arXiv subjects

Igor I. Smolyaninov

Publications and source records attributed to Igor I. Smolyaninov.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

Line of sight paraxial gravitational cloaking

Three-dimensional gravitational cloaking is known to require exotic matter and energy sources, which makes it arguably physically unrealizable. On the other hand, typical astronomical observations are performed using one-dimensional paraxial line of sight geometries. We demonstrate that unidirectional line of sight gravitational cloaking does not require exotic matter, and it may occur in multiple natural astronomical scenarios which involve gravitational lensing. In particular, recently discovered double gravitational lens SDSSJ0946+1006 together with the Milky Way appear to form a natural paraxial cloak. A natural question to ask, then, is how much matter in the universe may be hidden from view by such natural gravitational cloaks. It is estimated that the total volume hidden from an observer by gravitational cloaking may reach about 1% of the total volume of the visible universe.

physics.gen-ph↗

arXiv2018

Metamaterial Superconductors

Searching for natural materials exhibiting larger electron-electron interactions constitutes a traditional approach to high temperature superconductivity research. Very recently we pointed out that the newly developed field of electromagnetic metamaterials deals with the somewhat related task of dielectric response engineering on a sub-100 nm scale. Considerable enhancement of the electron-electron interaction may be expected in such metamaterial scenarios as in epsilon near zero (ENZ) and hyperbolic metamaterials. In both cases dielectric function may become small and negative in substantial portions of the relevant four-momentum space, leading to enhancement of the electron pairing interaction. This approach has been verified in experiments with aluminium-based metamaterials. Metamaterial superconductor with Tc = 3.9 K have been fabricated, that is three times that of pure aluminium (Tc = 1.2 K), which opens up new possibilities to considerably improve Tc of other simple superconductors. Taking advantage of the demonstrated success of this approach, the critical temperature of hypothetic niobium, MgB2 and H2S-based metamaterial superconductors is evaluated. The MgB2-based metamaterial superconductors are projected to reach the liquid nitrogen temperature range. In the case of an H2S-based metamaterial projected Tc appears to reach ~250 K.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2017

Enhancement of Coulomb blockade in epsilon near zero and hyperbolic metamaterials

Coulomb interaction of charges in a metamaterial may be expressed via its effective dielectric response function. Coulomb interaction appears considerably enhanced in artificially engineered epsilon near zero (ENZ) and hyperbolic metamaterials. Indeed, very recently it was observed that negative ENZ conditions enhance superconducting properties of a composite metamaterial via enhancement of Cooper pairing. Here we demonstrate that positive ENZ conditions enhance Coulomb repulsion of charges, leading to considerable enhancement of the Coulomb blockade effect in such metamaterials. Similar to high Tc cuprates, in hyperbolic metamaterials superconductivity and the Coulomb blockade-induced charge ordering is predicted to compete with each other.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2017

Ultrathin ultralight acoustic cloak

Existing designs of transformation acoustic cloaks are not easy to implement in many practical situations because of their large dimensions, while scattering cancellation cloaks do not protect the inner cloak volume. Here we report implementation of an acoustic metamaterial exhibiting cylindrical dispersion in an ultra-thin (~1mm) and ultra-lightweight (~3g) acoustic cloak design intended to protect a human-head-size object in air, which combines scattering cancellation in the far-field with efficient sound proofing of the inner cloak volume.

physics.class-ph↗

arXiv2016

Fine tuning and MOND in a metamaterial multiverse

We consider the recently suggested model of a multiverse based on a ferrofluid. When the ferrofluid is subjected to a modest external magnetic field, the nanoparticles inside the ferrofluid form small hyperbolic metamaterial domains, which from the electromagnetic standpoint behave as individual Minkowski universes exhibiting different laws of physics, such as different strength of effective gravity, different versions of MOND and different radiation lifetimes. When the ferrofluid multiverse is populated with atomic or molecular species, and these species are excited using an external laser source, the radiation lifetimes of atoms and molecules in these universes depend strongly on the individual physical properties of each universe via the Purcell effect. Some universes are better fine-tuned than others to sustain the excited states of these species. Thus, the ferrofluid-based metamaterial multiverse may be used to study models of MOND and to illustrate the fine-tuning mechanism in cosmology.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Magnetic liquids under high electric fields as optical diodes

