Journal of Modern Physics, 2011, 2, 188-199
doi:10.4236/jmp.2011.24027 Published Online April 2011 (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/jmp)
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JMP
Pedestrian Analysis of Harmonic Plane Wave Propagation
in 1D-Periodic Media
Pierre Hillion
Institut Henri Poincaré, Le Vésinet, France
E-mail: pierre.hillion@wanadoo.fr
Received June 2, 2010; revised July 8, 2010; accepted July 10, 2010
Abstract
The propagation of TE, TM harmonic plane waves impinging on a periodic multilayer film made of a stack
of slabs with the same thickness but with alternate constant permittivity is analyzed. To tackle this problem,
the same analysis is first performed on only one slab for harmonic plane waves, solutions of the wave equa-
tion. The results obtained in this case are generalized to the stack, taking into account the boundary condi-
tions generated at both ends of each slab by the jumps of permittivity. Differential electromagnetic forms are
used to get the solutions of Maxwell’s equations.
Keywords: Periodic Slabs, Multilayer Film, TE, TM Waves, Propagation
1. Introduction
The modern approach to harmonic plane wave propaga-
tion in periodic materials such as photonic crystals [1,2]
relies on the Floquet-Bloch modes [1,2,3] and on a
quantum mecha-ics-like technique. We present here for
1D-periodic media, made of a stack of slabs with
al-ternate but constant permittivity, in brief a multilayer
film, a less powerfull pedestrian tech-nique but providing
the explicit expressions of the electromagnetic TM and
TE fields. We start with the analysis of a TM plane wave
propagation inside an horizontal x,y-slab of thick-ness a,
permittivity ε(z) and afterwards, the results obtained in
this case are transposed to the stack of slabs.
Harmonic plane wave propagation in a multilayer film
has been known for a long time [4], the traditional ap-
proach being to consider the multiple reflections that
take place at the inter-faces [4], using for instance the
S-matrix propagation technique [5], but because of the
per-mittivity periodicity, we proceed differently dwelling
on boundary conditions at both ends of each slab where
exists a jump of permittivity. A particular attention is
given to evanescent waves because of their interest in
meta-materials with negative permittivity and permeabil-
ity.
In adddition, we start this paper with a succinct intro-
duction of electromagnetic differential forms [6,7] more
efficient than the conventional formalism to tackle the
kind of problems to be discussed here. We only use the
strong solutions of Maxwell’s equations supplied by the
differential-form formulation so that we have no need of
a computational tool as required by the weak solutions
[8].
2. Differential-form Formulation of
Maxwell’s Equations
We work with the subscript j,k,l, taking the values 1,2,3
associated respectively to the coordinates x,y,z. The
summation convention is used and jkl is the antisym-
metric Levi-Civita tensor.
The 3D differential-form formulation of Maxwell’s
equations is [6,7] in absence of charge and current with
the exterior derivative operator d and
= ct
d0a)d
d0a)d
 
 
EB B
HD D
0b)
0b)
(1)
In these relations dd
ii
x
, E, H are the 1-forms
,,
ii
EH xEH d
i
(2a)
and (,
B
D
) the 2-forms


1
1
,,d
2jkli ik
BD xx
BD
d
(2b)
We consider these equations in a medium with permit-
tivity
(r) (r is written for x, y, z) and constant perme-
ability µ.
Then, let *h be the Hodge star operator [6,7]
P. HILLION
189

1
*dd d
2
j
jkl kl
hxx x
 (3)
supplying the permittivity and permeability operators *
,
*µ

**,*rh
 
*h (3a)
from which the 2-forms D, B become
*, *

D
EB H (4)
so that the coefficients of the differential terms in (2b)
are


,,
iii i
DBrE H

 

(4a)
Taking into account (4), the Maxwell Equations (1a)
become for harmonic fields exp(it)

d*=0,d *icic r
 
 EHH E=0 (5)
that is according to (2a,b) and (4a)


i2 dd
jkk jjklljk
EE cHxx
 
 
0
(6a)



i2 dd
jkk jjklljk
HH rcExx
 
 
0
0
(6b)
Finally, a simple calculation gives for the second set
(1b) of Maxwell’s equations



