Characterization of polarization states of surface plasmon polariton modes by Fourier-plane leakage microscopy

We demonstrate that the polarization states of guided wave surface plasmon polariton (SPP) modes can be unambiguously identified by introducing a linear polarizer in the optical path of the light within a leakage-based microscope. We show the use of Fourier-plane leakage-based microscopy as a polarization characterization method to study the polarization states of SPP modes excited in plasmonic waveguides. Our results indicate that the inclusion of a linear polarizer provides additional image processing capabilities to leakage-based microscopes.