# Achieving arbitrary polarization control using complex birefringent meta-materials

## TL;DR

This paper introduces complex birefringent meta-materials capable of arbitrarily controlling pairs of light polarization states, enabling advanced polarization manipulation for applications in sensing and communications.

## Contribution

It develops a novel class of non-Hermitian meta-materials that can transform pairs of polarization states, a capability not previously demonstrated.

## Key findings

- Successfully demonstrates polarization control using complex birefringent meta-materials.
- Enables detection of small polarization changes in scattering experiments.
- Facilitates new polarization multiplexing schemes in communications.

## Abstract

We demonstrate that the key to realizing arbitrary control over pairs of polarization states of light, i.e. transforming an arbitrarily polarized pair of input states to an arbitrarily polarized pair of output states, is the ability to generate pairs of states with orthogonal polarizations from non-orthogonal pairs of initial states. We then develop a new class of non-Hermitian meta-materials, termed complex birefringent meta-materials, which are able to do exactly this. Such materials could facilitate the detection of small polarization changes in scattering experiments, as well as enable new polarization multiplexing schemes in communications networks.