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

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