We report here, for the first time, the direct observation polarization dependent phase shifts in the in-coupling of light in the 780nm regime at the edge of a linear dielectric waveguide. Using finite element techniques, we show that these phase shifts are correctly predicted. Furthermore the obtained photoemission micrographs allow a determination of optical properties on the nanometer scale, i.e. optical near-field distributions can be quantified and energy transfer and loss can be analyzed. This opens the doors to sub-wavelength and dynamic imaging in metamaterial devices.

Paper No. 0793