Showing papers on "Group velocity published in 2011"

Broadband slow light metamaterial based on a double-continuum Fano resonance.

Abstract: We propose a concept of a low-symmetry three-dimensional metamaterial exhibiting a double-continuum Fano (DCF) optical resonance. Such metamaterial is described as a birefringent medium supporting a discrete dark electromagnetic state weakly coupled to the continua of two nondegenerate bright bands of orthogonal polarizations. It is demonstrated that light propagation through such DCF metamaterial can be slowed down over a broad frequency range when the medium parameters (e.g., frequency of the dark mode) are adiabatically changed along the optical path. Using a specific metamaterial implementation, we demonstrate that the DCF approach to slow light is superior to that of the electromagnetically induced transparency because it enables spectrally uniform group velocity and transmission coefficient.

A global model of Love and Rayleigh surface wave dispersion and anisotropy, 25–250 s

Abstract: SUMMARY A large number of fundamental-mode Love and Rayleigh wave dispersion curves were determined from seismograms for 3330 earthquakes recorded on 258 globally distributed seismographic stations. The dispersion curves were sampled at periods between 25 and 250 s to determine propagation-phase anomalies with respect to a reference earth model. The data set of phase anomalies was first used to construct global isotropic phase-velocity maps at specific frequencies using spherical-spline basis functions with a nominal uniform resolution of 650 km. Azimuthal anisotropy was then included in the parametrization, and its importance for explaining the data explored. Only the addition of 2ζ azimuthal variations for Rayleigh waves was found to be resolved by the data. In the final stage of the analysis, the entire phase-anomaly data set was inverted to determine a global dispersion model for Love and Rayleigh waves parametrized horizontally using a spherical-spline basis, and with a set of B-splines to describe the slowness variations with respect to frequency. The new dispersion model, GDM52, can be used to calculate internally consistent global maps of phase and group velocity, as well as local and path-specific dispersion curves, between 25 and 250 s.

Ab initio study of the bandgap engineering of Al1−xGaxN for optoelectronic applications

Abstract: A theoretical study of Al1−xGaxN, based on the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave method, is used to investigate the variations in the bandgap, optical properties, and nonlinear behavior of the compound with the change in the Ga concentration. It is found that the bandgap decreases with the increase in Ga. A maximum value of 5.50 eV is determined for the bandgap of pure AlN, which reaches a minimum value of 3.0 eV when Al is completely replaced by Ga. The static index of refraction and dielectric constant decreases with the increase in the bandgap of the material, assigning a high index of refraction to pure GaN when compared to pure AlN. The refractive index drops below 1 for higher energy photons, larger than 14 eV. The group velocity of these photons is larger than the vacuum velocity of light. This astonishing result shows that at higher energies the optical properties of the material shifts from linear to nonlinear. Furthermore, frequency dependent reflectivity and absorption coefficients...

Triggering Rogue Waves in Opposing Currents

Abstract: We show that rogue waves can be triggered naturally when a stable wave train enters a region of an opposing current flow. We demonstrate that the maximum amplitude of the rogue wave depends on the ratio between the current velocity U(0) and the wave group velocity c(g). We also reveal that an opposing current can force the development of rogue waves in random wave fields, resulting in a substantial change of the statistical properties of the surface elevation. The present results can be directly adopted in any field of physics in which the focusing nonlinear Schrodinger equation with nonconstant coefficient is applicable. In particular, nonlinear optics laboratory experiments are natural candidates for verifying experimentally our results.

Langmuir rogue waves in electron-positron plasmas

Abstract: Progress in understanding the nonlinear Langmuir rogue waves which accompany collisionless electron-positron (e-p) plasmas is presented. The nonlinearity of the system results from the nonlinear coupling between small, but finite, amplitude Langmuir waves and quasistationary density perturbations in an e-p plasma. The nonlinear Schrodinger equation is derived for the Langmuir waves’ electric field envelope, accounting for small, but finite, amplitude quasistationary plasma slow motion describing the Langmuir waves’ ponderomotive force. Numerical calculations reveal that the rogue structures strongly depend on the electron/positron density and temperature, as well as the group velocity of the envelope wave. The present study might be helpful to understand the excitation of nonlinear rogue pulses in astrophysical environments, such as in active galactic nuclei, in pulsar magnetospheres, in neutron stars, etc.

