On the application of symmetrization to the transmission of electromagnetic waves through small convex apertures of arbitrary shape

The transmission of an electromagnetic wave through a small aperture in a perfectly conducting screen is examined from the viewpoint of symmetrization.     

Delay in light transmission through small apertures

We demonstrate a technique for measuring pulse propagation time delays with 0.5-fs resolution by use of a widely available 100-fs pulsed laser. Using this technique, we measured the time delay of a light pulse transiting through subwavelength apertures placed on a 0.3-mum metallic film. We measured a 7-fs total transit time, corresponding to an effective group velocity of c/7 . The experimental result yielded additional evidence that light interacts resonantly with oscillators formed by the surface modes near the small apertures.     

On electromagnetic waves in chiral media

We analyze the propagation of electromagnetic waves through chiral media, i.e., through composite media consisting of macroscopic chiral objects randomly embedded in a dielectric. The peculiar effects that such media have on the polarization properties of the waves are placed in evidence. To demonstrate the physical basis of these effects, a specific example, chosen for its analytical simplicity, is worked out from first principles.     

Mechanical forces and torques associated with electromagnetic waves

Mechanical forces and torques associated with electromagnetic waves impinging on several objects are computed. The incoming radiation can be linearly or circularly polarized, thus carrying linear and angular momenta. The objects are matched dipoles in several configurations and a metal sphere. Numerous interesting results are obtained.     

FSS-based approach for the power transmission enhancement through electrically small apertures

In this paper, a novel approach, based on the employment of frequency selective surfaces, to enhance the power transmission through sub-wavelength apertures at the microwave frequencies is presented. A heuristic interpretation of the phenomenon is given, as well as an analytical model, based on the transmission line network representation. Finally, the performance of the proposed structure is validated through a set of full-wave numerical simulations.     

The Reflection of electromagnetic waves from almost periodic structures

We investigate the reflection of electromagnetic waves from structures charaterized by a spatially varying dielectric permittivity of an almost periodic nature. The reflection from almost periodic structures is compared and contrasted with the reflection from periodic structures. Paradoxically, it is found that almost periodic structures may prove superior to their periodic counterparts when these structures are used as filters. The major portion of this work was performed while the author was with the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA     

Theory of resonant acoustic transmission through subwavelength apertures

A complete landscape is presented of the acoustic transmission properties of subwavelength apertures (slits and holes). First, we study the emergence of Fabry-Perot resonances in single apertures. When these apertures are placed in a periodic fashion, a new type of transmission resonance appears in the spectrum. We demonstrate that this resonance stems from the excitation of an acoustic guided wave that runs along the plate, which hybridizes strongly with the Fabry-Perot resonances associated with waveguide modes in single apertures. A detailed discussion of the similarities and differences with the electromagnetic case is also given.     

Resonant transmission of cold atoms through subwavelength apertures

Recently, it has been observed that transmission of light through subwavelength apertures, which is usually negligible, can be significantly enhanced when surface plasmons are resonantly excited. Here we introduce the idea that similar effects can be expected for cold atoms in structures supporting surface matter waves. We show that surface matter waves are possible in properly designed structures, and then we theoretically demonstrate 100% transmission of rubidium atoms through an array of slits much narrower than the de Broglie wavelength of the atoms. Our results open up the possibility of using surface matter waves to control the flow of neutral atoms.     

All-optical switching of the transmission of electromagnetic radiation through subwavelength apertures

Unprecedented optical control of the surface plasmon polariton assisted transmission of terahertz radiation through subwavelength apertures is rendered possible by carrier-induced changes to the dielectric properties of a semiconductor grating. Although the study presented is static, the extension of our approach to dynamic switching and tuning is deemed straightforward, opening the way for the realization of ultrafast surface plasmon based devices.     

Some remarks on the classical electrodynamics of moving media

Extension of Maxwell's electrodynamics of media at rest to moving bodies is hampered by a basic difficulty: how to determine the excitation sources and the fields inside a body which is moving relative to the laboratory where the measurements are performed. In this paper various approaches are analyzed and interpreted from a point of view not previously emphasized, i.e., theoretical results are directly related to the Röntgen-Eichenwald experiments and to the phenomenon of unipolar induction. Practical difficulties associated with possible processes of measurement are pointed out.     

On the theory of electron motion due to superposed em waves and its application to the free-electron laser with linear polarization

The relativistic motion of a charged particle in an electromagnetic field depending only on one coordinate is shown to be exactly equivalent to the unidimensional motion of a particle having a time and space-varying mass. By means of the averaged Lagrangian method an approximate solution is obtained for the relativistic electron motion in two oppositely moving waves of any polarization, one of them being weaker than the other one, thus generalizing the results previously obtained for circular polarization. A comparison with numerical calculations shows a good agreement. A pendulum-like motion in an effective periodic potential is shown to exist not only for two waves of the same frequency, but more generally when the frequency of the weaker wave is an odd harmonic of the frequency of the stronger one.This research was supported in part by CNR and the Italian Ministry of Education     

Thermal switching of the enhanced transmission of terahertz radiation through subwavelength apertures

We demonstrate that the extraordinary transmission of terahertz radiation through semiconductor gratings of subwavelength apertures can be switched completely by varying the temperature. The enhanced transmission, which is due to the resonant tunneling of surface plasmon polaritons that can be excited in semiconductors at terahertz frequencies, is controlled by thermally modifying the density of free carriers. The transmission through metal gratings cannot be switched in the same way since the carrier density is temperature independent. Thus semiconductors offer an interesting alternative to metals in enhancing the transmission of electromagnetic radiation.     

