Photonic Surface Waves in All-Dielectric Metamaterials
Primary Faculty Mentor’s Name
Dr. Maxim Durach
Proposal Track
Student
Session Format
Poster
Abstract
Surface optical waves (SOW) supported by nanostructures are an integral part of modern technology and allow for directional transmission of signals on the nanoscale, sensing, detection, energy harvesting, etc. There are multiple types of SOW which can be used, most importantly plasmonic waves, such as surface plasmon polaritons or Tamm plasmons, which require the presence of metal in nanostructures. This in turn leads to increased absorption in the metal so using predominantly dielectric nanostructures with reduced power loss is beneficial due to larger propagation lengths of SOW.
In 1988 the so-called Dyakonov Surface Waves (DSW) were introduced, which propagate strictly along the interface between an uniaxial anisotropic dielectric and an isotropic dielectric, not relying on the presence of metal for their propagation. At the time DSW were just a theoretical curiosity, but with the development of nanotechnology, manufacturing of structures in which DSW can exist became practical. In particular, the conditions for their presence can be satisfied in nanostructured stratified metamaterials, which can now be easily produced. Due to this, the interest of the photonics research community in studying DSW-like optical fields has surged within the past few months.
We planned to consider the optical properties of an all-dielectric metamaterial and found out that the strong condition on DSW waves, where both ordinary and extraordinary waves are evanescent, cannot be met. Nevertheless, the weak condition, where only extraordinary waves are evanescent while ordinary waves propagate from the boundary of the metamaterial, can be satisfied in all-dielectric metamaterials. This can be understood as simultaneous total internal reflection of extraordinary waves and guiding of ordinary waves in metamaterials, which provides the opportunity for excitation of resonances which combine coupled surface and propagating waves.
We studied optical responses of thin nano-layers of such all-dielectric metamaterials and found the parameters at which hybrid semi-DSW resonances can be excited. The discovery of these novel photonic modes can help solve the standing problems of photonics, such as increasing the range and efficiency of optical energy transfer due to low losses. One of the attractive characteristics of DSW is that within the plane of propagation of those waves they can only propagate within a narrow range of angles with respect to the optic axis of the anisotropic material, being evanescent in other directions. This allows for the engineering of the directivity of quantum emitters that emit their energy into DSW, which is another problem we plan to consider in the future.
Keywords
All-Dielectric Photonics, Dyakonov Surface Waves, Metamaterials
Location
Concourse and Atrium
Presentation Year
2015
Start Date
11-7-2015 10:10 AM
End Date
11-7-2015 11:20 AM
Publication Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
DeLua, Anne M. and Durach, Maxim, "Photonic Surface Waves in All-Dielectric Metamaterials" (2015). Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference (2014-2015). 11.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gurc/2015/2015/11
Photonic Surface Waves in All-Dielectric Metamaterials
Concourse and Atrium
Surface optical waves (SOW) supported by nanostructures are an integral part of modern technology and allow for directional transmission of signals on the nanoscale, sensing, detection, energy harvesting, etc. There are multiple types of SOW which can be used, most importantly plasmonic waves, such as surface plasmon polaritons or Tamm plasmons, which require the presence of metal in nanostructures. This in turn leads to increased absorption in the metal so using predominantly dielectric nanostructures with reduced power loss is beneficial due to larger propagation lengths of SOW.
In 1988 the so-called Dyakonov Surface Waves (DSW) were introduced, which propagate strictly along the interface between an uniaxial anisotropic dielectric and an isotropic dielectric, not relying on the presence of metal for their propagation. At the time DSW were just a theoretical curiosity, but with the development of nanotechnology, manufacturing of structures in which DSW can exist became practical. In particular, the conditions for their presence can be satisfied in nanostructured stratified metamaterials, which can now be easily produced. Due to this, the interest of the photonics research community in studying DSW-like optical fields has surged within the past few months.
We planned to consider the optical properties of an all-dielectric metamaterial and found out that the strong condition on DSW waves, where both ordinary and extraordinary waves are evanescent, cannot be met. Nevertheless, the weak condition, where only extraordinary waves are evanescent while ordinary waves propagate from the boundary of the metamaterial, can be satisfied in all-dielectric metamaterials. This can be understood as simultaneous total internal reflection of extraordinary waves and guiding of ordinary waves in metamaterials, which provides the opportunity for excitation of resonances which combine coupled surface and propagating waves.
We studied optical responses of thin nano-layers of such all-dielectric metamaterials and found the parameters at which hybrid semi-DSW resonances can be excited. The discovery of these novel photonic modes can help solve the standing problems of photonics, such as increasing the range and efficiency of optical energy transfer due to low losses. One of the attractive characteristics of DSW is that within the plane of propagation of those waves they can only propagate within a narrow range of angles with respect to the optic axis of the anisotropic material, being evanescent in other directions. This allows for the engineering of the directivity of quantum emitters that emit their energy into DSW, which is another problem we plan to consider in the future.
