Direction Of Mode Propagation Research Articles

Polarization-controlled unidirectional lattice plasmon modes via a multipolar plasmonic metasurface

Diffractive plasmonic metasurfaces offer the possibility of controlling the flow of light in flat optical systems through the excitation of lattice plasmon modes by a careful metasurface design. Nonetheless, a remaining challenge for this type of structure is the dynamic control of its optical properties via degrees of freedom, such as the polarization states of incoming light. In this report, we explain theoretically and demonstrate experimentally the polarization control over amplitude and propagation direction of lattice plasmon modes supported by a multipolar plasmonic metasurface. These unidirectional optical waves result from the coupling between near-field effects of individual meta-atoms and far-field effects originating from the lattice modes. The device operates over a broad wavelength range, maintaining its directional behavior and enabling it to operate also as a polarization-controlled directional diffraction grating, a power splitter, or an optical router for on-chip photonics applications.

Nearly Perfect Routing of Chiral Light by Plasmonic Grating on Slab Waveguide

AbstractGrating couplers are widely used to couple waveguide modes with the far field. Their usefulness is determined not only by energy efficiency but also by additional supported functionality. In this paper, a plasmonic is demonstrated grating on a silicon nitride slab waveguide that couples both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) waveguide modes with circularly polarized light in the far field. Specifically, it is experimentally confirmed that circularly polarized light excites TE and TM modes propagating in opposite directions, and the direction is controlled by the handedness. The routing efficiency for normally incident light reaches up to 95%. The same structure operates in the outcoupling regime as well, demonstrating up to 97% degree of circular polarization, where the handedness is determined by the polarization and propagation direction of outcoupled modes. The results pave the way for the realization of polarization‐division multiplexers and demultiplexers, integrated circular polarization emitters, as well as detectors of the polarization state of the incident optical field.

Collective Excitations in Chiral Stoner Magnets.

We argue that spin- and valley-polarized metallic phases recently observed in graphene bilayers and trilayers support chiral edge modes that allow spin waves to propagate ballistically along system boundaries without backscattering. The chiral edge behavior originates from the interplay between the momentum-space Berry curvature in Dirac bands and the geometric phase of a spin texture in position space. The edge modes are weakly confined to the edge, featuring dispersion that is robust and insensitive to the detailed profile of magnetization at the edge. This unique character of edge modes reduces their overlap with edge disorder and enhances the mode lifetime. The mode propagation direction reverses upon reversing valley polarization, an effect that provides a clear testable signature of geometric interactions in isospin-polarized Dirac bands.

Spin‐Controlled Reconfigurable Excitations of Spoof Surface Plasmon Polaritons by a Compact Structure

AbstractThe photonic spin Hall effect (SHE) arises from the spin–orbit interaction of lights and plays an important role in light–matter interactions. The phenomenon of spin‐momentum locking validates photonic SHE with unprecedented abilities in wave manipulation. Here, the directional coupling and spin‐momentum locking in spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SSPP) are demonstrated. The transverse spin angular momentum in SSPP is calculated using effective medium theory and the study shows the spin direction is inherently locked to the propagation direction, thus manifesting the spin–orbit interaction of electromagnetic (EM) waves. The spin‐momentum locking is further verified by projecting linearly and circularly polarized waves onto a scatterer‐SSPP structure. It is observed that the helicity of the incident EM wave governs the propagation direction of excited SSPP modes and the directional coupling originates from constructive and destructive interferences of two orthogonal modes. Reconfigurable transmissions of SSPPs are further demonstrated. The proposed design can find applications in reconfigurable sensors, antennas, and power dividers. This approach demonstrates the spin‐momentum locking in SSPPs and introduces new degrees of freedom to manipulate SSPPs by engineering the helicity and interference of EM waves.

Vectorial Bulk‐Boundary Correspondence for 3D Photonic Chern Insulators

AbstractIn 2D Chern insulators, the topology of the bulk states is captured by a topological invariant, the Chern number. The scalar bulk‐boundary correspondence (sBBC) relates the change in Chern number across an interface with the number of 1D chiral edge modes at the interface. However, 3D Chern insulators (3D CIs) can be characterized by a Chern vector and a more general vector bulk‐boundary correspondence (vBBC) is needed to correctly predict the propagation of the surface modes. In this work the possible interfaces between 3D photonic CIs are explored, focusing on possible changes in Chern vector orientation. To formulate a 3D vBBC, a link is derived between the Chern vector discontinuity across an interface and the winding of the surface equifrequency loops on the boundary. Last, it is demonstrated how to correctly predict the number and the propagation direction of topological photonic surface modes in 3D CIs.

