Polarizing beam splitter using dielectric multilayers

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
An analyzer for determining the polarization state of a light beam comprising: a laser to generate a collimated light beam; focusing lens to direct the collimated light beam to a magneto-optical disk; an optical glass plate; a polarizing beam splitter formed on a first surface of said optical glass plate; said beam splitter having a plurality of lower stack alternating dielectric layers, an intermediate dielectric layer, a plurality of upper stack alternating dielectric layers and a thick dielectric layer deposited on the upper stack dielectric layers; one alternating dielectric layer having a different index of refraction from its adjacent alternating dielectric layer, such that the component reflected at all dielectric layers add together and have a P reflective component having an effective sum close to zero; and means to direct the light beam reflected from the magneto-optical disk to said optical polarizing beam splitter.
2.
An analyzer as defined in claim 1, wherein said optical glass plate has an index of refraction of 1.
513 and wherein said polarizing beam splitter includes a plurality of stacks of dielectric layers comprising: said lower stack and said upper stack, each having seven dielectric layers with the odd alternating layers each made of a ZrO.
sub.
2 layer, with a thickness of 80 nm and a refraction index of 2.
236 and the even alternating layers made of a SiO.
sub.
2 layer with a thickness of 140 nm and a refraction index of 1.
453, which are alternately stacked on each other, respectively; said intermediate layer separating said lower stack layers and said upper stack layers including a SiO.
sub.
2 layer with a thickness of 195 nm and a refraction index of 1.
453; said thick layer covering said upper stack layers including a SiO.
sub.
2 layer having a thickness of 750 nm and a refraction index of 1.
453; and further including top layers having a ZrO.
sub.
2 layer deposited on said thick layer and having a thickness of 55 nm and a refraction index of 2