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Novel nonlinear surface and guided TE waves in asymmetric LHM waveguides

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2009 J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 11 114032

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IOP PUBLISHING JOURNAL OF OPTICS A: PURE AND APPLIED OPTICS
J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 11 (2009) 114032 (10pp) doi:10.1088/1464-4258/11/11/114032

Novel nonlinear surface and guided TE

waves in asymmetric LHM waveguides
A D Boardman and P Egan
Joule Physics Laboratory, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WT, UK

Received 24 April 2009, accepted for publication 27 July 2009

Published 17 September 2009
Online at stacks.iop.org/JOptA/11/114032

Abstract
The first comprehensive exact theory of strongly nonlinear guided waves in a double-negative
planar metamaterial waveguide is developed. The theoretical consequences are that novel
surface and guided waves are predicted because of the special relationship of the boundary
fields to each other. The analysis leads smoothly to tunability with power and direct access to
group velocity control.

Keywords: left-handed, nonlinear, waveguides, metamaterials

1. Introduction be imagined that the system is dominated by the dielectric

If, during the operation of a nonlinear waveguide, the modal
fields are unaffected by the power flow, then a weakly
nonlinear approximation is technically sufficient to determine
its behaviour. The investigation can then be framed within
the now classic slowly-varying amplitude approach. The latter
model is a suitable formulation for soliton work [1], with
the nonlinear Schrödinger equation being the outcome that
determines the evolution of an initial excitation. If the slowly-
varying amplitude method is relaxed then an exact solution
must be sought, and a technique to address precisely this sort
of problem was developed many years ago [2, 3]. It is based
around the first integral of the basic equations [3], and it will
now be brought into play to discover, and classify, the types
of nonlinear waves that can be generated within a nonlinear,
double-negative slab bounded on either side by a standard, non-
dispersive, non-magnetic dielectric material.
Currently, it is widely recognized that both nonlinearity
and tunability present major opportunities for the potential
applications of metamaterials. This is especially true for
the optical domain [4]. In order to make progress in these
directions, a lossless planar metamaterial is adopted here that
displays a Kerr nonlinearity [5–8]. The latter can involve, in
principle, two nonlinear coefficients [8], one associated with
the dielectric behaviour and one associated with the magnetic
behaviour. Nevertheless, because, for TE waves, electric and
magnetic field components are simply proportional to each
other [8], the dimensionless approach adopted later on, without
loss of generality, combine together the nonlinear coefficients
arising from the dielectric and magnetic polarization. In fact,
with a suitable choice of materials and frequency range it can
polarization. In addition, the nonlinear coefficient will not be
assigned any frequency dependence. This step is the normal
assumption for nonlinear optical materials and is in line with
what is commonly assumed for metamaterials [5–8]. This
approach has been adopted in the development of the nonlinear
Schrödinger equation for metamaterials, for example [5–8].
A wide range of materials is available, in principle, for the
construction of nonlinear metamaterials, but the level of power
needed to exploit materials in this way must be kept relatively
low to avoid the saturation regime. This is a very important
conclusion, since there is a perception now that activity in this
nonlinear area is of vital scientific and strategic importance
and that it is safe to say that all-optical signal processing in
a guided wave format will have metamaterials as foundational
materials [4].
A comprehensive study is presented here of nonlinear
TE surface and guided waves in negative phase films, even
though absorption is not taken into account, and isotropy is
also assumed. Naturally, absorption is a non-trivial problem,
potentially, for many metamaterial designs, as, indeed, is
the achievement of isotropy. These problems are being
addressed globally, and recent literature shows that the loss
can be overcome without losing the vital negative phase
behaviour [9, 10] that has been suggested in the literature [11].
It is clearly only a matter of time before isotropic low-loss
metamaterials become available.
Although the method of solution is based on earlier
work by the authors [2, 3], in this paper, there are two
major differences. The first is that it is concerned with the
consequences of the nonlinear film having both a negative
permeability and a negative permittivity. The second is that

1464-4258/09/114032+10$30.00 1 © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd Printed in the UK

J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 11 (2009) 114032 A D Boardman and P Egan

it examines those cases where these parameters are both

dependent on the frequency. Finally, it is recognized that the
work here makes brief contact with a recent paper [12] that
is based upon a nonlinear slab guide. The latter reference,
however, does not pursue the method given here, is limited
in its mathematical scope, and lacks the methodology leading
to the major conclusions presented here. It is, nevertheless, a
reasonable point of contact.

