Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 4, 2026
10:26
Fabrication and Characterization of Superconducting Resonators
Published on: May 21, 2016
Physical basis for wideband resonant reflectors
Robert Magnusson1, Mehrdad Shokooh-Saremi
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-2157, USA. robert.magnusson@uconn.edu
Optics Express
|June 11, 2008
Summary
Resonant leaky-mode reflectors, utilizing periodic silicon layers, offer wideband performance. Their operational bandwidth is influenced by the number and excitation of leaky modes, enabling new photonic applications.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and optical engineering
- Materials science for optical devices
Background:
- Periodic silicon layers on insulating substrates are used for optical reflectors.
- Understanding the physical basis of resonant leaky-mode reflectors is crucial for their development.
- Wideband reflectors are essential components in advanced photonic systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the physical principles behind resonant leaky-mode reflectors.
- To quantify the operational bandwidth of single resonant layers for TE and TM polarized light.
- To demonstrate the link between leaky-mode resonance and wideband reflector performance.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of resonant leaky-mode reflectors.
- Illustrative examples for transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarizations.
- Quantification of bandwidth based on leaky mode characteristics.
Main Results:
- The bandwidth of these reflectors is significantly affected by the number of participating leaky modes.
- Leaky mode excitation conditions are critical factors determining reflector bandwidth.
- Recently reported wideband reflectors operate based on leaky-mode resonance principles.
Conclusions:
- Resonant leaky-mode reflectors, particularly those with periodic silicon layers, exhibit wideband characteristics.
- The findings provide a foundational understanding for the design and optimization of these compact photonic elements.
- This work supports the continued development and application of leaky-mode resonance in photonic systems.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Characteristics of Series Resonant Circuit
Series resonance occurs in a circuit containing inductive (L), capacitive (C), and resistive (R) elements connected sequentially. At the resonance frequency, the inductive and capacitive reactances are equal in magnitude but opposite in sign, effectively canceling each other. This causes the circuit's impedance is minimal, primarily determined by the resistance R. The resonant frequency of an RLC circuit is defined as:
01:23Parallel Resonance
The parallel RLC circuit is an arrangement where the resistor (R), inductor (L), and capacitor (C) are all connected to the same nodes and, as a result, share the same voltage across them. The parallel RLC circuit is analyzed in terms of admittance (Y), which reflects the ease with which current can flow. The admittance is given by:
01:14Sound Waves: Resonance
Resonance is produced depending on the boundary conditions imposed on a wave. Resonance can be produced in a string under tension with symmetrical boundary conditions (i.e., has a node at each end). A node is defined as a fixed point where the string does not move. The symmetrical boundary conditions result in some frequencies resonating and producing standing waves, while other frequencies interfere destructively. Sound waves can resonate in a hollow tube, and the frequencies of the sound...
01:17Series Resonance
The RLC circuit impedance is defined as the ratio of the supply voltage to the circuit current. Resonance in such a circuit occurs when the imaginary part of this impedance equals zero. This specific condition means that the inductive reactance is exactly equal to the capacitive reactance. The frequency at which this happens is known as the resonant frequency. Mathematically, the resonant frequency is inversely proportional to the square root of the product of the inductance (L) and capacitance...
01:19Concept of Resonance and its Characteristics
If a driven oscillator needs to resonate at a specific frequency, then very light damping is required. An example of light damping includes playing piano strings and many other musical instruments. Conversely, to achieve small-amplitude oscillations as in a car's suspension system, heavy damping is required. Heavy damping reduces the amplitude, but the tradeoff is that the system responds at more frequencies. Speed bumps and gravel roads prove that even a car's suspension system is not immune...
01:07Reflection of Waves
When a wave travels from one medium to another, it gets reflected at the boundary of the second medium. A common example of this is when a person yells at a distance from a cliff and hears the echo of their voice. The sound waves (longitudinal waves) traveling in the air are reflected from the bounding cliff. Similarly, flipping one end of a string whose other end is tied to a wall causes a pulse (transverse wave) to travel through the string, which gets reflected upon reaching the wall. In...