Controlled opacity in a class of nonlinear dielectric media

Abstract

Motivated by new technologies for designing and tailoring metamaterials, we seek properties for certain classes of nonlinear optical materials that allow room for a reversibly controlled opacityto-transparency phase transition through the application of external electromagnetic fields. We examine some mathematically simple models for the dielectric parameters of the medium and compute the relevant geometric quantities that describe the speed and polarization of light rays.

Aspects of wave propagation in a nonlinear medium: birefringence and the second-order magnetoelectric coefficients

“…It should be mentioned that the general expression for Z ij in Eq. ( 6) can also be obtained by using Hadamard method of discontinuities of fields derivatives across a moving hypersurface, as shown in earlier studies [17,21] (see also the application of the same method in the study of the propagation of shock waves in fluids [22]). Furthermore, different approaches can be implemented, as for instance the use of four dimensional notation, which provides a natural scenario to study analogies between general relativity solutions and wave propagation in optical media [23] or, more generally, in condensed matter systems -the so called analogue gravity [24].…”

Spherical symmetry and nonmagnetic dielectrics in analogue models of gravity

“…Besides, we shall consider the simplest case of an isotropic nonlinear electric medium such that the permittivity matrix is the same for all spatial directions and depends only on the norm E = √ E i E i of the electric field, that is, ij = (E)δ ij . In this case, the Fresnel matrix is given by [15]…”