Polarization-independent asymmetric light transmission in all-dielectric photonic structures

We design, optimize and fabricate an all-dielectric photonic structure, having a significant, polarization-independent asymmetry in light transmission for opposite incident wave directions. The device, consisting of a dielectric Bragg mirror topped with a regular grid of micrometer-sized pillars, acting as a diffraction grating, is potentially scalable into industrial production. The light propagation simulation results are confirmed by direct measurement of the difference in light transmission, reaching 0.55 near 780 nm, and exceeding 0.2 over a spectral range spanning from 750 to 820 nm.