123
123
ddd0,
ddd
jj
jj
Hx xx
rEx xx




(7)
Electromagnetic 2-forms supply weak solutions of
Maxwell’s equations by integration on 2D-manifolds,
understood as limit over 2D-small simplexes made of
triangular elements as used in numerical electromagnet-
ics when physical regions are approximated by finite
elements [8]. Strong solutions, the only ones considered
here, are obtained by making null the cofficients of the
differential terms, they are solutions of conventional
Maxwell’s equations but easier to get as shown here be-
low.
2.1. TM Field
The wave equation for the magnetic field is obtained by
eliminating E from (5) which gives
122
d* d*0c


HH (8)
Now, according to (2a) and (3a), the second term on
the right hand side of (8) is
22 22
1
*d
2
d
kl jkl
ccHx
 

Hx
d
(9)
while in the first term

dd
j
kkjj k
H
HxxH (10)
and, using the inverse Hodge star operator 1
*

11
*d d
j
kl klj
rH


 Hx (10a)
Then, we get in Appendix A
11
d* ddd
2ikl jkl
x
x

H (11)
in which with the Laplacian operator
j
j
 

12 2
j
jkkj jj
rHr HrH

 
 k
(11a)
Subsituting (9) and (11) into (8) gives the differential
form of the wave equation

22 dd
jkl jjkl
cH x x

0

(12)
Let us now consider the TM field in which
(z) is an
arbitrary function


0, expi
yz xy
H
HH ky
 z (13)
in a medium with permittivity (z) depending only on z.
A simple look to (12) shows that this equation reduces
to

22 dd
xxyz
cH x x

0

x
(14)
with the strong solution 22 0
x
cH

, that is ac-
cording to (11a) and (13)
 
12221
dd0
dy
zz ckzz
z
 

 

 
(15)
Once obtained the solutions of (15) and consequently
Hx according to (13), the electric field is provided by the
2-form (6b)

 
1
1
dd 0,dd
dd 0
xzxy
yx z
EyzHiczE zx
HiczE xy



 


 


(16)
with the strong solution


0,
,
x
y
zx
z
yx
E
Eic zH
Eic zH






(16a)
which achieves to determine the TM harmonic plane
wave Ey, Ez, Hx. From now on, µ = 1.
2.2. TE Field
The wave equation for the electric field is obtained by
eliminating H from (5)

122
d* d*0cr


 EE (17)
According to (2a) and (3a), the second term in (17) is
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JMP
190 P. HILLION
 

22 22
1
*d
2d
j
kl jkl
cr crExy
 

E (18)
while in the first term

d
dd
j
kkjj k
EExx E (19)
and using the inverse Hodge star operator 1
*
11
*d d
j
kl klj
Ex


 E (19a)
Then


11
1
d* ddd
2
1dd
2
mjjklkl j
jklmlkmj
x
Ex
Ex x



 
 
E
(20)
so that with A
2, A3 deduced from A1 by a circular per-
mutation of x,y,z, a simple calculation gives

1
123
d* d,,,,,,
A
xyzAyzxAzxy
 E(21)
with

1,,,,d d
z
A
xyzxyz x y (22)
in which


12
,, 2
z
zxx yyzz yz
x
yzE EE E

 

(22a)
and, taking into account the divergence Equation (7)
0
jjj j
EE
  this expression be-comes

1
,,
zzz
xyzE E
jj




(23)
supplying x y by a circular permutation of x, y, z so
that according to (21), (22):
11
d* ddd
2ikl jkl
x
x

E (24)
Substituting (18) and (24) into (17) gives the different-
tial form of the wave equation for the electric field
 

22 dd
ikl jjkl
crrExx


 

0
(25)
For the TE wave


0,exp i
yz xy
EE Ekyz
  (26)
in a medium with permittivity
(z) depending only on z,
0
jj
E
 in (23): Equation (25) reduces to

22 dd0
xx
EczEyz


 

(27)
and, taking into account (26), this differential form has
the strong solution
 
2222
0
zy
zczkz
 

 

