Recent Advances in Polarization Technologies

By Ibtisam AbbasiReviewed by Lexie CornerDec 16 2024

Light exhibits wave-like properties. Typically, the light we encounter is unpolarized, meaning the electric field oscillates in multiple directions. In contrast, polarization refers to restricting the oscillation of the electric field to a single, well-defined plane. In this state, the electric field oscillates in one direction, perpendicular to the propagation of light.¹

Advances in Polarization with Metasurfaces

Traditionally, polarization was achieved using bulk optics like polarizers and wave plates. However, advancements in nanotechnology have led to the development of metasurfaces—engineered 2D surfaces designed for specific optical functions.

Today, the latest developments in polarization optics include the use of metasurfaces such as diffraction gratings for polarization control, chiral lenses for innovative applications, polarization vectorial holograms, and beam splitters. These new approaches offer greater precision and flexibility in modern optical systems.²

Polarization detection using metasurfaces offers a significant departure from traditional methods, opening up new possibilities for modern imaging systems and holography. Unlike conventional techniques that rely on bulky birefringent materials, metasurfaces allow for rapid phase variation at the optical interface.

In traditional systems, optical phase changes occur gradually, but metasurfaces enable much faster transitions. This advancement has led to the miniaturization of optical systems, making it possible to incorporate this technology into compact devices such as augmented reality systems.

Moreover, using metasurfaces to control optical polarization simplifies the process by eliminating the need for complex 3D nanofabrication techniques. These surfaces can efficiently convert linearly polarized light into cross-polarized light, supporting the development of advanced optical technologies.³

Polarization Imaging

Research on the vector properties of light, particularly using the state of polymerization (SOP), has been relatively limited in the biomedical field. However, polarization imaging technology has found wide-ranging applications, from quantum systems and material characterization to medical and clinical uses.⁴

Light scattering, particularly through multi-stage processes, affects the degree of polymerization of incident light. This property is valuable for the structural imaging of biomedical samples. By analyzing how light is polarized, it's possible to gain insights into the vector properties of biological specimens, either from the interaction between light and the specimen or directly from the specimen itself. In biomedical and clinical contexts, assessing the vector characteristics of light under a fixed SOP shows promise for identifying tissue and cell structures.

Machine learning techniques have further advanced this process. By fitting multiple polarimetry feature parameters (PFPs), modern data-driven approaches offer a more precise characterization of pathological conditions.⁵ This method has been successfully applied to detect and image breast cancer cells and cervical cancer tissue sections, demonstrating the potential of polarization imaging to improve diagnostic accuracy in medical imaging and analysis.⁶

Quantum Applications of Light Polarization

Light polarization has emerged as an important tool in encoding quantum information. By manipulating photons through polarization techniques, quantum bits of information can be encoded efficiently and securely. This approach enables the creation of quantum networks that facilitate fast and secure data transfer, driving progress in quantum computing.⁷

Light polarization is essential for quantum key distribution (QKD), which ensures secure encryption during quantum computing processes. In addition, principles from quantum mechanics, particularly the use of two-state systems, are gaining traction. The Dirac approach, which utilizes light polarization, is becoming a key technology for quantum communication systems.

At Los Alamos Laboratory, researchers have successfully developed a cost-effective method to generate polarized photons, enabling the encoding of quantum information through quantum phenomena such as superposition.⁸

Graphene and Nanoscale Sensing for Polarization Control

Among various 2D materials, graphene is a highly versatile and widely used material with key applications across several industries. Its ability to support the propagation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) waves makes it especially valuable in modern technologies, including antennas, photodetectors, absorbers, and attenuators. One of the standout applications is its integration into patch antennas, where it plays a crucial role in controlling the polarization of light.

In graphene-based patch antennas, the manipulation of Fermi energy levels allows for precise tuning of polarization states, such as linear and circular polarization. Research has shown that these antennas perform most efficiently in the terahertz range of 0.7 to 0.9 THz, underscoring their potential for use in advanced communication and sensing applications within this frequency range.⁹

Efficient control of light propagation and polymerization has led to the development of advanced nanoscale optical sensing devices and sensors. Researchers have used materials like silicon, which has a naturally high refractive index, to regulate light polarization in modern antennas.

