Publication detail

Space squeezing optics: Performance limits and implementation at microwave frequencies

MRNKA, M. HENDRY, E. LÁČÍK, J. RACHEL A, L. LAUREN EMILY, B. IAN, H. DAVID B, P.

Original Title

Space squeezing optics: Performance limits and implementation at microwave frequencies

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

English

Original Abstract

Optical systems often largely consist of empty space as diffraction effects that occur through free-space propagation can be crucial for their function. Contracting these voids offers a path to the miniaturization of a wide range of optical devices. Recently, a new optical element—coined “spaceplate”—has been proposed, which is capable of emulating the effects of diffraction over a specified propagation distance using a thinner non-local metamaterial [Reshef et al., Nat. Commun. 12, 3512 (2021)]. The compression factor of such an element is given by the ratio of the length of free-space that is replaced to the thickness of the spaceplate itself. In this work, we test a prototype spaceplate in the microwave spectral region (20–23 GHz)—the first such demonstration designed to operate in ambient air. Our device consists of a Fabry–Pérot cavity formed from two reflective metasurfaces with a compression factor that can be tuned by varying the size of perforations within each layer. Using a pair of directive horn antennas, we measure a space compression factor of up to ∼6 over a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.34 and a fractional bandwidth of 6%. We also investigate the fundamental trade-offs that exist between the compression factor, transmission efficiency, NA, and bandwidth of this single resonator spaceplate design and highlight that it can reach arbitrarily high compression factors by restricting its NA and bandwidth.

Keywords

Spaceplate, microwave frequencies

Authors

MRNKA, M.; HENDRY, E.; LÁČÍK, J.; RACHEL A, L.; LAUREN EMILY, B.; IAN, H.; DAVID B, P.

Released

8. 7. 2022

Publisher

AIP Publishing

ISBN

2378-0967

Periodical

APL Photonics

Year of study

7

Number

7

State

United States of America

Pages from

1

Pages to

7

Pages count

7

URL

https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/5.0095735

BibTex

@article{BUT180512,
  author="Michal {Mrnka} and Euan {Hendry} and Jaroslav {Láčík} and Lennon {Rachel A} and Barr {Lauren Emily} and Hooper {Ian} and Phillips {David B}",
  title="Space squeezing optics: Performance limits and implementation at microwave frequencies",
  journal="APL Photonics",
  year="2022",
  volume="7",
  number="7",
  pages="1--7",
  doi="10.1063/5.0095735",
  issn="2378-0967",
  url="https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/5.0095735"
}