Transition from Dyakonov and Dyakonov-Tamm surface waves to surface-plasmon-polariton waves induced by temperature

Abstract

Temperature-induced changes in the propagation of electromagnetic surface waves guided by the planar interface of a temperature-sensitive isotropic material (namely, InSb) and a temperature-insensitive anisotropic material were investigated theoretically in the terahertz frequency regime. Two types of anisotropic partnering material were considered: (i) a homogeneous material and (ii) a periodically nonhomogeneous material. As the temperature increases, the isotropic partnering material is transformed from a weakly dissipative dielectric material to a plasmonic material. As a consequence, the surface waves change from Dyakonov surface waves to surface-plasmon-polariton waves for case (i), and change from Dyakonov–Tamm surface waves to surfaceplasmon-polariton waves for case (ii). Numerical investigations demonstrated that dramatic changes in the numbers of propagating Dyakonov or Dyakonov–Tamm surface waves, their angular existence domains, their propagation constants, and their decay constants, could arise from modest changes in temperature.