Self-induced tunable transparency in layered superconductors

TL;DR

This paper predicts a nonlinear phenomenon in layered superconductors where the material's transparency can be tuned from nearly zero to full transmission by adjusting the incident wave amplitude, exhibiting hysteresis near the Josephson plasma frequency.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of self-induced tunable transparency in layered superconductors, a novel nonlinear electromagnetic effect with potential applications.

Findings

Reflectance and transmittance vary widely with incident wave amplitude.

The effect exhibits hysteresis with jumps in transmittance.

Observable at small amplitudes near the Josephson plasma frequency.

Abstract

We predict a novel nonlinear electromagnetic phenomenon in layered superconducting slabs irradiated from one side by an electromagnetic plane wave. We show that the reflectance and transmittance of the slab can vary over a wide range, from nearly zero to one, when changing the incident wave amplitude. Thus changing the amplitude of the incident wave can induce either the total transmission or reflection of the incident wave. In addition, the dependence of the superconductor transmittance on the incident wave amplitude has an unusual hysteretic behavior with jumps. This remarkable nonlinear effect (self-induced transparency) can be observed even at small amplitudes, when the wave frequency $\omega$ is close to the Josephson plasma frequency $\omega_J$.