2. Nonlinear TE waves in a negative phase

metamaterial (NPM) planar film

The structure under investigation is shown in figure 1 where

propagation is down the guide in the x -direction. The guide
lies in the (x, y) plane and hence there is no dependence upon
the y -coordinate. The (x, z) plane shows the extent of the film Figure 1. The slab waveguide. The substrate and cladding are
and the definition of the semi-infinite cladding and substrate semi-infinite dielectrics with relative permittivities ε1 , ε3 , and
regions. The stationary solutions of the TE wave equation permeabilities μ1 , μ3 , being independent of frequency. The film is a
have the form A(z) exp(ik x x − ωt), where the amplitude A(z) nonlinear negative phase medium (NPM) with frequency dependent
relative permittivity and permeability.
is real, k x is a wavenumber and ω is an angular frequency.
Using this form of the stationary solution, and the Fourier
transform of Maxwell’s equations, with respect to ω, and α
taking into account the possible frequency dependence of the (A2 )2 − k22 A22 + k02 μ2 A42 = c2 , (3b )
2
relative permittivity ε(ω), and the relative permeability μ(ω),
yields the following (A3 )2 − k32 A23 = 0, (3c)

∂2 where k 2j = k x2 − k02 ε j , j = 1, 3; k22 = k x2 − k02 μ2 ε2 .

A(z) − (k x2 − k02 μ(ω)ε(ω))A(z) = 0, (1)
∂z 2
where c is the velocity of light in a vacuum and k0 = ω2 /c2 .
Using the subscripts 1, 2 and 3 to label the substrate, film and
cladding, respectively, the first integrals of this basic equation
are
(A1,3 )2 − (k12,3 − k02 μ1,3 ε1,3 )A21,3 = c1,3 (2a )
As is evident from previous work, it can be seen, once
again, that c2 is a crucial parameter in the explanation of
how the nonlinear waves are established. For generalization
purposes, and for the subsequent numerical calculations, the
following normalizations will now be used

E i = Ai α/2 i = 1, 2, 3;  = ω/ωp ;

for the substrate/cladding and C2 = c2 αc2 /2ωp2 ; Z = ωp z/c D = ωp d/c;

(A2 )2 − (k x2 − k02 μ2 εNL )A22 = c2 (2b )
κ12,3 = c2 k x2 /ωp2 −  2 ε1,3 ; κ22 = c2 k x2 /ωp2 −  2 μ2 ε2 ;
for the film. Here, the prime represents differentiation with
respect to z , the ci, (i = 1, 2, 3) are constants of integration κ̃22 = −κ22 ,
(with respect to z ), and the substrate and cladding are non-
magnetic dielectrics, with μ1 = μ3 = 1. The nonlinearity, where ωp is the plasma frequency, to be introduced later
as discussed earlier on, is in the film and is introduced here on when the model for the metamaterial negative relative
through the permittivity. It is taken to be the dominant permittivity is introduced. Both C2 and κ22 may be positive,
contribution in this model, but Kerr-like nonlinearity could or negative. The amplitudes E i are, throughout, assumed to be
be assumed for the permeability as well [7, 8], but the real [2, 3]. The sign of κ22 introduces a distinction between
substitution of the magnetic field component in terms of ‘surface’ waves, when κ22 > 0, and ‘guided’ waves when
electric field component means that the nonlinear coefficients κ22 < 0. In the following, E 0 is introduced as the value of
would add together [8] to form an effective Kerr coefficient in E 2 at the Z = 0 boundary, and E b is defined as the value of E 2
which the contribution from the dielectric permittivity could at the Z = D boundary. The normalized quantity C2 , which
be dominant. Hence, there is no loss of generality in the has arisen from the first integral, is determined by applying the
subsequent dimensionless formulation based upon the initial TE boundary conditions at the interfaces: namely
assumption that εNL (ω) = ε2 + α|A2 |2 , where α is the
Kerr nonlinear coefficient. For surface and guided waves, E 1 | Z=0 = E 2 | Z=0 = E 0 ; E 3 | Z=D = E 2 | Z=D = E b ;
 
