Free-space Radiation Research Articles

An Efficient and Reliable Circuit Model for the Shielding Effectiveness Prediction of an Enclosure With an Aperture

An equivalent circuit model is developed to efficiently and accurately calculate the shielding effectiveness of an enclosure with an aperture. This model employs the concept of quasi-stationary admittance of diaphragms inside a rectangular waveguide and their equivalent circuits. The aperture is represented by a combination of a capacitive diaphragm, an inductive diaphragm, and step discontinuities inside a rectangular waveguide. This new model outperforms the existing circuit models in the following ways. First, it is more accurate compared to Robinson's model when the aperture is placed centrally (in height and width) in the front face of the enclosure. Second, it can deal with the aperture with arbitrary length–width ratio and arbitrary position. Third, it still works when the length of the aperture corresponds to an integer multiple of wavelength of free space radiation. While in such case the traditional circuit models are found to fail that the SE is erroneously predicted to be infinite. The proposed model provides a high degree of accuracy with a low computational burden, as compared with more complex numerical methods. In all the examples, the accuracy of the results is validated by results of transmission line modeling method and measurements if possible.

Electromagnetic radiation under explicit symmetry breaking.

We report our observation that radiation from a system of accelerating charges is possible only when there is explicit breaking of symmetry in the electric field in space within the spatial configuration of the radiating system. Under symmetry breaking, current within an enclosed area around the radiating structure is not conserved at a certain instant of time resulting in radiation in free space. Electromagnetic radiation from dielectric and piezoelectric material based resonators are discussed in this context. Finally, it is argued that symmetry of a resonator of any form can be explicitly broken to create a radiating antenna.

Quantum Emitters near Layered Plasmonic Nanostructures: Decay Rate Contributions

We introduce a numerical framework for calculating decay rate contributions when excited two-level quantum emitters are located near layered plasmonic nanostructures, particularly emphasizing the case of plasmonic nanostructures atop metal substrates where three decay channels exist: free space radiation, Ohmic losses, and excitation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). The calculation of decay rate contributions is based on Huygen’s equivalence principle together with a near-field to far-field transformation of the local electric field, thereby allowing us to discern the part of the electromagnetic field associated with free propagating waves rather than SPPs. The methodology is applied to the case of an emitter inside and near a gap-plasmon resonator, emphasizing strong position and orientation dependencies of the total decay rate, contributions of different decay channels, radiation patterns, and directivity of SPP excitation.

A conductive shielded compact antenna hat for inverted‐F antennas

ABSTRACTWe propose a conductive shielded compact antenna hat, which can be utilized as a low loss passive RF repeater or coupler, to perform the RF compatibility testing of the aircraft, rocket, and launch vehicle using inverted‐F type antennas. Although the onboard antenna is very closely enclosed by the proposed antenna hat without RF absorbers, the resonance of the antenna itself is hardly affected compared to the free space radiation. The antenna hat which is fabricated for the S‐band inverted‐F antenna with the size of 74 × 13 × 16 mm3 has the small enclosure of 88 × 35 × 44 mm3, the return loss of 25.6 dB, the insertion loss of 0.3 dB, and the leakage loss of 52.5 dB at 2.25 GHz. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 57:220–223, 2015

Electromagnetic wave propagation in a random distribution of C60 molecules

Propagation of electromagnetic waves in a random distribution of C60 molecules are investigated, within the framework of the classical electrodynamics. Electronic excitations over the each C60 molecule surface are modeled by a spherical layer of electron gas represented by two interacting fluids, which takes into account the different nature of the π and σ electrons. It is found that the present medium supports four modes of electromagnetic waves, where they can be divided into two groups: one group with shorter wavelength than the light waves of the same frequency and the other with longer wavelength than the free-space radiation.

