Photonic crystals with broadband, wide-angle, and polarization-insensitive transparency

Abstract

Photonic crystals (PhCs) are well-known band gap materials that can block the propagation of electromagnetic waves within certain frequency regimes. Here, we demonstrate that PhCs can also exhibit the contrary property: broadband, wide-angle, and polarization-insensitive transparency beyond normal dielectric solids. Such high transparency attributes to robust impedance matching between a large group of eigen-states in PhCs and propagating waves in free space. As a demonstration, a transparent wall for broadband microwaves is designed for enhancing the transmittance of WiFi and 4G signals.

© 2016 Optical Society of America

Polarization-insensitive and broad-angle self-collimation in a two-dimensional photonic crystal with rectangular air holes

Liyong Jiang, Hong Wu, and Xiangyin Li
Appl. Opt. 52(27) 6676-6684 (2013)

Wide-angle polarization-insensitive transparency of a continuous opaque metal film for near-infrared light

Zhengyong Song and Baile Zhang
Opt. Express 22(6) 6519-6525 (2014)

Wide-angle, polarization-insensitive, and broadband metamaterial absorber based on multilayered metal–dielectric structures

Pinwei Liu and Tian Lan
Appl. Opt. 56(14) 4201-4205 (2017)

Broadband and wide angle infrared wire-grid polarizer

Ming Dai, Weiwei Wan, Xueyi Zhu, Baosheng Song, Xiaoping Liu, Minghui Lu, Bo Cui, and Yanfeng Chen
Opt. Express 23(12) 15390-15397 (2015)

Broadband, polarization-insensitive and wide-angle absorption enhancement of a-Si:H/μc-Si:H tandem solar cells by nanopatterning a-Si:H layer

Xiaofeng Li, Cheng Zhang, Zhenhai Yang, and Aixue Shang
Opt. Express 21(S4) A677-A686 (2013)