We show and give examples of how unidirectional propagation of light rays in the limit of geometric optics could arise in some magnetic fluids due to the magnetoelectric effect under weak DC magnetic fields and strong DC electric fields around half of their dielectric breakdown. For such liquids as kerosene and transformer oils, one-way propagation of light may occur for 30 nm diameter magnetic nanoparticles (e.g. cobalt) and concentrations of 2% or larger.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Enhancement of critical temperature in fractal metamaterial superconductors

Fractal metamaterial superconductor geometry has been suggested and analyzed based on the recently developed theoretical description of critical temperature increase in epsilon near zero (ENZ) metamaterial superconductors. Considerable enhancement of critical temperature has been predicted in such materials due to appearance of large number of additional poles in the inverse dielectric response function of the fractal. Our results agree with the recent observation (Fratini et al. Nature 466, 841 (2010)) that fractal defect structure promotes superconductivity.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2016

Experimental observation of melting of the effective Minkowski spacetime in cobalt-based ferrofluids

Hyperbolic metamaterials were originally introduced to overcome the diffraction limit of optical imaging. Soon thereafter it was realized that they demonstrate a number of novel phenomena resulting from the broadband singular behavior of their density of photonic states. These novel phenomena and applications include microscopy, stealth technologies, enhanced quantum-electrodynamic effects, thermal hyperconductivity, superconductivity, and interesting gravitation theory analogues. Here we describe the behaviour of cobalt nanoparticle-based ferrofluid in the presence of an external magnetic field, and demonstrate that it forms a self-assembled hyperbolic metamaterial, which may be described as an effective 3D Minkowski spacetime for extraordinary photons. Moreover, such photons perceive thermal gradients in the ferrofluid as analogue of gravitational field, which obeys the Newton law. If the magnetic field is not strong enough, the effective Minkowski spacetime gradually melts under the influence of thermal fluctuations. On the other hand, it may restore itself if the magnetic field is increased back to its original value. Direct microscopic visualization of such a Minkowski spacetime melting/crystallization is presented, which is somewhat similar to hypothesized formation of the Minkowski spacetime in loop quantum cosmology and may mimic various cosmological Big Bang scenarios.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Theoretical modeling of critical temperature increase in metamaterial superconductors

Recent experiments have demonstrated that the metamaterial approach is capable of drastic increase of the critical temperature Tc of epsilon near zero (ENZ) metamaterial superconductors. For example, tripling of the critical temperature has been observed in Al-Al2O3 ENZ core-shell metamaterials. Here, we perform theoretical modelling of Tc increase in metamaterial superconductors based on the Maxwell-Garnett approximation of their dielectric response function. Good agreement is demonstrated between theoretical modelling and experimental results in both aluminium and tin-based metamaterials. Taking advantage of the demonstrated success of this model, the critical temperature of hypothetic niobium, MgB2 and H2S-based metamaterial superconductors is evaluated. The MgB2-based metamaterial superconductors are projected to reach the liquid nitrogen temperature range. In the case of an H2S-based metamaterial Tc appears to reach ~250K.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

Hyperbolic Metamaterials

Hyperbolic metamaterials were originally introduced to overcome the diffraction limit of optical imaging. Soon thereafter it was realized that hyperbolic metamaterials demonstrate a number of novel phenomena resulting from the broadband singular behavior of their density of photonic states. These novel phenomena and applications include super resolution imaging, new stealth technologies, enhanced quantum-electrodynamic effects, thermal hyperconductivity, superconductivity, and interesting gravitation theory analogues. Here we briefly review typical material systems, which exhibit hyperbolic behavior and outline important applications of hyperbolic metamaterials.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Thermodynamics of effective Minkowski spacetime in self-assembled hyperbolic metamaterials

Recent developments in gravitation theory indicate that the classic general relativity is an effective macroscopic theory which will be eventually replaced with a more fundamental theory based on thermodynamics of yet unknown microscopic degrees of freedom. Here we consider thermodynamics of an effective Minkowski spacetime which may be formed under the influence of external magnetic field in a cobalt ferrofluid. It appears that the extraordinary photons propagating inside the ferrofluid perceive thermal gradients in the ferrofluid as an effective gravitational field, which obeys the Newton law. Moreover, the effective Minkowski spacetime behaviour near the metric signature transition may mimic various cosmological Big Bang scenarios, which may be visualized directly using an optical microscope. Thus, some important features of the hypothetic microscopic theory of gravity are reproduced in the ferrofluid-based analogue model.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Using core-shell metamaterial engineering to triple the critical temperature of a superconductor

