Artificial distributed-index media fabricated by zero-order gratings

Zero-order gratings are grating structures with a period that is small compared with the wavelength of light. Only the directly transmitted or reflected light, the zero diffraction order, is nonevanescent and propagates in a distance from the grating. Thus the grating behaves like a slab of ordinary homogeneous material with an effective refractive index. By varying the material composition, i.e., by variation of the duty cycle of the grating, the effective refractive index can be changed. A grating with variable duty cycle therefore behaves like a material with distributed index. Based on such artificial materials, distributed-index elements are proposed. The physical principle is demonstrated with water waves.