Diffractive beam splitter characterization via a power-recycled interferometer

We used the high-precision laser interferometer technique of power recycling to characterize the optical loss of an all-reflective grating beam splitter. This beam splitter was used to set up a Michelson interferometer with a power-recycling resonator with a finesse of 883. Analyzing the results obtained, we determined the beam splitter's total optical loss to be (0.193+/-0.019)%. Low loss all-reflective beam splitters might find application in future high-power laser interferometers for the detection of gravitational waves.     

Polarization Sagnac interferometer with a reflective grating beam splitter

All-reflective interferometric gravitational-wave detector configurations with a diffraction grating as a power beam splitter have been proposed to reduce thermal lensing. We demonstrate the use of a diffraction grating as a polarization beam splitter in a zero-area polarization Sagnac interferometer.     

Wavelength modulation in a two-window common path interferometer for phase-shifting

A novel and simple method for phase-shifting under the scheme of a two-window 4f common path interferometer configuration with a binary grating at the Fourier plane is proposed. The proposal is based on periodicity variations of the grating grooves in the frequency space, which is emulated in an experimental implementation by changing the wavelength of a tunable laser diode used as the light source. Because of the common path configuration, it is expected to diminish errors due to undesired vibrations and optical aberrations. The viability of the proposal will be sustained with simulated and experimental, which include phase-shifted interferograms and reconstructed wavefronts. Due to the characteristics of the proposed experimental setup, it can be easily replicated and automated.     

Polarization beam splitter based on photonic crystal self-collimation Mach-Zehnder interferometer

A polarization beam splitter based on a self-collimation Mach-Zehnder interferometer (SMZI) in a hole-type silicon photonic crystal was proposed and numerically demonstrated. Utilizing polarization dependence of the transmission spectra of the SMZI and polarization peak matching (PPM) method, the SMZI can work as a polarization beam splitter (PBS) by selecting appropriate path length difference in the structure. Because of its intrinsic operating principle, the PBS possesses high polarization extinction ratios (PERs). As its dimensions are only several operating wavelengths, the PBS may have practical applications in photonic integrated circuits.     

Thermally induced optical multistability with a beam splitter in the degenerate two-beam interferometer configuration

Thermally induced optical multistability has been obtained with light of arbitrary wavelength in a cavity structure with strong interference effects on the input mirror absorption. The system constitutes the degenerate version of the recently introduced two-beam interferometric bistable devices based on a beam splitter yielding in-phase interference outputs.     

Fringe visibility and correlation in Mach-Zehnder interferometer with an asymmetric beam splitter

We study the wave-particle duality in a general Mach-Zehnder interferometer with an asymmetric beam splitter from the viewpoint of quantum information theory. The correlations (including the classical correlation and the quantum correlation) between the particle and the which-path detector are derived when they are in pure state or mixed state at the output of Mach-Zehnder interferometer. It is found that the fringe visibility and the correlations are effected by the asymmetric beam splitter and the input state of the particle. The complementary relations between the fringe visibility and the correlations are also presented.     

Fringe visibility and distinguishability in two-path interferometer with an asymmetric beam splitter

We study the fringe visibility and the distinguishability of a general Mach-Zehnder interferometer with an asymmetric beam splitter. Both the fringe visibility V and the distinguishability D are affected by the input state of the particle characterized by the Bloch vector S =(S_x, S_y, S_z) and the second asymmetric beam splitter characterized by the paramterβ. For the total system is initially in a pure state, it is found that the fringe visibility reaches the upper bound and the distinguishability reaches the lower bound when cosβ=-S_x, The fringe visibility obtain the maximum only if S_x = 0 and β = π/2 when the input particle is initially in a mixed state. The complementary relationship V~2 +D~2 ≤ 1 is proved in a general Mach-Zehnder interferometer with an asymmetric beam splitter, and the conditions for the equality are also presented.     

Polarization phase-shifting lateral shearing interferometer with two polarization beam splitter plates

We proposed a compact and simple polarization phase-shifting lateral shearing interferometer using two polarization beam splitter plates (PBSP). This interferometer is composed of two PBSP, a quarter-wave plate, an analyzer and a CCD camera. With the two PBSP positioned in appropriate spatial positions, optical path difference compensation is achieved, which allows for the implement of aplanatic and common-path shearing interferometer. Therefore, the system possesses significant advantages of simple structure, compact and strong anti-interference ability. The effectiveness of the interferometer is demonstrated by simulations and experiments.     

