Critical Angle at a Moving Interface Formed by a Space-Time Modulation Step

Abstract: This paper addresses the problem of wave scattering at a moving interface formed by a space-time modulation step. Specifically, it derives, using the technique of frame hopping with Lorentz transformation, the formula for the corresponding critical angle beyond which the transmitted field is evanescent. It shows that this angle is smaller (resp. larger) than $\pi/2$ (position of the interface) for a modulation that is codirectional (resp. contradirectional) to the direction of wave propagation, and that the critical angle versus the modulation velocity function monotonically decreases to zero at the velocity where the incident wave cannot catch up any more with the interface. The theory is illustrated and validated by full-wave FDTD simulation.