Over the past decade, a new approach involving the controlled excitation of spherical silicon nano-antennas using tightly focused radially polarized light has been developed. This technique has found applications in nanometrology and super-resolution microscopy. It allows for precise position sensing by using the interaction between radially polarized light and the nano-antenna.

In these systems, the directional scattering properties of the nano-antenna are utilized, particularly in the super-critical regime, where the scattering pattern becomes highly sensitive to the positioning of the sample. This unique characteristic enables on-chip detection, improving accuracy and offering greater integration potential for advanced microscopy and sensing technologies.¹⁰

More From AZoOptics: Optical Metasurfaces: Applications in Imaging and Sensing

Polarization in AR and VR Technologies

The control of light polarization using modern materials plays a critical role in the development of Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) and photonic devices, which are essential components in AR and VR systems. Effective polarization control helps reduce energy and power consumption in these systems, making them more efficient.

Additionally, it supports the creation of high-brightness liquid-crystal-on-silicon image sources for AR systems, improving both resolution and image quality in modern AR platforms.¹¹

Expanding Roles of Polarization in Modern Technologies

The potential applications of light polarization are expanding, particularly in adaptive optical systems. Photo-responsive liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) actuators are becoming increasingly important for soft robotics and devices that adjust polarization. Additionally, there is growing interest in controlling polarization for modern quantum systems. Researchers are focusing on developing compact polarization splitters and rotators to enhance these systems.

Efficient control and monitoring of light polarization are essential for various industrial applications, including biomedical imaging, virtual reality displays, biosensing, and quantum communication systems. With the integration of advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), we can anticipate significant improvements in the automation of light polarization control.

References and Further Reading

1. Manion, G., et al. (2023). Polarization of Light. StatPearls. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37276306
2. Zaidi, A., et al. (2021). Generalized polarization transformations with metasurfaces. Optics Express. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.442844
3. Intaravanne, Y., et al. (2020). Recent advances in optical metasurfaces for polarization detection and engineered polarization profiles. Nanophotonics. https://doi.org/10.1515/nanoph-2019-0479
4. He, H., et al. (2019). Mueller matrix polarimetry—an emerging new tool for characterizing the microstructural feature of complex biological specimen. Journal of Lightwave Technology. Available at: https://www.doi.org/10.1109/JLT.2018.2868845
5. He, C., et al. (2021). Polarisation optics for biomedical and clinical applications: a review. Light Sci Appl. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-021-00639-x
6. Dong, Y., et al. (2020). Deriving polarimetry feature parameters to characterize microstructural features in histological sections of breast tissues. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering. Available at: https://www.doi.org/10.1109/TBME.2020.3019755
7. University of Waterloo. (2024). Light Polarization for Quantum Computing. [Online] University of Waterloo. Available at: https://uwaterloo.ca/institute-for-quantum-computing/resources/teacher-resources/download/light-polarization [Accessed on: December 4, 2024].
8. Xu, T. (2023). New Photon Polarizer Lights Way to Quantum Communications. IEEE Spectrum. Available at: https://spectrum.ieee.org/quantum-communication-photon-polarization [Accessed on: December 05, 2024].
9. Kiani, N., et al. (2021). Polarization controlling idea in graphene-based patch antenna. Optik. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijleo.2021.166795
10. Neugebauer, M., et al. (2016). Polarization-controlled directional scattering for nanoscopic position sensing. Nat Commun. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11286
11. Yin, K., et al. (2022). Advanced liquid crystal devices for augmented reality and virtual reality displays: principles and applications. Light Sci Appl. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-022-00851-3
12. Li, Y., et al. (2023). Circularly Polarized Light‐driven Liquid Crystal Elastomer Actuators. Advanced Optical Materials. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.202202695
13. Hattori, A., et al. (2024). Integrated visible-light polarization rotators and splitters for atomic quantum systems. Opt. Lett. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.509747

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