the amplitudes in the substrate and cladding must decay ∂ E 1  1 ∂ E 2 
exponentially as −∞ and +∞ are approached, respectively. = ;
∂ Z  Z=0 μ2 ∂ Z  Z=0
These conditions, eliminate the integration constants c1,3 ,  
therefore ∂ E 3  1 ∂ E 2 
 = .
(A1 )2 − k12 A21 = 0, (3a ) ∂ Z Z=D μ2 ∂ Z  Z=D

2
J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 11 (2009) 114032 A D Boardman and P Egan

(a) (b)
Figure 2. Example shapes of (a) two order 1 amplitude profiles with the same frequency given by the two dispersion curves mentioned in the
text. (b) An example of an order 0 guided wave amplitude profile.

The outcome is where Z 01 = sc−1 [E 0 /b1 | m (1) ], m (1) = (a12 − b12 )/a12 and
C2 = (μ22 κ12 − κ22 +  2 μ2 E 02 )E 02 
= (μ22 κ32 − κ22 +  2 μ2 E b2 )E b2 . (4) a12 = (κ22 + κ24 − 4 2 |μ|C2 )/2 2 |μ|,
Note that, since μ2 is the only permeability term to appear 
in (4), the subscript will not be used in rest of the paper, in b12 = (κ22 − κ24 − 4 2 |μ|C2 )/2 2 |μ|.
order to make the presentation less cumbersome.
Equation (4) also gives the relationship between the values In order to prevent the solutions being merely reflections
of the amplitudes at the two film boundaries [2, 3]. For a in the Z -axis of the other solutions, in the calculations that
particular value of E 02 , equation (4) indicates that in general follow E 0 is always considered to be positive [3]. Equation (6)
there are two values of E b2 . However to keep E b real only those therefore has a negative slope for all values of  and thus
values where E b2 > 0 are considered [2]. gives order 1 surface waves (for example see figure 2). Since
Solutions to (3a ) and (3c) are simply E 1 = E 0 eκ1 Z , these waves are of order 1, the values of E b must be negative.
E 3 = E b eκ3 (D−Z ) . The solutions to (3b ) can be found by, prior Equation (4) then shows that there are two solutions for each 
to integration, expressing (3b ) in the form that satisfy the dispersion equation i.e. two dispersion curves
⎡  ⎤ 12 for each value of E 0 (see for example figure 2(a)).
∂ E2 κ 2
2 + κ 2
4
− 4  2 |μ|C
2 (ii) Guided wave solutions. κ22 < 0, C2 > 0.
=  |μ| 2 ⎣ E 22 + ⎦
1
In this case for E 2 < b3 the solution is:
∂Z 2 2 |μ|
1
⎡  ⎤ 12 E 2 = b3 sn(Z 03 − a3  |μ| 2 Z | m (3) ), (7)
κ22 − κ24 − 4 2 |μ|C2
× ⎣ E 22 + ⎦ . (5) where Z 03 = sn−1 [E 0 /b3 |m (3) ] or, if E 2 > b3 ,
2 2 |μ|
1
E 2 = a3 ns(Z 03b − a3  |μ| 2 Z | m (3) ), (8)
If the factors on the right-hand side of (5) are to be kept
real, the solutions can be written in terms of the Jacobi where Z 03b = ns−1 [E 0 /a3 |m (3) ]. In both cases, m (3) = b32 /a32
functions sc( p|m), ns( p|m), sn( p|m) and ds( p|m) where and 
p is the relevant real argument and m the relevant Jacobi
a32 = (κ̃22 + κ̃24 − 4 2 |μ|C2 )/2 2 |μ|,
parameter [12]. The solutions then fall into three categories
depending on the signs of C2 and κ22 . These categories are 
(using m (i) , i = 1, 2, 3 for the Jacobi parameters): b32 = (κ̃22 − κ̃24 − 4 2 |μ|C2 )/2 2 |μ|.
(i) Surface wave solutions. κ22 > 0, C2 > 0.
In this case, a solution to the nonlinear wave equation is Equation (7) gives guided wave solutions of order n =
1
1, 2, . . .. Equation (8) gives an order 0 guided wave solution
E 2 = b1 sc(Z 01 − a1  |μ| 2 Z | m (1) ), (6) (for example see figure 2(b)).

