Metasurface Polarization Optics: Independent Phase Control of Arbitrary Orthogonal States of Polarization

Metasurface Polarization Optics: Independent Phase Control of Arbitrary Orthogonal States of Polarization

14 March 2017 | J. P. Balthasar Mueller, Noah A. Rubin, Robert C. Devlin, Benedikt Groever, and Federico Capasso
This paper presents a method for independently controlling the phase of any pair of orthogonal polarization states—linear, circular, or elliptical—using metasurfaces composed of simple, linearly birefringent waveplate elements. Unlike previous designs that only addressed linear or limited circular polarizations, this approach enables full control over arbitrary orthogonal polarization states by combining propagation and geometric phases. The key idea is that by varying both the shape and orientation of the waveplate elements, any desired phase profiles can be imposed on the input polarization states. This capability significantly expands the scope of metasurface polarization optics, allowing for new polarization-switchable optical components. The paper demonstrates this approach through the design and testing of chiral holograms and elliptical polarization beamsplitters. For chiral holograms, a single metasurface can encode separate holograms for right and left circular polarizations, with the far-field intensity profiles matching the design with high accuracy. For elliptical polarization beamsplitters, the metasurface is designed to split orthogonal elliptical polarizations at specific angles, with the polarization states of the split beams matching the designed states closely. The method is based on the combination of propagation and geometric phases, which allows for the imposition of arbitrary phase profiles on any two orthogonal polarization states. The Jones matrix of each waveplate element is determined by the desired phase shifts and target polarization states, ensuring that the output polarization states are the same as the input states with flipped handedness. This approach enables the design of polarization-switchable lenses, more versatile q-plates, and improved metasurface polarimeters. The work highlights the potential of metasurfaces as a powerful platform for polarization optics, offering a broad range of applications in optical components and devices. The results demonstrate the ability to control polarization states with high precision, opening new avenues for research and development in optical engineering.This paper presents a method for independently controlling the phase of any pair of orthogonal polarization states—linear, circular, or elliptical—using metasurfaces composed of simple, linearly birefringent waveplate elements. Unlike previous designs that only addressed linear or limited circular polarizations, this approach enables full control over arbitrary orthogonal polarization states by combining propagation and geometric phases. The key idea is that by varying both the shape and orientation of the waveplate elements, any desired phase profiles can be imposed on the input polarization states. This capability significantly expands the scope of metasurface polarization optics, allowing for new polarization-switchable optical components. The paper demonstrates this approach through the design and testing of chiral holograms and elliptical polarization beamsplitters. For chiral holograms, a single metasurface can encode separate holograms for right and left circular polarizations, with the far-field intensity profiles matching the design with high accuracy. For elliptical polarization beamsplitters, the metasurface is designed to split orthogonal elliptical polarizations at specific angles, with the polarization states of the split beams matching the designed states closely. The method is based on the combination of propagation and geometric phases, which allows for the imposition of arbitrary phase profiles on any two orthogonal polarization states. The Jones matrix of each waveplate element is determined by the desired phase shifts and target polarization states, ensuring that the output polarization states are the same as the input states with flipped handedness. This approach enables the design of polarization-switchable lenses, more versatile q-plates, and improved metasurface polarimeters. The work highlights the potential of metasurfaces as a powerful platform for polarization optics, offering a broad range of applications in optical components and devices. The results demonstrate the ability to control polarization states with high precision, opening new avenues for research and development in optical engineering.
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[slides and audio] Metasurface Polarization Optics%3A Independent Phase Control of Arbitrary Orthogonal States of Polarization.