Electron iduced light emission in photonic crystals

TL;DR

This paper investigates how a fast electron interacts with photonic crystals, leading to light emission known as Smith-Purcell radiation, by solving Maxwell's equations and analyzing the emitted light in relation to the crystal's band structure.

Contribution

It provides an exact electromagnetic analysis of electron-induced light emission in photonic crystals, linking emission spectra to the crystal's band structure and optical properties.

Findings

Emission spectra correlate with photonic band gaps.

Reflected and transmitted light components are characterized.

Energy loss probability matches emission features.

Abstract

The interaction of a fast electron with a photonic crystal is studied by solving the Maxwell equations exactly for the external field provided by the electron in the presence of the crystal. The polarization currents and charges produced by the passage of the electron give rise to the emission of the so-called Smith-Purcell radiation. The emitted light probability is obtained by integrating the Poynting vector over planes parallel to the crystal at a large distance from the latter. Both reflected and transmitted light components are analyzed and related to the photonic band structure of the crystal. Emission spectra are compared with the energy loss probability and also with the reflectance and transmittance of the crystal.