3
J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 11 (2009) 114032 A D Boardman and P Egan

(iii) Solutions where C2 < 0

In this case both surface and guided waves are given by
1
E 2 = γ2 ds(γ2  |μ| 2 Z + Z 02 | m (2) ). (9)

where γ2 = a22 + b22 , Z 02 = ds−1 [E 0 /γ2 |m (2)], m (2) =
a22 /(a22 + b22 ), and

a22 = (κ22 + κ24 − 4 2 |μ|C2 )/2 2 |μ|,

b22 = ( κ24 − 4 2 |μ|C2 − κ22 )/2 2 |μ|.

These solutions are of order 0. Referring again to (4), there

is only one solution that gives a positive value for E b , so
there is only one order 0 dispersion curve. Note here that
in the special case of C2 = 0 and κ22 < 0 (guided waves),
comparatively simple solutions can be expressed in terms of
circular functions [13]. Putting C2 = 0 into (8) or (9) gives
m (2) = m (3) = 0 so that both reduce to

1/2
 
κ̃2 −1  |μ| E0 Figure 3. A sample set of order 0 dispersion curves for D = 1. The
E2 = cosec cosec + κ̃2 Z .
 |μ|1/2 κ̃2 curves are labelled with values of E 0 . The curve labelled
(10) E 0 = 0.0001 is very close to the linear dispersion curve [5]. The
Actually, the dispersion curve (see section 3) passes dotted curve A is the curve κ2 = 0 and separates the surface and
smoothly through the point where C2 = 0, therefore the guided wave regions. The dotted curve B maps the cut-off condition
κ1 = 0.
solution to the wave equation passes without interruption
from (8), through (10), to (9).
In the case of surface waves (κ22 > 0), the special case
C2 = 0 implies that b1 = 0 and equation (6) must be equations from (6) to (9), for each E 0 and D , k x and ω can
transformed to the equivalent form [12] be varied until the value of E b corresponds to that given by
equation (4). Using κx = ck x /ωp , this allows a plot of κx

 2 
E 0  a1 − b12 against  to be generated to get the dispersion curves for these
E 2 = a1 cs a1  |μ| 2 Z + cs−1
1
. (11)
a1  a12 values of D and E 0 . In finding the nonlinear dispersion curves
in this way, three important points must be considered. (i) In
C2 = 0 then implies that m (1) = m (2) = 1 and both (6) and (9) order to keep ai and bi (i = 1, 2, 3) real, then, for the cases in
reduce to which C2 > 0, the inequality κ24  4 2 |μ|C2 must be satisfied
 1
 at all times. This introduces gaps or cut-offs in some of the
κ2 −1  |μ| E 0
2
dispersion curves (see, for example, figures 3 and 6). (ii) Since
E2 = 1 cosech κ2 Z + cosech .
 |μ| 2 κ2 the Jacobi parameters m (i) above are variable functions, and
(12) the complete elliptical integral of the first kind is a function
Since this function cannot satisfy the TE boundary conditions of the Jacobi parameter [13], then the nonlinear solutions may
for the system, there are no surface wave solutions under these have asymptotes inside the film (which will give singularities
conditions. in the amplitude profiles). These solutions must be rejected.
There is also another special case, namely when C2 = (iii) Since in the numerical investigations here only negative
κ̃24 /4 2 |μ|. The parameters in (7) then give a32 = b32 = values of μ and ε2 are to be considered, the TE boundary
κ̃22 /2 2 |μ| so that m (3) = 1. Equation (7) then reduces to [12] conditions imply that the amplitude profile in the film must
 have a negative gradient at the Z = 0 boundary (since E 0 is
κ̃2 κ̃2 positive), and the product of E b and the gradient at the Z = D
E2 =  tanh Z 03 − Z . (13)
2 2 |μ| 2 boundary must be positive. Solutions where these conditions
are not met must also be rejected.
In terms of the normalized parameters, the time average
3. Dispersion and power flow total power flow down the guide is given by

