arXiv subjects

Giuseppe Castaldi

Publications and source records attributed to Giuseppe Castaldi.

54 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

Electromagnetic tunneling of obliquely-incident waves through a single-negative slab paired with a double-positive uniaxial slab

We show that, under appropriate oblique-incidence and polarization conditions, the inherent opaqueness of a homogeneous, isotropic single-negative slab may be perfectly compensated (in the ideal lossless case) by a homogenous, anisotropic (uniaxial) double-positive slab, so that complete tunneling (with total transmission and zero phase delay) occurs. We present an analytical and numerical study aimed at deriving the basic design rules, elucidating the underlying physical mechanisms, and exploring the role of the various involved parameters.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2011

Analytical study of spherical cloak/anti-cloak interactions

The intriguing concept of "anti-cloaking" has been recently introduced within the framework of transformation optics (TO), first as a "countermeasure" to invisibility-cloaking (i.e., to restore the scattering response of a cloaked target), and more recently in connection with "sensor invisibility" (i.e., to strongly reduce the scattering response while maintaining the field-sensing capabilities). In this paper, we extend our previous studies, which were limited to a two-dimensional cylindrical scenario, to the three-dimensional spherical case. More specifically, via a generalized (coordinate-mapped) Mie-series approach, we derive a general analytical full-wave solution pertaining to plane-wave-excited configurations featuring a spherical object surrounded by a TO-based invisibility cloak coupled via a vacuum layer to an anti-cloak, and explore the various interactions of interest. With a number of selected examples, we illustrate the cloaking and field-restoring capabilities of various configurations, highlighting similarities and differences with respect to the cylindrical case, with special emphasis on sensor-cloaking scenarios and ideas for approximate implementations that require the use of double-positive media only.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2011

Electromagnetic tunneling through a single-negative slab paired with a double-positive bi-layer

We show that resonant tunneling of electromagnetic fields can occur through a three-layer structure composed of a single-negative (i.e., either negative-permittivity or negative-permeability) slab paired with bi-layer made of double-positive (i.e., positive permittivity and permeability) media. In particular, one of the two double-positive media can be chosen arbitrarily (even vacuum), while the other may exhibit extreme (either near-zero or very high) permittivity/permeability values. Our results on this counterintuitive tunneling phenomenon also demonstrate the possibility of synthesizing double-positive slabs that effectively exhibit single-negative-like wave-impedance properties within a moderately wide frequency range.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2010

Experimental evidence of cut-wire-induced enhanced transmission of transverse-electric fields through sub-wavelength slits in a thin metallic screen

Recent numerical studies have demonstrated the possibility of achieving substantial enhancements in the transmission of transverse-electric-polarized electromagnetic fields through subwavelength slits in a thin metallic screen by placing single or paired metallic cut-wire arrays at a close distance from the screen. In this Letter, we report on the first experimental evidence of such extraordinary transmission phenomena, via microwave (X/Ku-band) measurements on printed-circuit-board prototypes. Experimental results agree very well with full-wave numerical predictions, and indicate an intrinsic robustness of the enhanced transmission phenomena with respect to fabrication tolerances and experimental imperfections.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2010

Power scattering and absorption mediated by cloak/anti-cloak interactions: A transformation-optics route towards invisible sensors

The suggestive idea of "cloaking" an electromagnetic sensor, i.e., strongly reducing its visibility (scattering) while maintaining its field-sensing (absorption) capabilities, has recently been proposed in the literature, based on scattering-cancellation, Fano-resonance, or transformation-optics approaches. In this paper, we explore an alternative, transformation-optics-based route, which relies on the recently-introduced concept of "anti-cloaking." More specifically, our proposed approach relies on a suitable tailoring of the competing cloaking and anti-cloaking mechanisms, interacting in a two-dimensional cylindrical scenario. Via analytical and parametric studies, we illustrate the underlying phenomenology, identify the critical design parameters, and address the relevant optimality and tradeoff issues, taking also into account the effect of material losses. Our results confirm the envisaged potentials of the proposed transformation-optics approach as an attractive alternative route to sensor cloaking.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2010

