Title: Generation of unipolar half-cycle pulse via unusual reflection of a single-cycle pulse from an optically thin metallic or dielectric layer,
Abstract: We present a significantly different reflection process from an optically
thin flat metallic or dielectric layer and propose a strikingly simple method
to form approximately unipolar half-cycle optical pulses via reflection of a
single-cycle optical pulse. Unipolar pulses in reflection arise due to
specifics of effectively one-dimensional pulse propagation. Namely, we show
that in considered system the field emitted by a flat medium layer is
proportional to the velocity of oscillating medium charges instead of their
acceleration as it is usually the case. When the single-cycle pulse interacts
with linear optical medium, the oscillation velocity of medium charges can be
then forced to keep constant sign throughout the pulse duration. Our results
essentially differ from the direct mirror reflection and suggest a possibility
of unusual transformations of the few-cycle light pulses in linear optical
systems.