Time-dependent experimental identification of inter-ELM microtearing modes in the tokamak edge on DIII-D

In a series of discharges on the DIII-D tokamak, fast vertical plasma jogs are used to induce current perturbations in the steep gradient region of the H-mode edge. These current perturbations directly influence the edge q profile, decoupling the resonant location and instability drive of pedestal-localized microtearing modes (MTMs). By exploiting this effect, we develop and apply a new experimental technique to track the dynamical frequency evolution of MTMs in the pedestal region, providing a compelling validation of the MTM model. The frequency of potential MTMs is calculated as the Doppler-shifted electron diamagnetic frequency at rational q = m/n surfaces, showing remarkable agreement with chirped frequency behavior of n = 3, 4 and 5 modes detected with fast magnetics. Data is collected throughout multiple ELM cycles in order to build robust statistics describing the time-dependent frequency evolution of MTMs, which can be explained by examining the recovery of pedestal gradients after an ELM event. MTMs have a dominant transport contribution in the electron thermal channel, so the presented results indicate that reduced models of pedestal transport must be electromagnetic in nature and constructed with accurate calculations of MTM stability; inclusion of this physics is essential for accurate predictions of the electron temperature pedestal profile. Supporting measurements of mode saturation, propagation direction and transport fingerprints are made to support the dynamic frequency determination, unambiguously and experimentally identifying MTMs in the pedestal region of DIII-D.

Precession drift reversal and rapid transport of trapped energetic particles due to an energetic particle driven instability in the Large Helical Device

Energetic particle transport by a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) instability driven by helically trapped energetic particles is studied for a high-performance Large Helical Device plasma with kinetic-MHD hybrid simulations. It is observed in the simulation that an MHD mode with poloidal/toroidal mode numbers m/n=2/1 driven by helically trapped energetic particles causes a significant redistribution of perpendicular energetic particle pressure profile. The frequency of the MHD mode decreases rapidly at the saturation of the instability and changes sign, which indicates a reversal of the mode propagation direction. It is found that the helically trapped energetic particles interacting strongly with the MHD mode change the precession drift direction at the same time as the reversal of the MHD mode propagation direction. The helically trapped energetic particles with the precession drift reversal are transported rapidly in the radially outward direction before the original precession drift direction is recovered. The precession drift reversal and the outward transport are caused by interaction with the electric field of the MHD mode. The vast majority of trapped energetic particles which interact strongly with the MHD mode experience precession drift reversal, leading to a significant redistribution of the perpendicular energetic particle pressure profile.

On‐Fault Geological Fingerprint of Earthquake Rupture Direction

AbstractHow earthquake ruptures evolve and propagate are major outstanding questions in seismology. Our current understanding is limited to modern events captured by seismic networks, making it impossible to observe rupture propagation that occurred during earthquakes in the distant past. Here we propose a new method to discern the rupture propagation directions of past large earthquakes based on geological features preserved on fault slip planes. These features—called slickenlines—are striations formed during seismic slip and record dynamic fault movement during past surface‐breaking earthquakes. We develop a theoretical framework that links slickenline curvature with rupture mode and rupture propagation direction for all faulting types and test our model using a global catalogue of historical surface‐rupturing earthquakes with seismologically constrained rupture directions. Our results reveal that historical observations are consistent with theoretical predictions, thus providing a robust way to uncover the rupture directions of large earthquakes that lack instrumental data.

The complexity of surface acoustic wave fields used for microfluidic applications

Using surface acoustic waves (SAW) for the agitation and manipulation of fluids and immersed particles or cells in lab-on-a-chip systems has been state of the art for several years. Basic tasks comprise fluid mixing, atomization of liquids as well as sorting and separation (or trapping) of particles and cells, e.g. in so-called acoustic tweezers. Even though the fundamental principles governing SAW excitation and propagation on anisotropic, piezoelectric substrates are well-investigated, the complexity of wave field effects including SAW diffraction, refraction and interference cannot be comprehensively simulated at this point of time with sufficient accuracy. However, the design of microfluidic actuators relies on a profound knowledge of SAW propagation, including superposition of multiple SAWs, to achieve the predestined functionality of the devices. Here, we present extensive experimental results of high-resolution analysis of the lateral distribution of the complex displacement amplitude, i.e. the wave field, alongside with the electrical S-parameters of the generating transducers. These measurements were carried out and are compared in setups utilizing travelling SAW (tSAW) excited by single interdigital transducer (IDT), standing SAW generated between two IDTs (1DsSAW, 1D acoustic tweezers) and between two pairs of IDTs (2DsSAW, 2D acoustic tweezers) with different angular alignment in respect to pure Rayleigh mode propagation directions and other practically relevant orientations. For these basic configurations, typically used to drive SAW-based microfluidics, the influence of common SAW phenomena including beam steering, coupling coefficient dispersion and diffraction on the resultant wave field is investigated. The results show how tailoring of the acoustic conditions, based on profound knowledge of the physical effects, can be achieved to finally realize a desired behavior of a SAW-based microacoustic-fluidic system.

