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Title

Three-dimensional orientation-unlimited polarization encryption by a single optically configured vectorial beam

Author(s)

Li, Xiangping;  Lan, Tzu-Hsiang;  Tien, Chung-Hao;  Gu, Min

Abstract

The interplay between light polarization and matter is the basis of many fundamental physical processes and applications. However, the electromagnetic wave nature of light in free space sets a fundamental limit on the three-dimensional polarization orientation of a light beam. Although a high numerical aperture objective can be used to bend the wavefront of a radially polarized beam to generate the longitudinal polarization state in the focal volume, the arbitrary three-dimensional polarization orientation of a beam has not been achieved yet. Here we present a novel technique for generating arbitrary three-dimensional polarization orientation by a single optically configured vectorial beam. As a consequence, by applying this technique to gold nanorods, orientation-unlimited polarization encryption with ultra-security is demonstrated. These results represent a new landmark of the orientation-unlimited three-dimensional polarization control of the light-matter interaction.

Publication type

Journal article

Research centre

Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences. Centre for Micro-Photonics

Source

Nature Communications, Vol. 3 (Aug 2012), article no. 998

Publication year

2012

Keyword(s)

Applied physics;  Nanotechnology;  Optical physics;  Physical sciences

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group

ISSN

2041-1723

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms2006

Copyright

Copyright © 2012 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivative Works 3.0 Unported License(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/). The published version is reproduced in accordance with this policy.

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Peer reviewed