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Abstract For classical waves, phase matching is vital for enabling efficient energy transfer in many scenarios, such as waveguide coupling and nonlinear optical frequency conversion. Here, we propose a temporal quasi-phase matching method and realize robust and complete acoustical energy transfer between arbitrarily detuned cavities. In a set of three cavities, A, B, and C, the time-varying coupling is established between adjacent elements. Analogy to the concept of stimulated Raman adiabatic passage, amplitudes of the two couplings are modulated as time-delayed Gaussian functions, and the couplings’ signs are periodically flipped to eliminate temporal phase mismatching. As a result, robust and complete acoustic energy transfer from A to C is achieved. The non-reciprocal frequency conversion properties of our design are demonstrated. Our research takes a pivotal step towards expanding wave steering through time-dependent modulations and is promising to extend the frequency conversion based on state evolution in various linear Hermitian systems to nonlinear and non-Hermitian regimes.

Bound states in the continuum (BICs) with exceptionally high quality factors ($Q$ factors) have become focal points in photonic device research, finding applications in nonlinear enhancement, laser generation, sensing, and beyond. In this study, we systematically investigate the intricate relationship between the in-plane symmetry groups of photonic crystals and symmetry-protected BICs (SP-BICs) using a rigorous group theory approach. By modifying the spatial distribution of refractive indices to perturb the $C_{2}$ and $C_{3}$ symmetries within a $C_{6v}$ photonic crystal slab, we introduce a novel method to enable precise tuning of BIC resonances, including the BIC frequency, $Q$ factor, and polarization state. The proposed group theory approach and tuning mechanism establish a pioneering pathway for the design and tunability of BICs, opening avenues for the development of advanced photonic devices with tailored functionalities such as tunable lasers and optical sensors with enhanced performance.

Abstract Self-imaging phenomena for nonperiodic waves along a parabolic trajectory encompass both the Talbot effect and the accelerating Airy beams. Beyond the ability to guide waves along a bent trajectory, the self-imaging component offers invaluable advantages to lensless imaging comprising periodic repetition of planar field distributions. In order to circumvent thermoviscous and diffraction effects, we structure subwavelength resonators in an acoustically impenetrable surface supporting spoof surface acoustic waves (SSAWs) to provide highly confined Airy-Talbot effect, extending Talbot distances along the propagation path and compressing subwavelength lobes in the perpendicular direction. From a linear array of loudspeakers, we judiciously control the amplitude and phase of the SSAWs above the structured surface and quantitatively evaluate the self-healing performance of the Airy-Talbot effect by demonstrating how the distinctive scattering patterns remain largely unaffected against superwavelength obstacles. Furthermore, we introduce a new mechanism utilizing subwavelength Airy beam as a coding/decoding degree of freedom for acoustic communication with high information density comprising robust transport of encoded signals.

We propose and investigate a type of hybrid plasmonic waveguide in a metal V-groove. A high-permittivity nanowire was placed in the metal channel covered with a dielectric film of lower permittivity. Deeper sub-wavelength confinement and much longer propagation distance were achieved in comparison with conventional channel plasmonic waveguides. The overall performance was improved as compared with the conventional hybrid plasmonic structure based on a flat metal surface. Finite element analysis showed that both the mode propagation and field profile can be adjusted by changing the nanowire radius and film thickness. Some benefits, such as a reduced scattering loss caused by the surface roughness, are also expected owing to the unique mode profile. The proposed approach has potential for application in high-level photonic integration.

Hybrid graphene-metal gratings with tunable Fano resonance are proposed and theoretically investigated in THz band. The grating contains alternately aligned metal and graphene stripes, which could be viewed as the superposition of two kinds of gratings with the same period. Due to different material properties, the resonance coupling between the metal and graphene parts forms typical Fano-type transmitting spectra. The related physical mechanism is studied by inspecting the induced dipole moment and local surface charge distributions at different wavelengths. Both of the resonance amplitude and frequency of the structure thus are adjustable by tuning graphene's Fermi energy and the grating's geometrical parameters. Furthermore, the Fano-type spectra are also quite sensitive to environmental indices, which supply another kind of tunability. All these features should have promising applications in tunable THz filters, switches, and modulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We design tunable waveguide bends filled with graphene-based anisotropic metamaterials to achieve a nearly perfect bending effect. The anisotropic properties of the metamaterials can be described by the effective medium theory. The nearly perfect bending effect is demonstrated by finite element simulations of various structures with different bending curvatures and shapes. This effect is attributed to zero effective permittivity along the direction of propagation and matched effective impedance at the interfaces between the bending part and the dielectric waveguides. We envisage that the design will be applicable in the far-infrared and terahertz frequency ranges owing to the tunable dielectric responses of graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]