Metasurface-enabled non-orthogonal four-output polarization splitter for non-redundant full-Stokes imaging

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel metasurface that enables high-efficiency, four-output polarization splitting for full-Stokes imaging, overcoming limitations of traditional polarizers and reducing spatial resolution loss.

Contribution

The work demonstrates, for the first time, that a single-layer dielectric metasurface can achieve low-loss four-output polarization splitting with over 50% efficiency without filtering.

Findings

Achieved simultaneous polarization sorting and focusing with >50% efficiency.

Demonstrated complete retrieval of full Stokes parameters in the near-infrared range.

Implemented simple imaging polarimetry with a 3x4 superpixel array.

Abstract

Imaging polarimetry plays an essential role in various fields since it imparts rich information that cannot be obtained through mere intensity and spectral measurements. To retrieve full Stokes parameters, at least four sensor pixels are required, each of which projects incident light to a different polarization state in the Stokes space. Conventional full-Stokes division-of-focal-plane (DoFP) cameras realize this function by integrating angled polarizers and retarders on top of image sensors. Due to the inevitable absorption at the polarizers, however, the maximum efficiency of these schemes is limited to 50% in theory. Instead of polarizers, three sets of lossless polarization beam splitters can be used to achieve higher-efficiency polarimetry, however, at the cost of reduced spatial resolution due to the need for six redundant sensor pixels. In this paper, we reveal, for the first time to our knowledge, that low-loss four-output polarization splitting (without filtering) is possible using a single-layer dielectric metasurface. Although these four states are not orthogonal to each other, our metasurface enables simultaneous sorting and focusing onto four sensor pixels with an efficiency exceeding 50\%, which is not feasible by a simple combination of space-optic components. The designed metasurface composed of silicon nanoposts is fabricated to experimentally demonstrate complete retrieval of full Stokes parameters at the near-infrared wavelength range from 1500 to 1600 nm with $-$2.28-dB efficiency. Finally, simple imaging polarimetry is demonstrated using a 3$\times$4 superpixel array.