Investigation of the nanostructured semiconductor metamaterials

Abstract

The presence of electromagnetic waves on two-dimensional interfaces has been extensively studied over the last several decades. Surface plasmonic polariton (SPP), which normally exists at the interface between a noble metal and a dielectric, is treated as the most widely investigated surface wave. SPPs have promoted new applications in many fields such as microelectronics, photovoltaics, etc. Recently, it has been shown that by nanostructuring the metal surface, it is possible to modify the dispersion of SPPs in a prescribed manner. Herein, we demonstrate the existence of a new kind of surface wave between two anisotropic meta-materials. In contrast to extensively studied surface waves such as SPPs and Dyakonov waves, the surface waves supported by the nanostructured semiconductor metamaterial cross the light line, and a substantial portion at lower frequencies lies above the free-space light line. Consequently, the proposed structure will interact with the material via leaky waves.