Dispersion-enabled control of photonic density of states in photonic hypercrystals.

In this work, we investigate possibility of engineering photonic density of states (PDOS) in photonic hypercrystals (PHCs). In the course of our analysis, we have demonstrated that it is possible to obtain photonic bandgap for selected polarization of light as well as to achieve significant broadband PDOS enhancement. We have also presented for the first time that anomalous dispersion, that arises from effective resonance of hyperbolic medium constituting the PHC structure, may lead to negative PDOS, which is photonic equivalent of mobility gap, observed in electronic crystals. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that application of PHC structure, instead of standalone hyperbolic medium, allows to obtain more versatile electromagnetic response, such as broadband perfect absorption of adjustable spectral range of operation.

Nonlinear operation of an FP laser with PT symmetry active medium.

In this paper, an analysis of the nonlinear laser operation in an active medium made of a parity time (PT) symmetric structure placed in a Fabry-Perot (FP) resonator is demonstrated for the first time. The FP mirrors' reflection coefficients and phases, the PT symmetric structure period, primitive cell number, and the gain and loss saturation effects are taken into account in a presented theoretical model. The modified transfer matrix method is used to obtain characteristics of laser output intensity. Numerical results show that the selection of the appropriate phase of the FP resonator's mirrors makes it possible to obtain different levels of the output intensity. Moreover, for certain value of a ratio of the grating period to the operating wavelength, it is possible to obtain the bistability effect.

Spatial Dispersion in Hypercrystal Distributed Feedback Lasing.

This work is a first approach to investigate the role of spatial dispersion in photonic hypercrystals (PHCs). The scope of the presented analysis is focused on exploiting nonlocality, which can be controlled by appropriate design of the structure, to obtain new light generation effects in a distributed feedback (DFB) laser based on PHC, which are not observable under weak spatial dispersion. Here, we use effective medium approximation and our original model of threshold laser generation based on anisotropic transfer matrix method. To unequivocally identify nonlocal generation phenomena, the scope of our analysis includes comparison between local and nonlocal threshold generation spectra, which may be obtained for different geometries of PHC structure. In particular, we have presented that, in the presence of strong spatial dispersion, it is possible to obtain spectrally shifted Bragg wavelengths of TE- and TM-polarization spectra, lowered generation threshold levels for both light polarizations, generation of light of selected light polarization (TE or TM), or simultaneous generation of TE- and TM-polarized waves at different frequencies with controllable spectral separation, instead of single mode operation anticipated with local approach.

Influence of Spatial Dispersion on Propagation Properties of Waveguides Based on Hyperbolic Metamaterial.

In this work, we study the effect of spatial dispersion on propagation properties of planar waveguides with the core layer formed by hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM). In our case, the influence of spatial dispersion was controlled by changing the unit cell's dimensions. Our analysis revealed a number of new effects arising in the considered waveguides, which cannot be predicted with the help of local approximation, including mode degeneration (existence of additional branch of TE and TM high-ß modes), power flow inversion, propagation gap, and plasmonic-like modes characterized with long distance propagation. Additionally, for the first time we reported unusual characteristic points appearing for the high-ß TM mode of each order corresponding to a single waveguide width for which power flow tends to zero and mode stopping occurs.

Distributed Feedback Laser Based on Tunable Photonic Hypercrystal.

In this work, we investigate the generation of light in a distributed feedback (DFB) laser composed of periodically arranged layers of hyperbolic medium and active material forming a 1D photonic hypercrystal (PHC). The scope of our study covers the analysis of laser action in the presence of different types of dispersion that are achievable in a hyperbolic medium. Using the example of a PHC structure consisting of graphene-based hyperbolic medium, we demonstrate the possibility of controlling laser action by tuning effective dispersion. Our analysis reveals the possibility of obtaining a single-frequency generation with high side-mode suppression and controllable wavelength of operation. Moreover, we present a new mechanism for the modulation of laser amplitude arising from voltage-controllable dispersion of hyperbolic medium.

Nonlocality-Enabled Magnetic Free Optical Isolation in Hyperbolic Metamaterials.

Hereby, we present an optical isolator (optical diode) based on a hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM). We demonstrate that a grating-free planar linear non-magnetic HMM structure deposited on a high-index substrate, which, due to presence of strong spatial dispersion (non-locality), reveals asymmetrical transmittance and reflectance characteristics for light of arbitrary polarization within a wide angular and spectral range. The presented device may be efficiently utilized to completely block backward and enforce unidirectional propagation in free space and integrated systems without the use of magnetooptical or non-linear effects.

