Circular Polarization States Research Articles

Transverse spin and transverse momentum in scattering of plane waves.

We study the near field to the far field evolution of spin angular momentum (SAM) density and the Poynting vector of the scattered waves from spherical scatterers. The results show that at the near field, the SAM density and the Poynting vector are dominated by their transverse components. While the former (transverse SAM) is independent of the helicity of the incident circular polarization state, the latter (transverse Poynting vector) depends upon the polarization state. It is further demonstrated that the interference of the transverse electric and transverse magnetic scattering modes enhances both the magnitudes and the spatial extent of the transverse SAM and the transverse momentum components.

Band-Limited Filters and Bragg Reflectors in Perturbed Defect Nanostructures of Chiral Sculptured Thin Films

Sculptured thin films (STFs) are engineered films having tailored morphology and high porosity. Henceforth, we can elicit desired optical responses upon light excitation in these films. The oblique deposition of the nanocolumns and the resulting anisotropic properties have been discovered over the past decade. Their discovery has lead to unique and predictable optical, mechanical, electrical, magnetic, thermal, and biological properties. To study the optical response of such STFs, we introduced a central defect in a perturbed chiral STF (CSTF), which transmits light of one circular polarization state and reflects the other in a spectral Bragg regime. The perturbed CSTF reflects light of both circular polarization states in the Bragg regime if the amplitude of modulation of vapor incident angle increases. A structurally chiral layer defect or either central twist defect in a perturbed matched CSTF fabricated a narrow bandpass (ultranarrow bandstop filter) and Bragg reflectors depending upon the thickness and periods of these nanostructures. However, both the ultranarrow bandstop filter and Bragg reflectors have become polarization insensitive by the appropriate modulation of the tilt nanohelixes of perturbed CSTFs. Moreover, simulation revealed that the polarization-insensitive Bragg mirrors, laser mirror, and Bragg reflector were fabricated using such CSTF structures having structural defect. These structural nanomaterials are very tolerant when the amplitude of modulation of vapor incident angle is sufficiently large. It has been also examined that different STFs structures of different refractive indices and porosity are fabricated by changing deposition angle and angle of inclination through modulation and glancing angle deposition.

Circular Differential Two-Photon Luminescence from Helically Arranged Plasmonic Nanoparticles

We report the observation of a circular differential two-photon photoluminescence (TPPL) response from a three-dimensional chiral metamaterial, comprising a system of achiral (spherical) metal nanoparticles arranged on a chiral (helical) dielectric template. The enhanced dipolar response of the individual particles arising from their strong electromagnetic coupling resulted in strong photoluminescence under peak illumination intensities as low as 2 × 103 W/cm2. The TPPL signal was of approximately equal magnitude but of opposite sign, which depended on both the circular polarization state of the incident beam and the handedness of the helical geometry. The strong chiro-optical effect observed in these experiments may be relevant to technologies related to nonlinear plasmonics, in particular imaging applications where control over the polarization state of the imaged photons may be desirable.

Spin-Dependent Emission from Arrays of Planar Chiral Nanoantennas Due to Lattice and Localized Plasmon Resonances.

Chiral plasmonic nanoantennas manifest a strong asymmetric response to circularly polarized light. Particularly, the geometric handedness of a plasmonic structure can alter the circular polarization state of light emitted from nearby sources, leading to a spin-dependent emission direction. In past experiments, these effects have been attributed entirely to the localized plasmonic resonances of single antennas. In this work, we demonstrate that, when chiral nanoparticles are arranged in diffractive arrays, lattice resonances play a primary role in determining the spin-dependent emission of light. We fabricate 2D diffractive arrays of planar chiral metallic nanoparticles embedded in a light-emitting dye-doped slab. By measuring the polarized photoluminescence enhancement, we show that the geometric chirality of the array's unit cell induces a preferential circular polarization, and that both the localized surface plasmon resonance and the delocalized hybrid plasmonic-photonic mode contribute to this phenomenon. By further mapping the angle-resolved degree of circular polarization, we demonstrate that strong chiral dissymmetries are mainly localized at the narrow emission directions of the surface lattice resonances. We validate these results against a coupled dipole model calculation, which correctly reproduces the main features. Our findings demonstrate that, in diffractive arrays, lattice resonances play a primary role into the light spin-orbit effect, introducing a highly nontrivial behavior in the angular spectra.

