title: A subwavelength slit as a quarter-wave retarder.
abstract: We have experimentally studied the polarization-dependent transmission properties of a nanoslit in a gold film as a function of its width. The slit exhibits strong birefringence and dichroism. We find, surprisingly, that the transmission of the polarization parallel to the slit only disappears when the slit is much narrower than half a wavelength, while the transmission of the perpendicular component is reduced by the excitation of surface plasmons. We exploit the slit's dichroism and birefringence to realize a quarter-wave retarder.
authors: Huygens Laboratory, Leiden University, P. O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands. chimento@physics.leidenuniv.nl
authors: Philip F
authors: PF
authors: Chimento
authors: Nikolay V
authors: NV
authors: Kuzmin
authors: Johan
authors: J
authors: Bosman
authors: Paul F A
authors: PF
authors: Alkemade
authors: Gert
authors: G
authors: W't Hooft
authors: Eric R
authors: ER
authors: Eliel
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008027:Light; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation