Orthorhombic Materials and Perfect Lenses

The potential of orthorhombic materials for perfect lenses is theoretically examined.     

Self-similarity in diffraction by a self-similar fractal screen

Using the Sierpinski gasket as an example, it has been shown here that the paraxial Fraunhoffer-zone diffracted field of a self-similar fractal screen also exhibits self-similarity. This also establishes that fractal structures can be used with great profit in problems involving array syntheses. Recently, it has been shown that the Sierpinski gasket is itself a member of a much wider class of gaskets, and the potential for the use of fractal structures in electromagnetic (EM) problems may be vast indeed.     

New expressions for depolarization dyadics in uniaxial dielectric-magnetic media

We present some novel expressions for the depolarization dyadics in uniaxial dielectric-magnetic media. These expressions were obtained by generalizing the Fikioris approach for extracting the singular behaviour of integrals involving the dyadic Green functions and the source current density distributions. Cubical, cylindrical and spherical geometries serve as examples for a discussion of the depolarization dyadics' dependence on geometry and anisotropy.     

Brief Overview of Recent Developments on Negative Phase–Velocity Mediums (alias Left–Handed Materials)

This brief overview covers a rapidly occurring development in the area of microwave composite materials: isotropic dielectric–magnetic mediums wherein the phase velocity vector and the time–averaged Poynting vector are oppositely directed. Such materials have also been inappropriately designated as left–handed materials. Ramifications for aberration–free lenses, homogenization approaches, and complex mediums are also presented.     

Growth of sculptured polymer submicronwire assemblies by vapor deposition

We have grown helical nanowire assemblies of parylene C, thereby demonstrating that polymeric sculptured thin films (STFs) can be fabricated by a combination of physical and chemical vapor deposition processes. The deposition method is explained in detail and electron micrographs of 200-400 nm size sculptured thin film of parylene are given. The shapes of the submicron and nanowire assemblies can be engineered so that the polymeric STF acts as a template for preferential attachment of biomolecules.     

Integrated optical polarization filtration via sculptured-thin-film technology

Abstract

The viability of combining chiral sculptured thin films with a standard Mach-Zehnder fibre interferometer to produce a passive, lossless, inline, polarization router and combiner is demonstrated. The spectral response of the device is calculated with respect to the input of orthogonal polarizations which are shown to be either efficiently routed to different output ports or combined at one port.     

Reflection and Transmission of Plane Waves at the Planar Interface of a General Uniaxial Medium and Free Space

Abstract

A general uniaxial medium is characterized by its permittivity and permeability tensors having the same preferred axis. The plane wave reflection and transmission characteristics of a planar interface between free space and a general uniaxial medium have been obtained; since application as a polarizer is envisioned, the preferred axis lies in a plane parallel to the interface. Application of the Brewster law, as well as conditions for total reflection are explored.     

Development and assessment of coupled wave theory of axial propagation in thin-film helicoidal bi-anisotropic media. Part 2: Dichroisms,ellipticity transformation and optical rotation

Abstract

The coupled wave theory (CWT) for axial propagation of light in dielectric thin-film helicoidal bi-anisotropic mediums is exploited to obtain simple expressions for true and apparent circular dichroisms, true and apparent linear dichroisms, transmission ellipticity, and optical rotation. The effect of weak isotropic absorption on the circular Bragg phenomenon is elucidated, in terms of simple expressions. Comparison is made with exact results obtained with the full electromagnetic analysis (FEMA), any differences between the CWT and the FEMA results being due to the neglect of cross-polarized scattering by the CWT.     

Optical properties of an isotropic optically active medium at oblique incidence: comment

The constitutive relations used by Sah and Gowri Krishna [J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 18, 1388 (2001)] are inconsistent with energy and reciprocity requirements.