Surface plasmon polaritons in strained Weyl semimetals

TL;DR

This paper explores how strain-induced axial gauge fields in Weyl semimetals influence surface plasmon polaritons, enabling control over their frequencies, dispersion, and localization, with potential applications in nonreciprocal devices.

Contribution

It demonstrates the impact of strain-induced axial gauge fields on surface plasmon polaritons in Weyl semimetals, revealing tunable nonreciprocal propagation and localization effects.

Findings

Strain reduces frequencies of surface plasmon polaritons at intermediate wave vectors.

Surface normal and Weyl node separation orientation affect dispersion relations.

Strain can significantly alter localization properties of collective modes.

Abstract

Surface plasmon polaritons in a strained slab of a Weyl semimetal with broken time-reversal symmetry are investigated. It is found that the strain-induced axial gauge field reduces frequencies of these collective modes for intermediate values of the wave vector. Depending on the relative orientation of the separation of Weyl nodes in momentum space, the surface normal, and the direction of propagation, the dispersion relation of surface plasmon polaritons could be nonreciprocal even in a thin slab. In addition, strain-induced axial gauge fields can significantly affect the localization properties of the collective modes. These effects allow for an in situ control of the propagation of surface plasmon polaritons in Weyl semimetals and might be useful for creating nonreciprocal devices.