Spin polarization separation of reflected light at Brewster angle

TL;DR

This paper reports a new phenomenon where reflected light at Brewster angle exhibits spatial separation of photon spins, which can be controlled and has potential applications in photon spin manipulation and material property analysis.

Contribution

The study introduces a novel spin polarization separation effect in reflected light at Brewster angle, with controllable spatial scale linked to dielectric properties.

Findings

Opposite photon spins are spatially separated in reflected light.

The polarization separation depends on optical properties and experimental setup.

Potential applications in photon spin control and material characterization.

Abstract

A novel spin polarization separation of reflected light is observed, when a linearly polarized Gaussian beam impinges on an air-glass interface at Brewster angle. In the far-field zone, spins of photons are oppositely polarized in two regions along the direction perpendicular to incident plane. Spatial scale of this polarization is related to optical properties of dielectric and can be controlled by experimental configuration. We believe that this study benefits the manipulation of spins of photons and the development of methods for investigating optical properties of materials.