Aberration-free two-thin-lens systems based on negative-index materials

Since the complete correction of all five monochromatic Seidel aberrations for a singlet lens with random shape or a two-thin-lens system is unprocurable merely by using the conventional positive-index materials both in theory and practice, this paper proposes that when one or both of the two lenses is/are made from negative-index materials, an imaging system composed of a pair of spherical thin lenses is possible to form a real image, in air, free from all five monochromatic Seidel aberrations. The calculated numerical solutions to the structural parameters of such lens systems possessing superior performance are provided and examples of them are illustrated for the given combinations of the two lenses＇ refractive indices, including an ultimately-remote imaging system.

Tunable negative-index photonic crystals using colloidal magnetic fluids

The model of using colloidal magnetic fluid to build tunable negative-index photonic crystal is established. The effective permittivity εe and permeability μe of the two-dimensional photonic crystal are investigated in detail. For transverse magnetic polarization, both εe and μe exhibit a Lorentz-type anomalous dispersion, leading to a region where εe and μe are simultaneously negative. Then, considering a practical case, in which the thickness of photonic crystal is finite, the band structures for odd modes are calculated by the plane wave expansion method and the finite-difference time-domain method. The results suggest that reducing the external magnetic field strength or slab thickness will weaken the periodic modulation strength of the photonic crystal. Simulation results prove that the negative-index can be tuned by varying the external magnetic field strength or the slab thickness. The work presented in this paper gives a guideline for realizing the flat photonic crystal lens with tunable properties at optical frequencies, which may have potential applications in tunable near-field imaging systems.

Localized Optical Waves in Defocusing Regime of Negative-Index Materials

We study optical localized waves on a plane-wave background in negative-index materials governed by the defocusing nonlinear Schr6dinger equation with self-steepening effect. Important characteristics of localized waves, such as the excitations, transitions, propagation stability, and mechanism, are revealed in detail. An intrigu- ing sequential transition that involves the rogue wave, antidark-dark soliton pair, antidark soliton and antidark soliton pair can be triggered as the self-steepening effect attenuates. The corresponding phase diagram is estab- lished in the defocusing regime of negative-index materials. The propagation stability of the localized waves is confirmed numerically. In particular, our results illuminate the transition mechanism by establishing the exact correspondence between the transition and the modulation instability analysis.

Subwavelength negative-index waveguiding enabled by coupled spoof magnetic localized surface plasmons

Magnetic localized surface plasmon modes are supported on metallic spiral structures. Coupling mechanisms for these metamaterial resonators, which are the joint action of magnetic and electric coupling, are studied. Based on the strong coupling, spoof magnetic plasmon modes propagating in the backward direction are proposed along a chain of subwavelength resonators. The theoretical analysis, numerical simulations, and experiments are in good agreement. The proposed novel route for achieving negative-index waveguiding has potential applications in integrated devices and circuits.