Toward superlensing with metal–dielectric composites and multilayers

We report on the fabrication of two types of adjustable, near-field superlens designs: metal–dielectric composites and metal–dielectric multilayer films. We fabricated a variety of films with different materials, thicknesses and compositions. These samples were characterized physically and optically to determine their film composition, quality, and optical responses. Our results on metal–dielectric composites indicate that although the real part of the effective permittivity generally follows effective medium theory predictions, the imaginary part does not and substantially higher losses are observed. Going forward, it appears that multilayer metal–dielectric designs are more suitable for sub-diffraction imaging applications because they could provide both tunability and low loss.     

Very low-refractive-index optical thin films consisting of an array of SiO2 nanorods

The refractive-index contrast in dielectric multilayer structures, optical resonators, and photonic crystals is an important figure of merit that creates a strong demand for high-quality thin films with a low refractive index. A SiO2 nanorod layer with low refractive index of n = 1.08, to our knowledge the lowest ever reported in thin-film materials, is grown by oblique-angle electron-beam deposition of SiO2. A single-pair distributed Bragg reflector employing a SiO2 nanorod layer is demonstrated to have enhanced reflectivity, showing the great potential of low-refractive-index films for applications in photonic structures and devices.     

全新的电导率特征矩阵方法及其在石墨烯THz频率光学特性上的应用

基于麦克斯韦方程组所要求的电磁场边界条件首次从理论上严格推导得到超薄导电体及其复合多层介质结构光学特性的一般计算方法及其特征矩阵公式, 其优点在于只要借助于导电体的电导率而无需知道其介电常数和磁导率即可计算得到反射、透射和吸收等光学特性, 克服了传统的传输矩阵方法必需知道组成材料的介电常数和磁导率才能获得其光学性质的问题, 并利用此方法获得了石墨烯及其复合多层结构在THz频率范围内反射、透射和吸收等光学行为.     

Three-dimensional photonic microstructures produced by electric field assisted dissolution of metal nanoclusters in multilayer stacks

The formation of three dimensional (3D) photonic microstructures by the locally selective dissolution of metal clusters embedded in dielectric multilayer stacks is presented. Dissolution of clusters is performed by the simultaneous application of electric field and temperature. The produced photonic structures show a highly tailorable optical behavior that combines the interferential effects of multilayer stacks and the surface plasmon resonance of non-dissolved metal clusters. Due to its feasibility and the possibility to widely modify the optical properties of the resulting structures, the current approach represents a promising method for the production of novel components based on 3D-metallodielectric photonic structures.     

Frequency Selective Characteristics of Dielectric Periodic Structures for Millimeter Wave Application

In this paper, the frequency selective reflection characteristics of dielectric periodic structures for the oblique incidence of a plane wave are analyzed by a method which combines the multimode network theory with the rigorous mode matching method. The variations of the total reflection characteristics with the geometric dimensions of the dielectric periodic structures are systematically investigated to develop useful guidelines for the design of the dielectric frequency selective surface. Moreover, the relationship between the related wave phenomenon and the dispersion characteristics of multilayer plane dielectric structure is explained with the theory of plane dielectric waveguide.     

Reflection characterization of multilayer surface films

The reflection of linearly polarized light from a multilayer system of ultrathin dielectric surface films is investigated both analytically in the long-wavelength limit and numerically by the standard way of calculating the reflection characteristics for the layered medium. The second-order approximate formulas for reflection coefficients and characteristic reflection angles are derived and their accuracy is estimated. It is shown that approximate expressions obtained for reflection parameters of multilayer system in the long-wavelength limit are of immediate interest to the solution of the inverse problem for ultrathin layered surface structures. Innovative possibilities for optical diagnostics are generated by means of polarizing and principal angles. For determining the parameters of multiple surface layers an appropriate method is found by combining differential reflectance with ellipsometry.     

Optical properties of multilayered Period-Doubling and Rudin-Shapiro porous silicon dielectric heterostructures

To investigate the optical properties in quasi-regular porous-silicon-based dielectric Period-Doubling and Rudin-Shapiro multilayer systems, we study here the reflection of light from these structures. The Period-Doubling and Rudin-Shapiro structures are fabricated in such a way that the optical thickness of each layer is one quarter of 600 and 640 nm respectively. We find that porous silicon Period-Doubling dielectric multilayers could demonstrate the optical properties similar to the classical periodic Febry–Perot interference filters with one or multiple resonant peaks, but with an advantage of having total optical thickness much lesser than the periodic structures. Additionally, light propagation in porous silicon Rudin-Shapiro structures is investigated for the first time, both theoretically and experimentally. The reflectance spectra of the structures exhibit photonic band gaps centered at predetermined wavelengths. In both cases, numerical simulation of light transmission is performed using transfer matrix method.     

