Circular polarization beam splitter that uses frustrated total internal reflection by an embedded symmetric achiral multilayer coating.
A symmetric achiral trilayer structure, which consists of a high-index center layer sandwiched between two identical low-index films and embedded in a high-index prism, is designed to produce equal and opposite quarter-wave retardation in reflection and transmission and equal throughput for the p and s polarization at oblique incidence. Such a device splits a beam of incident linearly polarized light into two orthogonally circularly polarized components of equal power that travel in different directions. A visible (633-nm) design that operates at a 60 degree angle of incidence and an infrared (10.6-microm) 45 degree cube design are presented. The spectral and angular sensitivities of the device are also considered.
Azzam
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Department of Electrical Engineering, University of New Orleans, Lakefront, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148, USA. razzam@uno.edu
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