S. Ya. Vetrov

Spectral properties of a one-dimensional photonic crystal with a resonant defect nanocomposite layer

The spectral properties of a one-dimensional photonic crystal with a defect nanocomposite layer that consists of metallic nanoballs distributed in a transparent matrix and is characterized by an effective resonance permittivity are studied. The problem of calculating the transmission, reflection, and absorption spectra of p-polarized waves in such structures is solved for oblique incidence of light, and the spectral manifestation of defect-mode splitting as a function of the volume fraction of nanoballs and the structural parameters is studied. The splitting is found to depend substantially on the nanoball concentration in the defect, the defect layer thickness, and the angle of incidence. The angle of incidence is found at which the resonance frequency of the nanocomposite is located near the edge of the bandgap or falls in the frequency region of a continuous spectrum. The resonance situation appearing in this case results in an additional transmission band or an additional bandgap in the transmission spectrum.

Optical Tamm states at the interface between a photonic crystal and a nanocomposite with resonance dispersion

Optical Tamm states localized at the edges of a photonic crystal bounded from one or both sides by a nanocomposite have been studied. The nanocomposite consists of metallic nanoinclusions, which have a spherical or orientationally ordered spheroidal shape and are dispersed in a transparent matrix, and is characterized by the resonant effective permittivity. The transmission, reflection, and absorption spectra have been calculated for waves with longitudinal and transverse polarizations in such structures at the normal incidence of light. The spectral manifestation of Tamm states that is due to the existence of negative values of the real part of the effective permittivity has been analyzed for the visible spectral range. It has been established that the characteristics of Tamm states localized at the edge of the photonic crystal depend strongly both on the concentration of nanoballs in the nanocomposite film and on its thickness. Modes formed by two coupled Tamm plasmon polaritons localized at the edges of the photonic crystal adjacent to two nanocomposite layers have been examined. It has been shown that, in the case of the anisotropic nanocomposite layer adjacent to the photonic crystal, each of two orthogonal polarizations of the incident wave corresponds to a specific frequency of the Tamm state localized at the edge; owing to this property, the transmission spectra of such a structure are polarization sensitive.

One-dimensional photonic crystals with a planar oriented nematic layer: Temperature and angular dependence of the spectra of defect modes

Transmission spectra of a one-dimensional photonic crystal (PC) formed by two multilayer dielectric mirrors and a planar oriented layer of 5CB nematic liquid crystal (LC) that is sandwiched between these mirrors and serves as a structure defect are investigated experimentally. Specific features of the behavior of the spectrum of defect modes as a function of the angle of incidence of light on the crystal are studied for two polarizations: parallel and perpendicular to the director of the LC; the director either lies in the plane of incidence or is perpendicular to it. It is shown that, for the configurations considered, the maxima of the defect modes shift toward the short-wavelength region as the tilt angle of incidence radiation increases; this tendency is more manifest for the parallel-polarized component, when the director lies in the plane of incidence. In the latter case, the width of the photonic band gap (PBG) appreciably decreases. The temperature dependence of the polarization components of the transmission spectra of a PC is investigated in the case of normal incidence of light. The spectral shift of defect modes due to the variation of the refractive index of the LC at the nematic-isotropic liquid phase transition point is measured. It is shown that, in real PCs, the amplitude of defect modes decreases when approaching the center of the band gap, as well as when the number of layers in the dielectric mirrors increases. Theoretical transmission spectra of the PCs calculated by the method of recurrence relations with regard to the decay of defect modes are in good agreement with experimental data.

Thermooptical Switching in a One-Dimensional Photonic Crystal

The temperature dependence of the optical transmission spectrum of a one-dimensional multilayer photonic crystal structure with a central defect layer has been studied. The defect was represented by a nematic liquid crystal (5CB) layer with a homeotropic orientation. It is shows that the defect modes exhibit a 10-nm spectral shift due to a change in the refractive index of the liquid crystal in the course of heating-induced transition to the isotropic phase. A comparison of the experimental data to the results of heating-induced transition to the isotropic phase. A comparison of the experimental data to the results of numerical analysis shows the importance of allowance for the decay of defect modes.