Polarization properties of light scattered off solutions of chiral molecules in non-forward direction

Measuring the optical activity from an ensemble of chiral molecules is a common tool to know their stereo-structure. These measurements are done in the same propagation direction of the probe beam of light, because that is the direction where most signal is emitted. We provide experimental and theoretical evidence that, even though other interesting information may be gathered when collecting light emitted in other directions, for most molecules, the phenomenon of optical activity is only present in the forward scattering direction. The fundamental reason behind this is that forward scattered light preserves the circular polarization states due to the cylindrical symmetry of the system, an essential requirement for optical activity. An important exemption happens in dual molecules, i.e., molecules which present the same response to electric and magnetic fields. We present a series of experiments measuring the optical activity and the scattering of chiral solutions in the forward and perpendicular directions. We experimentally show that these molecules present optical activity and preservation of circular polarization in the forward direction, while the polarization pattern in non-forward directions is much more complex and, in particular, does not preserve the circular polarization. Finally, we show that when probing the particle with different wavelengths, the scattering in non-forward directions presents some interesting structural features which are hidden in the forward measurements.

Demonstration of a snapshot full-Stokes division-of-aperture imaging polarimeter using Wollaston prism array

A snapshot full-Stokes division-of-aperture imaging polarimeter using a Wollaston prism array (WPA) is theoretically described and experimentally demonstrated. Two-dimensional spatial distributions of six polarization eigenstates, linear (0°, 90°, 45°, 135°), and left and right circular polarization states, are identified and separated by the WPA simultaneously and projected onto the six portions of a single focal-plane array by a lens array. The conditions of the measurement matrix formed by the six polarization modulation channels are naturally superior for immunity to Gaussian and Poisson noise. The unique properties of the WPA, such as its high extinction ratio, optical efficiency and transmittance, can further ensure the achievement of immunity. The snapshot principle and the conditions of the measurement matrix are discussed. A proof-of-concept system using a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor for visible light is built and validated using laboratory and outdoor measurements.

Polarization reconfigurable patch antenna with electric current disturbance

A polarization reconfigurable patch antenna with electric current disturbance is proposed in this paper. The proposed antenna mainly consists of a rhombus-shaped patch with a single feed, two conductive pads with a via hole, and two PIN diodes. The antenna can produce the linear polarization (LP), right-hand circular polarization (RHCP), and left-hand circular polarization (LHCP) by adjusting bias state of two PIN diodes. Besides, positions of the PIN diodes help that a bias circuit can be simply designed. The fabricated antenna provides a 10-dB bandwidth of 50 MHz in the two-off state of PIN diodes (LP, 2.635–2.685 GHz), 60 MHz in the two-on state of PIN diodes (LP, 2.625–2.685 GHz), 100 MHz in the RHCP and LHCP (2.57–2.67 GHz). Besides, it has −3 dB axial ratio bandwidth of 55 MHz in the circular polarization states. Details of the antenna design are shown, and the simulated and measured results for the constructed prototype are also presented and discussed.

Switchable quarter-wave plate with graphene based metamaterial for broadband terahertz wave manipulation.

Graphene is a good candidate material in designing tunable terahertz devices due to its tunability of sheet conductivity. In this paper, we propose a scheme to design switchable quarter-wave plate for terahertz wave that is composed of graphene based grating and metallic grating structures. The proposed active device can dynamically switch the transmission wave among left-handed, right-handed circular polarization and linear polarization states by electrically controlling the Fermi energy of the graphene grating. The device is analyzed with grating circular polarizer theory and its performance is investigated through full wave simulations on practically realizable geometry. The proposed quarter-wave plate having a subwavelength thickness demonstrates a wide angle of incidence tolerance, and a broad bandwidth operation. This device concept offers a further step in developing tunable polarizers and polarization switchers, which may be applied in practical terahertz image and communication systems.

A novel x-ray circularly polarized ranging method**Projects supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61172138 and 61401340), the Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China (Grant No. 2013JQ8040), the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (Grant No. 20130203120004), the Open Research Fund of the Academy of Satellite Application,

Range measurement has found multiple applications in deep space missions. With more and further deep space exploration activities happening now and in the future, the requirement for range measurement has risen. In view of the future ranging requirement, a novel x-ray polarized ranging method based on the circular polarization modulation is proposed, termed as x-ray circularly polarized ranging (XCPolR). XCPolR utilizes the circular polarization modulation to process x-ray signals and the ranging information is conveyed by the circular polarization states. As the circular polarization states present good stability in space propagation and x-ray detectors have light weight and low power consumption, XCPolR shows great potential in the long-distance range measurement and provides an option for future deep space ranging. In this paper, we present a detailed illustration of XCPolR. Firstly, the structure of the polarized ranging system is described and the signal models in the ranging process are established mathematically. Then, the main factors that affect the ranging accuracy, including the Doppler effect, the differential demodulation, and the correlation error, are analyzed theoretically. Finally, numerical simulation is carried out to evaluate the performance of XCPolR.

