On the cubic zero-order solution of electromagnetic waves. I. Periodic slabs with lossy plasmas

Abstract

Electromagnetic waves are considered for periodic structures consisting of lossy plasmonic components and dielectric host media. For the plasmonic components, not only low-loss metals but also high-loss gas plasmas are taken into consideration. For small filling fractions of the plasmonic components, the intercell interactions are kept to a minimum. In this way, the zero-order solution to the dispersion relation is solved by focusing on its cubic nonlinearity in frequency. Analysis shows that there are two types of solutions: propagating waves and stationary states, depending on the magnitudes of the temporal attenuation rates. Depending on the relative strengths of the material loss of the plasmonic component and its filling fraction, several key critical parameters for the transitions between these two solution types are thus identified. In the following companion paper of Paper II, the cubic nonlinearities in frequency of the dispersion relations stem from different origins. Notwithstanding, they lead to strikingly similar features such as the transitions in wave types and Hopf bifurcations.