We introduce a novel polarizing beam splitter that uses the anisotropic spectral reflectivity (ASR) characteristic of a high-spatial-frequency multilayer binary grating. Such ASR effects allow us to design an optical element that is transparent for TM polarization and reflective for TE polarization. For normally incident light our element acts as a polarization-selective mirror. The properties of this polarizing beam splitter are investigated with rigorous coupled-wave analysis. The design results show that an ASR polarizing beam splitter can provide a high polarization extinction ratio for optical waves from a wide range of incident angles and a broad optical spectral bandwidth.

© 1996 Optical Society of America

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