Down-Shifting in the YAM: Ce3+ + Yb3+ System for Solar Cells.

In this work, we investigate Ce3+ to Yb3+ energy transfer in Y4Al2O9 (YAM) for potential application in solar spectrum down-converting layers for photovoltaic devices. Photoluminescence properties set, of 10 samples, of the YAM host activated with Ce3+ and Yb3+ with varying concentrations are presented, and the Ce3+ to Yb3+ energy transfer is proven. Measurement of highly non-exponential luminescence decays of Ce3+ 5d band allowed for the calculation of maximal theoretical quantum efficiency, of the expected down-conversion process, equal to 123%. Measurements of Yb3+ emission intensity, in the function of excitation power, confirmed the predominantly single-photon downshifting character of Ce3+ to Yb3+ energy transfer. Favorable location of the Ce3+ 5d bands in YAM makes this system a great candidate for down-converting, and down-shifting, luminescent layers for photovoltaics.

Strong second-harmonic response from semiconductor-dielectric interfaces.

In this study, an analysis of the second-harmonic generation (SHG) response from surfaces containing dielectric-semiconductor interfaces with sub-wavelength features is presented. The investigated medium is a metamaterial where the SHG response is governed by the symmetry breaking between consecutive layers. The examined material is composed of a periodic structure based on 50 nm silicon nitride and 10 nm indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) fabricated on a quartz glass substrate. The elementary cell consists of a pair of materials in an exchangeable order. The preliminary results show a promising application of the amorphous IGZO as a nonlinear optical material, whose optical characteristics can be controlled by the fabrication process itself. Prepared structures give a remarkably high SHG response. For an effective thickness of the structure equal to 240 nm, a more than 250-fold increase in SHG compared to the reference substrate is observed.

Controllable intermodal coupling in waveguide systems based on tunable hyperbolic metamaterials.

In this work, we study intermodal coupling in a waveguiding system composed of a planar dielectric waveguide and a tunable hyperbolic metamaterial waveguide based on graphene, which has not been yet investigated in this class of waveguide system. For this purpose, using the Lorentz reciprocity theorem, we derive coupled mode equations for the considered waveguiding system. We demonstrate, for the first time, possibility of a fully controlled power exchange between TM modes of the dielectric waveguide and both forward and backward TM modes of the hyperbolic metamaterial waveguide by changing Fermi potential of graphene. In the course of our analysis, we also investigate how the system parameters, such as waveguide width and separation distance, influence the strength of intermodal coupling.

Effect of nonlocality in spatially uniform anisotropic metamaterials.

In this study, we investigate an effect of spatial dispersion in anisotropic metamaterials of regular periodic geometry. We indicate conditions under which a local and nonlocal approach are convergent, as well as the areas of particularly strong nonlocality. Our analysis also reveals that new resonance transitions altering the topology of an iso-frequency surface arise in the presence of spatial dispersion. For the first time, we demonstrate that nonlocality can serve as a new mechanism for tailoring effective dispersion of an anisotropic metamaterial, which opens new venues for novel applications requiring strong direction discrimination of the incident radiation.

Multiresonance response in hyperbolic metamaterials.

In this paper we demonstrate a new class of anisotropic 1D hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs) possessing multiresonant dispersion characteristics. With the help of an EMT-based model, we analyze HMMs with unit cells composed of layers characterized by various plasma frequencies, revealing multiple resonance transitions corresponding to the critical absorptions points. In particular, we show that relative locations of plasma frequencies of constituent materials and the unit cell's geometry determine the type of dispersion characteristics as well as spectral locations of critical absorption points. It is shown that a multispectral low-loss highly dispersive medium is achieved in a structure comprising layers of closely located plasma resonances. Moreover, we present that pure metallic multilayer structure can exhibit hyperbolic dispersion. The obtained results possess a significant potential in applications where a multispectral character is required, including phase matching, multiple-point perfect absorption, as well as diffractionless imaging and focusing.

Tunable spectral and spatial filters for the mid-infrared based on hyperbolic metamaterials.

