Gradient Optics of subwavelength nanofilms

TL;DR

This paper investigates how light propagates and tunnels through subwavelength dielectric films with spatially varying refractive indices, revealing new effects of gradient profiles on optical behavior and potential applications in miniaturized photonic devices.

Contribution

It provides exact analytical solutions for Maxwell equations in gradient media, generalizes Fresnel formulas, and explores the influence of dielectric gradients on light transmission and tunneling.

Findings

Gradient profiles significantly affect reflectance and transmittance.

Evanescent wave tunneling enables nonattenuative energy transfer.

Potential applications include miniaturized optical filters and polarizers.

Abstract

Propagation and tunneling of light through subwavelength photonic barriers, formed by dielectric layers with continuous spatial variations of dielectric susceptibility across the film are considered. Effects of giant heterogeneity-induced non-local dispersion, both normal and anomalous, are examined by means of a series of exact analytical solutions of Maxwell equations for gradient media. Generalized Fresnel formulae, visualizing a profound influence of gradient and curvature of dielectric susceptibility profiles on reflectance/transmittance of periodical photonic heterostructures are presented. Depending on the cutoff frequency of the barrier, governed by technologically managed spatial profile of its refractive index, propagation or tunneling of light through these barriers are examined. Nonattenuative transfer of EM energy by evanescent waves, tunneling through dielectric gradient barriers, characterized by real values of refractive index, decreasing in the depth of medium, is shown. Scaling of the obtained results for different spectral ranges of visible, IR and THz waves is illustrated. Potential of gradient optical structures for design of miniaturized filters, polarizers and frequency-selective interfaces of subwavelength thickness is considered.