We introduce the concept of non-uniform metamirrors (full-reflection metasurfaces) providing full control of reflected wave fronts independently from the two sides of the mirror. Metamirror is a single planar array of electrically small bianisotropic inclusions. The electric and magnetic responses of the inclusions enable creating controlled gradient of phase discontinuities over the surface. Furthermore, presence of electromagnetic coupling in the inclusions allows independent control of reflection phase from the opposite sides of the mirror. Based on the proposed concept, we design and simulate metamirrors for highly efficient light bending and near-diffraction-limit focusing with a sub-wavelength focal distance.
The least upper bounds of the powers extracted and scattered by bi-anisotropic particles are investigated analytically. A rigorous derivation for particles having invertible polarizability tensors is presented, and the particles with singular polarizability tensors that have been reported in the literature are treated explicitly. The analysis concludes that previous upper bounds presented for isotropic particles can be extrapolated to bi-anisotropic particles. In particular, it is shown that neither nonreciprocal nor magnetoelectric coupling phenomena can further increase those upper bounds on the extracted and scattered powers. The outcomes are illustrated further with approximate circuit model examples of two dipole antennas connected via a generic lossless network.
In this paper, we present a method to retrieve tensor polarizabilities of general bi-anisotropic particles from their far-field responses to plane-wave illuminations. The necessary number of probing excitations and the directions where the scattered fields need to be calculated or measured have been found. When implemented numerically, the method does not require any spherical harmonic expansion nor direct calculation of dipole moments, but only calculations of co- and cross-polarized scattering cross sections for a number of plane-wave excitations. With this simple approach, the polarizabilities can be found also from experimentally measured cross sections. The method is exemplified considering two bi-anisotropic particles, a reciprocal omega particle and a non-reciprocal particle containing a ferrite inclusion coupled to metal strips.
In this paper we introduce the concept of metasurfaces which are fully transparent when looking from one of the two sides of the sheet and have controllable functionalities for waves hitting the opposite side (one-way transparent sheets). We address the question on what functionalities are allowed, considering limitations due to reciprocity and passivity. In particular, we have found that it is possible to realize one-way transparent sheets which have the properties of a twist-polarizer in reflection or transmission when illuminated from the other side. Also one-way transparent sheets with controllable co-polarized reflection and transmission from the opposite side are feasible. We show that particular non-reciprocal magneto-electric coupling inside the sheet is necessary to realize lossless non-active transparent sheets. Furthermore, we derive the required polarizabilities of constituent dipole particles such that the layers composed of them form one-way transparent sheets. We conclude with design and simulations of an example of a nonreciprocal one-way transparent sheet functioning as an isolating twist-polarizer.
Here we introduce the concept of optimal particles for strong interactions with electromagnetic fields. We assume that a particle occupies a given electrically small volume in space and study the required optimal relations between the particle polarizabilities. In these optimal particles, the inclusion shape and material are chosen so that the particles extract the maximum possible power from given incident fields. It appears that for different excitation scenarios the optimal particles are bianisotropic chiral, omega, moving, and Tellegen particles. The optimal dimensions of the resonance canonical chiral and omega particles are found analytically. Such optimal particles have extreme properties in scattering (for example, zero backscattering or invisibility). Planar arrays of optimal particles possess extreme properties in reflection and transmission (e.g., total absorption or magnetic-wall resonance), and volumetric composites of optimal particles realize, for example, such extreme materials as the chiral nihility medium.
We consider single-layer arrays of electrically small lossy bi-anisotropic particles that completely absorb electromagnetic waves at normal incidence. Required conditions for electromagnetic properties of bi-anisotropic particles have been identified in the most general case of uniaxial reciprocal and nonreciprocal particles. We consider the design possibilities offered by the particles of all four fundamental classes of bianisotropic inclusions: reciprocal chiral and omega particles and nonreciprocal Tellegen and moving particles. We also study the reflection/transmission properties of asymmetric structures with different properties when illuminated from the opposite sides of the sheet. It has been found that it is possible to realize single-layer grids which exhibit the total absorption property when illuminated from one side but are totally transparent when illuminated from the other side (an ultimately thin isolator). Other possible properties are co-polarized or twist polarized reflection from the side opposite to the absorbing one. Finally, we discuss possible approaches to practical realization of particles with the properties required for single-layer perfect absorbers and other proposed devices.