Energy Exchange at Degenerate Mixing of Four Fast TE2 Modes of a Thin Left-Handed Film on a Nonlinear Substrate

Frequency-degenerate mixing of forward and backward propagating fast modes is considered in a planar optical waveguide based on a thin left-handed film and a right-handed substrate exhibiting the Kerr effect. Nonlinear coupled-mode equations are solved for the intensities of these modes in the neglect of the contributions of elementary processes that fail to satisfy the phase-matching condition. It is shown that the intramode self-action of four TE modes is accompanied by energy exchange between these modes. The efficiency of energy exchange varies periodically along the propagation direction of modes, thus leading to the inversion of the intensities of forward and backward propagating light fields on the interaction half-period.

Magnon dark mode of an antiferromagnetic insulator in a microwave cavity

Magnon dark mode, which possesses long coherence time, has been observed in transmission experiments of a microwave cavity loaded with two yttrium iron garnet spheres. Due to two sublattice magnetizations, it seems likely to exhibit magnon dark mode in an isolated antiferromagnet (AFM). To demonstrate such possibility, we developed two distinct approaches based on the magnon-photon Hamiltonian of AFM-embedded cavity and the transfer matrix method, respectively. The numerical and analytical results show that the magnon dark mode can not be obtained in AFM due to different mode polarization of two magnon modes for propagation parallel to applied field and unequal frequencies for propagation perpendicular to applied field. Contrary to previous theoretical work, our calculation includes both mode polarization and propagation direction of waves explicitly, which are important for correctly describing the coupling between cavity photons and AFM magnons. Moreover, it is found that the cavity resonance remains unperturbed even when the magnon-photon coupling is present. This behavior is attributed to the competition between two types of magnon-photon interactions. The results reported here are important for understanding cavity optomagnonics in AFM, ferrimagnet, and other magnets with multiple sublattice magnetizations.

Cutoff Frequencies of a Dielectric-Loaded Rectangular Waveguide With Arbitrary Anisotropic Surface Impedance

The coupled transcendental equations describing cutoff frequencies of TE and TM modes are deduced for a rectangular waveguide with arbitrary wall impedance. In the case of TE modes, their generalization is made to a rectangular guiding structure, which possesses both distributed wall impedance and inhomogeneous dielectric loading. Effective impedance is obtained for imperfectly conducting surface incorporating periodic rectangular corrugations along the direction of mode propagation. Circular waveguide bounded by such corrugated surface and rectangular impedance waveguide are considered as numerical examples. For these waveguides, the computations performed to determine the cutoff frequencies of TE guiding modes are validated against the results of the perturbation theory and the finite-element method.

Propagation direction of geodesic acoustic modes driven by drift wave turbulence

Selection rule of the radial propagation direction of geodesic acoustic modes (GAMs) is investigated. Here, we study the influence of nonlinear coupling with drift wave turbulence on the propagation direction of GAMs. Based on wave-kinetic equation for the turbulence, the phase-space dynamics is numerically solved and the nonlinear saturated states are obtained, where the phase-space consists of the real space and the wavenumber space. A wave pattern of the GAM in a nonlinear saturated state varies to form a standing wave, outward and inward propagating waves, depending on the peak radial wavenumber of the turbulence. The impact of nonlinear coupling with turbulence is discussed by deriving the GAM dispersion relation that includes the effect of the turbulence.

High-quality metamaterial dispersive grating on the facet of an optical fiber

Bragg gratings fabricated along the mode propagation direction in optical fibers are a powerful technology for controlling dispersion. Here, we show that a dielectric metamaterial grating with sub-wavelength period fabricated in the thin layer of silicon on the fiber facet exhibits transmission resonance with the quality factor exceeding 300. We demonstrate how focused ion beam patterning, commonly expected to degrade the optical performance of materials, can be exploited to create low-loss photonic nanostructures on the fiber facet. Only a few tens of nanometers in thickness, such facet gratings can be used in compact interconnects, dispersion compensation, and sensing applications.

