Abstract

The wave dispersion relations of the mixed polariton-photon modes along the surface of a semi-infinite layered structure consisting of alternating magnetic and nonmagnetic films are calculated. The magnetic films are magnetized to saturation by an external field parallel to the film plane and perpendicular to the wave propagation direction. Three different types of surpace modes are found and discussed. the surface-surface-type and (lower) surface-bulk-type modes can exist in a general layered structure which, when propogating in the positive k direction, corresponds in magnetostatic limit to those surface modes found by Camley et al. For negative k propagation of surface-surface-type modes, different functional forms are approachd in the magnetostatic limit depending on the value of permittivity of the nonmagnetic layers. A new type of surface waves, the upper surface-bulk-type modes, which do not exist in the magnetostatic regime, can arise only if the (optical) permeabilty of the magnetic medium is larger than the permittivity of the nonmagnetic medium. This is a situation similar to the occurrence of those negatively propagating surface modes in a single semi-infinite gyromagnetic medium as discussed by Hartstein. Among the three types of surface modes only the surface-surface-type modes show a great deal of nonreciprocity with respect to wave propagation directions.

Notes

Originally published in Physical Review B 39, 6823-6830 (1989). doi 10.1103/PhysRevB39.6823 (http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevB39.6823).

Keywords

wave dispersion, polariton photon modes, nonmagnetic films, surface modes

Subject Categories

Surface waves, Magnetic films

Disciplines

Electromagnetics and photonics

Publisher

American Physical Society

Publication Date

4-1-1989

Rights Information

Copyright 1989 American Physical Society

Rights Holder

American Physical Society


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