Radiative emission enhancement using nano-antennas made of hyperbolic metamaterial resonators

A hyperbolic metamaterial (HM) resonator is analyzed as a nano-antenna for enhancing the radiative emission of quantum emitters in its vicinity. It has been shown that the spontaneous emission rate by an emitter near a hyperbolic metamaterial substrate is enhanced dramatically due to very large density of states. However, enhanced coupling to the free-space, which is central to applications such as solid-state lighting, has not been investigated significantly. Here, we numerically demonstrate approximately 100 times enhancement of the free-space radiative emission at 660 nm wavelength by utilizing a cylindrical HM resonator with a radius of 54 nm and a height of 80 nm on top of an opaque silver-cladded substrate. We also show how the free-space radiation enhancement factor depends on the dipole orientation and the location of the emitter near the subwavelength resonator. Furthermore, we calculate that an array of HM resonators with subwavelength spacings can maintain most of the enhancement effect of a single resonator.

Mapping electromagnetic fields near a subwavelength hole

We study, both experimentally and theoretically, the scattering of electromagnetic waves by a subwavelength hole fabricated in a thin metallic film. We employ the scanning near-field optical microscopy in order to reconstruct experimentally the full three-dimensional structure of the electromagnetic fields in the vicinity of the hole. We observe an interference of all excited waves with an incident laser beam which allows us to gain the information about the wave phases. Along with the well-known surface plasmon polaritons propagating primarily in the direction of the incident beam polarization, we observe the free-space radiation diffracted by the hole. We compare the experimental results with the fields of pure electric and pure magnetic dipoles as well as with direct numerical simulations. We confirm that a single hole in a thin metallic film excited at the normal incidence manifests itself as an effective magnetic dipole in the visible spectral range.

Far-field emission patterns of nanowire light-emitting diodes.

We investigated far-field (FF) emission patterns of nanowire light-emitting diodes (NW-LEDs). NW-LEDs were fabricated using vertical InP-NW arrays with axial pn-junctions grown on InP (111)A substrates, and the emission intensity of NW-LEDs was measured as a function of view angle θ, where θ = 0° indicates the direction normal to the substrate or that along the NWs. For NW arrays with pitch a of around 1 μm, we found a clear dip in the emission intensity at θ = 0°, which was explained by an analogy with dipole antenna, or a smaller contribution of the lowest order guided modes for emission as compared with higher order guided and free-space radiation modes. Results of the simulation of radiation patterns by the finite-difference time-domain method and near-field to far-field transformation are also described. They also confirm that the dip at θ = 0° is specific to light emission from NWs. We also investigated the dependence of the FF pattern on the pitch of the NW array, and the observation was qualitatively explained by the relative contribution of the guided and free-space radiation modes.

Improved light extraction with nano-particles offering directional radiation diagrams

We propose a unique approach for light extraction, using engineered nano-particles to efficiently decouple the light guided in transverse-magnetic guided modes into free-space radiation modes that leak out normally to the thin-film stacks. The underlying mechanism takes advantage of a small electric field variation at the nano-particle scale and induces a “polarization conversion,” which renders the induced dipole moment perpendicular to the polarization of the incident light. Our analysis is supported by 2D fully vectorial computational results. Potential applications for light emitting or photovoltaic devices are outlined.

Directional absorption by phased arrays of plasmonic nanoantennae probed with time-reversed Fourier microscopy

We demonstrate that an ordered array of aluminum nanopyramids, behaving as a phased array of optical antennae, strongly modifies light absorption in thin layers of dye molecules. Photoluminescence measurements as a function of the illumination angle are performed using a time-reversed Fourier microscope. This technique enables a variable-angle plane-wave illumination of nanostructures in a microscope-based setup. Our measurements reveal an enhancement of the light conversion in certain directions of illumination, which indicate the efficient diffractive coupling between the free space radiation and the surface plasmons. Numerical simulations confirm that surface modes supported by the periodic array enhance the intensity of the pump field in the space between particles, where the dye molecules are located, yielding a directional plasmonic-mediated enhancement of the optical absorption. This combined experimental and numerical characterization of the angular dependence of light absorption in nanostructures can be beneficial for the design and optimization of devices in which the harvesting of light plays a major role.

