Metasurface-based circular polarizer with a controllable phase and its application in holographic imaging

Abstract

A diatomic circular polarizer based on a single-layered metasurface is proposed. This metasurface circular polarizer carries the controllable phase besides the desired circular dichroism, which is different from the existing circular polarizers. The diatoms contain two nanoholes equivalent to half-wave plates with a specified cross angle and a fixed phase difference. The alternative circular polarization transmission of this circular polarizer depends on the relative angular position of diatoms, and the controllable phase of this circular polarizer can be adjusted through rotating nanoholes. The generation of the optical vortex and holographic imaging verifies the polarization and phase manipulation of the diatomic circular polarizer. The numerical simulations and the experimental measurement give the powerful verification. Simple design, compact structure, and poly-functionality enable the wide applications of circular polarizer in integrated and polarized optics.