Spectral hole filters using tilt-modulated chiral sculptured thin films

A defect-free chiral sculptured thin film (STF) reflects light of one circular polarization state and transmits that of the other in a spectral regime, called the Bragg regime. A tilt-modulated chiral STF reflects light of both circular polarization states in the Bragg regime if the amplitude of modulation is sufficiently large. A twist defect in an unmodulated chiral STF results in either a narrow passband or an ultranarrow stopband filter depending upon the thickness of that STF. An ultranarrow passband filter can also be realized using a twist defect in the tilt-modulated chiral STF, if that STF is sufficiently thick. Furthermore, it was seen that the polarization-insensitive mirrors fabricated using tilt-modulated chiral STFs are very tolerant of twist defects if the amplitude of modulation is sufficiently large.

Metasurface holograms reaching 80% efficiency.

Surfaces covered by ultrathin plasmonic structures--so-called metasurfaces--have recently been shown to be capable of completely controlling the phase of light, representing a new paradigm for the design of innovative optical elements such as ultrathin flat lenses, directional couplers for surface plasmon polaritons and wave plate vortex beam generation. Among the various types of metasurfaces, geometric metasurfaces, which consist of an array of plasmonic nanorods with spatially varying orientations, have shown superior phase control due to the geometric nature of their phase profile. Metasurfaces have recently been used to make computer-generated holograms, but the hologram efficiency remained too low at visible wavelengths for practical purposes. Here, we report the design and realization of a geometric metasurface hologram reaching diffraction efficiencies of 80% at 825 nm and a broad bandwidth between 630 nm and 1,050 nm. The 16-level-phase computer-generated hologram demonstrated here combines the advantages of a geometric metasurface for the superior control of the phase profile and of reflectarrays for achieving high polarization conversion efficiency. Specifically, the design of the hologram integrates a ground metal plane with a geometric metasurface that enhances the conversion efficiency between the two circular polarization states, leading to high diffraction efficiency without complicating the fabrication process. Because of these advantages, our strategy could be viable for various practical holographic applications.

Hybrid polarization-angle multiplexing for volume holography in gold nanoparticle-doped photopolymer.

We report on volume holographic hybrid polarization-angle multiplexing in a gold nanoparticle-doped photopolymer. When doping the gold nanoparticles, the linear photoinduced birefringence of the phenanthrenequinone-doped poly (methyl methacrylate) (PQ/PMMA) photopolymer could be increased by nearly 38%. The data pages could be recorded with the orthogonal circular polarization multiplexing, and the reconstructed images have a symbol-error rate of 3.81% and 4.46% for left circular polarization and right circular polarization state, respectively. Two biological image sets multiplexed both with the angle interval of 0.1° and with orthogonal circular polarization are reconstructed separately and simultaneously.

Performance characterization of a broadband vector Apodizing Phase Plate coronagraph.

One of the main challenges for the direct imaging of planets around nearby stars is the suppression of the diffracted halo from the primary star. Coronagraphs are angular filters that suppress this diffracted halo. The Apodizing Phase Plate coronagraph modifies the pupil-plane phase with an anti-symmetric pattern to suppress diffraction over a 180 degree region from 2 to 7 λ/D and achieves a mean raw contrast of 10(-4) in this area, independent of the tip-tilt stability of the system. Current APP coronagraphs implemented using classical phase techniques are limited in bandwidth and suppression region geometry (i.e. only on one side of the star). In this paper, we introduce the vector-APP (vAPP) whose phase pattern is implemented through the vector phase imposed by the orientation of patterned liquid crystals. Beam-splitting according to circular polarization states produces two, complementary PSFs with dark holes on either side. We have developed a prototype vAPP that consists of a stack of three twisting liquid crystal layers to yield a bandwidth of 500 to 900 nm. We characterize the properties of this device using reconstructions of the pupil-plane pattern, and of the ensuing PSF structures. By imaging the pupil between crossed and parallel polarizers we reconstruct the fast axis pattern, transmission, and retardance of the vAPP, and use this as input for a PSF model. This model includes aberrations of the laboratory set-up, and matches the measured PSF, which shows a raw contrast of 10(-3.8) between 2 and 7 λ/D in a 135 degree wedge. The vAPP coronagraph is relatively easy to manufacture and can be implemented together with a broadband quarter-wave plate and Wollaston prism in a pupil wheel in high-contrast imaging instruments. The liquid crystal patterning technique permits the application of extreme phase patterns with deeper contrasts inside the dark holes, and the multilayer liquid crystal achromatization technique enables unprecedented spectral bandwidths for phase-manipulation coronagraphy.