Optical and Magneto-Optical Properties of Multilayer Nanosized [Co/TiO2]n Films

Physics of the Solid State - Abstract—The optical and magneto-optical properties of the metal–dielectric multilayer [Co/TiO2]n structures with 2–4-nm-thick layers prepared on a...     

Design of near-unity transmittance dielectric/Ag/ITO electrodes for GaN-based light-emitting diodes

We designed a near-unity transmittance dielectric/Ag/ITO electrode for high-efficiency GaN-based light-emitting diodes by using the scattering matrix method. The transmittance of an ultrathin metal layer, sandwiched between a dielectric layer and an ITO layer, was investigated as a function of the thickness and the optical constant of each constituent layer. Three different metals (Ag, Au, and Al) were examined as the metal layer. The analytical simulation indicated that the transmittance of a dielectric/metal/ITO multilayer film is maximized with an approximately 10-nm-thick Ag layer. Additionally, the transmittance also tends to increase as the refractive index of the upper dielectric layer increases. By tailoring the thickness of the dielectric layer and the ITO layer, the dielectric/Ag/ITO structure yielded a transmittance of 0.97, which surpasses the maximum transmittance (0.91) of a single ITO film. Furthermore, this extraordinary transmittance was present for other visible wavelengths of light, including violet and green colors. A complex phasor diagram model confirmed that the transmittance of the dielectric/metal/ITO multilayer film is influenced by the interference of reflected partial waves. These numerical findings underpin a rational design principle for metal-based multilayer films that are utilized as transparent electrodes for the development of efficient light-emitting diodes and solar cell devices.     

Design and optimization of one-dimensional photonic crystals for thermophotovoltaic applications

We explore the optical characteristics and fundamental limitations of one-dimensional (1D) photonic crystal (PhC) structures as means for improving the efficiency and power density of thermophotovoltaic (TPV) and microthermophotovoltaic (MTPV) devices. We analyze the optical performance of 1D PhCs with respect to photovoltaic diode efficiency and power density. Furthermore, we present an optimized dielectric stack design that exhibits a significantly wider stop band and yields better TPV system efficiency than a simple quarter-wave stack. The analysis is done for both TPV and MTPV devices by use of a unified modeling framework.     

二维函数光子晶体

光子晶体是由两种或两种以上不同介电常数材料所构成的周期性光学纳米结构.光子晶体结构可分为一维、二维和三维,其中二维光子晶体已成为研究的热点.可调带隙的二维光子晶体可以设计出新型的光学器件,因此,对它的研究具有重要的理论意义和应用价值.本文提出的二维新型函数光子晶体可以实现光子晶体带隙的可调性.所谓二维函数光子晶体,即组成它的介质柱的介电常数是空间坐标的函数,它不同于介电常数为常数的二维常规光子晶体.二维函数光子晶体是通过光折变非线性光学效应或电光效应使介质柱的介电常数成为空间坐标的函数.运用平面波展开法给出了TE和TM波的本征方程,由傅里叶变换得到二维函数光子晶体介电常数ε(r)的傅里叶变换ε(G),其傅里叶变换比常规二维光子晶体的复杂.计算发现当介质柱介电常数为常数时,其傅里叶变换与常规二维光子晶体的相同,因此二维常规光子晶体是二维函数光子晶体的特例.在此基础上具体研究了二维函数光子晶体TE波和TM波的带隙结构,其介质柱介电常数函数形式取为ε(r)=k·r+b,其中k,b为可调的参数.并与二维常规光子晶体TE波和TM波的带隙结构进行了比较,发现二维函数光子晶体与二维常规光子晶体TE波和TM波的带隙结构有明显的区别,二维函数光子晶体的带隙数目、位置以及宽度随参数k的变化而发生改变.从而实现了二维函数光子晶体带隙结构的可调性,为基于二维光子晶体的光学器件的设计提供了新的设计方法和重要的理论依据.     

