Polarization control of non-diffractive helical optical beams through subwavelength metallic apertures

Lombard, Emmanuel; Drezet, Aurélien; Genet, Cyriaque; Ebbesen, Thomas W.

doi:10.1088/1367-2630/12/2/023027

Cited by 14 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…± ·ρ]ρ = [ρ⊗ρ]·E in ± , the ⊗ symbol denoting a dyadic product [30], the in-plane radially polarized SP near field is connected to the incoming field as E SP = C in · E in by an in-coupling matrix…”

Section: By Rewriting the Polarization Coupling Term [E Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This expression reveals two contributions: a polarization dependent geometric phase, within the matrix, that stems from the spin-orbit coupling at the annular groove, and a factorized dynamic phase that arises due to the spiral twist of the structure [20]. Note, that for m out = m in = 0, T describes a pure spinorbit angular momentum transfer, conserving the total angular momentum [20,[30][31][32]. We can cast in a table these results in the form of summation rules for the OAM generated and transmitted through the membrane.…”

Section: By Rewriting the Polarization Coupling Term [E Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Generating Far-Field Orbital Angular Momenta from Near-Field Optical Chirality

et al. 2013

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We demonstrate that nanostructures carefully designed on both sides of a thin suspended metallic membrane couple light into a chiral near field and transmit vortex beams through a central aperture that connects the two sides of the membrane. We show how far-field orbital angular momentum (OAM) indices can be tailored through nanostructure designs. We reveal the crucial importance of OAM selection rules imposed by the central aperture and derive OAM summation rules in perfect agreement with experimental data. PACS numbers:Structured light beams with phase or polarization singularities, have revealed unique optical properties with applications ranging from super-resolution imaging [1] to high-resolution sensing [2] and from particle micromanipulation [3] to quantum optics [4]. Currently, chiral nanostructures draw promising routes for enhancing singular optical signatures, thus providing extended control over new functionalities in metamaterial science [5] and biomimetics engineering [6,7]. Interestingly, while the connection between optics and chirality is well established for 3 dimensional (3D) chiral structures, the interaction of chiral light with 2D chiral objects is a topic of on-going debate [8][9][10], with strong potential in physical chemistry for chirality enhancement in the near field [11][12][13].Recently, singular optical effects have been discussed in the near field, in particular in relation to chiral surface plasmon (SP) modes which have been shown to carry orbital angular momentum (OAM) [14][15][16][17]. But until now, singular SP modes and associated spin-orbit coupling have only been probed in the near field [18][19][20]. Studies on plasmonic beaming with OAM have been scarce [21,22] and the relation between near-field chirality and OAM in the far field was never addressed.In this Letter, we demonstrate that nanostructures carefully designed on both sides of a thin suspended membrane lead to tailoring optical OAM in the far field. Single and double-sided plasmonic structures consisting of concentric grooves periodically spaced from a central subwavelength aperture -so called plasmonic bull's eye (BE)-have shown extraordinary optical transmission and beaming effects [23,24]. Yet, the OAM behaviour of these structures was not discussed. This Letter presents a comprehensive analysis of the OAM transfer during plasmonic in-coupling and out-coupling by chiral nanostructures at each side of a membrane, stressing in particular the role of a back-side structure in generating vortex beams as e iℓϕ with tunable OAM indices ℓ. With such membranes, we achieve propagating beams carrying OAM up to |ℓ| = 8. Moreover we reveal and analyze the fundamental role of the central aperture in the system's OAM generation through specific selection rules.Our device consists of a suspended thin (h ∼ 300 nm) metallic membrane, fabricated by evaporating a metal film over a poly(vinyl formal) resine supported by a transmission electron microscopy copper grid. After evaporation, the resine is removed using a focused ion-bea...

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Section: By Rewriting the Polarization Coupling Term [E Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: By Rewriting the Polarization Coupling Term [E Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Generating Far-Field Orbital Angular Momenta from Near-Field Optical Chirality

et al. 2013

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“…For this rea-son, these phase devices were called Pancharatnam-Berry optical elements (PBOE). Subwavelength grating PBOEs were however experimentally demonstrated only for midinfrared electromagnetic waves, due to manufacturing limitations (subwavelength-grating PBOEs working in the near-infrared have been reported only recently [23]). In 2006, L. Marrucci et al (initially unaware of Hasman's work) proposed that anisotropic inhomogeneous media such as the liquid crystals could give rise to a previously unrecognized optical process in which the variation of SAM occurring from the medium birefringence gives rise to the appearance of OAM, arising from the medium inhomogeneity [24].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Spin-to-orbital conversion of the angular momentum of light and its classical and quantum applications

Marrucci¹,

Karimi²,

Slussarenko³

et al. 2011

J. Opt.

451

368

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Few years ago the possibility of coupling and inter-converting the spin and orbital angular momentum (SAM and OAM) of paraxial light beams in inhomogeneous anisotropic media was demonstrated. An important case is provided by wave-plates having a singular transverse pattern of the birefringent optical axis, with a topological singularity of charge q at the plate center, hence named "q-plates". The introduction of q-plates has given rise in a few years to a number of new results and to a significant progress in the field of orbital angular momentum of light. Particularly promising are the quantum photonic applications, because the polarization control of OAM allows the transfer of quantum information from the SAM qubit space to an OAM subspace of a photon and vice versa. In this paper, we review the development of the q-plate idea and some of the most significant results that have originated from it, and we will briefly touch on many other related findings concerning the interaction of the SAM and OAM of light.

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“…[1] Currently, manipulating polarization may be realized using anisotropic or chiral materials, but with specific thickness limitations and quite bulky configurations. [2] In order to realize the miniaturization of the devices, some microstructures, such as artificial planar chiral structures, [3][4][5][6][7][8][9] plasmonic crystals, [10] spiral bull-eye structures, [11][12][13][14][15] 3D metamaterials [16,17], and other planar non-chiral metamaterials, [18,19] have been widely investigated experimentally and theoretically. For example, Papakostas et al [4] have observed polarization conversion by metallic gammadion arrays and found rotation in excess of 30˚ in the nonzero-order diffraction.…”

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confidence: 99%

Enhanced Rotation of the Polarization of a Light Beam Transmitted through a Silver Film with an Array of PerforatedS-Shaped Holes

et al. 2013

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In this Letter, we realized an enhanced optical rotation of the zero-order transmitted light through a silver film with an array of perforated S-shaped holes. Different from the previous studies, this effect results from the contribution of both the localized surface plasmons and surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). The rotation angle can be modulated with the thickness due to the phase retardation of the SPPs when tunneling to the emitted surface. With a sample thickness 245 nm, a near-complete cross-polarization conversion (90° optical rotation) can be achieved, representing a major advance in performance compared to the previously reported planar chiral structures.

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Polarization control of non-diffractive helical optical beams through subwavelength metallic apertures

Cited by 14 publications

References 34 publications

Generating Far-Field Orbital Angular Momenta from Near-Field Optical Chirality

Generating Far-Field Orbital Angular Momenta from Near-Field Optical Chirality

Spin-to-orbital conversion of the angular momentum of light and its classical and quantum applications

Enhanced Rotation of the Polarization of a Light Beam Transmitted through a Silver Film with an Array of PerforatedS-Shaped Holes

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