Parametrically-Controlled Metallodielectric Magnetophotonic Crystals

Abstract

In this paper, it was shown that when used in 1D photonic and magnetophotonic crystals of millimeter and sub-millimeter range, thin (1..10 nm) metallic layers can be used to smoothen the zone structure and narrow the reflection bands. The electromagnetic energy is split into absorbed and reflected waves; the transmission is very low and can be neglected. Due to the very low ratio of it's optical depth (equal to it's geometrical depth divided by it's refractive index) to the wavelength, the metallic layer doesn't bring any additional pass or stop bands into the photonic crystal's (PC) zone structure. The strength of the spectrum smoothing and reflection band narrowing effect increases proportionally to the thickness and electric conductivity of the metallic layer, and decreases proportionally to the distance between the adjacent metallic layers (i.e. the summed thickness of the two paramagnetic/dielectric layers). The effect doesn't depend on permittivity and permeability of the metal (again, due to it's low optical depth). With metallodielectric magnetophotonic crystals it becomes possible to effectively shift the reflectivity zone(s) by means of external magnetic field. Tuning range will depend on the initial paramagnetic susceptibility and the width of the resonant curve.