Using optical potentials with gain-loss to generate structural colors

Ugo Tricoli; Leon Schlemmer

doi:10.1117/12.2621027

24 May 2022 Using optical potentials with gain-loss to generate structural colors

Ugo Tricoli, Leon Schlemmer

Proceedings Volume 12130, Metamaterials XIII; 121300F (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2621027
Event: SPIE Photonics Europe, 2022, Strasbourg, France

Abstract

We study the possibility to obtain structural colors through the use of supersymmetric transformations in optics such as the Darboux transform. Structural colors were originally discovered by studying the interference of light with natural photonics structures giving rise to vivid and spectacular tonalities. They differ fundamentally from ordinary colors based on light absorption at particular wavelengths, as they result from light interference only. To treat interference analytically, we make use of the Darboux transform to define materials with continuously varying spatial distributions of the refractive index that are exactly solvable for the electric field. Consequently, it is possible to calculate analytically the Transfer Matrix linked to the definition of the transmission and reflection coefficients. Interestingly, by using gain, anomalous transmission/ reflection (i.e. larger than one) can be obtained, the physical system being open towards the external environment (the system is using external energy in order to increase both transmission and reflection). The generated active optical cavity can thus be used to amplify the incoming light in the desired spectral-angular region. The calculated refractive index distributions can be realized in practice as 1D multi-layered structures corresponding to optical filters in the visible.

Citation Download Citation

Ugo Tricoli and Leon Schlemmer "Using optical potentials with gain-loss to generate structural colors", Proc. SPIE 12130, Metamaterials XIII, 121300F (24 May 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2621027

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available