Transformation-optics generalization of tunnelling effects in bi-layers made of paired pseudo-epsilon-negative/mu-negative media

Transformation-media designed by standard transformation-optics (TO) approaches, based on real-valued coordinate-mapping, cannot exhibit single-negative (SNG) character unless such character is already possessed by the domain that is being transformed. In this paper, we show that, for a given field polarisation, pseudo-SNG transformation media can be obtained by transforming a domain featuring double positive (or double-negative) character, via complex analytic continuation of the coordinate transformation rules. Moreover, we apply this concept to the TO-based interpretation of phenomena analogous to the tunnelling effects observable in bi-layers made of complementary epsilon-negative (ENG) and mu-negative (MNG) media, and explore their possible TO-inspired extensions and generalizations.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2010

Tuning efficiency and sensitivity of guided resonances in photonic crystals and quasi-crystals: A comparative study

In this paper, we present a comparative study of the tuning efficiency and sensitivity of guided resonances (GRs) in photonic crystal (PC) holed slabs based on periodic and aperiodically-ordered unit cells, aimed at assessing the applicability of these important technology platforms to ultra-compact optical sensors and active devices. In particular, with specific reference to square-lattice periodic PCs and aperiodically-ordered Ammann-Beenker photonic quasi-crystals, we study the effects of the hole radius, slab thickness, and refractive index on the GR sensitivity and tunability with respect to variation in the hole refractive index. Finally, we carry out a theoretical and numerical analysis in order to correlate the GR shift with the field distribution of the unperturbed (air holes) structures. Our results indicate that the spatial arrangement of the holes may strongly influence the tuning and sensitivity efficiency, and may provide new degrees of freedom and tools for the design and optimization of novel photonic devices for both sensing and telecommunication applications.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2010

Paired cut-wire arrays for enhanced transmission of transverse-electric fields through sub-wavelength slits in a thin metallic screen

It has recently been shown that the transmission of electromagnetic fields through sub-wavelength slits (parallel to the electric field direction) in a thin metallic screen can be greatly enhanced by covering one side of the screen with a metallic cut-wire array laid on a dielectric layer. In this Letter, we show that a richer phenomenology (which involves both electric- and magnetic-type resonances) can be attained by pairing a second cut-wire array at the other side of the screen. Via a full-wave comprehensive parametric study, we illustrate the underlying mechanisms and explore the additional degrees of freedom endowed, as well as their possible implications in the engineering of enhanced transmission phenomena.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2010

A General Class of Metamaterial Transformation Slabs

In this paper, we apply transformation-based optics to the derivation of a general class of transparent metamaterial slabs. By means of analytical and numerical full-wave studies, we explore their image displacement/formation capabilities, and establish intriguing connections with configurations already known in the literature. Starting from these revisitations, we develop a number of nontrivial extensions, and illustrate their possible applications to the design of perfect radomes, anti-cloaking devices, and focusing devices based on double-positive (possibly nonmagnetic) media. These designs show that such anomalous features may be achieved without necessarily relying on negative-index or strongly resonant metamaterials, suggesting more practical venues for the realization of these devices.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2009

Guided resonances in photonic crystals with point-defected aperiodically-ordered supercells

In this paper, we study the excitation of guided resonances (GRs) in photonic-crystal slabs based on point-defected aperiodically-ordered supercells. With specific reference to perforated-slab structures and the Ammann-Beenker octagonal lattice geometry, we carry out full-wave numerical studies of the plane-wave responses and of the underlying modal structures, which illustrate the representative effects induced by the introduction of symmetry-preserving and symmetry-breaking defects. Our results demonstrate that breaking the supercell mirror symmetries via the judicious introduction of point-defects enables for the excitation of otherwise uncoupled GRs, with control on the symmetry properties of their field distributions, thereby constituting an attractive alternative to those GR-engineering approaches based on the asymmetrization of the hole shape. In this framework, aperiodically-ordered supercells seem to be inherently suited, in view of the variety of inequivalent defect sites that they can offer.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2009

