Simultaneous existence of amplified and attenuated Dyakonov surface waves

TL;DR

This paper theoretically investigates Dyakonov surface waves at an interface between an isotropic dielectric and a uniaxial composite, revealing simultaneous amplification and attenuation depending on propagation direction and active component volume.

Contribution

It introduces a novel analysis of Dyakonov surface waves on a composite interface with active and passive components, showing directional amplification and attenuation effects.

Findings

Certain directions exhibit amplified Dyakonov surface waves.

Other directions show attenuated Dyakonov surface waves.

The behavior depends on the volume fraction of active material.

Abstract

The propagation of Dyakonov surface waves guided by the planar interface of (i) an isotropic dielectric material and (ii) a homogenized uniaxial dielectric composite material comprising both passive and active component materials was theoretically investigated, under the assumption that the optic axis of the uniaxial partnering material lies wholly in the interface plane. For a certain range of the volume fraction of the active component material, the uniaxial partnering material is neither wholly dissipative nor wholly active and the Dyakonov surface waves propagating in certain directions amplify but the Dyakonov surface waves propagating in other directions attenuate.