A twin-free single-crystal Ag nanoplate plasmonic platform: hybridization of the optical nano-antenna and surface plasmon active surface

Surface plasmons based on metallic nanostructures enable light manipulation beyond the optical diffraction limit. We have epitaxially synthesized twin-free single-crystal Ag nanoplates on SrTiO3 substrates. Unlike the nanoplates synthesized in a solution phase, these nanoplates have perfectly clean surfaces as well as a quite large size of tens of micrometers. As-synthesized defect-free single-crystal Ag nanoplates have an atomically flat surface and sides with well-defined angles, allowing long distance propagation of surface plasmons and highly reliable plasmonic integration. By spatially separating receiving and transmitting antennas and plasmonically interfacing them, the signal quality of transmission/reception can be largely improved. Furthermore, by combining sub-dimensional nanostructures onto the two-dimensional space effective hierarchical plasmonic nano-complexes can be built up. Theoretical simulations well reproduced unique experimental results of coupling between SPPs and free-space radiation by the nanoplate antenna sides, low-loss long-range SPP propagation, and tunneling or scattering of SPPs at a nano-gap as well as a nano-structure introduced on the nanoplate. The single-crystal Ag nanoplate will find superb applications in plasmonic nano-circuitry and lab-on-a-chip for biochemical sensing.

Terahertz Detection Using Nanorectifiers

We report on the low-temperature detection of free-space radiation at 1.5 THz using a unipolar nanodiode, known as the self-switching diode (SSD), coupled with a spiral microantenna. The SSD, based on an asymmetric nanochannel, has a diode-like characteristic that can be utilized in rectifying high-frequency electrical signals. The truly planar structure of the SSD not only provides intrinsically low parasitic capacitance that enables rectification at ultrahigh speed, but also allows the fabrication of a large SSD array in parallel without the need for interconnection layers. The extrinsic voltage responsivity of the SSD-based detector achieved was ~15.6 V/W, but the estimated intrinsic voltage responsivity was ~45 kV/W.

Broadband light coupling to dielectric slot waveguides with tapered plasmonic nanoantennas

We propose and theoretically verify an efficient mechanism of broadband coupling between incident light and on-chip dielectric slot waveguide by employing a tapered plasmonic nanoantenna. The nanoantenna receives free space radiation and couples it to a dielectric slot waveguide with the efficiency of up to 20% in a broad spectral range, having a small footprint as compared with the currently used narrowband dielectric grating couplers. We argue that the frequency selective properties of such nanoantennas also allow for using them as ultrasmall on-chip multiplexer/demultiplexer devices.

Enhanced radiation of an invisible array of sources through a sub-wavelength metal-strip grating and applications

We experimentally demonstrate dramatically increased radiation from an “invisible” source placed next to a sub-wavelength metal strip grating. The invisible source is a novel, highly reactive, array of antennas excited by a common feed, which weakly radiates in the far-zone. The metal grating used is sub-wavelength and non-resonant, which typically attenuates the overall radiation of a nearby source, especially in the transverse electric polarization. However, we show that such a grating screen with proper dimensions placed next to the “invisible” source can in fact significantly enhance the radiated field strength, far beyond the free space radiation of this “invisible” radiator, by an order of magnitude. This radiation enhancement is facilitated through the conversion of evanescent waves of the specially designed reactive source into propagating waves, and its level is inversely related to the source-grating distance. The physical phenomenon is shown in simulations and measurements at microwaves. This novel radiation enhancement effect is shown to have potential applications in various areas such as proximity sensing, detection, and measurement of distance.

Pulsed dipole radiation in a transformation-optics wedge waveguide designed by azimuthal space compression

A transformation-optics wedge waveguide designed for the simultaneous collection and directional collimation of pulsed dipole radiation is described and tested with numerical simulation. Azimuthal compression of free space toward a narrow fan-shaped waveguide sector allows dipole pulse radiation in free space to be transformed into a directional non-dispersive pulse propagating within that sector. The collection and collimation ability of the proposed structure is compared with classical approaches using metallic wedge mirrors and parabolic mirrors, which inherently allow multiple internal reflections and thus generate significant pulse distortion and low light-collection efficiency. It is shown that the optical pulse generated by the dipole and propagated through the proposed transformation-optics waveguide maintains its original shape within the structure, and demonstrates enhanced optical power.

