Abstract

Conventional mirrors convert right-handed circularly polarized waves (RCP) into left-handed circularly polarized waves (LCP) and vice versa, see Fig. 1(a-c). Here we demonstrate a novel type of chiral mirror that will reflect one circular polarization without changing its handedness, while absorbing waves of the opposite handedness, see Fig. 1(d-f). This functionality, which fundamentally relies on planar chirality, is enabling for circularly polarized cavities and lasers, detection of circularly polarized electromagnetic waves and optical activity measurements with resonantly enhanced sensitivity.

© 2015 IEEE