A birefringence polarizing beam-splitter is provided. A series
of periodic blazed grooves or grooves with echelon profile having a
number of steps is provided on the surface of an optically birefringent
material. The birefringent substrate material may be crystalline or
plastic. In another embodiment, two substrates of birefringent material
having a series of periodic blazed grooves or grooves with echelon
profile are combined to achieve greater angle of beam splitting.
