Spoof Surface Waves on Non Conducting Structured Interfaces

TL;DR

This paper theoretically demonstrates and analyzes spoof surface waves on non-conductive structured interfaces, deriving their dispersion relation and discussing potential applications in terahertz sensing.

Contribution

It provides an analytic derivation of the dispersion relation for spoof surface waves on non-conductive materials using impedance boundary conditions.

Findings

Dispersion relation derived analytically and verified numerically.

Limitations of impedance boundary conditions discussed.

Potential for terahertz sensing applications identified.

Abstract

Spoof surface waves are demonstrated theoretically to propagate along periodic corrugated surfaces made of non-conductive lossless materials with positive permittivity. An analytic derivation of the Spoof surface wave dispersion relation is presented in the case of deeply subwavelength period of a corrugated structure using impedance boundary conditions at the interfaces. Thus obtained dispersion relation is verified numerically and limitations as well as physicality of impedance boundary conditions when modeling Spoof surface waves are discussed. Finally, suitable materials, potential experimental realization, and sensing applications of Spoof surface waves in the terahertz spectral range are discussed.