Coherent perfect absorbers : time-reversed lasers
We show that an arbitrary body or aggregate can be made perfectly absorbing at discrete frequencies if a precise amount of dissipation is added under specific conditions of coherent monochromatic illumination. This effect arises from the interaction of optical absorption and wave interference and co...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2013
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/101165 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/18341 |
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| Institution: | Nanyang Technological University |
| Language: | English |
| Summary: | We show that an arbitrary body or aggregate can be made perfectly absorbing at discrete frequencies if a precise amount of dissipation is added under specific conditions of coherent monochromatic illumination. This effect arises from the interaction of optical absorption and wave interference and corresponds to moving a zero of the elastic S matrix onto the real wave vector axis. It is thus the time-reversed process of lasing at threshold. The effect is demonstrated in a simple Si slab geometry illuminated in the 500–900 nm range. Coherent perfect absorbers act as linear, absorptive interferometers, which may be useful as detectors, transducers, and switches. |
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