 
The quantities that need to be addressed, here, to κx 1 Z=D
E 02 E b2
P = P0 E 22 dZ + + , (14)
facilitate the calculation of the dispersion curves are  μ Z=0 2κ 1 2κ 3
ε1 , ε3 , k x , ω, D, E 0 , E b . In order to be specific, for all the
calculations, the permittivities of the substrate and cladding where P0 = c2 ε0 /αωp W m−1 , and the three terms in the
will be fixed at the values ε1 = 2.45, ε3 = 1. Then, using bracket are the power flows in the film, substrate and cladding

4
J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 11 (2009) 114032 A D Boardman and P Egan

(a) (b)
Figure 4. (a) Magnified view of two order 0 nonlinear dispersion curves for D = 1. The intersections of the line  = 0.512 on the curve that
is very close to the linear curve ( E 0 = 0.0001) are labelled C and D. Labels on the lines are values of E 0 , and the dashed curve is the cut-off
κ1 = 0. The inset shows the field profiles at the maximum and minimum points on the total power flow in (b). Nonlinear curves with values of
E 0 > 0.425 have no intersection with the line  = 0.512. (b) Power curves for the range 0.8 < κx < 1. The heavy curve is the total power
flow, the dashed curve is the power flow in the film and the light curve is the value of E 0 .

respectively. The flows in the substrate and cladding are always
positive. In the film the flow is always negative due to the
presence of μ in the denominator of the first term in the bracket
in (14). The total power flow is then either positive, zero or
negative depending on the relative values of these three terms.
It should be noted that E 2 , E 0 and E b have an implicit factor
α . To get the limit of linear power flow this must be cancelled
with the factor α in the denominator of P0 . As α approaches
zero, E 0 approaches zero, so in the results presented below,
this latter condition is regarded as approaching the linear case.
The difference in the linear results and the nonlinear results are
indistinguishable on the scale of the figures when E 0 ≈ 0.001.
The numerical value of P0 ≈ 8 × 105 /αωp , therefore the
possibility of the nonlinear effects being significant depends
not only on the Kerr coefficient α , but also on the value of ω p .
This in turn determines the relationship between the value of z
and that of Z . As an example, taking α = 1.25 × 10−11 [4] and
a wavelength in the visible light range, say 700 nm, together
with ω/ωp = 0.5, ωp = 5.39 × 1015 yields P0 ≈ 12 W m−1 , or
about 0.12 W cm−1 . The thicknesses of the film in the results
below would then be approximately 56 × D nm.
4. Numerical investigations
μ2 = μ2 (ω) and ε2 = ε2 (ω) that has been widely used in the
literature [7, 14–18]. Losses are not taken into account, for the
reasons stated very early on, so that both the linear permittivity
and permeability are real and are
ε2 (ω) = 1 − ωp2 /ω2
(15)
μ(ω) = μ2 (ω) = 1 − Fω2 /(ω2 − ω02 )
in which ωp is a plasma frequency and ω0 is a frequency
associated with the magnetic resonance. It is not
expected that adopting a Drude model will produce any
qualitative changes to the upcoming results [18]. The
values ω0 /ωp = 0.4, F = 0.56 are also used, without losing
generality. It will also be assumed that the nonlinearity is of
the Kerr form.
4.1. The narrow film D = 1
The numerical investigations begin with this thin film case
for two reasons. Firstly, it allows comparison with published
results for the linear case [14] and, secondly, it gives a clear
insight into the effects of increasing D systematically.

