Title

Use of a Novel Infrared Wavelength-tunable Laser Mueller-matrix Polarimetric Scatterometer to Measure Nanostructured Optical Materials

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-2017

Abstract

Nanostructured optical materials, for example, metamaterials, have unique spectral, directional, and polarimetric properties. Samples designed and fabricated for infrared (IR) wavelengths have been characterized using broadband instruments to measure specular polarimetric transmittance or reflectance as in ellipsometry or integrated hemisphere transmittance or reflectance. We have developed a wavelength-tunable IR Mueller-matrix (Mm) polarimetric scatterometer which uses tunable external-cavity quantum-cascade lasers (EC-QCLs) to tune onto and off of the narrowband spectral resonances of nanostructured optical materials and performed full polarimeteric and directional evaluation to more fully characterize their behavior. Using a series of EC-QCLs, the instrument is tunable over 4.37-6.54 μm wavelengths in the mid-wave IR and 7.41-9.71 μm in the long-wave IR and makes measurements both at specular angles, acting as a Mm polarimeter, and at off-specular angles, acting as a Mm scatterometer. Example measurements of an IR thermal metamaterial are shown.

Comments

© 2017 Author(s). Published by AIP Publishing.

The "Link to Full Text" on this page opens the article's front page at the AIP Publishing website.

DOI

10.1063/1.4990003

Source Publication

Review of Scientific Instruments

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