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In this paper a non-polarizing beam splitter design concept is presented using anisotropic thin films. Transmittance of s- and p-polarized waves can be dealt with separately. This concept can be applied to non-polarizing beam splitter designs of single wavelength and broad-band spectrum at oblique incidence. A few examples of non-polarizing beam splitters (50:50) at the design wavelength of 1064 nm and over the visible spectrum (420 nm–680 nm) are elaborated. Besides, the angular performance of these designs is examined.

The dynamical electron scattering effects by a hexagon-prism β-Si3N4 whisker were investigated. The 002 dark field images of the wedges of the whisker along [10] direction showed sinusoidal fringes, in which there existed great differences in fringe period under two- and N-beam conditions. Fine structures of the corresponding diffraction spots under two-beam condition were also very different from those under many-beam condition. Such dynamical scattering effects were analyzed quantitatively.

A novel single-cavity narrowband Fabry—Perot (FP) polarizing filter at normal incidence, constructed from a sandwich structure with sculptured anisotropic space layer and symmetric isotropic HR mirrors, is designed and prepared. The optical performances of transmittance, phase shift, central wavelength, and bandwidth for two polarized states are analyzed with the characteristic matrix. The numerical studies accord reasonably well with the experimental results. It is demonstrated that the polarization state of the electromagnetic wave and phase shift can be modulated by employing an anisotropic space layer in the polarizing beam splitter system. The birefringence of the anisotropic space layer provides a sophisticated phase modulation by varying the incidence angles over a broad range to have a wide-angle phase shift.

Rectangular HfO2 grating fabrication is difficult, so a trapeziform multilayer dielectric pulse compression grating (PCG) has been designed using a genetic algorithm and the Fourier mode method. Simulation results show that a greater than 120 nm wavelength range multilayer dielectric grating (MDG) is obtained with a minus-first-order diffraction efficiency (DE) exceeding 95%. The bandwidth is 136 nm with the minus-first-order DE exceeding 90%. The trapeziform structure shows good tolerances for grating fabrication. The multilayer dielectric is deposited by e-beam evaporation, then the MDG is fabricated by reactive ion beam etching. A 128 nm bandwidth of the MDG for the transverse electric polarization with an efficiency exceeding 90% is obtained, and the maximum DE can reach up to 98.3%. The trapeziform MDG is an ideal PCG for chirped pulse amplification systems with high DE, broad bandwidth and good fabrication tolerances. Laser-induced damage thresholds of 0.53 J cm−2 under 40 fs pulses are experimentally reached with very high and uniform efficiency.

Based on the theoretical analysis of biaxial birefringent thin films with characteristic matrix method, we investigate the phase shift on transmission of a tilted columnar biaxial film at normal and oblique incidence over 300–1200 nm for s- and p-polarized waves. Compared with the simplified calculation method, the interference effects of the birefringent thin film are considered to yield more accurate results. The quarter wavelength phase shift calculated with the characteristic matrix method is consistent with that monitored with in situ measurement by two-angle ellipsometry, which validates our complied program for the calculation of the phase shift of the biaxial anisotropic thin film. Furthermore, the characteristic matrix method can be easily used to obtain continuous adjustable phase retardation at oblique incidence, whereas the simplified calculation method is valid for the case of normal incidence. A greater generality and superiority of the characteristic matrix method is presented.