Active absorption of electromagnetic pulses in a cavity

Abstract

We show that a pulse of electromagnetic radiation launched into a cavity can be completely absorbed into an infinitesimal region of space, provided one has a high degree of control over the current flowing through this region. We work out explicit examples of this effect in a cubic cavity and a cylindrical one, and experimentally demonstrate the effect in the microwave regime.

Keywords

• absorption of radiation
• theory of electromagnetism
• active devices
• 03.50.De
• 42.25.Bs
• 84.40.-x