Transmission resonances of metallic compound gratings with subwavelength slits

Transmission metallic gratings with subwavelength slits are known to produce enhanced transmitted intensity for certain resonant wavelengths. One of the mechanisms that produce these resonances is the excitation of waveguide modes inside the slits. We show that by adding slits to the period, the transmission maxima are widened and, simultaneously, this generates phase resonances that appear as sharp dips in the transmission response. These resonances are characterized by a significant enhancement of the interior field.     

Negative role of surface plasmons in the transmission of metallic gratings with very narrow slits

It is generally admitted that the extraordinary transmission of metallic grating with very narrow slits is mainly due to the excitation of surface plasmons on the upper and lower interfaces of the grating. We show that the surface plasmon contribution is not the prime effect and that waveguide mode resonance and diffraction are responsible for the extraordinary transmission. Additionally and surprisingly, we reveal that the transmittance of subwavelength metallic gratings is always nearly zero for frequencies corresponding to surface plasmon excitation. This finding implies that surface plasmons play a negative role in the transmission.     

All-optical switching in long-period fiber gratings

Nonlinear pulse propagation in long-period fiber gratings is studied with a mode-locked Q -switched laser pulse approximately 80ps in duration at a wavelength of 1.05 microm . Optical switching, pulse reshaping, and optical limiting are found at intensities in the range of 1-20 GW/cm(2).     

Resonances on metallic compound transmission gratings with subwavelength wires and slits

We investigate the response of gratings formed by subwavelength wires in a dielectric medium. For gratings with a single wire per period, most of the incident power is transmitted through the structure. If the distance between adjacent wires is small enough, the excitation of waveguide modes can lead to reflection resonances. However, only when the period is formed by several wires (compound grating), new degrees of freedom are introduced for the phase distribution of the field inside the slits, allowing a new class of resonances analyzed in this letter. We give numerical examples illustrating the combined effect produced by both types of resonances in the grating response.     

Mode-matched Fano resonances for all-optical switching applications

We introduce the concept of mode-matched Fano resonances in one-dimensional, subwavelength, diffraction gratings. These resonances are characterized by an extremely high quality (Q)-factor and lend themselves well for applications to ultra-low power, all-optical switching devices at telecommunication wavelengths. We provide examples of diffraction gratings made of a chalcogenide glass (As₂S₃) where, thanks to the mode-matched Fano resonances, all-optical switching is obtained at local field intensities well below the photo-darkening threshold of the material.     

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.     

All-optical switching in subwavelength metallic grating structure containing nonlinear optical materials

All-optical switching based on a subwavelength metallic grating structure containing nonlinear optical materials has been proposed and numerically investigated. Metal-dielectric composite material is used in the switching for its larger third-order nonlinear susceptibility (approximately 10(-7)esu) and ultrafast response properties. The calculated dependence of the signal light intensity on the pump light intensity shows a bistable behavior, which results in a significant switch effect. It rests on a surface plasmon's enhanced intensity-dependent change of the effective dielectric constant of Kerr nonlinear media, corresponding to a transition of the far-field transmission from a low- to high-transmission state. The study of this switching structure shows great advantages of smaller size, lower requirement of pump light intensity, and shorter switching time at approximately the picosecond level.     

Optical transmission resonances tuned by external static magnetic field in an n-doped semiconductor grating with subwavelength slits

Transmission behavior of light through a grating consisting of n-doped semiconductor with subwavelength slits under the application of external static magnetic fields is investigated. As dielectric constant of n-doped semiconductor can be substantially altered by applied magnetic field, in the Voigt configuration and for TM-polarized illumination, two transmission resonance peaks associated with localized waveguide modes of slits are significantly shifted toward the lower frequency regime with the increase of the applied magnetic field. These characteristics can be assigned to a reduction of effective plasma frequency of n-doped semiconductor under the applied magnetic field. Our findings may provide possibility for achieving tunable transmission resonance spectrum.     

Beam focusing from double subwavelength metallic slits filled with nonlinear material surrounded by dielectric surface gratings

Based on the radiation properties of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) can be controlled by adjusting the refractive indexes of dielectric materials in the metallic slits, a novel plasmonic focusing structure formed by two subwavelength metal apertures filled with Kerr nonlinear material surrounded by surface dielectric gratings is proposed and demonstrated numerically. Directions of radiation fields are determined by the phase difference of the surface waves at the exit interface and resonance property of each surface grating. Numerical simulations using two-dimensional (2D) Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method verify that the deflection angle and focal length can be controlled easily by changing the intensity of incident light, dynamically tunable on-axis and off-axis focusing effects can be achieved.     