Chiral optical Tamm states at the boundary of the medium with helical symmetry of the dielectric tensor

A new optical state at the boundary of a chiral medium whose dielectric tensor has a helical symmetry is described analytically and numerically. The case of zero tangential wavenumber is considered. The state localized near the boundary does not transfer energy along this boundary and decreases exponentially with the distance from the boundary. The penetration of the field into the chiral medium is blocked at wavelengths corresponding to the photonic band gap and close to the pitch of the helix. The polarization of light near the boundary has the same sign of chirality as the helical symmetry. It is shown that the homogeneous environment or a substrate should exhibit anisotropic metallic reflection. The spectral manifestation of the state is determined by the angle between the optical axes of the media at the interface. A state at the interface between a cholesteric liquid crystal and an anisotropic metal–dielectric nanocomposite was considered as an example.

Localized electromagnetic modes and the transmission spectrum of a one-dimensional photonic crystal with lattice defects

The properties of localized electromagnetic modes in a one-dimensional photonic crystal with a structural defect layer were studied. The role of the defect was played by an anisotropic nematic liquid crystal layer. The frequency and the damping factor of defect modes were shown to substantially depend on the defect layer thickness and the orientation of the optical axis of the nematic. The transmission spectra of photonic crystals with one and two lattice defects were studied. Taking into account the special feature of nematic liquid crystals distinguishing them from usual crystals, namely, large permittivity anisotropy, it was shown that the transmission spectrum of the photonic crystal could be controlled by varying the orientation of the optical axis of the nematic, for instance, under the action of an external electric field.

Reflection spectrum of a cholesteric liquid crystal with structural defects

An expression is obtained for the reflection coefficient of circularly polarized light normally incident on the film of a cholesteric liquid crystal with a variable helix pitch. It is shown that, in the case of a single defect (local change in the helix pitch), the spectrum of light reflection from a cholesteric acquires a dip corresponding to the defect mode. New qualitative features appear in the reflection spectrum of a cholesteric with two defects as the distance between them varies.

Control of the transmission spectrum of a photonic crystal with lattice defects

The transmission spectrum of a one-dimensional photonic crystal with structural defects is investigated. An anisotropic layer of a nematic liquid crystal is considered as a defect. The possibility of effective external control of the transmission spectrum of the photonic crystal by changing either the orientational state of the defect liquid crystal layer (for example, using an electric field) or the angle of incidence of light is shown. It is established that the spectral properties of the photonic crystal change radically with a change in the optical characteristics of the defect layer in the vicinity of the temperature phase transition of the nematic liquid crystal to the isotropic state.

Characteristics of the process of reorientation of bipolar drops of a nematic with rigidly fixed poles

The director configuration in a bipolar drop of a nematic with rigidly fixed poles is calculated as a function of the electric field directed perpendicular to the symmetry axis of the drop. It is shown that the reorientation of the drop is a dual process: a threshold process in the region where the initial director orientation is orthogonal to the electric field, and a nonthreshold process elsewhere in the drop. A relation for determining the critical field is obtained. Experimental investigations of the characteristics of scattered light for a film of polymer-encapsulated liquid crystals confirm the computational results.

Spectral and polarization properties of a ‘cholesteric liquid crystal—phase plate—metal’ structure

We investigate the localized surface modes in a structure consisting of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer, a phase plate, and a metal layer. These modes are analogous to the optical Tamm states. The nonreciprocal transmission of polarized light propagating in the forward and backward directions is established. It is demonstrated that the transmission spectrum can be controlled by external fields acting on the cholesteric liquid crystal and by varying the plane of polarization of the incident light. [The text is presented both in English (pp 1-9) and in Russian (pp 10-19)]We investigate the localized surface modes in a structure consisting of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer, a phase plate, and a metal layer. These modes are analogous to the optical Tamm states. The anisotropy of transmission of light propagating the forward and backward directions is established. It is demonstrated that the transmission spectrum can be controlled by external fields acting on the cholesteric and by varying the plane of polarization of the incident light. [The text is presented both in English (pp 1-10) and in Russian (pp 11-20)]