The above analysis is general but in the specific Jacobi
functions given in equations (6)–(9), the values of μ and ε2
are considered to be negative. Simple solutions exist if μ
and ε2 are constant but these need not be considered here.
For the numerical investigations, a familiar model is used for
4.1.1. Order 0 waves. The dispersion curves for the order
0 waves when D = 1 are shown in figure 3. The curves are
labelled with values of E 0 . The dotted curve κ2 = 0 shows the
curve that is crossed in going from surface modes to guided
modes. The figure prompts the following observations.

5
J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 11 (2009) 114032 A D Boardman and P Egan

(a) (b)
Figure 5. Total power flow (heavy lines), power flow in the film (dashed lines) and the values of E 0 (fine line) for nonlinear order 0 waves
when D = 1. The vertical lines at the left-hand edges are close to the κ1 = 0 cut-off. The lines are labelled with values of frequency  .
(a) Above a critical value of E 0 (see text) there is a point where the total power flow is zero, and there is also a linear limit ( E 0 = 0), (b) below
this critical value there is no point where the total power flow is zero and there is no linear limit.

(a) (b)
Figure 6. A sample set of lower order 1 nonlinear dispersion curves for D = 1. The dashed curves are as in figure 3. (a) The linear dispersion
curve and the high E 0 value nonlinear curves. (b) The low value nonlinear curves are each raised by an increment 0.2 referred to the κx -axis to
help distinguish them from the linear curve.

(i) In order to keep the permittivity and permeability
negative, the normalized frequency range 0.4 <  < 0.6 must
be adopted. The linear mode 0 dispersion curve, which lies in
the upper part of this segment, displays a ‘bend-back’ close
to the cut-off line κ1 = 0 (figures 3 and 4(a)) [19]. For the
nonlinear curves, this bend-back becomes more pronounced
and the value of κx at the turning point increases, i.e. moves
further away from the cut-off line. The bend-back is of major
importance in the nonlinear case since it suggests that control
of the direction of power flow may be possible. This is because

6
J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 11 (2009) 114032
Figure 7. Samples of the upper order 1 nonlinear dispersion curves
for D = 1. The dashed lines are as in figure 3. The dotted arrow
shows the path of the curves as E 0 increases.
Figure 8. Order 1 NL power curves for  = 0.46. Heavy lines give
the total power flow and light lines the value of E 0 . The curve with
points B, C, corresponds to the lower set of NL dispersion curves,
and the loop corresponds to the upper set of NL dispersion curves.
See text for discussion of the points labelled A–E.
at any particular frequency above the point where the linear
curve is cut off, but below the turning point in the dispersion
curve, there are two linear solutions. This can be better seen in
figure 4 which is an magnified view of the relevant  -section.
Referring to figure 4(a), the linear curve is cut off at the
point C. The group velocity here is positive. There is, however,
another solution for this frequency, at the point D in the figure,
7
A D Boardman and P Egan
Figure 9. The three order 1 NL profiles for  = 0.46, κx = 2.8. The
letters correspond to the points labelled in figure 8.
where the group velocity is negative. Between these two points
lie an infinite number of nonlinear dispersion curves which, for
example, the line  = 0.512 in the figure, will intersect in two
places. Each of these dispersion curves has its own value of
E 0 . As E 0 increases, there is a critical value, in this case E 0 ≈
0.425, above which the line  = 0.512 has no intersection
with the nonlinear dispersion curves. The dispersion curve for
this critical value is also shown in figure 4(a). For E 0 below this
critical value, the line  = 0.512 intersects all the nonlinear
curves twice, so that as the wavenumber increases from the
lower κx value of the first linear solution, the positive group
velocity at the subsequent intersection points on the nonlinear
curves decreases continuously to zero (when E 0 ≈ 0.425).
After this point, the group velocity becomes increasingly more
negative as the line  = 0.512 intersects the nonlinear
dispersion curves for the second time, with E 0 now decreasing
until the second linear solution is reached at the point D. The
changing power flow as κx increases and the value of E 0
changes is shown in figure 4(b). The reason for the change
in the total power flow can be appreciated by examining the
amplitude profiles (inset figure 4(a)) of the nonlinear waves at
the maximum and minimum points of the total power curve.
The upper profile in the inset of figure 4(a), which has the
higher value of E 0 , has rapidly declining amplitude profiles
in the substrate and the cladding, so that the power flow here
is dominated by the power in the film. The total power flow
is then negative. In the lower profile the amplitude profiles
decline much less rapidly, and the total power in the substrate
and cladding dominate that in the film, giving a positive total
power flow. The crucial point here is the possibility of control
of the direction and the strength of the total power flow in the
system. This has an immediate application to the stopping
of light that could form the basis of buffers in an all-optical
computer.
J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 11 (2009) 114032 A D Boardman and P Egan

