Full measurement of the stokes parameters of a light beam using on-chip silicon nanoantennas

Abstract

Beam polarimetry is a versatile tool in optical technology enabling the measurement of the light polarization state. In this work, we demonstrate an on-chip polarization analyzer working at telecom wavelengths that allows for a direct measurement of the Stokes parameters of an incoming plane wave. The analyzer consists of three silicon nanoantennas coupled to three waveguides (having six outputs) so that each nanoantenna responds to a certain polarization state by changing the amount of optical power coupled to each waveguide as well as the direction of propagation along the coupled waveguide.