Polarization-Dependent Scattering of Nanogratings in Femtosecond Laser Photowritten Waveguides in Fused Silica

Abstract

The properties of polarization-selective, light-guiding systems upon subwavelength nanogratings formation in the case of type II refractive index traces induced by femtosecond laser pulses in bulk fused silica were studied. Polarization-dependent scattering is analyzed both in simulation using a finite-difference, time-domain method and in experiments. We argue that the polarization-sensitive optical guiding of type II waveguides is due to polarization-dependent scattering of nanogratings. Optical designs can then be suggested where the guiding efficiency of type I traces can be combined with type II anisotropies. A low-loss waveguide polarizer is demonstrated based on the modulation of the evanescent field emerging from type I waveguides using polarization-dependent scattering of neighboring nanogratings.