New Electromagnetic Modes in Space-Time Modulated Dispersion-Engineered Media

Abstract: We report on new electromagnetic modes in space-time modulated dispersion-engineered media. These modes exhibit unusual dispersion relation, field profile and scattering properties. They are generated by coupled codirectional space-time harmonic pairs, and occur in space-time periodic media whose constituent materials exhibit specific dispersion. Excitation of a slab of such a medium with subluminal modulation results in periodic transfer of energy between the incident frequency and a frequency shifted by a multiple of the modulation frequency, whereas superluminal modulation generates exponentially growing frequencies. These modes may find applications in optical mixers, terahertz sources and other optical devices.