Surface-polariton fiber polarizer: Design and experiment

We polished 633-nm single-mode fibers embedded into silicon V-grooves within a small proximity to their cores. Both designs and critical parameters of the proposed all-fiber polarizers are discussed in this Letter. Fiber polarizers comprising a buffered MgF2 dielectric and thick aluminum coating were made by us and they exhibited a high extinction ratio. Our silicon V-grooves made by microelectronic techniques had a long radius of curvature. The quality of the polished fiber surfaces was examined using an atomic force microscope. Our results are useful for phase-sensitive fiber-optic systems.