Browsing by Author "Urzhumov, Yaroslav"

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8

Open Access
Broadband electromagnetic cloaking with smart metamaterials.
(Nat Commun, 2012) Shin, Dongheok; Urzhumov, Yaroslav; Jung, Youngjean; Kang, Gumin; Baek, Seunghwa; Choi, Minjung; Park, Haesung; Kim, Kyoungsik; Smith, David R
The ability to render objects invisible with a cloak that fits all objects and sizes is a long-standing goal for optical devices. Invisibility devices demonstrated so far typically comprise a rigid structure wrapped around an object to which it is fitted. Here we demonstrate smart metamaterial cloaking, wherein the metamaterial device not only transforms electromagnetic fields to make an object invisible, but also acquires its properties automatically from its own elastic deformation. The demonstrated device is a ground-plane microwave cloak composed of an elastic metamaterial with a broad operational band (10-12 GHz) and nearly lossless electromagnetic properties. The metamaterial is uniform, or perfectly periodic, in its undeformed state and acquires the necessary gradient-index profile, mimicking a quasi-conformal transformation, naturally from a boundary load. This easy-to fabricate hybrid elasto electromagnetic metamaterial opens the door to implementations of a variety of transformation optics devices based on quasi-conformal maps.
Open Access
Complex k band diagrams of 3D metamaterial/photonic crystals.
(Opt Express, 2011-09-26) Fietz, Chris; Urzhumov, Yaroslav; Shvets, Gennady
A finite element method (FEM) for solving a complex valued k(ω) vs. ω dispersion curve of a 3D metamaterial/photonic crystal system is presented. This 3D method is a generalization of a previously reported 2D eigenvalue method [Opt. Express 15, 9681 (2007)]. This method is particularly convenient for analyzing periodic systems containing dispersive (e.g., plasmonic) materials, for computing isofrequency surfaces in the k-space, and for calculating the decay length of the evanescent waves. Two specific examples are considered: a photonic crystal comprised of dielectric spheres and a plasmonic fishnet structure. Hybridization and avoided crossings between Mie resonances and propagating modes are numerically demonstrated. Negative index propagation of four electromagnetic modes distinguished by their symmetry is predicted for the plasmonic fishnets. By calculating the isofrequency contours, we also demonstrate that the fishnet structure is a hyperbolic medium.
Open Access
Enhancing imaging systems using transformation optics.
(Opt Express, 2010-09-27) Smith, David R; Urzhumov, Yaroslav; Kundtz, Nathan B; Landy, Nathan I
We apply the transformation optical technique to modify or improve conventional refractive and gradient index optical imaging devices. In particular, when it is known that a detector will terminate the paths of rays over some surface, more freedom is available in the transformation approach, since the wave behavior over a large portion of the domain becomes unimportant. For the analyzed configurations, quasi-conformal and conformal coordinate transformations can be used, leading to simplified constitutive parameter distributions that, in some cases, can be realized with isotropic index; index-only media can be low-loss and have broad bandwidth. We apply a coordinate transformation to flatten a Maxwell fish-eye lens, forming a near-perfect relay lens; and also flatten the focal surface associated with a conventional refractive lens, such that the system exhibits an ultra-wide field-of-view with reduced aberration.
Open Access
Far-field analysis of axially symmetric three-dimensional directional cloaks.
(Opt Express, 2013-04-22) Ciracì, Cristian; Urzhumov, Yaroslav; Smith, David R
Axisymmetric radiating and scattering structures whose rotational invariance is broken by non-axisymmetric excitations present an important class of problems in electromagnetics. For such problems, a cylindrical wave decomposition formalism can be used to efficiently obtain numerical solutions to the full-wave frequency-domain problem. Often, the far-field, or Fraunhofer region is of particular interest in scattering cross-section and radiation pattern calculations; yet, it is usually impractical to compute full-wave solutions for this region. Here, we propose a generalization of the Stratton-Chu far-field integral adapted for 2.5D formalism. The integration over a closed, axially symmetric surface is analytically reduced to a line integral on a meridional plane. We benchmark this computational technique by comparing it with analytical Mie solutions for a plasmonic nanoparticle, and apply it to the design of a three-dimensional polarization-insensitive cloak.