(28)
The components Hy, Hz of this TE field are in terms of
Ex:
0, 0
zxy yxz
Ei cHEi cH


z
a
(29)
3. Harmonic Plane Waves in a 1D-Periodic
Medium
3.1. TM Plane Wave in a Slab (0 < z < a)
Suppose that the plane wave (13), (16a) with
(z) = exp(ikiz)
impinges of the z = 0 face of an horizontal slab of
thickness a and constant permittivity
1 endowed in a
medium with permit-tivity
0 for z < 0 and
2 for z > a,
that is

0
1
2
:0;
:0
:
z
z
za


(30)
So, according to (13) and (16a), the components of the
incident and reflected fieds in the half space z < 0 are (i =
1
)



0
0
exp i,
exp i,
exp i
i
xi i
i
yii
i
i
z
yi i
HA
EckA
EckA




(31)
22 22
0
,
,0
iy z
yi
ky kz
kkc z



(31a)
and




0
0
exp i,
exp i,
exp i
r
xr r
r
yir
r
r
z
yr r
HA
EckA
EckA




(32)
22 22
0
,
,0
ry i
yi
ky kz
kkc z



(32a)
Now, in the other two intervalls (30) where j, j = 1, 2
is constant, Equation (15) reduces to
222
222 2
dd 0,
1, 2
j
jjy
z
ckj


 
 (33)
and, we shall consider the three situations
222222
121212
0, 0;0, 0;0, 0
 (33)
1) taking into account (30), the solutions of Equation
(33) in the first situation , j = 1, 2, are with
amplitudes A, B, At
20
j


22 22
1
exp iexpi,
,0
y
zA kzBkz
kk cza


 
(34a)
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JMP
P. HILLION
191


22 22
2
exp i,
,
ttt
yt
zA kz
kkc za

 
(34b)
Remark 1. If the region with permittivity
2 above the
slab is limited at z = 2a,
t(z) is chan-ged into


exp iexpi,2
tttt t
zA kzBkzaz
a (34c)
a remark of interest in the next section. Now, taking into
account (34a), the components of the TM wave for 0 < z <
a are, acccording to (13) and (16a)





 
1
1
exp iexpi,
exp iexpi,
exp iexpi
x
i
yi
zy
HA B
Eck AB
Eck AB

 
 


 


(35)
22 22
1
,
,
,0
y
y
y
ky kz
ky kz
kk cza



 
(35a)
while for z > a, taking into account (34b)




2
2
exp i,
exp i,
exp i,
t
xt t
t
yt t
t
zy t
HA
Eck A
Eck A
t
t




(36)
22 22
2
,
,
ty t
yt
ky kz
kkc za


 
(36a)
We now have to take into account the boundary condi-
tions at z = 0 and z = a, imposed by the continuity of the
Hx, Ey components of the electromagnetic field at per-
mittivity jumps.
Then, according to (31), (32), (35), we get at z = 0 the
two relations

11
00
,
iriir
A
AABkAA kAB


  (37a)
while at z = a, taking into account (35), (36) it comes


 

11 1
11 2
exp iexpiexp i
exp iexpiexp i
tt
tt t
AkaBkaAka
A
kkaBkkaAk k
 
 

 a
(37b)
The four relations (24(a,b)) supply in Appendix B the
four amplitudes Ar, A, B, At in terms of the incident am-
plitude Ai which achieves to determine the fields (32),
(35), (36). These boundary conditions impose no con-
straint on frequency when all the possible values of ky
are considered.
2) In the second situation, 2
10
, , the com-
ponent kt of the wave vector is pure imaginary and, ac-
cording to (36a)
2
20
 
exp ,
tt t
zAkzaza


Remark 2: similarly to the previous remark, for a upper
region bounded at z = 2a
expexp 2,
2
tt tt t
zAkzaBkaz
az a

 


(38a)
So, according to (38), the field above the slab is eva-
nescent, does not propagate and the components (36)
t
x
H
, t
y
E become




2
exp iexp
exp iexp,
t
xt yt
t
yttyt
HA kykza
EickA kykzaz




a



(39)
and, using (35) in 0 < z < a, the boundary conditions at z =
a imply

 
11
21
exp iexpi,
exp iexpi
t
tt
AA kaBka
ikAkAka Bka



 
(40)
from which we get



21
21
21i expi
1iexp i
tt
t
AkkAka
kk Bka



 (41)



