Infrared polarizing beam-splitters for the 7 to 13 um spectral region

Li Li; Jean-Marc Thériault; Yanen Guo

doi:10.1117/12.896940

3 October 2011 Infrared polarizing beam-splitters for the 7 to 13 μm spectral region

Li Li, Jean-Marc Thériault, Yanen Guo

Proceedings Volume 8168, Advances in Optical Thin Films IV; 816811 (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.896940
Event: SPIE Optical Systems Design, 2011, Marseille, France

Abstract

High performance infrared polarizing beam-splitters (PBS) with broad bands and wide angular fields are required for IR applications that use both transmitted and reflected polarizing beams equally from 3 to 14 μm. Existing infrared wire grid polarizers do not meet the requirements because they have good performance only in transmission, not in reflection. No practical IR PBS devices are yet available for this spectral region. In this paper, we propose to fabricate an infrared thin film polarizing beam-splitters based on previously described light interference and frustrated total internal reflection. The PBS coatings consist of Ge and fluorite layers on ZnSe prism substrates. Similar high performance PBS designs have been successfully made in the visible. However, it is more challenging to make such PBSs in the infrared region, mostly due to the use of soft IR coating materials, the low energy evaporation process and the optical contacting bonding technique. In the paper, we will report for the first time the measured performance of a prototype IR PBS for the 7-13 μm spectral region with an angular field ±7.82° in air. We will also discuss the challenges in fabricating the prototype PBS, including optical constant characterization and device measurements.

Citation Download Citation

Li Li, Jean-Marc Thériault, and Yanen Guo "Infrared polarizing beam-splitters for the 7 to 13 μm spectral region", Proc. SPIE 8168, Advances in Optical Thin Films IV, 816811 (3 October 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.896940

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