Direct observation of the enhanced photonic spin Hall effect in a subwavelength grating.

Abstract

The photonic spin Hall effect (PSHE) in surface plasmon resonance (SPR) structures has great potential for various polarization-sensitive applications and devices. Here, using optical weak measurement, we observe spin-dependent and spin-independent angular shifts of the reflected beam, enhanced by SPR in a subwavelength nickel grating. An enhanced in-plane photonic spin Hall effect manifested in the angular splitting of circularly polarized photons with opposite helicity signs is demonstrated. We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that angular in-plane shifts can be changed from spin-independent (Goos-Hänchen (GH) shift) to spin-dependent (PSHE) when the incident beam polarization state changes. The SPR-induced depolarization of light and the mixing of polarization states are detected. High purity of spin separation and a high degree of circular polarization are achieved with an optimal polarization state (preselection angle) and a resonance angle of incidence. A novel, to the best of our knowledge, phenomenon of the spinless spatial separation of two orthogonal components of the field with diagonal linear polarizations is demonstrated.