21
21
01i expi
1iexpi
t
t
kk Aka
kk Bka



 (42)
These relations have to be made complete with the
boundary conditons (37a) at z = 0 from which A, B are
provided in terms of Ai and Ar so that according to (41),
A, B, Ar, At are ob-tained in terms of Ai. Explicitly, sub-
stituting into (41) the relations (B.1) of Apendix B, we
get with the
functions

10
11
2i
kk






21
21
1i expi
1iexp i0
tir
tir
kkAAka
kkA Aka
 
 




(43)
supplying Ar from which the amplitudes A, B, A are ob-
tained.
In this case also, the boundary conditions impose no
constraint on when ky takes all the possible values but,
the situation is different when ky = 0 for propagation in
the z-direction. Then ky = k and
j
ck
, j = 1, 2,
with j = 1 in 0 < z < a and j = 2 for z > a so that if
2>
1
there is a frequency band gap in the intervall (2
ck
,
1
ck
).
3) Finally in the third situation: , , the
TM plane wave (13), (16a) ge-nerates in the slab an
evanescent plane wave with the components Hx, Ey de-
duced from (35), (35a) by changing k into ik and it
comes (for simplification, the coefficient exp(ikyy) pre-
2
10 2
20
(38)
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JMP
192 P. HILLION
sent in each component is discarded)

 

exp exp
exp exp,
0
x
y
HA kzBkaz
EikA kzBkaz
za




 


(44)
Then, according to (31), (32), (44), the boundary condi-
tions at z = 0 supply the two relations



11
00
exp ,
iexp
ir
iir
AA ABka
kAA kABka


 
 
(45)
from which we get


01 01
01 01
21i1i
21i 1i
ii i
ri i
,
A
kkAkk B
A
kkAkk B
 
 
 
  (46)
Now, at z = a, the boundary conditions imply



11
12
expexp i,
iexp expi
tt
tt t
AkaBAka
kAkaBkA ka






(47)
which gives


21 21
expii 0
tt
Akak kBk k
 

(48)
together with (46), this last relation supplies A, B in
terms of Ai which achieves to determine Ar and At ac-
cording to (46), (47).
Of course, if the region with permittivity
2 is bounded
at z = 2a,
exp i
ttt
A
kz
 
p iexpi
is changed into
ex
ttttt
A
kz Bkz
m

a
. In this situation also,
there is a frequency band gap if
1 >
2.
3.2. TM Wave Propagation in a Periodic
Multilayer Film
We now consider a stack of slabs with each the same
thickness a but with an alternate value
z) constant in-
side the slabs
 
 
1
2
:2210,1, 2,
:2 122
ma zma
z
mazma
 
 
(49)
so that .

2zma z


The TM plane wave (13) (16a) is assumed to impinge
on the z = 0 face of this stack (m = 0) and the following
notations are used for the field
(z).
  
 
2
21
:221
:2 122
m
m
zmazm a
zzmazm
 
 
(50)
The equation (15) becomes inside the slabs since
dd 0z
and
222 2
1,1,
jy
ckj

 

 
2222222
2121
222 2222
21221 22
dd 0,,
221
dd 0,
2122
mmy
mmy
zkkc
ma zma
zkk
maz m a
 
1
,c




 
 
 
(51)
We consider the three situations (33a),
1) In the first situation
22
12
0, 0 2
10,
2
20
, the equations (51) have the solutions with ampli-
tudes
22
,
mm
AB and
21 21
,
mm
AB



 

22121
21212 212
exp iexpi,
221
exp iexpi,
(2 1)22
mmm
mmm
zA kzBkz
ma zma
zA kzBkz
mazm a
 

 

 
(52)
so that according to (13) and (16a) we get for the
x
y
H
E
components intervening in the boun-dary conditions

2
2
exp i,
m
xym
H
ky z

21
21
exp i
m
xym
H
ky z

2
11
exp i
m
yy
ky

2mz
Eck

 , (53)



21
22 21
exp i
m
yy
Eck ky
 
 m
z
in which

 
22121
21212 212
exp iexpi
exp iexpi
mm m
mm m
zA kzBkz
zA kzBkz
 


(53a)
Now, the intervalls
21,2mama and
2,2 1ma ma have a joint boundary at 2zma
and the continuity of Hx, Ey at these boundaries implies

