Young's Double-Slit, Invisible Objects and the Role of Noise in an Optical Epsilon-near-Zero Experiment

Ploss D, Kriesch A, Etrich C, Engheta N, Peschel U (2017)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2017

Journal

ACS Photonics American Chemical Society

Book Volume: 4

Pages Range: 2566-2572

Journal Issue: 10

DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.7b00861

Abstract

Epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) media disclose the peculiarities of electrodynamics in the limit of infinite wavelength but nonzero frequency for experiments and applications. Theory suggests that wave interaction with obstacles and disturbances dramatically changes in this domain. To investigate the optics of those effects, we fabricated a nanostructured 2D optical ENZ multilayer waveguide that is probed with wavelength-tuned laser light via a nanoscale wave launch configuration. In this experimental framework, we directly optically measure wave propagation and diffraction in a realistic system with the level and scale of imperfection that is typical in nanooptics. As we scan the wavelength from 1.0 to 1.7 μm, we approach the ENZ regime and observe the interference pattern of a microscale Young's double slit to steeply diverge. By evaluating multiple diffraction orders we experimentally determine the effective refractive index neff and its zero-crossing as an intrinsic measured reference, which is in agreement with theoretical predictions. We further verify that the double-slit and specifically placed scattering objects become gradually invisible when approaching the ENZ regime. We also observe that light-matter interaction intensifies toward ENZ and quantify how speckle noise, caused by tiny random imperfections, increasingly dominates the optical response and blue-shifts the cutoff frequency.

Authors with CRIS profile

Daniel Ploss Institut für Optik, Information und Photonik Arian Kriesch Professur für Experimentalphysik Ulf Peschel

Involved external institutions

Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena DE Germany (DE) University of Pennsylvania US United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Ploss, D., Kriesch, A., Etrich, C., Engheta, N., & Peschel, U. (2017). Young's Double-Slit, Invisible Objects and the Role of Noise in an Optical Epsilon-near-Zero Experiment. ACS Photonics, 4(10), 2566-2572. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsphotonics.7b00861

MLA:

Ploss, Daniel, et al. "Young's Double-Slit, Invisible Objects and the Role of Noise in an Optical Epsilon-near-Zero Experiment." ACS Photonics 4.10 (2017): 2566-2572.

BibTeX: Download