Non-polarizing Beam Splitters
About: This article is published in Journal of Modern Optics.The article was published on 1974-07-01. It has received 26 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Beam splitter.
Citations
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TL;DR: It is shown that, for a 50-nm spectral region, it is possible to design and manufacture a two-material nonpolarizing plate beam splitter for use at an angle of 45 degrees.
Abstract: Past research on all-dielectric nonpolarizing beam splitters is reviewed. It is shown that, for a 50-nm spectral region, it is possible to design and manufacture a two-material nonpolarizing plate beam splitter for use at an angle of 45° (with a measured rms reflectance of 0.50 ± 0.01 for both s- and p-polarized incident light).
45 citations
TL;DR: A three-step design procedure is developed for dielectric stacks which are required to be nonpolarizing for a given wavelength lambdar and angle of incidence theta 0,r, at which the reflectance Rr is prescribed.
Abstract: A three-step design procedure is developed for dielectric stacks which are required to be nonpolarizing for a given wavelength λr and angle of incidence θ0,r, at which the reflectance Rr is prescribed. The method leads to solutions in which only three layer materials occur and can be applied for a wide range of values of θ0,r and Rr. The media can be chosen from the available coating materials. Furthermore, the procedure offers the possibility of optimizing with respect to the behavior of the reflectance in the neighborhood of λr and θ0,r. An example is elaborated, and its results are compared with an actually produced coating.
34 citations
TL;DR: These truly polarization-independent beam splitters for 0.6328- and 10.6-microm laser radiation are designed using single-layer-coated (Cleartran) ZnS and Ge prisms and are found to be reasonably achromatic.
Abstract: Truly polarization-independent beam splitters for 0.6328- and 10.6-microm (He-Ne and CO(2)) laser radiation are designed using single-layer-coated (Cleartran) ZnS and Ge prisms. These devices are found to be reasonably achromatic, their reflectance (beam-splitting ratio) can be varied over a wide range with little accompanying polarization error, and they are tolerent to small film-thickness and film refractive-index errors.
28 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the reflectivity and transmissivity of multilayer dielectric optical coatings are derived from energy conservation applied to a beam splitter acting as a beam combiner.
Abstract: Some properties of the reflectivity and transmissivity of multilayer dielectric optical coatings are derived from energy conservation applied to a beam splitter acting as a beam combiner. It is shown that dispersion in the phase shifts of the beam splitter coatings influences which quadrature amplitude is measured in a homodyne detector, and, in a Michelson interferometer, how the white-light fringe pattern is disposed about the zero-path-difference condition. The functions of reflectivity and transmissivity that determine these properties are shown to be not completely constrained by considerations of energy conservation and time reversibility, in contrast to commonly employed models for beam splitter reflectivity and transmissivity. Some representative beam splitter coating designs are used to illustrate this point.
23 citations
TL;DR: The design and construction of a hexagonal interferometer beam splitting prism is described in which the light falls onto the all-dielectric partially reflecting coating at an angle of 300 with respect to the normal.
Abstract: The design and construction of a hexagonal interferometer beam splitting prism is described in which the light falls onto the all-dielectric partially reflecting coating at an angle of 30° with respect to the normal. For a beam that undergoes one transmission and one reflection by the device, the average effective transmittance ½(T‖R‖ +T⊥R⊥) in the 0.55–0.75-μm spectral region is ∼0.23. This quantity is not strongly dependent on the plane of polarization of the incident light, nor on small changes of the angle of incidence from the design angle of 30°. Ways to improve further the performance of the beam splitter are indicated. Coating designs for other angles of incidence are also given.
15 citations
References
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492 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a review of the performance and limitations of narrow-band interference filters for dielectric thin-film applications, with a brief history of the subject and the reasons for continuing interest in it.
