Space
exploration is of paramount importance to advancing fundamental
science and the global economy. However, today’s space missions
are limited by existing propulsion technologies. Here, we examine
the use of laser-driven light sailing for agile Earth orbital maneuvering
and for fast-transit exploration of the solar system and interstellar
medium. We show that laser propulsion becomes practical at laser powers
≥100 kW and laser array sizes ∼1 m, which are feasible
in the near term. Our analysis indicates that lightweight (1–100
g) wafer-scale (∼10 cm) spacecraft may be propelled by lasers
to orbits that are beyond the reach of current systems. We discuss
material requirements and photonic designs and introduce new figures
of merit. We show that lightsails made of silicon nitride and boron
nitride are particularly well suited for the discussed applications.
Our architecture may pave the way to ubiquitous Earth orbital networks
and fast-transit low-cost missions across the solar system.
In this study, we present a comprehensive analysis to examine the origin of circular polarization stop bands in a dielectric helix structure. We show that band gaps in a helix structure may result from Bragg resonance or non-Bragg mechanism. The two types of gaps exhibit distinct optical properties and display an opposite dependence with respect to structural periodicity. The interplay of gaps not only gives rise to various operation scenarios, but results in pronounced modifications to dispersion characteristics that lead to abnormal propagation properties of circularly polarized waves. Our findings reveal versatile behaviors of circularly polarized light interacted with a three-dimensional helix medium, which can be of great importance for the design and implementation of circular polarization-dependent devices and applications.
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