• Photonics Research
  • Vol. 13, Issue 4, 1060 (2025)
Xiaoqiuyan Zhang1,2,3, Sunchao Huang1,2,4,*, Tianyu Zhang1,2,3, Yuxuan Zhuang1,2..., Xingxing Xu1,2, Fu Tang1,2, Zhaoyun Duan1,2, Yanyu Wei1,2, Yubin Gong1,2 and Min Hu1,2,3,5,*|Show fewer author(s)
Author Affiliations
  • 1Terahertz Research Center, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
  • 2Key Laboratory of Terahertz Technology, Ministry of Education, Chengdu 610054, China
  • 3Tianfu Jiangxi Laboratory, Chengdu 641419, China
  • 4e-mail: sunchaohuang@uestc.edu.cn
  • 5e-mail: hu_m@uestc.edu.cn
  • show less
    DOI: 10.1364/PRJ.553780 Cite this Article Set citation alerts
    Xiaoqiuyan Zhang, Sunchao Huang, Tianyu Zhang, Yuxuan Zhuang, Xingxing Xu, Fu Tang, Zhaoyun Duan, Yanyu Wei, Yubin Gong, Min Hu, "Reverse Smith-Purcell radiation in photonic crystals," Photonics Res. 13, 1060 (2025) Copy Citation Text show less

    Abstract

    Free electron radiation, particularly Smith-Purcell radiation, provides a versatile platform for exploring light-matter interactions and generating light sources. A fundamental characteristic of Smith-Purcell radiation is the monotonic decrease in radiation frequency as the observation angle increases relative to the direction of the free electrons’ motion, akin to the Doppler effect. Here, we demonstrate that this fundamental characteristic can be altered in Smith-Purcell radiation generated by photonic crystals with left-handed properties. Specifically, we have achieved, to our knowledge, a novel phenomenon that the lower-frequency components propagate forward, while the higher-frequency components propagate backward, which we define as reverse Smith-Purcell radiation. Additionally, this reverse Smith-Purcell radiation can confine the radiation to a narrow angular range, which provides a way to obtain broadband light sources in a specific observation angle. Furthermore, by precisely adjusting the grating geometry and the kinetic energy of the free electrons, we can control both the radiation direction and the output frequencies. Our results provide a promising platform to study unexplored light-matter interactions and open avenues to obtain tunable, broadband light sources.
    λ=Ln(1βcosθ),

    View in Article

    G(k+G)·(k+G)κ^(GG)A(k|G)=ω2c2A(k|G),

    View in Article

    Xiaoqiuyan Zhang, Sunchao Huang, Tianyu Zhang, Yuxuan Zhuang, Xingxing Xu, Fu Tang, Zhaoyun Duan, Yanyu Wei, Yubin Gong, Min Hu, "Reverse Smith-Purcell radiation in photonic crystals," Photonics Res. 13, 1060 (2025)
    Download Citation