Extraordinary terahertz transmission through subwavelength spindle-like apertures in NbN film

We studied numerically the temperature dependent extraordinary terahertz transmission through niobium nitride(NbN) film perforated with subwavelength spindle-like apertures. Both the resonant frequency and intensity of extraordinary terahertz transmission peaks can be greatly modified by the transition of NbN film from the normal state to the superconducting state. An enhancement of the(±1, 0) NbN/magnesium oxide(MgO) peak intensity as high as 200% is demonstrated due to the combined contribution of both the superconducting transition and the excitation of localized surface plasmons(LSPs) around the apertures. The extraordinary terahertz transmission through spindle-like hole arrays patterned on the NbN film can pave the way for us to explore novel active tuning devices.     

Resonantly enhanced transmission of light through subwavelength apertures with dielectric filling

Using both analytical and numerical methods to study transmission of light through dielectric-filled subwavelength apertures in a real metal, we have found that a propagating mode can in principle exist inside a waveguide of arbitrary small size if a particular relationship between the dielectric constants of the cladding and filling materials at the incident frequency is satisfied. Practical transmission through a subwavelength aperture of finite depth can be enhanced when the depth is such that Fabry-Pérot-like resonances are excited. For 810 nm light incident on a silicon-filled 50-nm-diameter aperture in a 200-nm-thick gold film, we found that a normalized near-field intensity ratio of 1.6 at the exit can be achieved. This resonantly enhanced transmission phenomenon may be advantageously applicable to near-field scanning optical microscopy and single-molecule spectroscopy.     

Enhanced transmission through subwavelength metallic coaxial apertures by excitation of the TEM mode

We present here the first theoretical demonstration of enhanced transmission (up to 90%) through annular aperture arrays engraved into opaque metallic plates thanks to the excitation of the TEM guided mode inside each coaxial cavity. The generation of this peculiar mode is obtained, first, by illuminating the structure under oblique incidence and, second, by considering a TM polarization. Analytical demonstration is performed to confirm the involvement of these two conditions for the emergence of this guided mode. The originality of this configuration comes, first, from the fact that the TEM mode has no cut-off wavelength and, second, from the fact that the transmission peak position is independent of the angle of incidence. PACS 42.25.Fx; 78.20.Bh; 78.67.-n     

Interface extinction and subsurface peaking of the radiation pattern of a line source

The radiation pattern of a line source lying along the plane interface of two dielectric half-spaces is calculated. It is found that the pattern at the interface has a null (interface extinction); that the pattern in the upper half-space, whose index of refraction is taken to be less than that of the lower half-space, has a single lobe with a maximum normal to the interface; and that the pattern in the lower half-space (subsurface region) has two maxima (peaks) straddling symmetrically a minimum. Interpretation of these results in terms of ray optics, Oseen's extinction theorem, and the Cerenkov effect are given.     

Enhanced transmission of electromagnetic waves through metamaterials

This paper reviews our recent experimental and simulation results regarding the electromagnetic wave transmission through three configurations of sandwiching structures of metamaterials: a metallic mesh sandwiched between two identical layers composed of split rings, metallic fractals, and fractal slits, respectively. We observed the enhanced transmission of the waves through these three types of sandwiching composites with respect to the opaque metallic mesh. The locations of the transmission peaks in the spectrum are associated closely with the band characteristics of the sandwiching layer by appearing either on the left- or the right-hand side of its band. PACS 41.20.Jb; 42.70.Qs; 78.20.-e; 42.25.Bs; 47.53.+n     

Singularity expansions for cylinders of finite conductivity

A new rigorous differential formulation to compute the scattering matrix of an obliquely oriented cylinder of finite conductivity and arbitrary shape is given. The analytic continuation of the scattering operator is examined in the frequency domain as well as in the propagation constant domain. The corresponding computer program is able to compute the singularity expansion for such a cylinder, as well as the propagating mode along it. Numerical examples are given.     

Stability of higher-order bragg interactions in active periodic media

The stability of waves in unbounded, longitudinally periodic media is studied for index and gain coupling. Time-independent periodic media are found to support both stable and absolutely unstable waves. The wave characteristics depend upon average gain or loss, coupling type, and Bragg order. The extended coupled waves (ECW) equations provide explicit values of threshold, frequency, and temporal growth rate for instabilities at all Bragg resonances through the dispersion relation. The first and second Bragg resonances are studied in detail since they are the archetypes for all odd and even resonances. Applications to multiharmonic periodicities and complex couplings are briefly discussed with particular not taken of possible reductions of the stability thresholds and removal of threshold degeneracies. Comparisons are made to the longitudinally bounded case of distributed feedback (DFB) lasers.