Authors
YD Chong, Li Ge, Hui Cao, A Douglas Stone
Publication date
2010/7/26
Journal
Physical review letters
Volume
105
Issue
5
Pages
053901
Publisher
American Physical Society
Description
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 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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Scholar articles
YD Chong, L Ge, H Cao, AD Stone - Physical review letters, 2010