Unidirectional light propagation through two-layer nanostructures based on optical near-field interactions

TL;DR

This paper presents a theoretical study demonstrating unidirectional light transmission through a two-layer nanostructure, achieved via polarization conversion efficiency driven by optical near-field interactions, supported by numerical simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical framework using angular spectrum representation to explain unidirectional light propagation in nanostructures, advancing understanding of near-field optical interactions.

Findings

Direction-dependent polarization conversion efficiency observed

Unidirectional light transmission achieved in two-layer nanostructure

Theory aligns with electromagnetic numerical simulations

Abstract

We theoretically demonstrate direction-dependent polarization conversion efficiency, yielding unidirectional light transmission, through a two-layer nanostructure by using the angular spectrum representation of optical near-fields. The theory provides results that are consistent with electromagnetic numerical simulations. This study reveals that optical near-field interactions among nanostructured matter can provide unique optical properties, such as the unidirectionality observed here, and offers fundamental guiding principles for understanding and engineering nanostructures for realizing novel functionalities.