Abstract-Conversion of terahertz wave polarization at the boundary of a layered superconductor due to the resonance excitation of oblique surface waves

http://prl.aps.org/accepted/L/e6070Y01Z4a1e13e25871d0952f055c2f9d920058

Yu. O. Averkov, V. M. Yakovenko, V. A. Yampol’skii, and Franco Nori

Accepted Wednesday Jun 06, 2012

We predict a complete TMTE transformation of the polarization of terahertz electromagnetic waves reflected from a strongly anisotropic boundary of a layered superconductor. We consider the case when the wave is incident on the superconductor from a dielectric prism separated from the sample by a thin vacuum gap. The physical origin of the predicted phenomenon is similar to the Wood anomalies known in optics, and is related to the resonance excitation of the oblique surface waves. We also discuss the dispersion relation for these waves, propagating along the boundary of the superconductor at some angle with respect to the anisotropy axis, as well as their excitation by the attenuated-total-reflection method.