A subwavelength slit as a quarter-wave retarder

Journal article (2011)

Authors

PF Chimento External organisation
NV Kuzmin External organisation
J Bosman External organisation
P.F.A. Alkemade QN/High Resolution Electron Microscopy , QN/Fysics of NanoElectronics , QN/Kavli Nanolab Delft - AS
GW Hooft External organisation
ER Eliel External organisation
Research Group
QN/Fysics of NanoElectronics
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Published Date

2011

Language

English

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Research Group

QN/Fysics of NanoElectronics

Abstract

We have experimentally studied the polarization-dependent
transmission properties of a nanoslit in a gold film as a function of its
width. The slit exhibits strong birefringence and dichroism. We find,
surprisingly, that the transmission of the polarization parallel to the slit only
disappears when the slit is much narrower than half a wavelength, while the
transmission of the perpendicular component is reduced by the excitation
of surface plasmons. We exploit the slit¿s dichroism and birefringence to
realize a quarter-wave retarder.