Nonlinear Tunneling of Surface Plasmon Polaritons in Periodic Structures Containing Left-Handed Metamaterial Layers

Munazza Zulfiqar Ali

doi:10.1155/2015/343864

Abstract

The transmission of surface plasmon polaritons through a one-dimensional periodic structure is considered theoretically by using the transfer matrix approach. The periodic structure is assumed to have alternate left-handed metamaterial and dielectric layers. Both transverse electric and transverse magnetic modes of surface plasmon polaritons exist in this structure. It is found that, for nonlinear wave propagation, tunneling structures are formed to transform nontransmitting frequencies into transmitting frequencies and hence transmission bistability is observed. It is further observed that the structure shows sensitivity with respect to the polarization of the electromagnetic field for this phenomenon.

Highlights

As soon as metamaterials touched the optical regime, they have started to interfere with the field of plasmonics
Plasmonics is concerned with the unique properties and applications of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), that is, electromagnetic excitations that exist at interface between two media and decay exponentially away from the interface
The phenomenon is similar in nature to the origin of propagation modes in a periodic structure consisting of single negative material layers [31] with the difference that, in the present case, the fields get localized at each interface of the periodic structure along the x-axis

Summary

Introduction

As soon as metamaterials touched the optical regime, they have started to interfere with the field of plasmonics. We are concerned with the nonlinear tunneling phenomenon of SPPs in a periodic structure composed of alternate left-handed metamaterial and dielectric layers. Both the TE and TM modes are studied here. It is observed that if one of the layers of the periodic structure is considered to be nonlinear, the decaying states become the tunneling states and the phenomenon of optical bistability can be observed. This phenomenon has recently been studied in a special configuration for surface plasmons polaritons [34]

Mathematical Model

Results and Discussions

Conclusions