Silicon metasurface-based infrared polarizing beam splitter with on-demand deflection angles

Polarizing beam splitters (PBSs) play an important role in applications requiring polarization multiplexing or high polarization purity. Traditional prism-based PBSs usually have large volumes, which hampers their further applications in ultracompact integrated optical systems. Here, we demonstrate a single-layer silicon metasurface-based PBS with the ability to deflect two orthogonally linearly polarized infrared light beams to on-demand angles. The metasurface consists of silicon anisotropic microstructures, which can provide different phase profiles for the two orthogonal polarization states. In experiments, two metasurfaces designed with arbitrary deflection angles for x- and y-polarized light exhibit good splitting performance at an infrared wavelength of 10 mu m. We envision that this type of planar and thin PBS can be used in a series of compact thermal infrared systems. (c) 2023 Optica Publishing Group

Automated summary

We demonstrate a single-layer silicon metasurface-based polarizing beam splitter (PBS) that can deflect two orthogonally linearly polarized infrared light beams to on-demand angles. This metasurface consists of silicon anisotropic microstructures, providing different phase profiles for the two orthogonal polarization states. Experimental results show good splitting performance for x- and y-polarized light at a wavelength of 10 μm. This planar and thin PBS has potential applications in compact thermal infrared systems.