Wavy optical grating: wideband reflector and Fabry-Perot BICs

Abstract: In this study, we theoretically and numerically investigate the resonant modes and reflectance of an optical grating consisting of a wavy dielectric slab by applying the spectral element method. The presence of the wavy shape transforms the waveguide modes into leaky resonant modes. A few resonant modes with specific longitudinal wave number have infinitely large Q factor, while the other resonant modes have finite Q factor. For the leaky resonant mode with zero longitudinal wave number, the Q factor is inversely proportional to the amplitude of the wavy shape. An array of multiple low-Q wavy gratings has a high reflectance in a large bandwidth. A double-layer wavy grating forms a Fabry-Perot cavity, which hosts Fabry-Perot bound states in the continuum (BICs) at the resonant frequency. The Q-factor of the Fabry-Perot cavity can be tuned by adjusting the distance between the two wavy slabs. The wavy shape could be generated by a vibrational wave in a flat dielectric slab so that the BICs mode and wideband reflectance could be controlled on-demand.