Microwave and millimeter-wave losses in conventional optoelectronic devices

In this paper, microwave characteristics of conventional optoelectronic devices, with emphasis on devices with microstrip (MS) and coplanar waveguide (CPW) electrode structures, are obtained. This analysis is essential for any improvement in the structure of the conventional optoelectronic devices so as to obtain a high performance. Microwave loss is one of the important bandwidth limitation factors in microwave and millimeter-wave (mmW) optical devices. Different sources of loss including ohmic, dielectric and radiating loss in MS and CPW of conventional optical devices are analyzed and compared. The results show that the total microwave loss increases with frequency in conventional MS and CPW waveguides. Also, in traveling-wave optoelectronic devices, the bandwidth is limited in the optical part by effects such as the carrier transit time effect and in the microwave part by factors such as length of the devices in active and non-active sections. In addition, validation of the results in the paper is performed with published theoretical and/or measurement results.     

Wide angular range operation of a dielectric multilayer film with a photonic-crystal-type defect

Light can tunnel through a high-reflectivity dielectric multilayer film when a photonic-crystal-type defect is introduced in the structure, which is useful for optical signal processing. We consider chirped structures with a defect in layer thickness for which high reflectivity is achieved over a broad wavelength range except within a narrow spectral window. The useful transmission window, while it shifts toward shorter wavelengths as the angle of incidence of the light beam is increased, does not, in general, survive; i.e., transmission disappears progressively. We show that wide angular range operation can, however, be achieved by a proper design of the chirped structure. Analytical expressions for the design parameters are derived on the basis of a semi-infinite photonic crystal model. Theoretical reflectance spectra of defect SiO2/TiO2 chirped multilayer films are presented and discussed in terms of the dispersion of the electromagnetic radiation modes of the finite photonic crystal. These devices offer a simple way to mechanically tune (through inclination of the film) the wavelength transmitted from a fixed white-light beam.     

超高精细度微光学腔共振频率及有效腔长的精密测量

超高精细度微共振器是实现原子或者其他偶极子与腔强耦合作用的基本部分, 在腔量子电动力学(QED)、弱光非线性效应及微光学器件研究中扮演着重要的角色. 微腔基本参数的精密测量最终可以确定腔与原子的耦合系数、腔场衰减率, 对决定系统的动力学特性具有重要的意义. 但是由于超高精细度光学微腔本身的构造和多层镀膜的特点, 高精度地确定其共振频率及有效腔长存在一定困难. 本文结合修正的多层介质膜模型, 实验上完成了膜层为37层的超高精细度光学微腔在不同共振频率下有效腔长的精密测量, 获得了超高精细度光学微腔的共振频率及波长; 理论计算分析与实验测量结果相符, 对纵模间隔的测量精度误差低于0.004 nm, 较为修正前提高了约两个量级. 同时给出了对应不同模式数下, 光波渗入到介质中的深度. 该方法可望应用到其他微共振器的精密测量中. 关键词： 光学微腔 高精细度 共振频率     

Photonic band gaps structure properties of two-dimensional function photonic crystals

The tunable two-dimensional photonic crystals band gap, absolute photonic band gap and semi-Dirac point are beneficial to designing the novel optical devices. In this paper, tunable photonic band gaps structure was realized by a new type two-dimensional function photonic crystals, which dielectric constants of medium columns are functions of space coordinates. However for the two-dimensional conventional photonic crystals the dielectric constant does not change with space coordinates. As the parameter adjustment, we found that the photonic band gaps structures are dielectric constant function coefficient, medium columns radius, dielectric constant function form period number and pump light intensity dependent, namely, the photonic band gaps position and width can be tuned. we also obtained absolute photonic band gaps and semi-Dirac point in the photonic band gaps structures of two-dimensional function photonic crystals. These results provide an important theoretical foundation for design novel optical devices.     

多层介质膜脉冲宽度压缩光栅与超短脉冲作用时的性能分析

基于啁啾脉冲放大技术的超短脉冲激光系统是提供超快、超强激光的重要途径，具有良好输出波形和高损伤阈值的多层介质膜脉冲宽度压缩光栅是获得高峰值功率脉冲激光的关键. 基于傅里叶谱变换方法和严格模式理论，分析了多层介质膜光栅(MDG)在超短脉冲作用下的光学特性. 结果表明，当MDG的反射带宽小于具有高斯分布的入射脉冲的频谱宽度时，-1级反射脉冲呈非对称高斯分布，其前沿出现振荡，并且-1级反射脉冲能量开始剧烈下降. 讨论了MDG结构参数对其反射带宽的影响. 分析了MDG与超短脉冲作用时的近场光分布，对提高其抗激光损 关键词： 脉冲压缩光栅 傅里叶谱变换 模式理论 损伤阈值     

