Weak measurements of light chirality with a plasmonic slit

Y. Gorodetski, K. Y. Bliokh, B. Stein, C. Genet, N. Shitrit, V. Kleiner, E. Hasman, T. W. Ebbesen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

183 Scopus citations

Abstract

We examine, both experimentally and theoretically, an interaction of tightly focused polarized light with a slit on a metal surface supporting plasmon-polariton modes. Remarkably, this simple system can be highly sensitive to the polarization of the incident light and offers a perfect quantum weak measurement tool with a built-in postselection in the plasmon-polariton mode. We observe the plasmonic spin Hall effect in both coordinate and momentum spaces which is interpreted as weak measurements of the helicity of light with real and imaginary weak values determined by the input polarization. Our experiment combines the advantages of (i) quantum weak measurements, (ii) near-field plasmonic systems, and (iii) high-numerical aperture microscopy in employing the spin-orbit interaction of light and probing light chirality.

Original languageEnglish
Article number013901
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume109
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 5 Jul 2012
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Physics and Astronomy

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Weak measurements of light chirality with a plasmonic slit'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this