Space-time gradient metasurfaces

Abstract

Metasurfaces characterized by a transverse gradient of local impedance have recently opened exciting directions for light manipulation at the nanoscale. Here we add a temporal gradient to the picture, showing that spatio-temporal variations over a surface may largely extend the degree of light manipulation in metasurfaces, and break several of their constraints associated to symmetries. As an example, we synthesize a non-reciprocal classical analogue to electromagnetic induced transparency, opening a narrow window of one-way transmission in an otherwise opaque surface. These properties pave the way to magnetic free, planarized non-reciprocal ultrathin surfaces for free-space isolation.