Polarization‐independent absorption enhancement in a graphene square array with a cascaded grating structure

The polarization‐independent enhanced absorption effect of graphene in the near‐infrared range is investigated. This is achieved by placing a graphene square array on top of a dielectric square array backed by a two‐dimensional multilayer grating. Total optical absorption in graphene can be attributed to critical coupling, which is achieved through the combined effect of guided‐mode resonance with the dielectric square array and the photonic band gap with the two‐dimensional multilayer grating. To reveal the physical origin of such a phenomenon, the electromagnetic field distributions for both polarizations are illustrated. The designed graphene absorber exhibits near‐unity polarization‐independent absorption at resonance with an ultra‐narrow spectrum. Moreover, the polarization‐independent absorption can be tuned simply by changing the geometric parameters. The results may have promising potential for the design of graphene‐based optoelectronic devices.     

BOR-FDTD analysis of nonlinear Fiber Bragg grating and distributed Bragg resonator

Recently, nonlinear materials have attracted a great deal of attention because of their importance in designing new devices to meet a need range of optical systems. An intense investigation of the possibility of using these materials for all optical ultrafast applications is achieved by allowing their dielectric characteristics to be varied in such a way that a periodic perturbation of their refractive index along the length of the waveguide will be formed. The Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method, on the other hand, has been proven to be one of the most powerful numerical techniques that are usefully applied to a wide range of optical devices. In this paper, a FDTD technique, developed for nonlinear structures, is used to analyze a nonlinear waveguide and periodic nonlinear structures that exhibit attractive properties that make them suitable for novel devices with wavelength tunable characteristics. More specifically, the Bodies of Revolution (BOR) FDTD numerical simulation method will be used to model the fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) and the direct integration method will be employed to include the effect of Self Phase Modulation (SPM) in this model. The combination of these techniques will result in a model that is used to analyze two different types of periodic nonlinear structure, FBG and Distributed Bragg Resonator (DBR). The nonlinear effect provides the designer an added degree of design flexibility for devices with wavelength tunable characteristics, for example, in the design of tunable filters, WDM systems and optical sensors.     

Singular Characteristics of Optical Thue–Morse Multilayers Composed of PT‐Symmetric Elements

Aperiodic 1D Thue–Morse (TM) multilayer optical structures composed of two parity‐time‐symmetric (PT‐symmetric) elements are constructed. The transfer matrix and scattering matrix are utilized for singular propagation characteristic analysis of the structures. The structures display interesting and singular properties, including an unusual eigenvalue spectra, transparency, and unidirectional reflectionless and unidirectional invisibility. Additionally, even‐generation and odd‐generation structures show a significant difference in the aforementioned four properties. The main reason for this is the symmetry difference between the two structures: for even‐generation structures, each individual element as well as the entire system with respect to the PT‐symmetry; while for the odd‐generation structures, each individual element has PT‐symmetry; however, the system as a whole does not have PT‐symmetry. The propagation characteristics of the entire structure, which is not a PT‐symmetric system being composed of PT‐symmetric elements, have not yet been reported. This work can contribute to the understanding of the TM sequence, as well as contribute to understanding the influence of the degree of PT‐symmetry on the singular optical propagation characteristics of aperiodic optical structures. Additionally, this may open new possibilities for important applications, such as the design of a diverse family of all‐optical devices with intriguing behaviors.     

Anisotropic plasmon dispersion and damping in multilayer 8-Pmmn borophene structures

We investigate the collective plasma oscillations theoretically in multilayer 8-Pmmn borophene structures, where the tilted Dirac electrons in spatially separated layers are coupled via the Coulomb interaction. We calculate the energy dispersions and Landau dampings of the multilayer plasmon excitations as a function of the total number of layers, the interlayer separation, and the different orientations. Like multilayer graphene, the plasmon spectrum in multilayer borophene consists of one in-phase optical mode and N - 1 out-of-phase acoustical modes. We show that the plasmon modes possess kinks at the boundary of the interband single-particle continuum and the apparent anisotropic behavior. All the plasmon modes approach the same dispersion at a sufficiently large interlayer spacing in the short-wavelength limit. Especially along specific orientations, the optical mode could touch an energy maximum in the nondamping region, which shows non-monotonous behavior. Our work provides an understanding of the multilayer borophene plasmon and may pave the way for multilayer borophene-based plasmonic devices.