Nearly-Perfect Non-Magnetic Invisibility Cloaking: Analytic Solutions and Parametric Studies

Coordinate-transformation approaches to invisibility cloaking rely on the design of an anisotropic, spatially inhomogeneous "transformation medium" capable of suitably re-routing the energy flux around the region to conceal without causing any scattering in the exterior region. It is well known that the inherently magnetic properties of such medium limit the high-frequency scaling of practical "metamaterial" implementations based on subwavelength inclusions (e.g., split-ring resonators). Thus, for the optical range, non-magnetic implementations, based on approximate reductions of the constitutive parameters, have been proposed. In this paper, we present an alternative approach to non-magnetic coordinate-transformation cloaking, based on the mapping from a nearly-transparent, anisotropic and spatially inhomogeneous virtual domain. We show that, unlike its counterparts in the literature, our approach is amenable to exact analytic treatment, and that its overall performance is comparable to that of a non-ideal (lossy, dispersive, parameter-truncated) implementation of standard (magnetic) cloaking.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2009

Guided resonances in photonic quasicrystals

In this paper, we report on the first evidence of guided resonances (GRs) in aperiodically-ordered photonic crystals, tied to the concept of "quasicrystals" in solid-state physics. Via a full-wave numerical study of the transmittance response and the modal structure of a photonic quasicrystal (PQC) slab based on a representative aperiodic geometry (Ammann-Beenker octagonal tiling), we demonstrate the possibility of exciting GR modes, and highlight similarities and differences with the periodic case. In particular, we show that, as for the periodic case, GRs arise from the coupling of the incident plane-wave with degenerate modes of the PQC slab that exhibit a matching symmetry in the spatial distribution, and can still be parameterized via a Fano-like model. Besides the phenomenological implications, our results may provide new degrees of freedom in the engineering of GRs, and pave the way for new developments and applications.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2009

Cloak/anti-cloak interactions

Coordinate-transformation cloaking is based on the design of a metamaterial shell made of an anisotropic, spatially inhomogeneous "transformation medium" that allows rerouting the impinging wave around a given region of space. In its original version, it is generally believed that, in the ideal limit, the radiation cannot penetrate the cloaking shell (from outside to inside, and viceversa). However, it was recently shown by Chen et al. that electromagnetic fields may actually penetrate the cloaked region, provided that this region contains double-negative transformation media which, via proper design, may be in principle used to (partially or totally) "undo" the cloaking transformation, thereby acting as an "anti-cloak." In this paper, we further elaborate this concept, by considering a more general scenario of cloak/anti-cloak interactions. Our full-wave analytical study provides new insightful results and explores the effects of departure from ideality, suggesting also some novel scenarios for potential applications.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2008

Evidence of local effects in anomalous refraction and focusing properties of dodecagonal photonic quasicrystals

We present the key results from a comprehensive study of the refraction and focusing properties of a two-dimensional dodecagonal photonic ``quasicrystal'' (PQC), carried out via both full-wave numerical simulations and microwave measurements on a slab made of alumina rods inserted in a parallel-plate waveguide. We observe anomalous refraction and focusing in several frequency regions, confirming some recently published results. However, our interpretation, based on numerical and experimental evidence, differs substantially from the one in terms of ``effective negative refractive-index'' that was originally proposed. Instead, our study highlights the critical role played by short-range interactions associated with local order and symmetry.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2007

Perspectives on Beam-Shaping Optimization for Thermal-Noise Reduction in Advanced Gravitational-Wave Interferometric Detectors: Bounds, Profiles, and Critical Parameters

