Vector beam generation via micrometer-scale photonic integrated circuits and plasmonic nano-antennae

Abstract : We theoretically present an integrated photonic method of generating a specific vector beam on a micrometer scale. A plasmonic nano-antenna array is embedded in a silicon resonator and helps to emit light with a designed polarization pattern. A few-mode optical fiber is used as a spatial filter to purify the mode component of the generated beam. Numerical simulations verify that our design scheme can produce pure TM01, TE01, and HE21 vector beams (mode purity ∼99%). Vector light vortices carrying certain orbital angular momentums can also be generated using this method. The suggested devices exhibit merit features of compactness and weak backreflection and may find applications in large-scale photonic integration involving complex light beams.