Polarization switchable two-color plasmonic nano-pixels for creating optical surfaces encoded with dual information states

Abstract

We demonstrate tunable, polarization-dependent, dual-color plasmonic filters based upon arrays of asymmetric crossshaped nano-apertures. Acting as individual color emitting nano-pixels, each aperture can selectively transmit one of 2 colors, switched by controlling the polarization of white-light incident on the rear of each pixel. By tuning the dimensions of the pixels we build a polarization sensitive color palette at resolutions far beyond the diffraction limit. Using this switchable color palette we are able to generate complex optical surfaces encoded with dual color and information states; allowing us to embed two color images within the same unit area, using the same set of nanoapertures.