Post- versus pre-resonance characteristics of axially excited chiral sculptured thin films

TL;DR

This paper investigates the optical properties of axially excited chiral sculptured thin films, revealing their polarization behavior near material resonances and differences between pre- and post-resonant regimes.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the resonance-dependent optical characteristics of chiral STFs, especially their polarization independence and reflectance properties.

Findings

Exhibits circular Bragg phenomenon in pre-resonant regime

Acts as polarization-independent reflector near material resonances

Shows different optical behavior in post-resonant regime

Abstract

Axially excited chiral sculptured thin films (STFs) are shown to exhibit the circular Bragg phenomenon in the pre-resonant (long-wavelength) regime but not in some parts of the post-resonant (short-wavelength) regime. Chiral STFs act as very good polarization-independent reflectors in the vicinity of material resonances in the latter regime.