Recent experiments have shown the viability of the metamaterial approach to dielectric response engineering for moderately enhancing the transition temperature, Tc, of a superconductor. In this report, we demonstrate the use of Al2O3-coated aluminium nanoparticles to form the recently proposed epsilon near zero (ENZ) core-shell metamaterial superconductor with a Tc that is three times that of pure aluminium. IR reflectivity measurements confirm the predicted metamaterial modification of the dielectric function thus demonstrating the efficacy of the ENZ metamaterial approach to Tc engineering. These results provide an explanation for the long known, but not understood, enhancement of the Tc of granular aluminum films.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Experimental demonstration of Luneburg waveguides

Transformation optics gives rise to numerous unusual optical devices, such as novel metamaterial lenses and invisibility cloaks. Very recently Mattheakis et al. have suggested theoretical design of an optical waveguide based on a network of Luneburg lenses, which may be useful in sensing and nonlinear optics applications. Here we report the first experimental realization of such Luneburg waveguides. We have studied wavelength and polarization dependent performance of the waveguides.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Black hole in a waveguide: Hawking radiation or self-phase modulation?

Recently it was suggested that Hawking radiation may be observed in a nonlinear electromagnetic waveguide upon propagation of an optical pulse. We show that the spectral characteristics of the Hawking effect in such a waveguide are indistinguishable from the well-known effect of frequency broadening of an optical pulse due to self-phase modulation. Furthermore, we derive an estimate on the critical optical power at which Hawking effect is dominated by the self-phase modulation. It appears that optical experiments reported so far are clearly dominated by self-phase modulation.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Metamaterial model of a time crystal

Propagation of monochromatic extraordinary light in a hyperbolic metamaterial is identical to propagation of massive particles in a three dimensional effective Minkowski spacetime, in which the role of a timelike variable is played by one of the spatial coordinates. We demonstrate that this analogy may be used to build a metamaterial model of a time crystal, which has been recently suggested by Wilczek and Shapere. It is interesting to note that the effective single-particle energy spectrum in such a model does not contain a static ground state, thus providing a loophole in the proof of time crystal non-existence by P. Bruno.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2014

Fractional charges and Misner-Wheeler charge without charge effect in metamaterials

Optical space in metamaterials may be engineered to emulate four dimensional Kaluza-Klein theory. Nonlinear optics of such metamaterials mimics interaction of quantized electric charges. An electromagnetic wormhole is designed, which connects two points of such an optical space and changes its effective topology. Electromagnetic field configurations which exhibit fractional charges appear as a result of such topology change. Moreover, such effects as Misner-Wheeler charge without charge may be replicated.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2014

Experimental model of topological defects in Minkowski spacetime based on disordered ferrofluid: magnetic monopoles, cosmic strings and the spacetime cloak

Cobalt nanoparticle-based ferrofluid in the presence of external magnetic field forms a self-assembled hyperbolic metamaterial. Wave equation describing propagation of extraordinary light inside the ferrofluid exhibits 2+1 dimensional Lorentz symmetry. The role of time in the corresponding effective 3D Minkowski spacetime is played by the spatial coordinate directed along the periodic nanoparticle chains aligned by the magnetic field. Here we present a microscopic study of point, linear, planar and volume defects of the nanoparticle chain structure and demonstrate that they may exhibit strong similarities with such Minkowski spacetime defects as magnetic monopoles, cosmic strings and the recently proposed spacetime cloaks. Experimental observations of such defects are described.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2014

Metamaterial superconductors

Epsilon near zero (ENZ) conditions have been observed to enhance superconducting properties of a composite metamaterial based on random mixing of superconductor and ferroelectic nanoparticles. Here we analyse several other promising experimental geometries, which may considerably enhance electron pairing interaction in a metamaterial superconductor. The proposed geometries may be fabricated at the current level of nanotechnology development. They enable tuning of both frequency and spatial dispersion of the effective dielectric response function of the metamaterial, thus enabling optimization of the metamaterial superconductor properties.

physics.optics↗