GE/SIO2 LAMINATED OPTICAL POLARIZER FOR THE WAVELENGTH REGION O6-1 MU-M

This letter reports new laminated polarizers (LAMIPOL's) suitable for short wavelengths of light (lambda < 1-mu-m). The new one consists of periodic alternative layers of ultrathin Ge (e.g., < 8 nm thick) and SiO2 (e.g., < 1-mu-m thick). The quality factor of the new laminated polarize, defined by R = alpha-TE/alpha-TM, is in excess of 200 at lambda = 0.8-mu-m and is a decreasing function of the wavelength lambda. This is in remarkable contrast to the fact that the quality factor for an Al/SiO2 LAMIPOL is an increasing function of lambda.