Symmetry-selective third-harmonic generation from plasmonic metacrystals.

Nonlinear processes are often governed by selection rules imposed by the symmetries of the molecular configurations. The most well-known examples include the role of centrosymmetry breaking for the generation of even harmonics, and the selection rule related to the rotational symmetry in harmonic generation for fundamental beams with circular polarizations. While the role of centrosymmetry breaking in second harmonic generation has been extensively studied in plasmonic systems, the investigation of selection rules pertaining to circular polarization states of harmonic generation is limited to crystals, i.e., symmetries at the atomic level. In this Letter we demonstrate the rotational symmetry dependent third harmonic generation from nonlinear plasmonic metacrystals. We show that the selection rule can be imposed by the rotational symmetry of metacrystals embedded into an isotropic organic nonlinear thin film. The results presented here may open new avenues for designing symmetry-dependent nonlinear optical responses with tailored plasmonic nanostructures.

Fast electron spin resonance controlled manipulation of spin injection into quantum dots

In our spin-injection light-emitting diodes, electrons are spin-polarized in a semimagnetic ZnMnSe spin aligner and then injected into InGaAs quantum dots. The resulting electron spin state can be read out by measuring the circular polarization state of the emitted light. Here, we resonantly excite the Mn 3d electron spin system with microwave pulses and perform time-resolved measurements of the spin dynamics. We find that we are able to control the spin polarization of the injected electrons on a microsecond timescale. This electron spin resonance induced spin control could be one of the ingredients required to utilize the quantum dot electrons or the Mn spins as qubits.

Modeling and simulation of polarization errors in Sagnac fiber optic current sensor

Sagnac fiber optic current sensor (S-FOCS) is a kind of optical interferometer based on Sagnac structure, optical polarization states of sensing light wave in Sagnac fiber optic current sensor are limited. However, several factors induce optical polarization error, and non-ideal polarized light waves cause the interference signal crosstalk in sensor, including polarizer, quarter-wave retarder, splice angular, birefringence and so on. With these errors, linearly polarized light wave in PM fiber and circularly polarized light wave in sensing fiber become elliptically polarized light wave, then, nonreciprocal phase shift induced by magnetic field of the current is interrupted by wrong polarization state. To clarify characteristics of optical polarization error in fiber optic current sensor, we analyze the evolution process of random optical polarization state, linear optical polarization state and circular optical polarization state in Sagnac fiber optic current sensor by using Poincare sphere, then, build optical polarization error models by using Jones matrix. Based on models of polarization state in Sagnac fiber optic current sensor, we investigate the influence of several main error factors on optical polarization error characteristics theoretically, including extinction ratio in polarizer, phase delay in quarter-wave retarder, splice angular between quarter-wave retarder and polarization maintaining fiber. Finally, we simulate and quantify nonreciprocal phase shift to be detected in fiber optic current sensor related with optical polarization errors. In the end, we demonstrate S-FOCS in test. The results show that transfer matrix errors are induced by inaccurate polarization properties during polarization state conversion, then, the stability and accuracy of the S-FOCS are affected, and it is important to control the polarization properties at each step of the polarization state conversion precisely.

The circular Bragg phenomenon

Exhibited by structurally chiral materials—such as Reusch piles, cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs), and chiral sculptured thin films (STFs)—due to their helical nonhomogeneity along a fixed axis, the circular Bragg phenomenon is the almost total reflection of the incident light of the co-handed circular-polarization state but very little reflection of the incident light of the cross-handed circular-polarization state. Manifesting itself in spectral regimes that depend on the angle of incidence, the structural period, and the relative permittivity dyadic, the phenomenon amounts to the formation of a light pipe that bleeds energy backward under appropriate conditions. Mild dissipation and dispersion do not significantly affect the circular Bragg regime. Every structurally chiral material of sufficient thickness is essentially a circular-polarization-sensitive band-rejection filter. Cascades of these materials with or without structural defects can be used to satisfy complex filtering requirements, such as multiband, narrowband, and ultra-narrowband filtering. A shift in the circular Bragg regime due to infiltration of a chiral STF by a fluid enables optical sensing. Sources of circularly polarized light can be fabricated by embedding emission sources in CLCs and chiral STFs.