21 2
††
2221112
22,
22
mm
mm
ma ma
kmak

 
ma
(54)
and these relations made explicit in Appendix C supply
22
,
mm
AB in terms of
21 21
,1,2
mm
A
Bm M

1
. and
changing m into m
gives a similar result at
2zm1a
for
21 21
,
mm
AB
in terms of
22mm
,
A
B.
To achieve the determination of these amplitudes, we
need the boundary conditions at where the inci-
dent field impinges on the multilayer film, and at
0z
2zM
a
output of the stack.
The first and last slab in this stack being assumed to
have the permittiviy
1, we get at according to
(37a) with an evident change in notations
0z

11
00 01000
,
iri ir
A
AABkAAkAB


  (55)
from which
00
,
A
B are obtained in terms of
,
ir
A
B
and consequently
22
,
MM
AB reas-cending the series
2
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JMP
P. HILLION
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JMP
193
t
(C,3), (C,6) of Appendix C for . 0,1, 2,,mM
Then,
exp ii
ty
A
ky kz being the field outside the
stack for , the boundary conditions are similarly
to (37b),
2zM
0
a
being the permittivity outside the stack

 

22
11
21 2110
exp2 iexp2 i
exp2iexp2i
MM tt
MMtt
aB MkaAMka

1
exp 2i
exp 2i
AMk
t
A
kMkaBkMkaAkM



 ka
(56)
from which
,
rt
A
A are obtained in terms of 2) In the second situation, is pure
imaginary and, in the intervalls
22
12
0,0, k 

21ma
2
2zma
i
A
which
achieves to determine the amplitudes ,
M1, 2m
, the function
21mz
becomes according
to (38a)
 
222121
,, ,
mmm m
ABA Bm
 1,2 1M
212212
2 1exp2
m
kzm aBkmaz


21
exp
mm
zA


 (57)
and the boundary conditions (54) at z = 2ma are changed into

  
2 121221
11212 221221
exp2 iexp
expxp2 iiexp
mm
mm
Am akAkaB
kAmak k AkaB



 
 


21
1 2
exp 2i
2 ie
mm
mm
m akB
makB
(58)
from which we get in terms of
22
,
mm
AB

21 21
,
mm
AB




2112221211221
2112221211221
2eexp 1i
2ei exp1i
mm
mmm
kkkaAkkB
kkkaA kkB
 
 
21
21
xp2i 1i
xp2i1
m
Amak
Bmak
 
 


21

22
,
mm
AB
21
,
m
i
(59)
which takes the place of (C.3) in Appendix C while in
(C.6) k2 has to be changed into ik2 to get
in terms of .
21
,
mm
AB


22
,
mm
AB
The relations (55), (56) achieve to determine the
amplitudes , , 21m
,
in terms of the amplitude

21 21
,
mm
AB

M
AB

1, 2,m of the
incident field. If 21
, there exists a frequency band
gap for propagation in the z-direction as discussed in
Sec.3.1.
3) In the third situation is pure
imaginary and in the intervalls
22
12
0,0, k 1
m a22ma z1
and
2mz
becomes
A
 
12 1
2exp21
m
zmaBkm az
22
exp
mm
zA k



(60)

and the boundary conditions at a are

21zm
2112212
expexp21 i=exp
m
A
2 2
21 i
mm
mak
 m
BmakA kaB

  
  (61a)
  

 
22 211211 212
exp2exp21 iiexp
mm
kAmakkAkaB

  
 
2 2
1 i
mm
makB



1m
(61b)
from which we get in terms of
21 2
,
m
AB
22
,0,1
mm
A
Bm M.

