Optical Bloch oscillation and resonant Zener tunneling in one-dimensional quasi-period structures containing single negative materials

Abstract

We studied the optical Bloch oscillation and resonant Zener tunneling in macroscopic quasi-period structures of alternatively stratified single negative and dielectric slabs. By a decrease in the thicknesses of the dielectric slabs, the electronic potential of crystals subjected to external dc electric fields is mimicked and the optical Wannier–Stark ladder (WSL) is realized. Both scattering states and the time-resolved transmission of a short pulse are provided to show the existence of the optical analogue of electronic Bloch oscillation. At a critical gradient, the resonant photon Zener tunneling is demonstrated both from the amplitude and the time delay in the transmitted signal of a short pulse.