13.9 nm马赫贞德干涉仪用软X射线分束镜研究

 介绍了13.9 nm马赫贞德干涉仪用软X射线分束镜的设计、制备与性能检测。基于分束镜反射率和透过率乘积最大的评价标准,设计了13.9 nm软X射线激光干涉实验用多层膜分束镜。采用磁控溅射方法在有效面积为10 mm×10 mm、厚度为100 nm的Si3N4基底上镀制了Mo/Si多层膜,制成了多层膜分束镜。利用X射线掠入射衍射的方法测量了Mo/Si多层膜的周期。用扩束He-Ne激光束进行的投影成像方法定性分析了分束镜的面形精度,利用光学轮廓仪完成了分束镜面形精确测量。利用北京同步辐射装置测量了分束镜反射率和透射率,在13.9 nm处,分束镜反射率和透过率乘积达4%。使用多层膜分束镜构建了软X射线马赫贞德干涉仪,并应用于13.9 nm软X射线激光干涉实验中,获得了清晰的含有C8H8等离子体电子密度信息的动态干涉条纹。     

13.9 nm马赫贞德干涉仪用软X射线分束镜研究

介绍了13.9 nm马赫贞德干涉仪用软X射线分束镜的设计、制备与性能检测。基于分束镜反射率和透过率乘积最大的评价标准,设计了13.9 nm软X射线激光干涉实验用多层膜分束镜。采用磁控溅射方法在有效面积为10 mm×10 mm、厚度为100 nm的Si3N4基底上镀制了Mo/Si多层膜,制成了多层膜分束镜。利用X射线掠入射衍射的方法测量了Mo/Si多层膜的周期。用扩束He-Ne激光束进行的投影成像方法定性分析了分束镜的面形精度,利用光学轮廓仪完成了分束镜面形精确测量。利用北京同步辐射装置测量了分束镜反射率和透射率,在13.9 nm处,分束镜反射率和透过率乘积达4%。使用多层膜分束镜构建了软X射线马赫贞德干涉仪,并应用于13.9 nm软X射线激光干涉实验中,获得了清晰的含有C8H8等离子体电子密度信息的动态干涉条纹。     

Deep silicon grating as high-extinction-ratio polarizing beam splitter

A deep binary silicon grating as high-extinction-ratio reflective polarizing beam splitter （PBS） at the wavelength of 1550 nm is presented. The design is based on the phenomenon of total internal reflection （TIR） by using the rigorous coupled wave analysis （RCWA）. The extinction ratio of the rectangular PBS grating can reach 2.5~105 with the optimum grating period of 397 nm and groove depth of 1.092 μm. The efficiencies of TM-polarized wave in the 0th order and TE-polarized wave in the -1st order can both reach unity at the Littrow angle. Holographic recording technology and inductively coupled plasma （ICP） etching could be used to fabricate the silicon PBS grating.     

On use of ghost-less beam splitter in reversal shear interferometer for measurement of spatial coherence of large cross-section laser beam

A configuration of reversal shear interferometer suitable for measurement of spatial coherence of high average power, large cross-section laser beam has been discussed. Ghost-less beam splitters in which unwanted multiple reflections from the surfaces have been suppressed by total internal reflection are used for beam splitting and re-combination. Advantages and drawbacks of this configuration have been discussed.     

Highly sensitive oxygen gas sensor using surface plasmon with a common path homodyne interferometer

We constructed an oxygen gas sensing system in which the concentration of the oxygen gas was determined by measuring the phase change related to the surface plasmon with a common path homodyne interferometer. Hemoglobin was used as a sensing material for the oxygen sensor system. It was experimentally found that the detection limit of oxygen gas was as low as 10 ppm in oxygen concentration and the average time for the reaction between oxygen gas and hemoglobin was less than 0.42 s at room temperature.     

Optical realization of a quantum beam splitter

We show how the quantum process of splitting light may be modeled in classical optics. A second result is the possibility to engineer specific forms of a classical field.     

Five-port beam splitter of a single-groove grating

A single-groove grating for five-port TE-polarization beam splitting under normal incidence at the wavelength of 1550 nm is presented. The transmitted diffraction efficiency of the gratings is over 94.5% with uniformity better than 2%. A physical view of diffraction inside the grating is presented by the simplified modal method(SMM).Initial parameters of the grating profiles are obtained by use of SMM and then optimized by employing rigorous coupled-wave analysis and the simulated annealing algorithm.     

Optimal quantum cloning on a beam splitter

We demonstrate how a beam splitter in combination with different light sources can be used as an optimal universal 1-->2 quantum cloner and as an optimal universal quantum NOT machine for the polarization qubit of a single photon. For the cloning a source of single photons with maximally mixed polarization is required and for the NOT operation a source of maximally entangled photon pairs. We demonstrate both operations with near optimal fidelity. Our scheme can be generalized in a natural way to clone and NOT the spin state of electrons.     

Phase profile analysis of transparent objects through the use of a two windows interferometer based on a one beam splitter configuration

In this research we implemented a two windows interferometer based on polarization phase shifting and grating interferometry techniques in order to retrieve the phase data profile of the object in a single capture. The optical configuration has two optical beams with circular polarization in opposite directions, and it is coupled with a 4-f system. An amplitude grid is used as a filter which is placed at the Fourier plane to obtain replicas of each beam which can properly interfere, depending on the separation between beams. The interferometer presents the capability of changing the beam separation in order to make different orders interfere properly. The interference patterns produced can be separately modulated through the operation of linear polarizer's placed on each interference replica. In order to present the capabilities of the system we will select four interferograms result of contiguous orders interference.