Deep subwavelength surface modes in metal-dielectric metamaterials

Abstract

We present what we believe to be the first study of deep subwavelength surface modes in binary metal-dielectric metamaterials. By employing anomalous coupling in binary periodicity, peculiar properties of band structure and eigenmode symmetry are obtained. We show that strongly confined plasmonic Tamm-like and Shockley-like surface modes can be formed at the termination of the array. We clarify the character of each surface mode and analyze its unique symmetry with the corresponding band structure. © 2010 Optical Society of America.