 
21121212 212
211221121221 2
2e1iexp 1i
2exp1 iexp1 i
mm
mmm
kkkaAkkB
kkkkaAkkB

 
 

2
2
xp21i
21 i
m
Ama
Bma






21
,
mm
AB

(62)


0110 110
0110 110
21i1i
21i 1i
iii
iii
These relations take the place of (C.6) while to get
in terms of , one has to change
into i in (C.3).
22
,
mm
AB
1
k k
21
,
r
r
A
kk Akk A
BkkAkk
 
 
 
 A
a
(50a)
1
It is implicitly assumed that the first and last slabs of
the stack have the permittivity 1
Finally, at 2zM
, output of the stack in a medium
with permittivity 0
, we have similarly to (34)
. Then, the boundary
conditions (45) at become with evident notations
0z

 
 
100
ie
xpAB k
00 1
01 1
exp ,
r
iir
AAB ka
kAA ka

 





212
11 2120
expexp i,
iexp expi
MMtt
MMtt
AkaBAka
kAkaBkA ka


 


t
(64)
(63)
Using (62), (C.3) and (63a), are obtained
22
,
MM
AB
from which we get
194
P. HILLION
in terms of
,
ir
A
A, so that the relations (51) supply r
A
,
t
A
which achieves to determine the amplitudes
21
,
m
A
,
21m
B

22
,
mm
A
B and mm
by running down the sequence of amplitudes.

21 21
,1AB m
1
,2,,M1
There is also a frequency band gap if
> 2
for
vertical propagation.
Remark 3: According to (36) the permittivity is peri-
odic in the multilayer film so that,
 
2zz



2
20
y
zk
a
since the component

22
zc

z


z of the wave vector is pe-riodic 2
k
z
za
kk
.
So, if is a plane wave solution of the
differential equation
 
exp iz
z
kz
 
22 2
dd 0zz
z


, then:

za
z
 
22 expi
za z
zakz

2expik
2a
2
(65)
and is periodic if
22,0,1,
z
kan n
3.3. TE Plane Wave Propagation
For the TE plane wave (26), (29) impinging on a slab
with the permittivity set (30), the wa-ve Equation (28)
reduces to Equation (33) so that all the calculations of
Secs, (2.1), (2.2) hold valid for the TE field. One has just
to change ,,
x
yz
H
EE into ,,
x
yz
EHH.
4. Discussion
As noticed in the introduction, the modern approach to
harmonic plane wave propagation in multilayered films,
made of a stack of slabs with different but constant per-
mittivity, reposes on two principal techniques, both re-
quiring important computational tools. The first one,
mainly interested in frequency bands available for
propagation, mixed solid state physics (Floquet-Bloch
modes) and quantum mechanics (eigenstates of hermitian
operators). The second method [5] working with the
S-matrix propagation technique, an improved version of
the T-matrix algorithm to analyse plane wave scattering
from gratings, is mainly interested in the behaviour of
high intensity lasers impinging on gratings made of
1D-photonic crystals. So, any comparison between the
results supplied by the two techniques, both depending
strongly on the performnces of their computational tools,
is difficult.
The analysis performed in Sec.2 of TM and TE waves
both polarized along ox, with fields of the type
, suggests three comments. When these
waves propagate in a slab with the permittivity set (30).
First, in this situation, the Maxwell equations have the
same solutions for TM and TE waves. Second, as dis-
cussed in Remark 3, the function is not assumed
periodic a-priori, leading to solutions of Maxwell’s equa-
tions not taken into account in [1] so that, one may ask
whether these extra-solutions play some role in propa-
gation, specially for the frequency band gaps. What kind
of incident fields is able to generate these aperiodic solu-
tions? The third point concerns the existence of analytic-
cal expressions for the electromagnetic field amplitudes
in each slab of the stack so that even if numerical calcu-
lations are needed to get them, they will not take the im-
portance they have in [1] and [5].

ky

z
exp i y

z
It is easy to transpose the analysis of Sec.3 to har-
monic plane waves
exp ii
yz
ky kz
0, 0
propagating in a
photonic meta-film [9] made of alternate slabs and
meta-slabs. It has been proved [10,11] that in a lossless
meta-material with
, the solutions of Max-
well’s equa-tions have a classical behaviour provided
that the refractive index n and the impedance Z are de-
fined as
12
n and



12
Z
. As a cones-
quence, when the TM plane wave (13), (16a) impinges
on a meta-slab, one has just to change in (35), (35a) k
and 1
into k
and 12
1
n. Taking into account these
conditions, the amplitudes of the electromagnetic field
inside and outside the metaslab are still supplied in Ap-
pendix B suggesting that only minor differences exist for
harmonic plane wave propagation in films and meta-
films. Of course, the same properties hold valid for TE
plane waves.
This result is confirmed in Appendix D where TM
wave propagation in a two layered film with slabs made
of dielectric or meta-dielectric is analyzed. The situation
is particularly inte-resting when so
that kz is pure imaginary. Then, the two layered film
behaves as a deforming mirror with a conjuguate com-
plex distortion factor for slabs and meta-slabs. This
analysis could be generalized to a stack of alternate slabs
22 220
y
nc k

