Optical Tamm States in One-Dimensional Magnetophotonic Structures

We demonstrate the existence of a spectrally narrow localized surface state, the so-called optical Tamm state, at the interface between one-dimensional magnetophotonic and nonmagnetic photonic crystals. The state is spectrally located inside the photonic band gaps of each of the photonic crystals comprising this magnetophotonic structure. This state is associated with a sharp transmission peak through the sample and is responsible for the substantial enhancement of the Faraday rotation for the corresponding wavelength. The experimental results are in excellent agreement with the theoretical predictions.

Figure 1

(a) SEM image of the system of two adjoining PCs and (b) a sketch of the spatial distribution of dielectric constants and the distribution of the electric field amplitude within the sample.

Figure 2

Transmission spectra of PC 1 and PC 2 alone are denoted by 1 and 2, respectively. The transmission spectrum of the sample of adjoining PCs is shown by circles (3); its calculated spectrum is given by curve 4.

Figure 3

Spectra of the Faraday rotation: PC 2 (solid line) and the experimental (circles) and calculated (gray line) spectra of the sample.