A hybrid spiral plasmonic lens that consists of alternating spiral slot and spiral triangular sub-aperture array can differentiate circular polarization of different handedness and enable a miniature circular polarization analyzer design with high efficiency. The improved performance compared to pure spiral slot lens comes from the fact that the hybrid lens is capable of focusing both the radial and the azimuthal polarization components of a circular polarization, doubling the coupling efficiency. In this paper, the spin-dependent plasmonic focusing properties of a spatially arranged triangular sub-aperture array and a hybrid spiral plasmonic lens are demonstrated using a collection mode near field scanning optical microscope. The coupling efficiency could be further improved through optimizing the geometry of the hybrid lens.

© 2012 OSA

1. W. Chen, D. C. Abeysinghe, R. L. Nelson, and Q. Zhan, “Plasmonic lens made of multiple concentric metallic rings under radially polarized illumination,” Nano Lett.9(12), 4320–4325 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
2. G. M. Lerman, A. Yanai, and U. Levy, “Demonstration of nanofocusing by the use of plasmonic lens illuminated with radially polarized light,” Nano Lett.9(5), 2139–2143 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
3. Q. Zhan, “Evanescent Bessel beam generation via surface plasmon resonance excitation by a radially polarized beam,” Opt. Lett.31(11), 1726–1728 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
4. W. Chen and Q. Zhan, “Realization of an evanescent Bessel beam via surface plasmon interference excited by a radially polarized beam,” Opt. Lett.34(6), 722–724 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. Q. Zhan, “Properties of circularly polarized vortex beams,” Opt. Lett.31(7), 867–869 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
6. S. Yang, W. Chen, R. L. Nelson, and Q. Zhan, “Miniature circular polarization analyzer with spiral plasmonic lens,” Opt. Lett.34(20), 3047–3049 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
7. Y. Gorodetski, A. Niv, V. Kleiner, and E. Hasman, “Observation of the spin-based plasmonic effect in nanoscale structures,” Phys. Rev. Lett.101(4), 043903 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
8. W. Chen, D. C. Abeysinghe, R. L. Nelson, and Q. Zhan, “Experimental confirmation of miniature spiral plasmonic lens as a circular polarization analyzer,” Nano Lett.10(6), 2075–2079 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
9. Z. Wu, W. Chen, D. C. Abeysinghe, R. L. Nelson, and Q. Zhan, “Two-photon fluorescence characterization of spiral plasmonic lenses as circular polarization analyzers,” Opt. Lett.35(11), 1755–1757 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
10. W. Chen, R. L. Nelson, and Q. Zhan, “Geometrical phase and surface plasmon focusing with azimuthal polarization,” Opt. Lett.37(4), 581–583 (2012). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
11. W. Chen, R. L. Nelson, and Q. Zhan, “Efficient miniature circular polarization analyzer design using hybrid spiral plasmonic lens,” Opt. Lett.37(9), 1442–1444 (2012). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
12. Z. Wu, P. E. Powers, A. M. Sarangan, and Q. Zhan, “Optical characterization of wiregrid micropolarizers designed for infrared imaging polarimetry,” Opt. Lett.33(15), 1653–1655 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
13. L. Novotny and B. Hecht, Principles of Nano-Optics (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2006).

Nano Lett.

• W. Chen, D. C. Abeysinghe, R. L. Nelson, and Q. Zhan, “Plasmonic lens made of multiple concentric metallic rings under radially polarized illumination,” Nano Lett.9(12), 4320–4325 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• G. M. Lerman, A. Yanai, and U. Levy, “Demonstration of nanofocusing by the use of plasmonic lens illuminated with radially polarized light,” Nano Lett.9(5), 2139–2143 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• W. Chen, D. C. Abeysinghe, R. L. Nelson, and Q. Zhan, “Experimental confirmation of miniature spiral plasmonic lens as a circular polarization analyzer,” Nano Lett.10(6), 2075–2079 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• Z. Wu, W. Chen, D. C. Abeysinghe, R. L. Nelson, and Q. Zhan, “Two-photon fluorescence characterization of spiral plasmonic lenses as circular polarization analyzers,” Opt. Lett.35(11), 1755–1757 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• W. Chen, R. L. Nelson, and Q. Zhan, “Geometrical phase and surface plasmon focusing with azimuthal polarization,” Opt. Lett.37(4), 581–583 (2012). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• W. Chen, R. L. Nelson, and Q. Zhan, “Efficient miniature circular polarization analyzer design using hybrid spiral plasmonic lens,” Opt. Lett.37(9), 1442–1444 (2012). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Z. Wu, P. E. Powers, A. M. Sarangan, and Q. Zhan, “Optical characterization of wiregrid micropolarizers designed for infrared imaging polarimetry,” Opt. Lett.33(15), 1653–1655 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Q. Zhan, “Evanescent Bessel beam generation via surface plasmon resonance excitation by a radially polarized beam,” Opt. Lett.31(11), 1726–1728 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• W. Chen and Q. Zhan, “Realization of an evanescent Bessel beam via surface plasmon interference excited by a radially polarized beam,” Opt. Lett.34(6), 722–724 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Q. Zhan, “Properties of circularly polarized vortex beams,” Opt. Lett.31(7), 867–869 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• S. Yang, W. Chen, R. L. Nelson, and Q. Zhan, “Miniature circular polarization analyzer with spiral plasmonic lens,” Opt. Lett.34(20), 3047–3049 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rev. Lett.

• Y. Gorodetski, A. Niv, V. Kleiner, and E. Hasman, “Observation of the spin-based plasmonic effect in nanoscale structures,” Phys. Rev. Lett.101(4), 043903 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Other

• L. Novotny and B. Hecht, Principles of Nano-Optics (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2006).

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