221ma zma and meta-slabs
2a21 2mazm when .
2
10
5. References
[1] J. D. Joannopoulos, R. D. Meade and J. N.Winn,
“Photonic Crystals,” University Press, Singapore, 1995.
[2] H. Rignault, J. M.Loutioz, C. Delalande and A Levinson,
“La nanophotonique,” Lavoisier, Paris, 2005.
[3] A. Foroozesh and L. Shafai, “Wave Propagation in 1D
EBGs: Periodic Multilayer Films Consisting of Two Dif-
ferent Materials,” IEEE Antennas and Propagation
Magazine, Vol. 50, No. 2, 2008, pp. 175-182.
doi:10.1109/MAP.2008.4563628
[4] M. Born and E. Wolf, “Principles of Optics,” Pergamon,
Oxford, 1965.
[5] M. Nevière and E Popov, “Light Propagation in Periodic
Media,” Marcel Dekker, New York, 2003.
[6] I. V. Lindell, “Differential Forms in Electromagnetics,”
IEEE Press, Piscataway, 2004.
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JMP
P. HILLION
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JMP
195
[7] F. W. Hecht and Yu. N. Obukhov, “Foundations of Clas-
sical Electrodynamics,” Birkausen, Boston, 2003.
[8] Bossavit, “Differential Forms and the Computation of
Fields and Forces in Electromagnetism,” European
Journal Mechanics. B/Fluids, Vol. 10, No. 5, 1991, pp.
474-488.
[9] S. Linden and M. Wegener, “Photonic Metamaterial,”
International Symposium on Signals, ISSSE. 2007, pp.
147-150.
[10] J. B. Pendry, “Negative Refraction Makes a Perfect
Lens,” Physical Review Letters, Vol. 85, No. 18, 2000, pp.
3966-3969. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.85.3966
[11] R. W. Ziolkowski and E. Heyman, “Wave Propagation in
Media Having Negative Permittivity and Permeability,”
Physical Review E, Vol. 64, No. 5, 2001, pp. 1-15.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.64.056625
196 P. HILLION
Appendix A
Taking into account (10a), the expression
*1
ddA
 
H
becomes
1
1
1d
2mmjklk j
d
A
x

 Hx (A.1)
and, with 23
,
A
A deduced from 1
A
by a circular per-
mutation of ,,
x
yz a simple calculation gives

123
,,,, ,,
A
AxyzAyzxAzxy (A.2)
with

1,,,,d d
z
A
xyzxyz x y (A.3)
in which



12
22
,,
2
z
zxx yyxz yz
xxyy zxzxyzy
x
yzH HHH
HH
 


  
H
(A.4)
Using the divergence equation the first term
of (A.4) becomes
0
jj
H
j
jz
H
  while adding 2
z
zz
H


to the last two terms, they become
22
j
jzj zj
H
H


 
Taking into account these results,
,,
z
x
yz has a
simple expression in terms of the Laplacian and nabla
operators ,

12 2
,,
zzz
xyz HH

 
H
z
(A.5)
so that


12
1
2
,,
z
z
z
Axyz HH
dx dy



 

H
(A.6)
Substituting (A.6) into (A.2) gives finally with the ad
hoc circular permutations


12 2
12 2
12 2
dd
dd
dd
zzz
xxx
yyy
A
HH xy
H
Hyz
H
H




 
 

 


 

 

H
H
Hzx
(A.7)
Appendix B
We get from (37a) and (37b)

10
,
,
11
2
ir
ir
i
AAA
BAA
kk







(B.1)




0,
exp iexpi
tt
AB
A
AkkaBkkta






 (B.2)
in which
21
1exp
t
kk ka

 
i (B.3)
substituting (B.1) into the first equation (B.2) gives r
A
in terms of i
A
and
0
ir
AA
  