Metamaterial Dispersion Engineering Concepts and Applications

Abstract: Metamaterial dispersion engineering is presented as a general concept for engineering the phase versus frequency response of microwave materials and devices. Two categories of metamaterials are considered, composite right/left-handed (CRLH) transmission line and multiscale ferromagnetic nanowire (FMNW) metamaterials. The dispersive Drude properties of CRLH metamaterials are derived and corresponding application examples are described in terms of CRLH dominant Taylor dispersive parameters: a tight broadband coupled-line coupler (phase velocity parameter), an ultra-wideband pulse position modulator transmitter (group velocity parameter), and a leaky-wave antenna based real-time spectrum analyzer (group velocity dispersion parameter). FMNW metamaterials are discussed as a double-Lorentz example of a multiscale metamaterial with unique properties, and their applications are illustrated with the example of a dual-band edge-mode isolator based on the recently discovered double ferromagnetic resonance.

Material loss influence on the complex band structure and group velocity in phononic crystals

Abstract: The influence of material loss on the complex band structure of two-dimensional phononic crystals is investigated. A viscoelasticity model is added to the extended plane-wave expansion (EPWE) method, with viscosity proportional to the frequency. It is found that losses have a stronger influence on the real than on the imaginary part of Bloch waves, in contrast with propagation in homogeneous media. Flat bands, i.e., bands initially showing low group velocity without losses, acquire an enhanced damping as compared to bands with larger group velocities. Losses are also found to limit the appearance of large group slownesses, or conversely small group velocities.

Graphical User Interface for Guided Acoustic Waves

Abstract: This paper presents GUIGUW v0.1, a graphical user interface (GUI) for the computation of stress-guided wave dispersive features. The software exploits semianalytical finite-element (SAFE) formulations for the calculation of wave-propagation characteristics. The interface allows for the selection of geometrical, mechanical, and frequency-related parameters for the computation. Isotropic and anisotropic materials with linear elastic and linear viscoelastic rheological behaviors can be considered, and any waveguide cross section can be modeled. For each existing wave, the dispersive results can be represented in terms of wave number, wavelength, phase velocity, group velocity (for undamped waveguides), energy velocity, and attenuation (for damped waveguides). By simply working with the GUI, original results for guided stress waves can be obtained.

Rotary photon drag enhanced by a slow-light medium.

Abstract: Transmission through a spinning window slightly rotates the polarization of the light, typically by a microradian. It has been predicted that the same mechanism should also rotate an image. Because this rotary photon drag has a contribution that is inversely proportional to the group velocity, the image rotation is expected to increase in a slow-light medium. Using a ruby window under conditions for coherent population oscillations, we induced an effective group index of about 1 million. The resulting rotation angle was large enough to be observed by the eye. This result shows that rotary photon drag applies to images as well as polarization. The possibility of switching between different rotation states may offer new opportunities for controlled image coding.

Which group velocity of light in a dispersive medium

Abstract: The interaction between a light pulse, traveling in air, and a generic linear, non-absorbing and dispersive structure is analyzed. It is shown that energy conservation imposes a constraint between the group velocities of the transmitted and reflected light pulses. It follows that the two fields propagate with group velocities depending on the dispersive properties of the environment (air) and on the transmission properties of the optical structure, and are one faster and the other slower than that of the incident field. In other words, the group velocity of a light pulse in a dispersive medium is reminiscent of previous interactions. One example is discussed in detail.

