Multi-octave metamaterial reflective half-wave plate for millimeter and sub-millimeter wave applications.

The quasi-optical modulation of linear polarization at millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelengths can be achieved by using rotating half-wave plates (HWPs) in front of polarization-sensitive detectors. Large operational bandwidths are required when the same device is meant to work simultaneously across different frequency bands. Previous realizations of half-wave plates, ranging from birefringent multi-plates to mesh-based devices, have achieved bandwidths of the order of 100%. Here we present the design and experimental characterization of a reflective HWP able to work across bandwidths of the order of 150%. The working principle of the novel device is completely different from any previous realization, and it is based on the different phase-shift experienced by two orthogonal polarizations reflecting, respectively, off an electric conductor and an artificial magnetic conductor.

[1]  S. Masi,et al.  COrE (Cosmic Origins Explorer) A White Paper , 2011, 1102.2181.

[2]  P. Yeh,et al.  Optical Waves in Layered Media , 1988 .

[3]  N. Jarosik,et al.  Systematic effects from an ambient-temperature, continuously rotating half-wave plate. , 2016, The Review of scientific instruments.

[4]  S. J. Liu,et al.  Herschel : the first science highlights Special feature L etter to the E ditor The Herschel-SPIRE instrument and its in-flight performance , 2010 .

[5]  J. E. Ruhl,et al.  Polarization modulators for CMBPol , 2009 .

[6]  B. Maffei,et al.  Development of large radii half-wave plates for CMB satellite missions , 2014, Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation.

[7]  Giampaolo Pisano,et al.  A translational polarization rotator. , 2012, Applied optics.

[8]  Jessie L. Dotson,et al.  A Primer on Far‐Infrared Polarimetry , 2000 .

[9]  M. Tsuboi,et al.  A Millimeter Polarimeter for the 45-m Telescope at Nobeyama , 1999 .

[10]  G. Siringo,et al.  A new polarimeter for (sub)millimeter bolometer arrays , 2004 .

[11]  Y. Longval,et al.  Planck Pre-Launch Status: The Optical Architecture of the HFI , 2010 .

[12]  G. Pisano,et al.  Metal mesh based metamaterials for millimetre wave and THz astronomy applications , 2015, 2015 8th UK, Europe, China Millimeter Waves and THz Technology Workshop (UCMMT).

[13]  Giles Novak,et al.  Interferometric polarization control. , 2006, Applied optics.

[14]  Bruno Maffei,et al.  A BROADBAND METAL-MESH HALF-WAVE PLATE FOR MILLIMETRE WAVE LINEAR POLARISATION ROTATION , 2012 .

[15]  P. A. R. Ade,et al.  New artificial dielectric metamaterial and its application as a terahertz antireflection coating. , 2009, Applied optics.

[16]  Peter A. R. Ade,et al.  Thermal filtering for large aperture cryogenic detector arrays , 2006, SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[17]  P. A. R. Ade,et al.  MAXIPOL: Cosmic Microwave Background Polarimetry Using a Rotating Half-Wave Plate , 2006, astro-ph/0611394.

[18]  Experimental realization of an achromatic magnetic mirror based on metamaterials. , 2016, Applied optics.

[19]  S. Pancharatnam,et al.  Achromatic combinations of birefringent plates , 1955 .

[20]  C. R. Brewitt-Taylor,et al.  Limitation on the bandwidth of artificial perfect magnetic conductor surfaces , 2007 .

[21]  T. Montroy,et al.  Modeling dielectric half-wave plates for cosmic microwave background polarimetry using a Mueller matrix formalism. , 2010, Applied optics.

[22]  P. Ade,et al.  Achromatic half-wave plate for submillimeter instruments in cosmic microwave background astronomy: experimental characterization. , 2006, Applied optics.

[23]  G. Pisano,et al.  A Metal Mesh Achromatic Half Wave Plate , 2008 .

[24]  Edward J. Wollack,et al.  Properties of a variable-delay polarization modulator. , 2011, Applied optics.

[25]  Giampaolo Pisano,et al.  A review of metal mesh filters , 2006, SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[26]  M. Nolta,et al.  Modulation of cosmic microwave background polarization with a warm rapidly rotating half-wave plate on the Atacama B-Mode Search instrument. , 2013, The Review of scientific instruments.