Properties of a Variable-delay Polarization Modulator
Abstract
We investigate the polarization modulation properties of a variable-delay polarization modulator (VPM). The VPM modulates polarization via a variable separation between a polarizing grid and a parallel mirror. We find that in the limit where the wavelength is much larger than the diameter of the metal wires that comprise the grid, the phase delay derived from the geometric separation between the mirror and the grid is sufficient to characterize the device. However, outside of this range, additional parameters describing the polarizing grid geometry must be included to fully characterize the modulator response. In this paper, we report test results of a VPM at wavelengths of 350 microns and 3 mm. Electromagnetic simulations of wire grid polarizers were performed and are summarized using a simple circuit model that incorporates the loss and polarization properties of the device.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1106.5984,
title = {Properties of a Variable-delay Polarization Modulator},
author = {David T. Chuss and Edward J. Wollack and Ross Henry and Howard Hui and Aaron J. Juarez and Megan Krejny and S. Harvey Moseley and Giles Novak},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1106.5984},
year = {2014}
}
Comments
25 pages, 10 figures, accepted by Applied Optics