Multistability at arbitrary low optical intensities in a metallo-dielectric layered structure

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that a specially designed layered structure exhibits optical multistability at extremely low light intensities, enabled by its unique electromagnetic properties and confirmed through simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel layered structure that achieves multistability at low intensities, expanding possibilities for low-power optical devices.

Findings

Multistability occurs at arbitrarily low optical intensities.

Multiple electromagnetic states exist regardless of transmitted intensity.

Full wave simulations confirm the robustness of the phenomenon.

Abstract

We show that a nonlinear metallo-dielectric layered slab of subwavelength thickness and very small average dielectric permittivity displays optical multistable behavior at arbitrary low optical intensities. This is due to the fact that, in the presence of the small linear permittivity, one of the multiple electromagnetic slab states exists no matter how small is the transmitted optical intensity. We prove that multiple states at ultra-low optical intensities can be reached only by simultaneously operating on the incident optical intensity and incidence angle. By performing full wave simulations, we prove that the predicted phenomenology is feasible and very robust.