Electromagnetically induced polarization conversion

Electromagnetically induced transparency and polarization conversion due to interference between two polarization-selective plasmonic resonances coexisting in the same planar metamaterial are studied. The metasurface represents a periodic array of two topologically distinct metamolecules combined on the same substrate: i) monopole antennas connected to wires and supporting a high-Q resonance radiatively coupled to x-polarization, and ii) dipolar antennas supporting a low-Q resonance coupled to y-polarization. We demonstrate that due to the interaction between these modes through a capacitive coupling between the metamolecules, one can observe a circularly-polarized Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) and thereby achieve an efficient ultra-thin quarter-wave plate. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.