Configurable optical retarder based on plasmonic grating integrated with bimorph actuator

Author

Shimura, Toshihiro ; Iwami, Kentaro ; Ishii, M. ; Umeda, Norihiro

Author_Institution

Tokyo Univ. of Agric. & Technol., Tokyo, Japan

fYear

2014

fDate

17-21 Aug. 2014

Firstpage

139

Lastpage

140

Abstract

A configurable optical retarder based on an active plasmonic grating for visible wavelength is reported. Due to giant birefringence induced on a slit between gold grating lines, a half-wave plate can be developed with a subwavelength thickness. In this research, the grating consists of Au/Si bimorph beams and by actuating interleaved beams by Joule heating, effective thickness of slits is adjusted, then the retardation is configured. From an electromagnetic field analysis, it is found that the retardation can be modulated from 330 to 90 degrees. Structural birefringence of the grating is demonstrated.

Keywords

actuators; birefringence; diffraction gratings; gold; optical retarders; silicon; Au-Si; Joule heating; active plasmonic grating; bimorph actuator; configurable optical retarder; electromagnetic field analysis; giant birefringence; gold grating lines; half-wave plate; slits effective thickness; structural birefringence; visible wavelength; Gold; Gratings; Optical device fabrication; Optical polarization; Optical retarders; Plasmons; Silicon;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Optical MEMS and Nanophotonics (OMN), 2014 International Conference on

Conference_Location

Glasgow

ISSN

2160-5033

Print_ISBN

978-0-9928-4140-9

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/OMN.2014.6924560

Filename

6924560