Abstract: This review is divided into seven sections entitled "Introduction", "Basic theoretical framework", "Readily available materials", "Applications", "Performance and limitations of narrow band interference filters", "Problems in the preparation of optical coatings" and "Probable future developments". In the introductory section the scope of the review is presented and a survey is given of already published reviews which are relevant to the subject. A brief history of the subject is also presented and the reasons for continuing interest in it are discussed. The introduction is concluded by mention of problems which are currently engaging the attention of workers in the field. In the next section the matrix theory relating the optical properties of single or multilayer dielectric thin films to the basic film parameters (refractive index and thickness) is developed with particular reference to the assumptions that are made in establishing this theoretical framework. It is emphasized that the conditions implied in these assumptions are not always satisfied in practice, and that differences between observed and predicted optical performance are therefore to be expected. In addition, the basic matrix formulation is used to derive other useful expressions for the optical properties of multilayers, e.g. the reiterative amplitude reflectance formula usually associated with multiple-beam calculations, the generalized Airy formula associated with the `two effective interfaces' approach, and the method of equivalent layers for symmetrical systems. The calculation of Poynting flux and the concept of `potential transmittance' are also discussed. The section on readily available materials consists basically of a table listing the relevant physical properties of commercially available materials suitable for the vacuum deposition of dielectric thin films. A brief description of such practical detail is necessary as a prelude to the following section. In the section on applications, details are given of the design and application of filters consisting of single or multilayer dielectric thin films. The term `filters' is used here in its widest sense and the term includes antireflection coatings, mirrors, edge filters, beam splitters and narrow band filters. Magneto-optical applications of dielectric films are also described briefly. The fifth section is devoted to a more detailed examination of the properties of narrow band interference filters, specifically their performance and limitations. This choice of emphasis is made for two reasons. Firstly, the advantage of narrow band interference filters over other means of spectral selection such as prism or grating monochromators is marked and can be discussed on a quantitative basis. Secondly, the structural `defects' of layers which afflict all thin film devices produce the most easily measurable effects in narrow band filters. These effects are discussed under the subheading "Limitations". The section on problems in the preparation of optical coatings is concerned with the precise control of the optical thickness of individual films, since this is usually crucial to the performance of the complete filter. This subject is divided into two separate parts, one concerned with the uniformity of thickness of the film over a relatively large substrate area, and the other with the control of optical thickness during the deposition of the film, commonly referred to as `thickness monitoring'. In both cases the limitations of the available techniques are emphasized. The review is concluded with comments on probable future developments of the subject.
102 citations
TL;DR: A design procedure is developed which yields layer combinations having a polarization independent effective index of refraction and a method of transforming massive media to nonpolarizing effective massive media is shown.
Abstract: A design procedure is developed which yields layer combinations having a polarization independent effective index of refraction. A method of transforming massive media to nonpolarizing effective massive media is shown. These two design techniques are then applied to the problem of making polarization independent metal–dielectric–metal interference filters and polarization independent beam splitters.
61 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a two-layer anti-reflection film on glass is used to determine the reflection from a two layer anti-reflective film on the glass, and the ideas and terminology of network analysis are introduced.
Abstract: To determine the reflection from a two layer anti-reflection film on glass the ideas and terminology of network analysis are introduced. Those parts of network theory to be used are briefly reviewed. This theory is shown to provide a clear physical picture of the field changes which occur with varying film parameters. It is shown that there is a relation connecting these parameters which defines an optimum design for best bandwidth. This design yields a reflection curve having two points of zero reflection and in a typical case gives less than 0.005 reflectivity over a range extending well beyond the visible spectrum at both ends. If, because of physical limitations, the optimum proves to be unattainable, then the conditions for closest approach are outlined.
33 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the problem der Entspiegelung durch eine Doppelschicht dargestellt is considered, i.e., das problem of leitungsvorgangen werden die Grundgleichungen angegegeben.
Abstract: Die bei der Behandlung von Leitungsvorgangen der Hochfrequenztechnik und Akustik seit langem bewahrte Vierpoltheorie kann auch auf die Lichtausbreitung durch eine Folge planparalleler Schichten Anwendung finden. Fur senkrechten Lichteinfall werden die Grundgleichungen angegeben. Als Beispiel wird das Problem der Entspiegelung durch eine Doppelschicht dargestellt.
31 citations