Superposition of optical vortex beams for polarization measurement

Polarization measurement has found applications in many fields ranging from quantum science to our daily life. However, traditional polarization measurement systems suffer from large volume and high cost. To keep pace with the continued device miniaturization and system integration, new detection approaches and devices are desirable. The marriage between optical metasurfaces and superposition of optical vortex beams has offered a new idea method for polarization detection. We propose and experimentally demonstrate a single metasurface for polarization measurement based on the superposition of optical vortex beams. The relationship between the three parameters of the polarization state and the interference pattern of vortex beams is deduced theoretically. The major axis, ellipticity and handedness of a polarization state are determined by analyzing the intensity patterns of the superimposed vortex beams. Our method has provided a new approach for the development of compact optical devices for polarization measurement.