Theoretical investigation of polarization control in ultraviolet wavelength region using eigenmode within subwavelength grating

The optical characteristics of a subwavelength grating (SWG) were examined as a means of achieving ultraviolet (UV) polarization control based on the interaction between a light wave and Bloch eigenmode wave in the SWG, which results in a spatial periodic refractive index distribution. The relation of dispersion of the eigenmode wavevector was calculated to reveal the light propagation mechanism in this structure. The expected optical characteristics proved the feasibility of obtaining highly polarized UV light with no significant decrease in light intensity. The effects of the higher-order eigenmode on the SWG optical characteristics were also examined and discussed via the finite-difference time-domain method. This approach provides new insight into the SWG design for UV polarization control using the above interaction.

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Optical Review. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10043-016-0293-8.

© The Optical Society of Japan 2016