Harnessing epsilon-near-zero materials for tunable accelerating beams in micro-cavities

Abstract

This study explores a novel approach to generating circular accelerating beams using epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) materials. The proposed method leverages ENZ materials ability to precisely modify focal patterns from arbitrary sources, transforming them into desired shapes through both exit surface control and efficient diffraction management. The optical shaper consists of two key components: a plano-concave photonic nanostructure with a micro-void and strategically placed ENZ prismatic pieces, and a binary ENZ grating for dynamic beam steering. Simulations demonstrate the generation of resizable circular beams composed of accelerating photonic nanojets, with potential applications in particle trapping and manipulation.