Abstract
Optics Communications 434 (2019) 224-229 Electromagnetic surface waves supported by an isotropic chiral material were
investigated via the associated canonical boundary-value problem. Specifically,
two scenarios were considered: surface waves guided by the planar interface of
an isotropic chiral material and (a) an isotropic dielectric material and (b) a
uniaxial dielectric (or plasmonic) material. Both plasmonic and non-plasmonic
achiral partnering materials were investigated. In scenario (a) surface waves
akin to surface-plasmon-polariton (SPP) waves were excited, while in scenario
(b) surface waves akin to Dyakonov waves and akin to SPP waves were excited.
For numerical studies, an isotropic chiral material capable of simultaneously
supporting attenuation and amplification of plane waves, depending upon
circular polarization state, was used. The amplitude of the SPP-like waves
could be either amplified or attenuated, depending upon the relative
permittivity of the isotropic dielectric partnering material for scenario (a),
or depending upon the direction of propagation relative to the optic axis of
the uniaxial dielectric partnering material for scenario (b).