Gradient resonance in surface electromagnetic wave propagation for communication, sensing, and imaging

A system configured for communication, sensing, and imaging based on gradient resonance in surface electromagnetic waves, comprising:

• a processor;
• memory coupled with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the system to:
• obtain a gradient of a dielectric permittivity of a medium along a propagation path of surface electromagnetic waves;
• obtain an effective potential based on the gradient of the dielectric permittivity and a second derivative of the dielectric permittivity;
• identify a resonance condition in response to a real part of the dielectric permittivity squared approaching zero;
• generate surface electromagnetic waves in response to the identified resonance condition;
• and
• detect a gradient resonance in the surface electromagnetic waves.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for communication, sensing, and imaging based on gradient resonance in surface electromagnetic waves, the code comprising instructions executable by a processor to:

• obtain a gradient of a dielectric permittivity of a medium along a propagation path of surface electromagnetic waves;
• obtain an effective potential based on the gradient of the dielectric permittivity and a second derivative of the dielectric permittivity;
• identify a resonance condition in response to a real part of the dielectric permittivity squared approaching zero;
• generate surface electromagnetic waves in response to the identified resonance condition;
• and
• detect a gradient resonance in the surface electromagnetic waves.