Arrays of infrared micropolarizers

Abstract

High spatial frequency metal gratings have long been recognized as an effective polarizer option for the infrared portion of the spectrum.1 Numerous applications can benefit from the development of arrays of such wire-grid polarizers in which subsets of the polarizers have arbitrary angular orientations. In this paper we describe the design and fabrication of an array of small aperture polarizers (i.e., micropolarizers) for the 3-5 μm wavelength range.