Open Access
Leveraging nanoscale plasmonic modes to achieve reproducible enhancement of light.
(Nano Lett, 2010-10-13) Hill, Ryan T; Mock, Jack J; Urzhumov, Yaroslav; Sebba, David S; Oldenburg, Steven J; Chen, Shiuan-Yeh; Lazarides, Anne A; Chilkoti, Ashutosh; Smith, David R
The strongly enhanced and localized optical fields that occur within the gaps between metallic nanostructures can be leveraged for a wide range of functionality in nanophotonic and optical metamaterial applications. Here, we introduce a means of precise control over these nanoscale gaps through the application of a molecular spacer layer that is self-assembled onto a gold film, upon which gold nanoparticles (NPs) are deposited electrostatically. Simulations using a three-dimensional finite element model and measurements from single NPs confirm that the gaps formed by this process, between the NP and the gold film, are highly reproducible transducers of surface-enhanced resonant Raman scattering. With a spacer layer of roughly 1.6 nm, all NPs exhibit a strong Raman signal that decays rapidly as the spacer layer is increased.
Open Access
Low-loss directional cloaks without superluminal velocity or magnetic response.
(Opt Lett, 2012-11-01) Urzhumov, Yaroslav; Smith, David R
The possibility of making an optically large (many wavelengths in diameter) object appear invisible has been a subject of many recent studies. Exact invisibility scenarios for large (relative to the wavelength) objects involve (meta)materials with superluminal phase velocity [refractive index (RI) less than unity] and/or magnetic response. We introduce a new approximation applicable to certain device geometries in the eikonal limit: piecewise-uniform scaling of the RI. This transformation preserves the ray trajectories but leads to a uniform phase delay. We show how to take advantage of phase delays to achieve a limited (directional and wavelength-dependent) form of invisibility that does not require loss-ridden (meta)materials with superluminal phase velocities.
Open Access
Magnetic metamaterial superlens for increased range wireless power transfer.
(Sci Rep, 2014-01-10) Lipworth, Guy; Ensworth, Joshua; Seetharam, Kushal; Huang, Da; Lee, Jae Seung; Schmalenberg, Paul; Nomura, Tsuyoshi; Reynolds, Matthew S; Smith, David R; Urzhumov, Yaroslav
The ability to wirelessly power electrical devices is becoming of greater urgency as a component of energy conservation and sustainability efforts. Due to health and safety concerns, most wireless power transfer (WPT) schemes utilize very low frequency, quasi-static, magnetic fields; power transfer occurs via magneto-inductive (MI) coupling between conducting loops serving as transmitter and receiver. At the "long range" regime - referring to distances larger than the diameter of the largest loop - WPT efficiency in free space falls off as (1/d)(6); power loss quickly approaches 100% and limits practical implementations of WPT to relatively tight distances between power source and device. A "superlens", however, can concentrate the magnetic near fields of a source. Here, we demonstrate the impact of a magnetic metamaterial (MM) superlens on long-range near-field WPT, quantitatively confirming in simulation and measurement at 13-16 MHz the conditions under which the superlens can enhance power transfer efficiency compared to the lens-less free-space system.
Open Access
Thin low-loss dielectric coatings for free-space cloaking
(2013-05-03) Urzhumov, Yaroslav; Landy, Nathan; Driscoll, Tom; Basov, Dimitri; Smith, David R
We report stereolithographic polymer-based fabrication and experimental operation of a microwave X-band cloaking device. The device is a relatively thin (about one wavelength thick) shell of an air dielectric composite, in which the dielectric component has negligible loss and dispersion. In a finite band (9.7–10.1 GHz), the shell eliminates the shadow and strongly suppresses scattering from a conducting cylinder of six-wavelength diameter for TE-polarized free-space plane waves. The device does not require an immersion liquid or conducting ground planes for its operation. The dielectric constant of the polymer is low enough (ϵ 2.45) to suggest that this cloaking technique would be suitable for higher frequency radiation, including visible light.