(a) (b)
Figure 10. Dispersion curves for D = 3. The dotted lines are as defined in figure 3. (a) The order 0 curves labelled with values of E 0 . The
order 2 guided wave for E 0 = 0.001 is shown, labelled O2. (b) The order 1 curves labelled with values of E 0 . The bracketed letters refer to
lower set curves (L) and upper set curves (U).

(a) (b)
Figure 11. (a) Total power flow for D = 3,  = 0.4725. The insets are the profiles at the maximum and minimum of the power curve.
(b) The values of E 0 (dotted) and the power flow in the film (full line). The points where E 0 = 0 are the linear limits.

(ii) At frequencies below that where the linear mode
0 dispersion curve is cut off, nonlinear dispersion curves
continue to display a bend-back until another critical value
of E 0 is reached (compare the curves for E 0 = 2.4 and 4 in
figure 3). As shown in figure 5, when E 0 is below this second
critical value there is always a value of κx where the total power
flow is zero, again indicating the possibility of control.
Above this second critical value of E 0 the total power flow
is always positive and the values of  where the dispersion
equation is satisfied have no linear solutions, i.e. do not cut

8
J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 11 (2009) 114032 A D Boardman and P Egan

the linear dispersion curve for any value of κx , for example

E 0 = 2.4 and 4 in figure 3. Note the rapid increase in power
flow as the nonlinear dispersion curves approach the cut-off
line κ1 = 0 in figure 5(a), and the cut-off κ24  4 2 |μ|C2
for the curves E 0 = 2.4 and 4. The increase in power as
κ1 → 0 occurs because the amplitude profiles in the substrate
and cladding decrease very slowly, so that much more power is
carried in these layers than in the film.

