Surface plasmons at the interface of metamaterial and topological insulator

Abstract

We investigate the propagation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) at the boundary of metamaterial and topological insulators. Instances of Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3 and metamaterial boundaries are investigated. The topological insulators under consideration are three dimensional topological insulators of the second generation. Dispersion relations, absorption characteristics and propagation lengths of SPPs are calculated. The variation of bulk dielectric functions of topological insulators and metamaterial is considered by means of the Drude model and efective medium approximation theory. The key parameters making a dramatic impact on propagation lengths are acknowledged and mechanisms for engineering dispersion properties are suggested.