Observation of Topologically Enabled Complete Polarization Conversion

Chen, Fujia1,2,3,4; Gao, Zhen5; Zhang, Li1,2,3,4; Chen, Qiaolu1,2,3,4; Yan, Qinghui1,2,3,4; Xi, Rui1,2,3,4; Jin, Liqiao1; Li, Erping2; Yin, Wenyan1; Chen, Hongsheng1,2,3,4; Yang, Yihao1,2,3,4

2023

10.1002/lpor.202200626

Laser & Photonics Reviews   Impact Factor & Quartile

1863-8880

1863-8899

Exploiting topological ideas has been a major theme in modern photonics, which provides unprecedented opportunities to design photonic devices with robustness against defects. While most previous works in topological photonics have focused on band theory, recent theories extend the topological concepts to the analysis of scattering matrices and suggest a topological route to complete polarization conversion (CPC). Here, the experimental observation of the topological CPC is reported. Using angle-resolved reflection measurements, it is unveiled experimentally that the CPC between arbitrary two polarizations occurs at vortex singularities of reflection coefficients in momentum space, reflecting its topological nature. Besides, it is visualized directly that for a given input polarization, the output one can cover the entire Poincare sphere over a wide frequency range by varying the incident angle, guaranteed by the topological nature of CPC, which is in sharp contrast to the conventional polarization-conversion approaches that usually suffer from the bulky volume, limited choice of eigen-polarization states, or narrow operation bandwidths. Remarkably, that BICs lie on the critical coupling curves that define the condition for CPC is experimentally demonstrated. This work paves the way to exploring the topological properties in scattering matrices for controlling light polarization and creating robust photonics devices.

polarization conversion scattering matrices topological photonics

SCI

English

Corresponding

Key Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology["2022YFA1405200","2022YFA1404704","2022YFA1404900"] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC)["62071418","61975176","12104211","6101020101"] ; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities[2019-JCJQ-ZD-126-6-00] ; Key Basic Research and Basic Strengthening Program of the Science and Technology Commission["Y01236148","Y01236248"] ; SUSTech Start-up Grant["20220815111105001","11961141010"] ; Shenzhen Colleges and universities[62175215] ; null[2021FZZX001-19] ; null[2020-JCJQ-ZD-068-00]

Optics ; Physics

Optics ; Physics, Applied ; Physics, Condensed Matter

WOS:000922310000001

WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH

Web of Science

1.Zhejiang Univ, Interdisciplinary Ctr Quantum Informat, Hangzhou Global Sci & Technol Innovat Ctr, State Key Lab Extreme Photon & Instrumentat, Hangzhou 310027, Peoples R China
2.Zhejiang Univ, Electromagnet Acad Zhejiang Univ, Int Joint Innovat Ctr, Haining 314400, Peoples R China
3.Jinhua Inst Zhejiang Univ, Zhejiang Univ, Key Lab Adv Micro Nano Elect Devices & Smart Syst, Jinhua 321099, Peoples R China
4.Zhejiang Univ, Shaoxing Inst Zhejiang Univ, Shaoxing 312000, Peoples R China
5.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Elect & Elect Engn, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China

Chen, Fujia,Gao, Zhen,Zhang, Li,et al. Observation of Topologically Enabled Complete Polarization Conversion[J]. Laser & Photonics Reviews,2023.

Chen, Fujia.,Gao, Zhen.,Zhang, Li.,Chen, Qiaolu.,Yan, Qinghui.,...&Yang, Yihao.(2023).Observation of Topologically Enabled Complete Polarization Conversion.Laser & Photonics Reviews.

Chen, Fujia,et al."Observation of Topologically Enabled Complete Polarization Conversion".Laser & Photonics Reviews (2023).