Photon tunneling and transmittance resonance through a multi-layer structure with a left-handed material

This paper investigates the photon tunneling and transmittance resonance through a multi-layer structure including a left-handed material（LHM）. An analytical expression for the transmittance in a five-layer structure is given by the analytical transfer matrix method. The transmittance is studied as a function of the refractive index and the width of the LHM layer. The perfect photon tunneling results from the multi-layer structure, especially from the relation between the magnitude of the refractive index and the width of the LHM layer and those of the adjoining layers. Photons may tunnel through a much greater distance in this structure. Transmittance resonance happens, the peaks and valleys appear periodically at the resonance thickness. For an LHM with inherent losses, the perfect transmittance is suppressed.

Simplified modeling of frequency behavior in photonic crystal vertical cavity surface emitting laser with tunnel injection quantum dot in active region

In this work, the characteristics of the photonic crystal tunneling injection quantum dot vertical cavity surface emitting lasers（Ph C-TIQD-VCSEL） are studied through analyzing a modified modulation transfer function. The function is based on the rate equations describing the carrier dynamics at different energy levels of dot and injector well. Although the frequency modulation response component associated with carrier dynamics in wetting layer（WL） and at excited state（ES） levels of dots limits the total bandwidth in conventional QD-VCSEL, our study shows that it can be compensated for by electron tunneling from the injector well into the dot in TIQD structure. Carrier back tunneling time is one of the most important parameters, and by increment of that, the bias current dependence of the total bandwidth will be insignificant. It is proved that at high bias current, the limitation of the WL-ES level plays an important role in reducing the total bandwidth and results in rollovers on 3-d B bandwidth-I curves. In such a way, for smaller air hole diameter of photonic crystal, the effect of this reduction is stronger.

Near-field radiative heat transfer in hyperbolic materials

In the post-Moore era, as the energy consumption of micro-nano electronic devices rapidly increases, near-field radiative heat transfer(NFRHT) with super-Planckian phenomena has gradually shown great potential for applications in efficient and ultrafast thermal modulation and energy conversion. Recently, hyperbolic materials, an important class of anisotropic materials with hyperbolic isofrequency contours, have been intensively investigated. As an exotic optical platform, hyperbolic materials bring tremendous new opportunities for NFRHT from theoretical advances to experimental designs. To date, there have been considerable achievements in NFRHT for hyperbolic materials, which range from the establishment of different unprecedented heat transport phenomena to various potential applications. This review concisely introduces the basic physics of NFRHT for hyperbolic materials, lays out the theoretical methods to address NFRHT for hyperbolic materials, and highlights unique behaviors as realized in different hyperbolic materials and the resulting applications. Finally, key challenges and opportunities of the NFRHT for hyperbolic materials in terms of fundamental physics, experimental validations, and potential applications are outlined and discussed.

Application of micro/nanoscale thermal radiation to thermophotovoltaic system

Thermophotovoltaic （TPV） system has been regarded as one promising means to alleviate current energy demand because it can directly generate electricity from radiation heat via photons. However, the presently available TPV systems suffer from low conversion efficiency and low throughput. A viable solution to increase their efficiency is to apply micro/nanoscale radiation principles in the design of different components to utilize the characteristics ~f thermal radiation at small distances and in microstructures. Several critical issues are reviewed, such as photovoltaic effect, quantum efficiency and efficiency of TPV system. Emphasis is given to the development of wavelength-selective emitters and filters and the aspects of micro/nanoscale heat transfer. Recent progress, along with the challenges and opportunities for future development of TPV systems are also outlined.

Quantum mechanical description of waveguides

Applying the spinor representation of the electromagnetic field, this paper present a quantum-mechanical description of waveguides. As an example of application, a potential qubit generated by photon tunnelling is discussed.