Fano resonances with discrete breathers

A theoretical study of linear wave scattering by time-periodic spatially localized excitations (discrete breathers) is presented. A peculiar effect of total reflection occurs due to a Fano resonance when a localized state originating from closed channels resonates with the open channel. For the discrete nonlinear Schr?dinger chain, we give an analytical result for the frequency dependence of the transmission coefficient, including the possibility of resonant reflection. We extend the analysis to chains of weakly coupled anharmonic oscillators and discuss the relevance of the effect for electronic transport spectroscopy of mesoscopic systems.     

Light passage through a film with subwavelength slits

The effect of anomalously high transmission of an electromagnetic wave through a periodic array of subwavelength slits in a metal film was studied. Results of numerical simulation were compared with theoretical and semi-analytical calculations of anomalous transmission through a silver film. Transmission through a perfectly conductive metal film with subwavelength slits was considered; anomalous transmission through it was detected.     

All-optical switching at ultralow light levels

We report an experimental demonstration of all-optical switching at ultralow light levels in coherently prepared Rb atoms. A signal light pulse is switched on and off by a control light pulse at different frequencies in a four-level atomic system based on multiphoton interferences. We observed a switching efficiency of 55% with the signal and control light pulses containing approximately 20 photons each, corresponding to a control energy density of approximately 10(-5) photons per atomic cross section lambda(2)/(2pi).     

Genetic optimization of double subwavelength metal slits surrounded by surface dielectric gratings for directional beaming manipulation

In this work, a model of double subwavelength metal slits surrounded by surface dielectric gratings is proposed for the directional beaming based on surface plasmon polariton (SPP). A genetic algorithm (GA) in conjunction with the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is employed to optimize this structure, which leads to the high-efficiency directional beaming at any angle in a broad range (from 0° to 70°). The results show that the furthest propagation distance of the beaming can reach more than 25 μm, the maximum deflection efficiency can reach 97.37%, and the enhancement factor of the beaming can reach 7.58 × 10². The acceptable perturbation range of optimum structures is also obtained, which indicates the feasibility and realization of this model.     

Fano resonances in semiconductor superlattices

We use semiconductor superlattices as a model system for the investigation of Fano resonances. In absorption the excitonic transitions of the Wannier–Stark ladder show the typical asymmetric line shape due to coupling to the continuum of lower-lying transitions. The unique feature of these Fano resonances is that they allow to continuously tune the key parameter – the coupling strength Γ between the discrete state and the degenerate continuum – by varying the bias voltage. Using this feature, we directly show that the Fano coupling leads to a fast polarization decay. We also investigate the dependence of the Fano parameters on the structure of the superlattice and compare with an extensive theoretical model of the resonances.     

Fano resonances in stubbed quantum waveguides with impurities

We consider T–shaped, two–dimensional quantum waveguides containing attractive or repulsive impurities with a smooth, realistic shape, and study how the resonance behavior of the total conductance depends upon the strength of the defect potential and the geometry of the device. The resonance parameters are determined locating the relevant S–matrix poles in the Riemann energy surface. The total scattering operator is obtained from the S–matrices of the various constituent segments of the device through the –product composition rule. This allows for a numerically stable evaluation of the scattering matrix and of the resonance parameters.     

Fano resonances in prism-coupled square micropillars

We report Fano resonances in the frustrated total internal reflection (TIR) spectra of a prism-coupled square micropillar. Our angle-selective frustrated TIR technique reveals characteristically asymmetric resonance line shapes, which evolve spectrally over approximately a 2pi phase in the far field within a subdegree range of reflection angles. We theoretically model the asymmetric line shapes by the interference between a high-Q resonance that is evanescently coupled and partially confined by TIR, and a coherent background that is total internally reflected at the prism surface without coupling to the micropillar.     

Pancharatnam--Berry phase in space-variant polarization-state manipulations with subwavelength gratings

We report the appearance of a geometrical phase in space-variant polarization-state manipulations. This phase is related to the classic Pancharatnam-Berry phase. We show a method with which to calculate it and experimentally demonstrate its effect, using subwavelength metal stripe space-variant gratings. The experiment is based on a unique grating for converting circularly polarized light at a wavelength of 10.6 mum into an azimuthally polarized beam. Our experimental evidence relies on analysis of far-field images of the resultant polarization.     

基于平面超材料的Fano谐振可调谐研究

基于两段相同金属分裂环谐振器构成的单层结构, 从理论及实验方面研究了平面超材料的可调谐Fano谐振. 实验测量了平面超材料对TE和TM入射波的电磁响应, 利用电磁波的入射角度控制Fano谐振的强度, 实现了谐振的开关特性, 谐振频率红移可达到21%. 基于有限元法给出了平面超材料的场分布, 强的正常色散表明平面超材料的电磁响应可类比经典电磁诱导透明现象, 仿真与实验结果相符合. 对称结构超材料Fano谐振的开/关特性为超材料性能的可调谐控制提供了有效途径.