80 research outputs found
Resonant Metalenses for Breaking the Diffraction Barrier
We introduce the resonant metalens, a cluster of coupled subwavelength
resonators. Dispersion allows the conversion of subwavelength wavefields into
temporal signatures while the Purcell effect permits an efficient radiation of
this information in the far-field. The study of an array of resonant wires
using microwaves provides a physical understanding of the underlying mechanism.
We experimentally demonstrate imaging and focusing from the far-field with
resolutions far below the diffraction limit. This concept is realizable at any
frequency where subwavelength resonators can be designed.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
The rise of fully turbulent flow
Over a century of research into the origin of turbulence in wallbounded shear
flows has resulted in a puzzling picture in which turbulence appears in a
variety of different states competing with laminar background flow. At slightly
higher speeds the situation changes distinctly and the entire flow is
turbulent. Neither the origin of the different states encountered during
transition, nor their front dynamics, let alone the transformation to full
turbulence could be explained to date. Combining experiments, theory and
computer simulations here we uncover the bifurcation scenario organising the
route to fully turbulent pipe flow and explain the front dynamics of the
different states encountered in the process. Key to resolving this problem is
the interpretation of the flow as a bistable system with nonlinear propagation
(advection) of turbulent fronts. These findings bridge the gap between our
understanding of the onset of turbulence and fully turbulent flows.Comment: 31 pages, 9 figure
Homogenization of nonlocal wire metamaterial via a renormalization approach
It is well known that defining a local refractive index for a metamaterial
requires that the wavelength be large with respect to the scale of its
microscopic structure (generally the period). However, the converse does not
hold. There are simple structures, such as the infinite, perfectly conducting
wire medium, which remain non-local for arbitrarily large wavelength-to-period
ratios. In this work we extend these results to the more realistic and relevant
case of finite wire media with finite conductivity. In the quasi-static regime
the metamaterial is described by a non-local permittivity which is obtained
analytically using a two-scale renormalization approach. Its accuracy is tested
and confirmed numerically via full vector 3D finite element calculations.
Moreover, finite wire media exhibit large absorption with small reflection,
while their low fill factor allows considerable freedom to control other
characteristics of the metamaterial such as its mechanical, thermal or chemical
robustness.Comment: 8 pages on two columns, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Focusing and Compression of Ultrashort Pulses through Scattering Media
Light scattering in inhomogeneous media induces wavefront distortions which
pose an inherent limitation in many optical applications. Examples range from
microscopy and nanosurgery to astronomy. In recent years, ongoing efforts have
made the correction of spatial distortions possible by wavefront shaping
techniques. However, when ultrashort pulses are employed scattering induces
temporal distortions which hinder their use in nonlinear processes such as in
multiphoton microscopy and quantum control experiments. Here we show that
correction of both spatial and temporal distortions can be attained by
manipulating only the spatial degrees of freedom of the incident wavefront.
Moreover, by optimizing a nonlinear signal the refocused pulse can be shorter
than the input pulse. We demonstrate focusing of 100fs pulses through a 1mm
thick brain tissue, and 1000-fold enhancement of a localized two-photon
fluorescence signal. Our results open up new possibilities for optical
manipulation and nonlinear imaging in scattering media
Controlling waves in space and time for imaging and focusing in complex media
In complex media such as white paint and biological tissue, light encounters nanoscale refractive-index inhomogeneities that cause multiple scattering. Such scattering is usually seen as an impediment to focusing and imaging. However, scientists have recently used strongly scattering materials to focus, shape and compress waves by controlling the many degrees of freedom in the incident waves. This was first demonstrated in the acoustic and microwave domains using time reversal, and is now being performed in the optical realm using spatial light modulators to address the many thousands of spatial degrees of freedom of light. This approach is being used to investigate phenomena such as optical super-resolution and the time reversal of light, thus opening many new avenues for imaging and focusing in turbid medi
Topological spoof plasmon polaritons based on C6-symmetric crystalline metasurfaces
International audienceWe demonstrate topological surface polaritons that propagate on the surface of a two-dimensional (2D) metamaterial made of a subwavelength periodic arrangement of electromagnetic resonators. Such surface modes are obtained at the boundary between 2D domains of distinct topologies, characterized by non-zero spin-Chern invariants, where a spin degree of freedom is induced by relying on six-fold rotational (C6) crystal symmetry combined with time-reversal symmetry. Experiments are conducted in the microwave regime to corroborate the analytical and numerical predictions. Our proposal enables robust subwavelength guiding of electromagnetic waves on a surface along predefined paths
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