Yadong Xu

Total reflection and transmission by epsilon-near-zero metamaterials with defects

In this work, we investigate wave transmission through an epsilon-near-zero metamaterial waveguide embedded with defects. We show that by adjusting the geometric sizes and material properties of the defects, total reflection, and even transmission can be obtained, despite the impedance mismatch of epsilon-near-zero material with free space. Our work can greatly simplify the design of zero-index material waveguide applications by removing the dependence on permeability.

Broadband asymmetric waveguiding of light without polarization limitations

Optical diodes are fundamental elements for optical computing and information processing. Attempts to realize such non-reciprocal propagation of light by breaking the time-reversal symmetry include using indirect interband photonic transitions, the magneto-optical effect, optical nonlinearity or photonic crystals. Alternatively, asymmetric reciprocal transmission of light has been proposed in photonic metamaterial structures for either circularly or linearly polarized waves. Here we employ the recent concept of gradient index metamaterials to demonstrate a waveguide with asymmetric propagation of light, independent of polarization. The device blocks both transverse electric and magnetic polarized modes in one direction but transmits them in the other for a broadband spectrum. Unlike previous works using chiral properties of metamaterials, our device is based on the principle of momentum symmetry breaking at interfaces with phase discontinuities. Experiments in the microwave region verify our findings, which may pave the way to feasible passive optical diodes.

Overlapped illusion optics: a perfect lens brings a brighter feature

In this paper, we show that a perfect lens can be employed to make multiple objects appear like only one object in the far field, leading to a new concept in illusion optics. Numerical simulations have been performed to verify the functionalities for both passive and active objects. The conceptual device can be utilized to enhance the illumination brightness for both incoherent and coherent systems.In this letter, we show that a perfect lens can be employed to make multiple objects appear like only one in the far field, leading to a new concept of illusion optics. Numerical simulations are performed to verify the functionalities for both passive and active objects. The conceptual device can be utilized to enhance the illumination brightness for both incoherent and coherent systems.

Goos-Hänchen effect in epsilon-near-zero metamaterials

Light reflection and refraction at an interface between two homogeneous media is analytically described by Snells law. For a beam with a finite waist, it turns out that the reflected wave experiences a lateral displacement from its position predicted by geometric optics. Such Goos-Hänchen (G-H) effect has been extensively investigated among all kinds of optical media, such as dielectrics, metals, photonic crystals and metamaterials. As a fundamental physics phenomenon, the G-H effect has been extended to acoustics and quantum mechanics. Here we report the unusual G-H effect in zero index metamaterials. We show that when linearly polarized light is obliquely incident from air to epsilon-near-zero metamaterials, no G-H effect could be observed for p polarized light. While for s polarization, the G-H shift is a constant value for any incident angle.

Zero index metamaterials with PT symmetry in a waveguide system

Inspired by the concept of parity-time symmetry, we propose a new waveguide system consisting of zero index metamaterials with an air gap. Based on analytical calculations and numerical simulations, we demonstrate that there are two exceptional points in such a system, which can induce unidirectional transparency. However, the introduced air gap could effectively manipulate the property of the waveguide system with PT symmetry. In particular, coherent perfect absorber-laser modes could be excited in PT broken phase, if a specific phase difference in the air gap is obtained. More interestingly, when Fabry-Pérot resonances take place in the air gap, the PT symmetry property will be suppressed, i.e., the value of loss/gain could not affect transmission and reflection of the waveguide. As a result, perfect bidirectional transmission without reflection can occur in the waveguide system.

Additional modes in a waveguide system of zero-index-metamaterials with defects

Zero-index-metamaterials (ZIM) have drawn much attention due to their intriguing properties and novel applications. Particularly, in a parallel plated ZIM waveguide system with defects, total reflection or transmission of wave can be achieved by adjusting the properties of defects. This effect has been explored extensively in different types of ZIM (e.g., epsilon-near-zero metamaterials, matched impedance ZIM, or anisotropic ZIM). Almost all previous literatures showed that only monopole modes are excited inside the defects if they are in circular cylinder shapes. However, the underlying physics for excited modes inside defects is wrongly ignored. In this work, we uncover that additional modes could be excited by theoretical analysis, which is important as it will correct the current common perception. For the case of matched impedance zero-index metamaterials (MIZIM), the additional dipole modes can be excited inside the defects when total transmission occurs. Moreover, we also observe the same results in Dirac-cone-like photonic crystals which have been demonstrated theoretically and experimentally to function as MIZIM. For another case of epsilon-near-zero metamaterials (ENZ), we find that additional higher order modes (e.g., tri-pole) can be excited inside the defects when total transmission happens. Numerical simulations are performed to verify our finding regarding the additional modes.

Steering light by a sub-wavelength metallic grating from transformation optics.

Transformation optics has shown great ability in designing devices with novel functionalities, such as invisibility cloaking. A recent work shows that it can also be used to design metasurfaces which usually come from the concept of phase discontinuities. However, metasurfaces from transformation optics have very complicated material parameters. Here in this work, we propose a practical design, a sub-wavelength metallic grating with discrete and gradient index materials. Such a design not only inherits some functionalities of metasurfaces from phase discontinuities, but also shows richer physics. Our work will also provide a guidance to recent activities of acoustic metasurfaces, especially for those made of extremely anisotropic metamaterials.

Cloaking and imaging at the same time

In this letter, we propose a conceptual device to perform good imaging with positive refraction. At the same time, this device is an isotropic omnidirectional cloak with a perfect electric conductor hiding region and shows versatile illusion optical effects. Numerical simulations are performed to verify the functionalities.

Conformal transformations to achieve unidirectional behavior of light

The method of optical conformal mapping is used to design two isotropic devices through which light travels in a unidirectional manner. The first device is a directional emitter. By setting a line current source in a properly tuned refractive index profile, fields can be radiated in only one direction or its opposite without using any reflector or metallic structure. The second proposal is a dual-functional device. It works not only as a directional emitter for an embedded source but also as a quasi-diode for beams, thus having potential on-chip applications. Functionalities of the two designs are verified by finite- element-based simulations. We further investigate the spatial dependence of the refractive index near singularities, and corresponding optimization is proposed in the interests of experimental consideration. Numerical results show that the one-way property is well preserved after the parameter reduction.

An inside-out Eaton lens made of H-fractal metamaterials

We report an experiment on an inside-out Eaton lens fabricated using H-fractal metamaterials,copper printed on printed circuit boards in H-fractal patterns. The lens can perform good imaging functionality with both sources and images inside the vacuum core. The H-fractal metamaterials also provide design technique to achieve refractive index ranging in [0,1] with little loss in microwave spectrum. Excellent agreements between numerical and experimental results have been demonstrated.