Transmission enhancement in loss-gain multilayers by resonant suppression of reflection

Abstract: Using the transfer-matrix approach and solving time-domain differential equations, we analyze the loss compensation mechanism in multilayer systems composed of an absorbing transparent conductive oxide and dielectric doped with an active material. We reveal also another regime with the possibility of enhanced transmission with suppressed reflection originating from the resonant properties of the multilayers. For obliquely incident and evanescent waves, such enhanced transmission under suppressed reflection turns into the reflectionless regime, which is similar to that observed in the PT-symmetric structures, but does not require PT symmetry. We infer that the reflectionless transmission is due to the full loss compensation at the resonant wavelengths of the multilayers.