Open AccessGuided modes in magneto-optical waveguides and the role in resonant transmission
Author(s) -
Teng-Fei Li,
Tianjing Guo,
Hai-Xu Cui,
Mengying Yang,
Ming Kang,
Qinghua Guo,
Jing Chen
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.21.009563
Subject(s) - optics , materials science , transmission (telecommunications) , magnetic field , anisotropy , metal , extraordinary optical transmission , field (mathematics) , physics , surface plasmon , plasmon , telecommunications , quantum mechanics , metallurgy , surface plasmon polariton , mathematics , computer science , pure mathematics
Magneto-optical (MO) effect can break the reciprocal propagation of an optical wave along a MO-metal interface. We show that this nonreciprocal property also influences the guided modes in metal-MO-metal waveguides. Especially, the field profiles of the guided modes are neither symmetric nor anti-symmetric, but asymmetric. We then study the resonant optical transmission through a thin metal film with subwavelength MO slits. Magnetic field changes the transmission spectra of the structure, and a MO-induced transparent window is open, where the MO medium becomes extremely anisotropic. The guided-mode mediated high transmission is associated with an asymmetric field distribution and a circling energy flux.