Superconducting emitters of THz radiation

Layered superconductors such as the copper-oxide high-temperature superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ are emerging as compact sources of coherent continuous-wave electromagnetic radiation in the subterahertz and terahertz frequency ranges. The basis of their operation is the Josephson effect, which intrinsically occurs between the superconducting layers. The Josephson effect naturally converts a direct-current voltage into a high-frequency electric current. Therefore, a unique property of the devices reviewed here is the wide tunability of their frequency by varying the bias voltage. Recently, emission powers of free-space radiation of several hundreds of microwatts and emission linewidths as low as 6 MHz at 600 GHz have been achieved. These devices are promising for new applications in imaging, medical diagnostics, spectroscopy and security. Recent progress on terahertz-emission devices based on the high-temperature superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ is reviewed. The emission mechanism is explained as a result of collective resonant modes in a stack of intrinsic Josephson junctions. Remarkable features of the linewidth, tunability, the optimum bias condition and the thermal influence are discussed.

Spectral modifications and polarization dependent coupling in tailored assemblies of quantum dots and plasmonic nanowires.

The coupling of optical emitters with a nanostructured environment is at the heart of nano- and quantum optics. We control this coupling by the lithographic positioning of a few (1–3) quantum dots (QDs) along plasmonic silver nanowires with nanoscale resolution. The fluorescence emission from the QD-nanowire systems is probed spectroscopically, by microscopic imaging and decay time measurements. We find that the plasmonic modes can strongly modulate the fluorescence emission. For a given QD position, the local plasmon field dictates the coupling efficiency, and thus the relative weight of free space radiation and emission into plasmon modes. Simulations performed with a generic few-level model give very good agreement with experiment. Our data imply that the 2D degenerate emission dipole orientation of the QD can be forced to predominantly emit to one polarization component dictated by the nanowire modes.

Full-Wave Analysis and Design of Circular Half-Width Microstrip Leaky-Wave Antennas

A half-width microstrip leaky-wave antenna on a circular substrate is proposed and investigated. A microstrip on a circular substrate has a broader bandwidth for free-space leaky-wave radiation than a planar microstrip. A half-width microstrip has similar radiation characteristics to a full-width microstrip, but it does not require complex feeding structures. Full-wave analysis based on the extended spectral domain approach (ESDA) is applied to analyze the propagation characteristics of the circular half-width microstrip. The ESDA accounts for field singularities near a conductor edge of finite thickness and it does not require a virtual boundary to obtain the finite extent of the analytical space. Consequently, the ESDA is more suitable for analyzing leaky-wave structures than other conventional analysis methods. Numerical calculations are performed to determine the characteristics of the leaky-wave radiation from half-width microstrips on circular and semicircular substrates. The leaky radiation elements can be efficiently designed based on these numerical results. Two practical antennas with leaky radiation elements and feeders are designed and implemented. The measured bandwidths of the free-space leaky-wave radiation indicate that these cylindrical antennas have better performances than planar ones and they are in reasonable agreement with theoretical results. The measured radiation patterns with frequency-scanning characteristics also agree well with the simulation results.

Special 100 GHz Photodetectors for Communications

High-bit rate fiber networks, remote antenna driving, and measurement applications need a variety of high-performance photodetectors, exhibiting ultra-high frequencies or bandwidths. Based on waveguide-integrated detectors, three special detector types are presented, which address flexible coupling to subsequent electronics (bias-feeding detector), clock extraction capability (narrowband photodetectors) and free space radiation into the sub-THz range (self-biased pin-antenna chip).

Individual Nanoantennas Loaded with Three-Dimensional Optical Nanocircuits

Nanoantennas are key optical components that bridge nanometer-scale optical signals to far-field, free-space radiation. In analogy to radio frequency antennas where tuning and impedance-matching are accomplished with lumped circuit elements, one could envision nanoantenna properties controlled by nanoscale, optical frequency circuit elements in which circuit operations are based on photons rather than electrons. A recent investigation of the infrared nanocircuits has demonstrated the filtering functionality using dielectric gratings. However, these two-dimensional prototypes have limited applicability in real-life devices. Here we experimentally demonstrate the first optical nanoscale circuits with fully three-dimensional lumped elements, which we use to tune and impedance-match a single optical dimer nanoantenna. We control the antenna resonance and impedance bandwidth using suitably designed loads with combinations of basic circuit elements: nanoscale capacitors, inductors, and resistors. Our results pave the way toward extending conventional circuit concepts into the visible domain for applications in data storage, wireless optical links, and related venues.