Surface modes coupling in one-dimensional metamaterial photonic crystals with defects

•For dLHM=0.5ΛdLHM=0.5Λ, band structure coincides with the relation dispersion.•For ddefect>0.5Λddefect>0.5Λ and ddefect<0.5Λddefect<0.5Λ the minimum reflectivity are split.•The best field amplitude occurs with ddefect<0.5Λddefect<0.5Λ.

We have investigated optical properties of one-dimensional (1D) photonic crystals (PC) composed of alternating layers of a right hand material (RHM) and a left hand material (LHM). The RHM dielectric function is frequency independent and the LHM (metamaterial) dielectric function and magnetic susceptibility are described according to the Drude model. P- or S polarized electromagnetic waves are considered to shine onto the 1D PC in the attenuated total reflectivity geometry to explore the coupling of light with the plasmons at the surfaces of the metamaterial layers. The metamaterial surface supports plasmons which in the single layer structure couple to form the symmetric and antisymmetric modes. These surface plasmons form a bulk mode in the multilayer system. The presence of a defect, which is obtained by varying the right hand layer thickness, at the middle of the layer structure, shows interesting features; the amplitude of the electric field at the defect site is enhanced and highly localized.