In this paper we present the possibility of shaping the reflectivity characteristics of tunable hyperbolic metamaterials (THMMs). Using the example of voltage-sensitive graphene-based structures, we demonstrate the existence of spectral and spatial functionalities of edge and narrowband filters, controlled dynamically over a 3-5 µm spectral range, that are important for both civilian and military applications. We also demonstrate that the adoption of apodization techniques in the THMM design leads to a reduction in the sidelobe's parasitic effect in edge filters, as well as providing the means to reshape the overall reflectivity characteristics, which not only unveiled the tunable angle aperture functionality but also significantly increased the potential for tailoring optical properties of THMM nanostructures in general.

Control of gain/absorption in tunable hyperbolic metamaterials.

In this paper, the possibility of shaping the gain/absorption spectrum in tunable hyperbolic metamaterial (THMM) composed of subsequent layers of graphene and active/passive material by external biasing is demonstrated. For the first time it has been shown that resonance transitions between different dispersion regimes, i.e., Type I HMM→elliptic, elliptic→Type II HMM, elliptic→Type I HMM, are accompanied by interesting optical effects, such as anisotropic effective gain/absorption enhancement or electromagnetic transparency, all controllable by external voltage. We believe that this kind of tunable metamaterial could lay the foundation for a new class of active/passive media with controllable gain/absorption or electromagnetic transparency.

Tunable slow light in graphene-based hyperbolic metamaterial waveguide operating in SCLU telecom bands.

The tunability of slow light in graphene-based hyperbolic metamaterial waveguide operating in SCLU telecom bands is investigated. For the first time it has been shown that proper design of a GHMM structure forming waveguide layer and the geometry of the waveguide itself allows stopped light to be obtained in an almost freely selected range of wavelengths within SCLU bands. In particular, the possibility of controlling light propagation in GHMM waveguides by external biasing has been presented. The change of external electric field enables the stop light of the selected wavelength as well as the control of a number of modes, which can be stopped, cut off or supported. Proposed GHMM waveguides could offer great opportunities in the field of integrated photonics that are compatible with CMOS technology, especially since such structures can be utilized as photonic memory cells, tunable optical buffers, delays, optical modulators etc.

Tunable graphene-based hyperbolic metamaterial operating in SCLU telecom bands.

The tunability of graphene-based hyperbolic metamaterial structure operating in SCLU telecom bands is investigated. For the first time it has been shown that for the proper design of a graphene/dielectric multilayer stack, the HMM Type I, Epsilon-Near-Zero and Type II regimes are possible by changing the biasing potential. Numerical results reveal the effect of structure parameters such as the thickness of the dielectric layer as well as a number of graphene sheets in a unit cell (i.e., dielectric/graphene bilayer) on the tunability range and shape of the dispersion characteristics (i.e., Type I/ENZ/Type II) in SCLU telecom bands. This kind of materials could offer a technological platform for novel devices having various applications in optical communications technology.

Modeling of amplification and light generation in one-dimensional photonic crystal using a multiwavelength transfer matrix approach.

We present an analysis of amplification and lasing in one-dimensional isotropic nonlinear photonic crystal (1D PC), which is based on a generalized (multiwavelength) transfer matrix method. This approach was used for modeling a Raman signal amplification in 1D PC and in an homogenous structure, showing advantages of a stratified medium. Moreover, the threshold operation of a 1D PC Raman laser is studied, assuming both strong as well as depleted pump. The normalized threshold gain characteristics for various end reflections and photonic crystal laser length were calculated.

[Forearm tumor of the soft tissue inflammatory-like etiology]. / Guz tkanek miekkich znacznych rozmiarów w obrebie proksymalnych czesci przedramienia o etiologii zapalnej--opis przypadku.

We write about case of 60-year-old man with a forearm tumor about 7 cm large. The change revealed to have inflammatory-like etiology. The surgery made a good result for the health and quality of life for the patient. The histopatlogy excluded the neoplastic etiology. We observed phenomenas big tumor and no pathological indication in function of medial and ulnar nerve.

Relaxation oscillations in a laser with a Gaussian mirror.

We present an analysis of the relaxation oscillations in a laser with a Gaussian mirror by taking into account the three-dimensional spatial field distribution of the laser modes and the spatial hole burning effect. In particular, we discuss the influence of the Gaussian mirror peak reflectivity and a Gaussian parameter on the damping rate and frequency of the relaxation oscillation for two different laser structures, i.e., with a classically unstable resonator and a classically stable resonator.