Suitable shaping (in particular, flattening and broadening) of the laser beam has recently been proposed as an effective device to reduce internal (mirror) thermal noise in advanced gravitational wave interferometric detectors. Based on some recently published analytic approximations (valid in the infinite-test-mass limit) for the Brownian and thermoelastic mirror noises in the presence of arbitrary-shaped beams, this paper addresses certain preliminary issues related to the optimal beam-shaping problem. In particular, with specific reference to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) experiment, absolute and realistic lower-bounds for the various thermal noise constituents are obtained and compared with the current status (Gaussian beams) and trends ("mesa" beams), indicating fairly ample margins for further reduction. In this framework, the effective dimension of the related optimization problem, and its relationship to the critical design parameters are identified, physical-feasibility and model-consistency issues are considered, and possible additional requirements and/or prior information exploitable to drive the subsequent optimization process are highlighted.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2006

On the Analytic Structure of a Family of Hyperboloidal Beams of Potential Interest for Advanced LIGO

For the baseline design of the advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), use of optical cavities with non-spherical mirrors supporting flat-top ("mesa") beams, potentially capable of mitigating the thermal noise of the mirrors, has recently drawn a considerable attention. To reduce the severe tilt-instability problems affecting the originally conceived nearly-flat, "Mexican-hat-shaped" mirror configuration, K. S. Thorne proposed a nearly-concentric mirror configuration capable of producing the same mesa beam profile on the mirror surfaces. Subsequently, Bondarescu and Thorne introduced a generalized construction that leads to a one-parameter family of "hyperboloidal" beams which allows continuous spanning from the nearly-flat to the nearly-concentric mesa beam configurations. This paper is concerned with a study of the analytic structure of the above family of hyperboloidal beams. Capitalizing on certain results from the applied optics literature on flat-top beams, a physically-insightful and computationally-effective representation is derived in terms of rapidly-converging Gauss-Laguerre expansions. Moreover, the functional relation between two generic hyperboloidal beams is investigated. This leads to a generalization (involving fractional Fourier transform operators of complex order) of some recently discovered duality relations between the nearly-flat and nearly-concentric mesa configurations. Possible implications and perspectives for the advanced LIGO optical cavity design are discussed.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2005

Radiation Properties of One-Dimensional Quasirandom Antenna Arrays Based on Rudin-Shapiro Sequences

The development of exotic new materials, such as metamaterials, has created strong interest within the electromagnetics (EM) community for possible new phenomenologies and device applications, with particular attention to periodicity-induced phenomena, such as photonic bandgaps (PBG). Within this context, motivated by the fairly recent discovery in X-ray crystallography of "quasicrystals," whose diffraction patterns display unusual characteristics that are associated with "aperiodic order," we have undertaken a systematic study of how these exotic effects manifest themselves in the radiation properties of aperiodically-configured antenna arrays. The background for these studies, with promising example configurations, has been reported in a previous publication [V. Pierro et al., IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol. 53, No. 2, pp. 635-644, Feb. 2005]. In the present paper, we pay attention to various configurations generated by Rudin-Shapiro (RS) sequences, which constitute one of the simplest conceivable examples of deterministic aperiodic geometries featuring quasirandom (dis)order. After presentation and review of relevant background material, the radiation properties of one-dimensional RS-based antenna arrays are analyzed, followed by illustrative numerical parametric studies to validate the theoretical models. Design parameters and potential practical applications are also given attention.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2005

Parameterizing Quasiperiodicity: Generalized Poisson Summation and Its Application to Modified-Fibonacci Antenna Arrays

The fairly recent discovery of "quasicrystals", whose X-ray diffraction patterns reveal certain peculiar features which do not conform with spatial periodicity, has motivated studies of the wave-dynamical implications of "aperiodic order". Within the context of the radiation properties of antenna arrays, an instructive novel (canonical) example of wave interactions with quasiperiodic order is illustrated here for one-dimensional (1-D) array configurations based on the "modified-Fibonacci" sequence, with utilization of a two-scale generalization of the standard Poisson summation formula for periodic arrays. This allows for a "quasi-Floquet" analytic parameterization of the radiated field, which provides instructive insights into some of the basic wave mechanisms associated with quasiperiodic order, highlighting similarities and differences with the periodic case. Examples are shown for quasiperiodic infinite and spatially-truncated arrays, with brief discussion of computational issues and potential applications.

physics.optics↗