Abstract: A thin polarizer array and a wavelength plate array that are composed of micro regions having different optical axis directions and wavelength characteristics and having a high extinction ratio and a low insertion loss, and a polarization analyzer using them. An array of micro periodic grooves is formed on a substrate, with the directions changed from one region to another. An alternating multilayer film formed by bias sputtering alternating a layer of high refractive index material such as Si or Ta2O5 and a layer of low refractive index material such as SiO2. By selecting a condition that each layer maintains its periodic projecting/recessed shape, an array of photonic crystal polarizer is formed. By mounting this array of photonic crystal polarizer in a photodetector array, a polarization analyzer that is small, has no movable part, has a small number of components, and enables high-precision measurement is constituted.

Abstract: A polarizer which has and regularly arranged two-dimensional structure which has a pitch of 1 mm or so or less. The polarizer has structure in which two or more film-shaped materials which have a substantially regularly arranged one-dimensional undulation. The polarizer also has a substantially regularly arranged two-dimensional structure. For example, the polarizer consist of materials 1 and 2 which have different refractive indexes. A regularly arranged two-dimensional structure which has a pitch of 1 mm or less can be obtained by a simple method. Because of this structure, the polarizer transmits the incident light which has a specific polarized plane and reflects the incident light which has a polarized plane which is orthogonal to the plane.

Abstract: A three-dimensional periodical structure whose period is about 1 ?m or smaller is provided. At least two kinds of films which have two-dimensionally substantially periodical projections are successively formed in layers substantially periodical to construct structure which is substantially three-dimensionally periodical. For instance, the films are made of materials different in refractive index. The three-dimensional periodical structure whose period is about 1 ?m or smaller can be obtained by a simple fabricating method. By this structure, the propagation of a wave with a specific wavelength in many solid angular directions including several axial directions parallel to the plane and the thickness direction of the layers can be cut off.