2021/02/26 by Víctor Pacheco‐Peña, Nader Engheta, Pacheco-Peña, Victor +1 · 8 citations
Neuroscience · #Applied Physics (physics.app-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Optics (physics.optics) #Visual perception and processing mechanisms
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2102.13305
openalex publication_date 2021/02/26 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Controlling amplitude, phase and polarization of electromagnetic waves is key for a full manipulation of wave-matter interactions. The Brewster angle is one of the important features in this context. Here, we exploit metamaterial concepts with a time-modulated permittivity to propose the temporal equivalent of the spatial Brewster angle, a concept we call temporal Brewster angle. We consider temporal boundaries (as the temporal equivalent of the spatial boundaries between two media) by rapidly changing the permittivity of the medium, where a wave travels, from isotropic to an anisotropic permittivity tensor. It is theoretically shown that when the incidence angle coincides with that of the temporal Brewster angle a forward (temporal transmission) wave is produced while the backward (temporal reflection) is eliminated. We provide a closed-form analytical expression of the temporal Brewster angle and demonstrate its performance both theoretically and numerically. Our findings may provide a fresh view on how to control electromagnetic wave propagation and wave-matter interactions in real time using temporal metamaterials.