experimentally. It is shown that a single grating with a period of 30 m and a wire diameter of 8 m polarizes not less than 92% of radiation in the 150–650 m wavelength range, while two such gratings polarize almost all the radiation in this range.     

近红外消偏振分光膜设计近红外消偏振分光膜设计

大角度倾斜入射时,光学薄膜表现出强烈的偏振效应。入射光S分量和P分量的反射率和透射率曲线,以及反射或透射引起的两个分量的相位变化都不再相同,彼此有一定的偏振分离。通过对产生偏振效应内在原因的分析,采用一个在近红外波段对于45倾斜入射光的S分量和P分量等效导纳非常接近的膜系结构,结合单纯形法优化算法,设计得到一个1 500～1 600 nm范围内反射率都是50％的近红外消偏振分光膜。结果显示,在45入射时,S分量和P分量的反射率曲线偏振分离小,反射和透射引起的相位变化也控制在很小范围。     

Self-collimating photonic crystal polarization beam splitter

We present theoretical and experimental results of a polarization splitter device that consists of a photonic crystal (PhC) slab, which exhibits a large reflection coefficient for TE and a high transmission coefficient for TM polarization. The slab is embedded in a PhC tile operating in the self-collimation mode. Embedding the polarization-discriminating slab in a PhC with identical lattice symmetry suppresses the in-plane diffraction losses at the PhC-non-PhC interface. The optimization of the PhC-non-PhC interface is thereby decoupled from the optimization of the polarizing function. Transmissions as high as 35% for TM- and 30% for TE-polarized light are reported.