A mathematical theory for Fano resonance in a periodic array of narrow slits

Abstract: This work concerns resonant scattering by a perfectly conducting slab with periodically arranged subwavelength slits, with two slits per period. There are two classes of resonances, corresponding to poles of a scattering problem. A sequence of resonances has an imaginary part that is nonzero and on the order of the width $\varepsilon$ of the slits; these are associated with Fabry-Perot resonance, with field enhancement of order $1/\varepsilon$ in the slits. The focus of this study is another class of resonances which become real valued at normal incidence, when the Bloch wavenumber $\kappa$ is zero. These are embedded eigenvalues of the scattering operator restricted to a period cell, and the associated eigenfunctions extend to surface waves of the slab that lie within the radiation continuum. When $0<|\kappa|\ll 1$, the real embedded eigenvalues will be perturbed as complex-valued resonances, which induce the Fano resonance phenomenon. We derive the asymptotic expansions of embedded eigenvalues and their perturbations as resonances when the Bloch wavenumber becomes nonzero. Based on the quantitative analysis of the diffracted field, we prove that the Fano-type anomalies occurs for the transmission of energy through the slab, and show that the field enhancement is of order $1/(\kappa\varepsilon)$, which is stronger than Fabry-Perot resonance.