Tungsten wire grid polarizer for applications in the DUV spectral range

In this paper, we present a broadband wire grid polarizer with a spectral working range down to a wavelength of 193 nm. Tungsten is chosen as grating material because it provides a high extinction ratio and transmission compared with other common grating materials. The fabrication of the grating with 100 nm period was accomplished using a spatial frequency doubling approach based on ultrafast electron beam lithography and a sophisticated deposition technique. At a wavelength of 193 nm, a transmission of about 44% and an extinction ratio of 20 was measured.