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Asymmetric transmission in nanophotonics
Abbas Sheikh Ansari1, Ashwin K Iyer1, Behrad Gholipour1
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Nanophotonics (Berlin, Germany)
|December 5, 2024
Summary
Asymmetric transmission (AT) in subwavelength structures is crucial for optical devices. This review explores various methods to achieve AT in both reciprocal and nonreciprocal systems, discussing design principles and limitations.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Electromagnetic Wave Propagation
Background:
- Electromagnetic wave transmission is typically symmetric in reciprocal media, limiting optical device design.
- Asymmetric transmission (AT) is vital for optical isolators, circulators, and other applications like lasers and cloaking.
- Achieving AT in subwavelength structures presents challenges compared to bulky, magnetically biased devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review various approaches for realizing asymmetric transmission (AT) in subwavelength structures.
- To discuss the design principles and limitations of different AT methods.
- To cover AT in both reciprocal and nonreciprocal systems.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on subwavelength structures exhibiting AT.
- Categorization of AT approaches based on reciprocal and nonreciprocal systems.
- Analysis of metasurface designs including plasmonic, dielectric, and nonlinear types.
Main Results:
- Various strategies for AT in subwavelength structures have been developed, including Faraday rotation enhancement, nonlinear effects, and spatiotemporal modulation.
- AT can also be achieved in reciprocal structures by manipulating light polarization or diffraction orders.
- The review synthesizes diverse methods for creating AT in compact optical systems.
Conclusions:
- Subwavelength structures offer promising avenues for compact AT devices.
- Understanding design principles and limitations is key to advancing AT technologies.
- This review provides a comprehensive overview of current AT strategies in optics and photonics.
