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Published on: September 26, 2014
Broadband Dipole Absorption in Dispersive Photonic Time Crystals
Thomas F Allard1, Jaime E Sustaeta-Osuna1, Francisco J García-Vidal1
1Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Departamento de Física Teórica de la Materia Condensada, E-28049 Madrid, Spain and Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), E-28049 Madrid, Spain.
Photonic time crystals (PTCs) can now convert light emission to absorption broadly, overcoming previous limitations of narrow bands and instabilities. This advancement opens new possibilities for light manipulation in various material platforms.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Photonic time crystals (PTCs) exhibit unique properties due to temporal modulation.
- PTCs can open momentum bandgaps for amplifying modes, but often under restrictive conditions.
- Existing methods are limited by narrow frequency bands and system instabilities near exceptional points (EPs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate overcoming limitations of narrow bandwidth and instabilities in PTCs.
- To explore the conversion of dipole emission to absorption in dispersive and absorptive PTCs.
- To demonstrate a general effect applicable across stable and unstable regimes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of dissipated power from a point-dipole emitter within a PTC.
- Incorporation of dispersion and absorption effects in the theoretical model.
- Investigation across a range of modulation strengths and frequencies.
Main Results:
- Temporal modulation enables broadband conversion of dipole emission to absorption.
- This conversion occurs in a frequency window free of exceptional points (EPs).
- The effect is observed in both stable and unstable system regimes.
Conclusions:
- Dispersion and absorption are key to overcoming PTC limitations.
- Broadband emission-to-absorption conversion is achievable in PTCs.
- The findings are general and applicable to various material platforms with achievable modulation parameters.
