Radiation characteristics of electromagnetic eigenmodes at the corrugated interface of a left-handed material

Abstract

We study the radiation characteristics of electromagnetic surface waves at a periodically corrugated interface between a conventional and a negatively refracting (or left-handed) material. In this case, and contrary to the surface plasmon polariton in a metallic grating, surface plasmon polaritons may radiate on both sides of the rough interface along which they propagate. We find novel radiation regimes which provide an indirect demonstration of other unusual phenomena characteristic of electromagnetic wave propagation in left-handed materials, such as negative refraction or backward wave propagation. © 2009 The American Physical Society.