Broadband infrared meanderline reflective quarter-wave plate

Opt Express. 2011 May 23;19(11):10604-12. doi: 10.1364/OE.19.010604.

Abstract

We present a novel reflective quarter-wave plate comprised of subwavelength meanderline elements. The device is operational over the long-wave infrared (LWIR) spectrum, with significant spectral and angular bandwidths. Power reflection is approximately 70% over the majority of the LWIR. Efficient conversion from a 45° linear polarization state into circular polarization is demonstrated from finite-element electromagnetic simulations and from broadband polarimetric measurements.