Lamellar Gratings as Polarization Components for Specularly Reflected Beams

Abstract

High spatial frequency lamellar gratings are shown to function as phase compensators, quarter-wave and half-wave retarders, and polarization rotators that operate on specularly reflected (zeroth-order) beams . These gratings are designed using rigorous coupled-wave and modal grating diffraction theories . Controlling the geometrical parameters of these gratings allows for engineering the phase retardation and polarization conversion introduced to a reflected beam . Fabrication and operational tolerances for these elements are discussed . Wavelength and polar angle of incidence variation affect the performance of these elements more strongly than variations in other geometrical and operational parameters .

<title>Fascination and challenge of subwavelength-structured interfaces</title>

“…A quarter-wave retarder is obtained when h/A = 0.155 and a half-wave plate is obtained when h/A = 0.215. Use of oblique or conical incidence is also possible [1,2]. 6 Guided-mode resonance filters Narrow-band reflectors may be realized by combining a subwavelength-period grating with a waveguide structure [13].…”

“…We will consider briefly both the fascinating potential applications of subwavelength-period gratings and the challenge of their fabrication. More complete treatments of the theoretical aspects of subwavelength-period gratings may be found in recent and forthcoming books [1,2]. 2 Theoretical models for subwavelength-period gratings We will consider in this paper mainly lamellar diffraction gratings of depth h, with a refractive-index distribution of the form n(x) = fli when 0 < x < C and n(x) = 2 when c < x < d. Here d is the grating period and the indices ni and n2 may, in general, be complex.…”

Phase and Amplitude Behaviour in Conical Diffraction Near the Resonant Excitation of Surface Plasmons

“…The behaviour of the phases in other experiments involving metallic surfaces [7,9,10], has not only theoretical interest, since it clearly evidences the resonant nature of the coupling between photons and surface plasmons, but also gives rise to interesting interferometric applications . Recent studies on phase properties of diffracted light include the case of reflection and transmission gratings in classical mountings [11] and the case of high spatial frequency lamellar grating in conical mountings [12] .…”

A Modal Analysis of Lamellar Diffraction Gratings in Conical Mountings

“…In (B-10) and the inner products are those defined in (28) and (37), and the subscript s indicates that the weight function o ¢') should be used in the integral. By using (55) and (47), it can be shown that the two sub-matrices in (8)(9)(10)(11) …”

“…In many applications, lameUar gratings are used in conical mountings [11]. Recently, a modal analysis of lamellar gratings in conical mountings was presented by Peng [12].…”