Phase and group velocity matching for cumulative harmonic generation in Lamb waves

Abstract: Owing to the enhanced sensitivity of nonlinear acoustic methods to material damage, the nonlinear Lamb wave propagation is pertinent to the nondestructive evaluation of platelike structures, and it is typically manifested as generation of higher harmonics. For dispersive waves such as Lamb waves, however, the cumulative growth of harmonics requires that the primary mode and the generated higher harmonic modes possess identical phase and group velocities. In this paper, this issue of the phase and group velocity matching in Lamb waves is explored based on a systematic analysis of the Rayleigh-Lamb frequency equations. The analysis shows that for certain values of the phase velocity, the Rayleigh-Lamb frequency equations are satisfied at equi-spaced frequencies which are multiples of the smallest. Such frequencies, together with the corresponding phase velocities and the Lamb modes, are determined analytically. Four such types of Lamb modes are identified: (i) Lame modes, (ii) symmetric modes with dominant longitudinal displacements, (iii) intersections of symmetric and antisymmetric modes and (iv) extra Rayleigh modes. For the first three types, it is also established that the primary and the harmonic modes have the same group velocity, and that the surface motion of the plate is featured with vanishing vertical or horizontal displacements. In contrast to these three types, the fourth type only exists for a special range of the transverse to longitudinal wave speeds of the solid. This type is not featured with a common group velocity, and neither of the vertical or horizontal displacement vanishes on the plate surfaces. The obtained results are summarized as tables, and demonstrated graphically on the dispersion curves for aluminum as well as iron plates.

Slow wave phenomena in photonic crystals

Abstract: Slow light in photonic crystals and other periodic structures is associated with stationary points of the photonic dispersion relation, where the group velocity of light vanishes. It is shown that in certain cases, the vanishing group velocity is accompanied by the so-called frozen mode regime, when the incident light can be completely converted into the slow mode with huge diverging amplitude. The frozen mode regime is a qualitatively new wave phenomenon – it does not reduce to any known electromagnetic resonance. Formally, the frozen mode regime is not a resonance, in a sense that it is not particularly sensitive to the size and shape of the photonic crystal. The frozen mode regime is more robust and powerful, compared to any known slow-wave resonance. It has much higher tolerance to absorption and structural imperfections.

Low-Light-Level Cross-Phase Modulation with Double Slow Light Pulses

Abstract: We report on the first experimental demonstration of low-light-level cross-phase modulation (XPM) with double slow light pulses based on the double electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in cold cesium atoms. The double EIT is implemented with two control fields and two weak fields that drive populations prepared in the two doubly spin-polarized states. Group velocity matching can be obtained by tuning the intensity of either of the control fields. The XPM is based on the asymmetric M-type five-level system formed by the two sets of EIT. Enhancement in the XPM by group velocity matching is observed. Our work advances studies of low-light-level nonlinear optics based on double slow light pulses.

Experimental demonstration of the supersonic-subsonic bifurcation in the circular jump: a hydrodynamic white hole.

Abstract: We provide an experimental demonstration that the circular hydraulic jump represents a hydrodynamic white hole or gravitational fountain (the time reverse of a black hole) by measuring the angle of the Mach cone created by an object in the ``supersonic'' inner flow region. We emphasize the general character of this gravitational analogy by showing theoretically that the white hole horizon constitutes a stationary and spatial saddle-node bifurcation within dynamical-systems theory. We also demonstrate that the inner region has a ``superluminal'' dispersion relation, that is, that the group velocity of the surface waves increases with frequency, and discuss some possible consequences with respect to the robustness of Hawking radiation. Finally, we point out that our experiment shows a concrete example of a possible ``trans-Planckian distortion'' of black or white holes.

Superluminal propagation at negative group velocity in optical fibers based on Brillouin lasing oscillation.

