Left/right asymmetry in reflection and transmission by a planar anisotropic dielectric slab with topologically insulating surface states

Abstract

Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Tom G. Mackay, "Left/right asymmetry in reflection and transmission by a planar anisotropic dielectric slab with topologically insulating surface states," J. Nanophoton. 10(2), 020501 (2016), doi: 10.1117/1.JNP.10.020501. Abstract. The reflection and transmission of plane waves by a homogeneous anisotropic dielectric slab-as represented by a columnar thin film-with topologically insulating surface states was theoretically investigated. Copolarized and cross-polarized reflectances and transmittances were calculated by solving the associated boundary-value problem. Numerical calculations revealed that all four reflectances and all four transmittances were asymmetric with respect to reversal of projection of the propagation direction of the incident plane wave on the illuminated surface of the slab. This left/right reflection and transmission asymmetry arises due to the combined effects of the slab's anisotropy and surface states. © The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI.

Breaking Transmission Symmetry Without Breaking Reciprocity in Linear All-Dielectric Polarization-Preserving Metagratings

“…We believe this work will further inspire non-linear selfbiased non-reciprocal [3,12] metasurfaces and metagratings that are highly relevant to applications like integrated infrared photonics [58], self-isolating lasing architectures [59] and directional second-harmonic generation [60,61]. Other inter-esting asymmetric effects that have been reported involve the lack of transmission mirror symmetry with respect to the surface normal caused by the excitation of topological surface waves [62], i.e. a transmission that is different for incident angles θ and −θ.…”

Planewave response of a simple Lorentz-nonreciprocal medium with magnetoelectric gyrotropy

“…Also, both Γ x and Γ y , singly and jointly, cause asymmetry in reflection with respect to the reversal of projection of the propagation direction of the incident plane wave on the illuminated plane z = 0. The phenomenon of left/right reflection asymmetry [19] can be quantitated through…”

“…The white line around the bubble in each plot is a numerical artifact arising from the discrete values of θ 0 and ψ 0 used to generate the plot.Also, both Γ x and Γ y , singly and jointly, cause asymmetry in reflection with respect to the reversal of projection of the propagation direction of the incident plane wave on the illuminated plane z = 0. The phenomenon of left/right reflection asymmetry[19] can be quantitated through ∆R ab (θ 0 , ψ 0 ) = R ab (θ 0 , ψ 0 ) − R ab (θ 0 , ψ 0 + π) , a ∈ {p, s} , b ∈ {p, s} . (32)Left/right reflection asymmetry exists if ∆R ab (θ 0 , ψ 0 ) = 0 for at least one of the four combination of the subscripts a and b.…”

Enhanced left/right asymmetry in reflection and transmission due to a periodic multilayer of a topological insulator and an anisotropic dielectric material

“…However, if a TI were an anisotropic dielectric material, the reflectances and transmittances would exhibit asymmetry with respect to the reversal of projection of the direction of propagation of the incident plane wave on the illuminated face. In other words, if θ were kept fixed by ψ were to be replaced by ψ + 180 • , the reflectances and transmittances would change [18].…”

“…The direction of propagation of the incident light is described by two angles: (a) θ ∈ [0 • , 90 • ) between the direction of propagation and the normal to the illuminated face of the layer, and (b) ψ ∈ [0 • , 360 • ) between the projection of the direction of propagation on the illuminated face and a straight line drawn on the face. As a TI is an isotropic dielectric material, the reflectances and transmittances of a TI layer do not depend on ψ [18]. However, if a TI were an anisotropic dielectric material, the reflectances and transmittances would exhibit asymmetry with respect to the reversal of projection of the direction of propagation of the incident plane wave on the illuminated face.…”