4.1.2. Order 1 waves. The order 1 nonlinear dispersion

curves, displayed in figure 6, fall into two sets one of which
approaches the linear dispersion curve as E 0 → 0 (figure 6(a)).
This will be called the lower set. For this set the dispersion
curves for values of E 0 up to about 0.9 are indistinguishable
from the linear curve on the scale of the figures. All the
nonlinear curves in this lower set, however, have a forbidden
frequency range where κ24 − 4 2 |μ|C2 < 0, with the range
widening with increasing values of E 0 (see figure 6). When
E 0 is greater than about 0.9, the dispersion curves become
separated from the linear curve as shown in figure 6(a).
Samples of the second set of dispersion curves, described
here as the upper set, are shown in figure 7. For these curves,
Figure 12. Nonlinear dispersion curves for D = 10. The waves of
as E 0 → 0 (effected by letting α → 0), the figure shows that orders 0 and 1 are labelled with values of E 0 . There is no lower set of
curves with values of higher and higher κx could occur. This order 1 curves. The curve labelled 0.5 is an order 0 curve that has
is without limit, requiring more and more power to generate sections in both the surface and guided wave regions. O2 and O3
them. label the order 2 and order 3 guided wave curves for E 0 = 0.01. The
letters A and B label points on the E 0 = 0.01 curve (see text and
The dotted arrow in figure 7 indicates that for a particular
figure 13). The dotted lines are as defined in figure 3.
value of frequency there will two intersections for a range of κx
values. Together with the lower dispersion curves of figure 6,
this means that for some regions there will be three different
waves with the same values of κx and  but with different suggesting that control of the power flow is again a possibility
power levels. This is illustrated in figure 8 where the power (figure 11).
levels for  = 0.46 and κx = 2.8 are shown. Amplitude Note the much lower power requirements for generation
profiles for the three waves at (, κx ) = (0.46, 2.8) are given of the nonlinear waves at this thickness of film. Increasing
in figure 9. Both the upper set and the lower set of order the film thickness also introduces guided wave solutions with
1 dispersion curves have a positive gradient for all values
orders greater than 1. Figure 10 shows the order 2 dispersion
of frequency. The sum of the positive power flows in the
curve for E 0 = 0.001. The study of these guided waves is not
claddings is always greater than the negative power flow in the
a part of this investigation and will be done elsewhere.
film so that the total power flow is always positive.
Besides decreasing the range over which the order 1
4.2. Wide films D = 3 and 10 dispersion curves exist, increasing the thickness of the film
further, for example to D = 10, introduces other changes. The
Increasing the film thickness has a dramatic effect on the lower set of order 1 dispersion curves no longer exist and the
pattern of the dispersion curves displayed in the D = 1 case. upper set of curves display a minimum (figure 12). In figure 12
Figure 10 shows the dispersion curves for D = 3. the gradient of the dispersion curve labelled E 0 = 0.01 is
There is substantial contraction of the frequency range negative at A, where  = 0.4535 and positive at B, where
over which the order 1 solutions exist and the bend-back in the  = 0.4745. However, at this thickness of film the total power
linear mode 0 solution has disappeared. However, a bend-back
transported is positive at A and negative at B, as shown in
is now apparent in the mode 1 linear solution. Therefore, as
figure 13. Increasing the frequency from the lower value to the
with the mode 0 solutions for the D = 1 case, there is a range
higher value through the nonlinear dispersion curves results in
of frequencies where there are two mode 1 linear solutions. An
example is given in figure 11. a total positive power flow that decreases to zero at  = 0.467
The linear solution with the lower value of κx has a then goes increasingly negative to the point B. This means that
positive group velocity. The other, with the higher value for the thicker film the direction of the power flow in this region
of κx has a negative group velocity. Within the frequency of the dispersion curves is determined by the frequency. The
range of the bend-back there are again an infinity of nonlinear order 0 wave for E 0 = 0.5 displays a bend-back so that there
dispersion curves. For any κx within this range, the power will be a value of κx where the total power flow is also zero.
curves for the nonlinear solutions again pass through zero An example is given in figure 13(b) for κx = 0.48.

9
J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 11 (2009) 114032
(a)
Figure 13. (a) Power flow for D = 10, κx = 1.25. At this value the frequency determines the direction of total power flow. (b) Power flow for
 = 0.48 on the nonlinear order 0 dispersion curve labelled E 0 = 0.5 in figure 12. For this value the direction of power flow is determined
by the value of κx . In both figures E 0 is the fine line, the power flow in the film is the dotted line and the total power flow is the heavy line.
5. Conclusion
It has been shown that nonlinearity in a double-negative, thin,
metamaterials film, bounded asymmetrically by non-dispersive
semi-infinite media with positive relative dielectric constants
can be used to generate novel surface and guided waves.
In fact, the system investigated displays many characteristics
absent in the linear case. New wave forms have been found
that are a consequence of both the negative index material
and the nonlinearity. An important aspect is the possibility
of controlling the total power flow through variation of the
different parameters available in the nonlinear case. The
thickness of the film also plays a significant role, with the
possibility of the finding critical thicknesses for different
parameters where the nonlinearity will have significant effects
at relatively low power levels. The concept of controlling and
stopping light by gaining access to the group velocity through
straightforward power tuning is very attractive. This means
that the work has strong design implications [20] for the design
of buffers in all-optical computers of the future.
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