Optical energy accumulation by a system comprising an optical diode, insulating layer, and mirror

The optical properties of a multilayer system comprising an optical diode, insulating layer, and mirror are studied. The distribution of the electromagnetic wave energy in the system is considered. It is shown that the energy of the wave is accumulated within certain spectral intervals. Two mechanisms underlying this observation are discussed. One is due to the diode effect (i.e., nonreciprocal transmission or reflection); the other is associated with periodic layers existing in the system. Multilayer structures based on the phenomenon discovered may find application in water or gas heaters and in optical-to-electric energy converters.