Hyperbolic plasmons on uniaxial metamaterials

TL;DR

This paper investigates hyperbolic surface electromagnetic waves at interfaces involving uniaxial metamaterials, discovering two new types of hyperbolic plasmons, including hybrid modes that are controllable and do not require hyperbolic metamaterials.

Contribution

It classifies two new types of hyperbolic surface waves, including hybrid modes, expanding understanding beyond known Dyakonov plasmons and showing their controllability.

Findings

Identified two new types of hyperbolic surface plasmons.

Discovered hybrid-polarized modes with controllable propagation.

Showed that some hyperbolic plasmons do not require hyperbolic metamaterials.

Abstract

We analyze surface electromagnetic waves with hyperbolic dispersion supported at the interface between a semi-infinite isotropic medium and an effective uniaxial material. Apart from known types plasmons with hyperbolic dispersion curve, sometimes referred to as Dyakonov plasmons [Z. Jacob and E. E. Narimanov, APL 93, 221109 (2008)], we classify two new types of surface waves with hyperbolic dispersion. One type of such waves, in contrary to Dyakonov plasmons, does not require hyperbolic metamaterials to be involved. These hybrid-polarized plasmon modes with both TE and TM electromagnetic components are directional. Their propagation direction can be controlled by changing material parameters.