Search results for "Refraction"

Uniaxial epsilon-near-zero metamaterials: from superlensing to double refraction

2014

We investigated optical properties of nanostructured metal-dielectric multilayered lattices under the conditions of epsilon-near-zero (ENZ), a concept derived from the effective-medium approach (EMA). We theoretically found that the periodic array of metallic nanolayers may exhibit either superlensing driven by broadband canalization from point emitters or single-polarization double refraction, and conventional positive as well as negative, even at subwavelength regimes. For the latter case, we formulated a modified EMA, and subsequently a generalized refraction law, that describes both refractive behaviors concurrently. The modal coupling of plasmonic lattice resonances, and nonlocality in…

Role of dispersion on zero-average-index bandgaps

2009

We consider periodic multilayers combining ordinary positive index materials and dispersive metamaterials with negative index in some frequency ranges. These structures can exhibit photonic bandgaps which, in contrast with the usual Bragg gaps, are not based on interference mechanisms. Changing the dispersion models for the constituent metamaterial, we investigate its role in the production of zero-average-index bandgaps. In particular, we show the effect of each constitutive parameter on both bandgap edges. Finally, we give some approximated analytical expressions in terms of average parameters for the determination of the upper and lower limits of the zero-average refractive-index bandgap…

Diffraction-managed superlensing using plasmonic lattices

2012

Abstract We show that subwavelength diffracted wave fields may be managed inside multilayered plasmonic devices to achieve ultra-resolving lensing. For that purpose we first transform both homogeneous waves and a broad band of evanescent waves into propagating Bloch modes by means of a metal/dielectric (MD) superlattice. Beam spreading is subsequently compensated by means of negative refraction in a plasmon-induced anisotropic medium that is cemented behind. A precise design of the superlens doublet may lead to nearly aberration-free images with subwavelength resolution in spite of using optical paths longer than a wavelength.

Human contrast sensitivity in coherent Maxwellian view: effect of coherent noise and comparison with speckle.

1997

Lasers have been used in vision for measuring the neural contrast sensitivity function (CSF) by forming interference fringes on the retina. We distinguish among three kinds of illumination with lasers: incoherent (without noise), Maxwellian or coherent (with coherent noise), and diffuse coherent (with speckle). The three have different characteristics and different CSF's. A coherent imaging system is designed to measure the CSF with fully coherent illumination. This is the CSF of the whole visual system, although it is measured with gratings imaged on the retina. It therefore differs from the neural CSF's measured by other authors with partially coherent illumination. However, the neural CS…

2021

Abstract The present article summarizes the results of a study of optical Cherenkov radiation (ChR) spectral properties both theoretically and experimentally. This type of radiation has a continuous spectral distribution which allows to use it in different fields of physics as for charged particle identification or generation of intense THz radiation. By exploiting the frequency dependency of the target permittivity it is possible to observe quasi–monochromatic radiation. A theoretical model based on a surface current approach is presented which allows to predict angular and spectral properties of ChR. In order to test the model predictions, an experiment was carried out using 855 MeV elect…

Rashba spin-orbit-interaction-based quantum pump in graphene

2012

We present a proposal for an adiabatic quantum pump based on a graphene monolayer patterned by electrostatic gates and operated in the low-energy Dirac regime. The setup under investigation works in the presence of inhomogeneous spin-orbit interactions of intrinsic- and Rashba-type and allows to generate spin polarized coherent current. A local spin polarized current is induced by the pumping mechanism assisted by the spin-double refraction phenomenon.

The Elliptical Polarization of Light Scattered by a Volume of Atmospheric Air

2010

The scattering of linearly polarized light by aerosol particles produces partly polarized light whose ellipticity is theoretically and experimentally investigated for the specific case of a continental atmospheric aerosol in a volume of air. With the Mie theory and under the assumption of various aerosol size-distribution models, the ellipticity has been computed as a function of the scattering angle for various wavelengths. The computations have been based upon complex indices of refraction: M = 1.5-0.0i, M = 1.5-0.0li, M = 1.5-0.li, M = 1.44-0.0i, M = 1.4-0.0i, M = 1.33-0.0i. The comparison between computed and measured values for the wavelengths of lambda = 0.45 micro to lambda = 0.65 mi…

<title>Compact illuminators, collimators, and focusers with half-sperical input aperture</title>

1994

Inexpensive semi-point light sources completed with integral concentrators of the emitted radiation can find many applications in machine vision systems. Three designs of half- spherical input aperture dielectric concentrators optimized for small spot illumination, collimation, and point-focusing are discussed here. The designs provide conversion of radially emitted light into narrow beam of the desired profile by means of total internal reflection and refraction on specially shaped aspherical surfaces. Analytic expressions describing the surface shapes as well as raytracing results are presented.

Metacoatings for wavelength-scale, high-numerical-aperture plano–concave focusing lenses

2016

We design plano–concave silicon lenses with coupled gradient-index plasmonic metacoatings for ultrawide apertured focusing utilizing a reduced region of ∼20λ2. The anomalous refraction induced in the planar input side of the lens and in the boundary of the wavelength-scale focal region boosts the curvature of the emerging wavefront, thus significantly enhancing the resolution of the tightly focused optical wave. The formation of a light tongue with dimensions approaching those of the concave opening is here evidenced. This scheme is expected to have potential applications in optical trapping and detection.

Plasmonic stratified devices for superlensing in the self-focusing regime

2012

We show that diffraction-management of subwavelength scattered fields assisted by metallodielectric heterostructures leads to superresolving imaging. An accurate design of a passive multilayered compound provides nearly aberration-free images with subwavelength resolution out of the canalization regime even using optical paths longer than a wavelength.