Abstract

In-line polarimeters perform nonterminating measurements of a light beam’s state and degree of polarization by sampling only a small part of the total light intensity. In-line polarimeters are used in applications such as polarization state generators and in optical communications. A new class of engineered optical structures, the so-called metasurfaces, offers a way to tailor the amplitude, phase or polarization of light waves using subwavelength structures. Metasurfaces provide a promising platform for simplifying and miniaturizing existing optical components [1]. We present a new in-line, polarization preserving polarimeter design based on our previously reported metasurface formed by arrays of nanoantennas [2]. Our design promises excellent accuracy, compact design, potential for low-cost mass production, and wavelength scalability well beyond the wavelength range presently investigated.

© 2017 IEEE