On the influence of Sommerfeld’s radiation boundary condition on the propagation direction of oblique modes in streamwise corner flow

Linear stability of a laminar boundary-layer flow in a streamwise corner can only be treated with an ansatz that considers two-dimensional eigenfunctions with inhomogeneous boundary conditions in cross-flow directions. It is common practice to use Sommerfeld’s radiation condition with a certain wavenumber $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$ at the lateral domains of the integration domain which are at the same time the far-field domains for each wall. So far, this radiation condition has been exclusively used in a ‘symmetrical’ way, i.e. with the same $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$ on either far-field boundary plane. This has led to wave patterns that either enter or leave the corner region from the lateral sides for $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}<0$ or $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}>0$ respectively. Here, an ‘asymmetric’ use of Sommerfeld’s radiation condition is suggested, i.e. $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}<0$ on one far side of the corner and $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}>0$ on the other. With this modification, waves enter the corner area from one side and leave it through the other, i.e. they travel obliquely through the corner. In contrast to before, their amplification rate is always symmetric with respect to $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}=0$ and there is no amplification-rate increase or decrease due to information that either continuously enters the corner from both sides or continuously leaves it through the far sides. The present analysis also shows that the inviscid corner modes are unaffected by the parameters of the far-field radiation boundary conditions. Nevertheless, superposition of two oppositely running single waves obtained by the modified application of the radiation condition leads to a similar wave pattern to that in the case with $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}<0$ on both sides; however, with a slightly smaller amplification rate and a strictly streamwise propagation direction.

Quantum coherent tractor beam effect for atoms trapped near a nanowaveguide.

We propose several schemes to realize a tractor beam effect for ultracold atoms in the vicinity of a few-mode nanowaveguide. Atoms trapped near the waveguide are transported in a direction opposite to the guided mode propagation direction. We analyse three specific examples for ultracold 23Na atoms trapped near a specific nanowaveguide (i.e. an optical nanofibre): (i) a conveyor belt-type tractor beam effect, (ii) an accelerator tractor beam effect, and (iii) a quantum coherent tractor beam effect, all of which can effectively pull atoms along the nanofibre toward the light source. This technique provides a new tool for controlling the motion of particles near nanowaveguides with potential applications in the study of particle transport and binding as well as atom interferometry.

Topological polaritons with squeezed photons

In this paper, we demonstrate that the topological polaritonic states of a two-dimensional coupled matter–light system can be optically controlled. By introducing a squeezed light field, we generalized the model of topological polaritons, where the matter–light coupling constant winds in momentum space, leading to the nontrivial topology. The bulk excitation spectrum, polariton wave function, topological invariant, and edge mode spectrum are calculated. It is found that mixing the excitons with nonsqueezing photons will result in a time-reversal-symmetry-breaking quantum-spin-Hall-like polaritonic state. However, the quantum-Hall-like state arises when the photonic part of the polaritons is squeezed. Driven by the varying degree of squeezing, there is a topological phase transition with the closing of the bulk excitation gap. Across the phase transition, the direction of edge mode propagation is reversed, which is demonstrated by an edge mode simulation. Such a feature may provide an opportunity for realizing one-way edge channels with adjustable directionality.

Electron energy gain in the transverse electric mode of a coaxial waveguide filled with plasma by microwave radiation

The dynamics and acceleration of an electron in the field of a transverse electric wave propagating inside a cold plasma-filled waveguide by microwave radiation is analytically investigated by considering the existence of a coaxial metallic rod. The relativistic momentum and energy equations are solved for the electron when it is injected along the direction of mode propagation. The deflection angle and the acceleration gradient of the electron in the configuration are obtained. Besides, the results are graphically presented.

Improved resolution in SPR and MCWG microscopy by combining images acquired with distinct mode propagation directions.

In high-resolution surface plasmon (SPR) imaging, lateral resolution is limited along the direction of plasmon propagation by the longitudinal decay length. Though SPR systems can achieve sub-micrometer resolution, the decay length causes a degradation in the images in the direction of plasmon propagation akin to a blurring artifact, with ringing along resonant to nonresonant transition edges. We present a method to significantly reduce this effect based on combining images of a sample acquired with distinct guided-mode propagation directions. As SPR is a special case of the class of optical structures known as metal-clad waveguides (MCWG) that are also affected by the decay length, this work is broadly applicable.

Polarization-dependent continuous change in the propagation direction of Dirac-cone modes in photonic-crystal slabs

We show that the propagation direction of the Dirac-cone modes of photonic-crystal slabs can be continuously controlled by the polarization of the incident wave. This property is realized by their isotropic dispersion relation and anisotropic mixture of two dipolar wave functions. To clarify these features, we formulate a Green-function method to describe the excitation process of the Dirac-cone modes and analyze the coupling strength with the incident wave by group theory. This angular dependence of the intensity distribution of the excited wave can be used for experimentally detecting the Dirac cones and distinguishing their mode symmetry.