Highly Sensitive Polarization Rotation Measurement through a High‐Order Vector Beam Generated by a Metasurface. Issue 5 (24th January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yue, Fuyong; Aglieri, Vincenzo; Piccoli, Riccardo; Macaluso, Roberto; Toma, Andrea; Morandotti, Roberto; Razzari, Luca
• Is Part Of: Advanced materials technologies. Volume 5:Issue 5(2020)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2020-01-24
• Subjects: metasurfaces -- orbital angular momentum of light -- polarization measurements -- vector beams; Materials science -- Periodicals; Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Materials science; Technological innovations; Periodicals; 620.1105
• DOI: 10.1002/admt.201901008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2365-709X

Abstract

Abstract: The precise determination of the polarization state of light is fundamental for a vast variety of applications in remote sensing, astronomy, optics and terahertz technology, to name just a few. Typically, polarization characterization is performed by using a combination of multiple optical devices such as beam splitters, polarizers, and waveplates. Moreover, to achieve high‐precision, balanced photodetectors and lock‐in amplifiers are employed, thus contributing to increasing system complexity. Here, a technique for polarization rotation measurements with a dynamic range of 180° and a sensitivity of about 10 −2 degrees is realized using a properly designed metasurface. Such device generates a vector beam with an azimuthally‐dependent polarization distribution, as a result of the superposition of two vortex beams carrying opposite orbital angular momenta ( ℓ = ±30). After propagation through a linear polarizer, the spatial intensity profile of such a beam turns into 60 lobes. By tracking the displacement of only two of these lobes on a camera, the rotation of the input polarization state can be retrieved with high resolution. The proposed approach offers a new route toward the development of compact high‐precision polarimeters and can also be exploited in quantum information processing, optical communications, as well as nonlinear and chiral optics. Abstract : A metasurface‐based technique exploiting the orbital angular momentum of light to measure polarization rotations with a sensitivity of about 10 −2 degrees is reported. The approach of this work offers a new route toward the development of integrated high‐precision polarimeters operating in a vast range of frequencies spanning from the visible to the terahertz range.