Complete dispersion relations of surface plasmon polaritons at a metal and birefringent dielectric interface

Abstract

The complete dispersion relations of transverse magnetic surface plasmon polaritons (TM SPPs) at a metal/birefringent dielectric interface are studied using a rigorous electromagnetic treatment. The exact expression of the wave vector normal to the boundary is derived. The propagation properties and components of the Poynting vectors of four types of TM SPPs are demonstrated with real materials in a wide range of photon energies. On the basis of this analysis, new types of TM SPPs are predicted. Furthermore, a perfect surface wave is realized with real materials in this simple structure. Our results may be useful for plasmonic-based devices associated with anisotropic media.