Abstract: We report superluminal propagation in optical fibers using Brillouin lasing oscillation in a ring cavity. Negative group velocity propagation through a 10-m single mode fiber has been experimentally demonstrated. An advancement of 221.2 ns was observed before the input signal, which was achieved with a very high slope efficiency of $211.3\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{ns}/\mathrm{dB}$. This indicates that this way is suitable for long-distance low-loss superluminal propagation via optical fibers. Correspondingly, the group velocity is $\ensuremath{-}0.151c$ and the group index is $\ensuremath{-}6.636$---the highest group velocity ever reported for optical fibers.

Causality effects on accelerating light pulses.

Abstract: We study accelerating and decelerating shape-preserving temporal Airy wave-packets propagating in dispersive media. We explore the effects of causality, and find that, whereas decelerating pulses can asymptotically reach zero group velocity, pulses that accelerate towards infinite group velocity inevitably break up, after a specific critical point. The trajectories and the features of causal pulses are analyzed, along with the requirements for the existence of the critical point and experimental schemes for its observation. Finally, we show that causality imposes similar effects on accelerating pulses in the presence of local Kerr-like nonlinearities.

Time-domain analysis and experimental examination of cumulative second-harmonic generation by primary Lamb wave propagation

Abstract: Within the second-order perturbation approximation, the physical process of cumulative second-harmonic generation by the primary Lamb wave propagation has been investigated in the time domain. Based on the preconditions that the transfer of energy from the primary Lamb wave to the double frequency Lamb wave is not zero and that the phase velocity matching condition is satisfied, we focus on analyzing the influence of mismatching of the group velocities on the generation of the second harmonic by propagation of a primary Lamb wave tone burst with a finite duration. Our analysis indicates that the time-domain envelope of the second harmonic generated is dependent on the propagation distance when both the duration of the primary Lamb wave tone burst and the group velocity mismatch are given. Furthermore, it can be concluded that the integrated amplitude of the time-domain second harmonic, which quantifies the efficiency of the second-harmonic generation, grows with the propagation distance even when the grou...

A Rigorous Justification of the Modulation Approximation to the 2D Full Water Wave Problem

Abstract: We consider the 2D inviscid incompressible irrotational infinite depth water wave problem neglecting surface tension. Given wave packet initial data, we show that the modulation of the solution is a profile traveling at group velocity and governed by a focusing cubic nonlinear Schrodinger equation, with rigorous error estimates in Sobolev spaces. As a consequence, we establish existence of solutions of the water wave problem in Sobolev spaces for times in the NLS regime provided the initial data is suitably close to a wave packet of sufficiently small amplitude in Sobolev spaces.

Symmetry properties of the large-deviation function of the velocity of a self-propelled polar particle.

Abstract: A geometrically polar granular rod confined in 2D geometry, subjected to a sinusoidal vertical oscillation, undergoes noisy self-propulsion in a direction determined by its polarity. When surrounded by a medium of crystalline spherical beads, it displays substantial negative fluctuations in its velocity. We find that the large-deviation function (LDF) for the normalized velocity is strongly non-Gaussian with a kink at zero velocity, and that the antisymmetric part of the LDF is linear, resembling the fluctuation relation known for entropy production, even when the velocity distribution is clearly non-Gaussian. We extract an analogue of the phase-space contraction rate and find that it compares well with an independent estimate based on the persistence of forward and reverse velocities.

Elastic wave device and production method thereof

Abstract: Provided is an elastic wave device that can be used at high frequencies, and that is capable of increasing the Q value. The elastic wave device (1) comprises a high acoustic velocity film (3) layered on a support substrate (2), wherein the propagating bulk acoustic wave velocity is a higher velocity than the elastic acoustic wave velocity propagating a piezoelectric film (5), a low acoustic velocity film (4) layered on the high acoustic velocity film (3), wherein the propagating bulk acoustic wave velocity is a lower velocity than the bulk acoustic wave velocity propagating the piezoelectric film (5), the piezoelectric film (5) layered on the low acoustic velocity film (4), and an IDT electrode (6) layered on one side of the piezoelectric film (5).

