Abstract: We use symmetry considerations to understand and unravel near-field measurements, ultimately showing that we can spatially map three distinct fields using only two detectors. As an example, we create two-dimensional field maps of the out-of-plane magnetic field and two in-plane fields for a silicon ridge waveguide. Furthermore, we are able to identify and remove polarization mixing of less than 1/30 of our experimental signals. Since symmetries are prevalent in nanophotonic structures and their near fields, our method can impact many future near-field measurements.

OPG
doi.org/10.1364/OL.39.002802
Opt. Lett.

le Feber, B., Rotenberg, N., van Oosten, D., & Kuipers, K. (2014). Modal symmetries at the nanoscale : a route towards a complete vectorial near-field mapping. Opt. Lett., 39(9), 2802–2805. doi:10.1364/OL.39.002802