Miniaturized near-field polarization photodetector

As an inherent and important property of light, polarization could provide information beyond light intensity and spectrum. However, traditional polarization detectors require bulky polarization optics and accurate heterogeneous integration, which limits their miniaturization. Conversely, recently developed miniaturized near-field polarization photodetectors can efficiently achieve detection with the advantages of being filterless, cost-effective, and portable. These attributes play a significant role in various fields, including astronomy, quantum optics, and medical diagnosis. In this paper, we review the progress of miniaturized near-field polarization photodetectors, including polarization photodetectors based on the nanowire, two-dimensional materials, chiral materials, and metasurface. Furthermore, this review analyzes the detection mechanisms of these photodetectors and provides a comprehensive summary of their operational wavelengths, photo responsivities, and polarization sensitivities, including polarization ratio for linear polarization and asymmetric ratio for circular polarization. Finally, the applications of near-field polarization photodetector are reviewed to highlight its potential in broad aspects of applications.