Direct probing of evanescent field for characterization of porous terahertz fibers

Abstract: We develop a technique based on a micromachined photoconductive probe-tip to characterize a terahertz (THz) porous fiber. Losses less than 0.08 cm−1 are measured in the frequency range from 0.2 to 0.35 THz, with the minimum of 0.003 cm−1 at 0.24 THz. Normalized group velocity greater than 0.8, which corresponds to dispersion values in between −1.3 and −0.5 ps/m/μm for 0.2

Surface wave propagation in fiber-reinforced anisotropic elastic layer between liquid saturated porous half space and uniform liquid layer

Abstract: Surface wave propagation in fiber-reinforced anisotropic elastic layer between a liquid saturated porous half space and a uniform liquid layer is considered. Equation of motion and suitable boundary conditions give rise to a dispersion equation in the form of a ninth order determinant. Phase velocity and group velocity of a particular model have been studied.

Nonlinear pulse propagation and phase velocity of laser-driven plasma waves.

Abstract: Laser evolution and plasma wave excitation by a relativistically intense short-pulse laser in underdense plasma are investigated in the broad pulse limit, including the effects of pulse steepening, frequency redshifting, and energy depletion. The nonlinear plasma wave phase velocity is shown to be significantly lower than the laser group velocity and further decreases as the pulse propagates owing to laser evolution. This lowers the thresholds for trapping and wave breaking and reduces the energy gain and efficiency of laser-plasma accelerators that use a uniform plasma profile.

Multiatomic mirror for perfect reflection of single photons in a wide band of frequency

Abstract: A resonant two-level atom doped in a one-dimensional waveguide behaves as a mirror, but this single-atom "mirror" can only reflect single photons perfectly at a specific frequency. For a one-dimensional coupled-resonator waveguide, we propose to extend the perfect-reflection region from a specific frequency point to a wide band by placing many atoms individually in the resonators in a finite coordinate region of the waveguide. Such a doped resonator array promises to control the propagation of a practical photon wave packet with a certain momentum distribution instead of a single photon, which is ideally represented by a plane wave with a specific momentum. The studies based on the discrete-coordinate scattering theory indicate that such a hybrid structure with finite atoms indeed provides a near-perfect reflection for a single photon in a wide band. We also calculated the photon group velocity distribution, which shows that the perfect-reflection wide band exactly corresponds to the stopping light region.

Phase velocities and attenuations of shear, Lamb, and Rayleigh waves in plate-like tissues submerged in a fluid (L).

Abstract: In the past several decades, the fields of ultrasound and magnetic resonance elastography have shown promising results in noninvasive estimates of mechanical properties of soft tissues. These techniques often rely on measuring shear wave velocity due to an external or internal source of force and relating the velocity to viscoelasticity of the tissue. The mathematical relationship between the measured velocity and material properties of the myocardial wall, arteries, and other organs with non-negligible boundary conditions is often complicated and computationally expensive. A simple relationship between the Lamb–Rayleigh dispersion and the shear wave dispersion is derived for both the velocity and attenuation. The relationship shows that the shear wave velocity is around 20% higher than the Lamb–Rayleigh velocity and that the shear wave attenuation is about 20% lower than the Lamb–Rayleigh attenuation. Results of numerical simulations in the frequency range 0–500 Hz are presented.

Numerical simulation of a Gyro-BWO with a helically corrugated interaction region, cusp electron gun and depressed collector

Abstract: The gyrotron backward wave oscillator (gyro-BWO) is an efficient source of frequency-tunable high-power coherent radiation in the microwave to the terahertz range. It has attracted significant research interest recently due to its potential applications in many areas such as remote sensing, medical imaging, plasma heating and spectroscopy. A gyro-BWO using a helically corrugated interaction region (HCIR) has achieved an even wider frequency tuning range and higher efficiency compared with a conventional gyro-BWO with a smooth-bore cavity. This is due to the existence of an “ideal”eigenwave in the HCIR with a large and constant group velocity when the axial wave number is small.