NLS-Glossary

relate the normal and tangential components of the electric field next to the boundary. The tangential component must be continuous through the boundary. Suppose that $E_{n1}$ is the normal component of the field in medium 1 at the boundary and ${\epsilon }_{r1}$ is the relative permittivity in medium 1. Using a similar notation for medium 2, then the boundary condition is ${\epsilon }_{r1}{E}_{n1}={\epsilon }_{r2}{E}_{n2}$

is a particular wavelength ${\lambda }_B$ of electromagnetic radiation that satisfies the Bragg diffraction condition, $q\frac{{\lambda }_B}{n}2\Lambda \sin \theta$ where $\Lambda$ is the periodicity of the diffracting structure, n is the refractive index of the medium diffracting the waves and $\theta$ is the diffraction angle, and q is an integer so that the electromagnetic radiation becomes diffracted.

${\theta }_p$ is the angle of incidence which results in the reflected wave having no electric field in the plane of incidence (plane defined by the incident ray and the normal to the surface). The electric field oscillations are in the plane perpendicular to the plane of incidence. When the angle of incidence of a light wave is equal to the polarization angle ${\theta }_p$, the field in the reflected wave is then always perpendicular to the plane of incidence and hence well-defined. The reflected wave is then plane polarized. This special angle is given by: $\tan {\theta }_p\frac{n_2}{n_1}$ In addition, the transmitted (the refracted) wave has a greater field amplitude in the plane of incidence. By using a pile of glass plates inclined at the Brewster angle, one can construct a polarizer that provides a reasonable polarized light with the field in the plane of incidence.

is the scattering of electromagnetic waves in a non-linear medium by high frequency acoustic ''sound'' or ultrasonic generated in that medium. The frequency of the scattered wave is shifted by an amount equal to the frequency of the sound wave.

is the voltage across a pn junction, going from p to n-type semiconductor, in an open circuit. It is not the voltage across the diode which is made up of Vo as well as the contact potential at the metal electrode to semiconductor junctions.

is a double heterostructure semiconductor laser device that has its active region “buried” within the device in such a way that it is surrounded by low refractive index materials rendering the active region as a waveguide.