Scattering invariance for arbitrary polarizations protected by joint spatial-duality symmetries

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how joint spatial-electromagnetic duality symmetries can be used to achieve polarization-invariant scattering properties in self-dual systems, with potential applications in optical device engineering.

Contribution

It introduces a method to exploit duality and other symmetries to secure invariant scattering properties for arbitrary polarizations, expanding control over light-matter interactions.

Findings

Invariant scattering for all polarizations on the same latitude circle of the Poincaré sphere.

Full invariance across the entire Poincaré sphere with mirror and inversion symmetries.

Enhanced scattering manipulation through combined symmetry exploitation.

Abstract

We reveal how to exploit joint spatial-electromagnetic duality symmetries to obtain invariant scattering properties (including extinction, scattering, absorption) of self-dual scattering systems for incident waves of arbitrary polarizations. The electromagnetic duality ensures the helicity preservation along all scattering directions, and thus intrinsically eliminates the interferences between the two scattering channels originating from the circularly polarized components of incident waves. This absence of interference directly secures invariant scattering properties for all polarizations located on the same latitude circle of the Poincar\'{e} sphere, which are characterized by polarization ellipses of the same eccentricity and handedness. Further incorporations of mirror and/or inversion symmetries would lead to such invariance throughout the whole Poincar\'{e} sphere, guaranteeing invariant scattering properties for all polarizations. Simultaneous exploitations of composite symmetries of different natures render an extra dimension of freedom for scattering manipulations, offering new insights for both fundamental explorations and optical device engineering related to symmetry dictated light-matter interactions.