Optical conductivity of metals from first principles

A computational method to obtain optical conductivities from first principles is presented. It exploits a relation between the conductivity and the complex dielectric function, which is constructed from the full electronic band structure within the random-phase approximation. In contrast to the Drude model, no empirical parameters are used. As interband transitions as well as local-field effects are properly included, the calculated spectra are valid over a wide frequency range. As an illustration I present quantitative results for selected simple metals, noble metals, and ferromagnetic transition metals. The implementation is based on the full-potential linearized augmented-plane-wave method.Comment: 3 pages including 5 figure

All-dielectric one-dimensional periodic structures for total omnidirectional reflection and partial spontaneous emission control

A remarkable property of one-dimensional all-dielectric periodic structures has recently been reported, namely a one-dimensional lattice can totally reflect electromagnetic wave of any polarization at all angles within a prescribed frequency region. Unlike their metallic counterpart, such all-dielectric omnidirectional mirrors are nearly free of loss at optical frequencies. Here we discuss the physics, design criteria and applications of the thin-film all-dielectric omnidirectional mirror. The experimental demonstration of the mirror is presented at optical frequencies.Comment: 6 pages, 9 figures; submitted to IEEE Journal of Lightwave Technolog

Observation of total omnidirectional reflection from a one-dimensional dielectric lattice

We show that under certain conditions one-dimensional dielectric lattice possesses total omnidirectional reflection of incident light. The predictions are verified experimentally using Na3AlF6/ZnSe multilayer structure developed by means of standard optical technology. The structure was found to exhibit reflection coefficient more then 99% in the range of incident angles 0-86 (degree) at the wavelength of 632.8 nm for s-polarization. The results are believed to stimulate new experiments on photonic crystals and controlled spontaneous emission.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures; submitted to Applied Physics

Graphene hyperlens for terahertz radiation

We propose a graphene hyperlens for the terahertz (THz) range. We employ and numerically examine a structured graphene-dielectric multilayered stack that is an analogue of a metallic wire medium. As an example of the graphene hyperlens in action we demonstrate an imaging of two point sources separated with distance $\lambda_{0}/5$. An advantage of such a hyperlens as compared to a metallic one is the tunability of its properties by changing the chemical potential of graphene. We also propose a method to retrieve the hyperbolic dispersion, check the effective medium approximation and retrieve the effective permittivity tensor.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Multiphysics simulations of adaptive metasurfaces at the meta-atom length scale

Adaptive metasurfaces (MSs) provide immense control over the phase, amplitude and propagation direction of electromagnetic waves. Adopting phase-change materials (PCMs) as an adaptive medium allows us to tune functionality of MSs at the meta-atom length scale providing full control over MS (re-)programmability. Recent experimental progress in the local switching of PCM-based MSs promises to revolutionize adaptive photonics. Novel possibilities open new challenges, one of which is a necessity to understand and be able to predict the phase transition behavior at the sub-micrometer scale. A meta-atom can be switched by a local deposition of heat using optical or electrical pulses. The deposited energy is strongly inhomogeneous and the resulting phase transition is spatially non-uniform. The drastic change of the material properties during the phase transition leads to time-dependent changes in the absorption rate and heat conduction near the meta-atom. These necessitate a self-consistent treatment of electromagnetic, thermal and phase transition processes. Here, a self-consistent multiphysics description of an optically induced phase transition in MSs is reported. The developed model is used to analyze local tuning of a perfect absorber. A detailed understanding of the phase transition at the meta-atom length scale will enable a purposeful design of programmable adaptive MSs. © 2020 Sebastian Meyer, Dmitry N. Chigrin et al., published by De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston 2020

Layer-Resolved Resonance Intensity of Evanescent Polariton Modes in Anisotropic Multilayers

Phonon polariton modes in layered anisotropic heterostructures are a key building block for modern nanophotonic technologies. The light-matter interaction for evanescent excitation of such a multilayer system can be theoretically described by a transfer matrix formalism. This method allows to compute the imaginary part of the p-polarized reflection coefficient Im$(r_{pp})$, which is typically used to analyze the polariton dispersion of the multilayer structure, but lacks the possibility to access the layer-resolved polaritonic response. We present an approach to compute the layer-resolved polariton resonance intensity in aribtrarily anisotropic layered heterostructures, based on calculating the Poynting vector extracted from a transfer matrix formalism. Our approach is independent of the experimental excitation conditions, and fulfills an empirical conservation law. As a test ground, we study two state-of-the-art nanophotonic multilayer systems, covering strong coupling and tunable hyperbolic surface phonon polaritons in twisted \MoO~double layers. Providing a new level of insight into the polaritonic response, our method holds great potential for understanding, optimizing and predicting new forms of polariton heterostructures in the future.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure