title: Flat-top resonant reflectors with sharply delimited angular spectra: an application of the Rayleigh anomaly.
abstract: We introduce the concept of Rayleigh reflectors where extremely sharp angular spectra with unity reflectance are obtained across considerable angular extents. Enabling the device is a rapid, high-efficiency transition from an evanescent to a propagating first-order substrate wave occurring at the Rayleigh angle. A high-index nanolayer located adjacent to the substrate is seen to critically affect the resulting spectra. Away from the Rayleigh anomaly, the device is a basic guided-mode resonance (GMR) high reflector. Hence, this device connects the fundamental concepts of GMR and the Rayleigh anomaly with interesting possible applications, including filters and couplers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019, USA. magnusson@uta.edu
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Magnusson