journal article·2026-01Open access

Optical Spin Effects Induced by Phase Conjugation at a Space‐Time Interface

Carlo Rizza, Alessandra Contestabile, Maria Antonietta Vincenti, Giuseppe Castaldi, Marcello Ferrera, Alessandro Stroppa, Michael Scalora, Vincenzo Galdi

Small Structures· Volume 7· Issue 1

Abstract

Electromagnetic temporal boundaries, emerging when the constitutive parameters of a medium undergo abrupt temporal variations, have garnered significant interest for their role in facilitating unconventional wave phenomena and enabling sophisticated field manipulations. A key manifestation is temporal reflection in an unbounded spatial domain, where a sudden temporal discontinuity induces phase‐conjugated backward waves alongside anomalous spin conversion. This study explores distinctive spin‐conversion dynamics at a time‐dependent spatial interface governed by Lorentz‐type dispersion, in which the plasma frequency undergoes rapid modulation over time. The interaction of a circularly polarized wave with a space‐time interface excites electromagnetic signals at the system's natural resonance, allowing precise control over polarization states. The scattered field stems from the combined influence of temporal and spatial boundaries, yielding a superposition of the original incident wave's polarization and its phase‐conjugated counterpart.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Quantum optics and atomic interactions · Metamaterials and Metasurfaces Applications · Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Physical and Chemical Sciences University of L’Aquila I‐67100 L’Aquila Italy

Department of Information Engineering University of Brescia I‐25123 Brescia Italy

Fields & Waves Lab Department of Engineering University of Sannio I‐82100 Benevento Italy

Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences Heriot‐Watt University SUPA Edinburgh EH14 4AS UK

CNR‐SPIN c/o Department of Physical and Chemical Sciences University of L’Aquila I‐67100 L’Aquila Italy

Aviation and Missile Center U.S. Army CCDC Redstone Arsenal AL 35898‐5000 USA

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