Escaping superoscillations. (11th December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Berry, M V; Fishman, S
• Is Part Of: Journal of physics. Volume 51:Number 2(2018)
• Publication Date: 2017-12-11
• Subjects: diffraction -- scattering -- weak measurement -- optics; Mathematical physics -- Periodicals; Statistical physics -- Periodicals; Quantum theory -- Periodicals; Matter -- Properties -- Periodicals; 530.105
• DOI: 10.1088/1751-8121/aa9b50
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-8113

Abstract

Abstract: A detailed classical model supports and elaborates an old prediction that in some circumstances gamma radiation could emerge from a box containing only red light. The 'red light', travelling nondispersively in a thin tube, is represented by a superoscillatory function: a band-limited function which in some regions oscillates faster than its fastest Fourier component. A weakly transmitting window opens and closes as the superoscillations pass by, releasing light into a half-plane. Detailed analysis of the spectrum of emerging light shows that the superoscillations escape, and propagate into the far field as 'gamma radiation', described precisely by a causal scattering amplitude.