Design of vibration-insensitive Sagnac fiber-optic current sensors using spun high-birefringence fibers

A novel fiber-optic current sensing element is proposed to enhance sensor performance using spun high-birefringence fibers. Such element includes three fiber sections. Two terminal sections with a varying spin rate along the fiber are utilized to replace the fiber quarter-wave plates, each converting the light polarization state from linear to circular and vice versa. The middle section with a uniform spin rate is utilized as the current sensing fiber that maintains the circular polarization state during the light propagation. The fiber is also wound into a special geometric structure so that the Sagnac phase shift can be inherently eliminated, and the sensing result does not depend on the position of the current conductor. The evolution of the light polarization state was analyzed using coupled-mode theory with different polarization state incidents in the sensing fiber. A sensor scheme based on this type of spun fiber is also proposed.

Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser With a Chiral Nematic Liquid Crystal Overlay

We demonstrate measurement results of the light emission of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with chiral liquid crystal (CLC) overlay (CLC-VCSEL). Two different CLC materials with different chiral-phase temperature range are presented and compared. The CLC layer acts as an external cavity for the VCSEL for one circular polarization state that results in complex polarization behavior inside the VCSEL cavity. We find that the emission of the device is purely circularly polarized with a degree of circular polarization higher than the degree of linear polarization of the stand-alone VCSEL. The threshold current of the CLC-VCSEL is decreased, and the emission wavelength of the CLC-VCSEL can be temperature tuned over a larger range compared with that of the stand-alone VCSEL. Numerical results reveal that the small reflection at the top CLC has a much larger influence on the laser dynamics than the stand-alone configuration.

Surface composition of near-Earth Asteroid (4953) 1990 MU: Possible fragment of (6) Hebe

Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) are interesting as both a threat to the Earth and as the immediate parent bodies of most meteorites. We observed NEA (4953) 1990 MU using the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) and University of Hawaii (U.H.) telescopes on Mauna Kea to constrain its surface composition and origin. The surface composition of 1990 MU is similar to ordinary chondrites (H chondrites). The calculated olivine and pyroxene chemistry of 1990 MU (Fa13.5±1.3 and Fs12.7±1.4) are consistent with the olivine and pyroxene chemistry ranges for H chondrites (Fa15–21 and Fs13–19) (Dunn, T.L., McCoy, T.J., Sunshine, J.M., McSween, H.Y. [2010]. Icarus 208, 789–797), although the estimated Fa value is at the lower end of the H chondrite range. The olivine abundance ratio of 1990 MU (0.57±0.03) is slightly higher but not inconsistent with H chondrites (0.47–0.55±0.03). The radar circular polarization ratio (same circular polarization state or SC/opposite circular polarization state or OC) (Benner, L.A.M., Ostro, S.J., Magri, C., Nolan, M.C., Howell, E.S., Giorgini, J.D., Jurgens, R.F., Margot, J.L., Taylor, P.A., Busch, M.W., Shepard, M.K. [2008]. Icarus, 198, 294–304) of 1990 MU is 0.36±0.03, which is higher than the mean SC/OC ratio for S-type NEAs (0.270±0.079). The 1990 MU SC/OC is also higher than those of (25143) Itokawa (0.27±0.04), (4179) Toutatis (0.29±0.01) and (433) Eros (0.28±0.06) suggesting a rougher surface at decimeter scale (Benner, L.A.M., Ostro, S.J., Magri, C., Nolan, M.C., Howell, E.S., Giorgini, J.D., Jurgens, R.F., Margot, J.L., Taylor, P.A., Busch, M.W., Shepard, M.K. [2008]. Icarus, 198, 294–304). We constrained the diameter of 1990 MU (4.4km) using the average albedo at 0.55μm of H chondrites (0.21) and absolute magnitude (H) of 14.1 (Flower, J.W., Chillemi J.R. [1992]. IRAS Asteroid Data Processing: The IRAS Minor Planet Survey, Philips Laboratory Technical Report PL-TR-92-2049. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, pp. 17–43). This diameter is higher than the 2.8km value from Harris et al. (Harris, A.W. et al. [2011]. Astron. J. 141, 10) using an albedo of 0.52 for 1990 MU. This albedo value is unusually high for H chondrites, which have an albedo range of 0.12–0.30. We compared olivine and pyroxene chemistries of 1990 MU with main belt Asteroid (6) Hebe, probable parent body of H chondrite meteorites and IIE irons (Gaffey, M.J., Gilbert, S.L. [1998]. Meteor. Planet. Sci. 33, 1281–1295), and found that 1990 MU has more high-calcium pyroxene than Hebe. Fayalite and ferrosilite values of the two asteroids are consistent with H chondrites but do not overlap each other. The differences could be due to compositional variations observed on Hebe by Gaffey and Gilbert (Gaffey, M.J., Gilbert, S.L. [1998]. Meteor. Planet. Sci. 33, 1281–1295), although the observed rotational variation in spectral parameters does not match well with those of 1990 MU.