Tunable giant two-dimensional optical beam shift from a tilted linear polarizer

Abstract

We demonstrate an intriguing giant optical beam shift in a tilted polarizer system analogous to the Imbert-Fedorov shift in partial reflection around the Brewster's angle of incidence. We explain this giant shift using a generalized theoretical treatment for beam shift in a tilted uniaxial anisotropic material incorporating the three-dimensional orientation of its optic axis in the laboratory frame. We further demonstrate regulated control and tunability of both the magnitude and direction of the shifts by wisely tuning the input polarization and the corresponding orientation angles. These findings open up the possibility of precise micron-level beam steering using a simple linear polarizer.