Abstract

An all-transparent symmetric trilayer structure, which consists of a high-index center layer coated on both sides by a low-index film and embedded in a high-index prism, can function as an efficient polarizer or polarizing beam splitter under conditions of frustrated total internal reflection over a wide range of incidence angles. For a given set of refractive indices, all possible solutions for the thicknesses of the layers that suppress the reflection of either the p or s polarization at a specified angle, as well as the reflectance of the system for the orthogonal polarization, are determined. A $633\text{\hspace{0.17em} nm}$ design that uses a ${\text{MgF}}_{\text{2}}–\text{ZnS}–{\text{MgF}}_{\text{2}}$ trilayer embedded in a ZnS prism achieves an extinction ratio $\left(\text{ER}\right)>40\text{\hspace{0.17em} dB}$ from 50° to 80° in reflection and an $\text{ER}>20\text{\hspace{0.17em} dB}$ from 58° to 80° in transmission. IR polarizers that use ${\text{CaF}}_{\text{2}}–\text{Ge}–{\text{CaF}}_{\text{2}}$ trilayers embedded in a ZnS prism are also considered.

© 2006 Optical Society of America

Wide-angle, high-extinction-ratio, infrared polarizing beam splitters using frustrated total internal reflection by an embedded centrosymmetric multilayer

Siva R. Perla and R. M. A. Azzam
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Simplified design of thin-film polarizing beam splitter using embedded symmetric trilayer stack

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Polarizing properties of embedded symmetric trilayer stacks under conditions of frustrated total internal reflection: erratum

Rasheed M. A. Azzam and Siva R. Perla
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Circular polarization beam splitter that uses frustrated total internal reflection by an embedded symmetric achiral multilayer coating

R. M. A. Azzam and A. De
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Embedded centrosymmetric multilayer stacks as complete-transmission quarter-wave and half-wave retarders under conditions of frustrated total internal reflection

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J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 24(10) 3255-3260 (2007)