  
  (B.4)
Eliminating r
A
between (B.1) and (B.4) gives A, B in
terms of i
A
and substituting this result into the second
equation (B.2) supplies t
A
.
Al these results are valid for 1
, when 1
,
has to be changed into 2
n
so that according to
(B.1) and (B.3)



22
10
22
21
11,
2
1exp
i
t
nknk
nk nkka

 
i
(B.5)
Finally, in a meta-slab k is transformed into k and
these relations become



22
10
22
21
11,
2
1exp
i
t
nknk
nk nkka
 

i
(B.6)
while we get from the second relation (B.2)
 

exp iexpi
tt t
A
Ak kaBk ka



(B.7)
Appendix C
Taking into account (53) and (53a) and introducing the
functions
112
exp2,exp 2miak miak


 2
(C.1)
the relations (54) become
 
2212211212
22221 22111 1212
mmmm
mm m
ABAB
kABkAB
 
 


 

 
m

 
 
(C.2)
from which we get
22
,
mm
AB in terms of
21 21
,
mm
AB

 
 
11122112 2212112221
+
11122112 2212112221
2
2=
mm
mm
kB kkAkkB
kAkkAkkB
  
  
 
m
m


 
 (C.3)
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JMP
P. HILLION
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JMP
197
a
Similarly, according to (52) and (53a), the boundary
conditions at are
21zm
 
1212221 221
111211212 22222
mm mm
mmm
AB AB
kABkA
 
 
 

 

 



A
in which
m
(C.4)

1
22
exp21 i,
exp21 i
mak
mak
1

(C.5)
The relation (C.4) supplies in terms of
21 21
,
mm
AB

22
,
mm
AB

 
222211 112221 11222
222211 1122 21 11222
2
2
mm
mm
kA kkAkk
kB kkAkk
 
  

 
 
 
m
m
B
B
(C.6)
Appendix D
TM wave propagation in a two layered film
We consider the propagation of a TM harmonic plane
wave in a two layered film made of two slabs of thick-
ness a with permittivity-permeability couples
00
,
outside the film,

112 2
,,,

in the first and
second slab respectively. Then, the refractive index

12 0,1, 2j
jj
n

 
j, the plus sign for 0
j
,
0
j
, the minus sign for 0,
jj
0

.
For the TM wave (13), (16a), the components
x
H
,
y
E of the electromagnetic field have the expressions
(31)-(36) in which we use the following notations

12
12
22 22
,
,
1,
y
knc
n
kc n
vn






(D.1)
being either positive or pure imaginary. In addition,
the coeffficient that appears in each com-
ponent is deleted. Different situations exist according
that
exp iy
ky
is real or not and n positive implying ,
or negative with .
0k
0v0, 0v
0n
k
0,
Then, assuming jj
, ,
x
y
H
E have the
following expressions (j = 0, 1, 2)
00
0, i
zkn

 
00
exp i,expi
1exp i,1expi
ir
xixri
ir
yiiyr
HAkz HAkz
EvAkzEvA k

 i
z
(D.2)
111
0,zakn c

 : incident and reflected fields


1
111 1
1
111 11
exp iexpi
1exp iexpi
x
y
HA kzBkz
EvAkzB kz

 
(D.3)
222
2,azaknc

 : field in the second slab


2
2222
2
222 22
exp iexpi
1expi expi
x
y
HA kzBkz
EvAkzBkz

 
(D.4)
00
2,zakt nc

 : field above the two layered
film


0
exp i,
1expi
t
xt t
t
yt
HA kz
EvAk
 t
z
a
(D.5)
The boundary conditions at , give
the following relations between the
0,,2zzaz
the amplitudes A
0z
:

1
11
011
,
11
ir
ir
AA AB
vAAvA B

 

(D.6)
z
a
:
c

 : incident and reflected fields

  
11112222
111112 2222
exp iexpiexpiexpi
1exp iexpi1exp iexpi
AkaBka AkaBka
vAkaBkavAka Bka
 



(D.7)
2za:

 

222 2
222 220
exp 2iexp2iexp 2i
1exp iexpi1exp i
tt
tt
AkaBkaAka
vAka BkavAka




(D.8)
The fields (D.3), (D.4) are invariant under the inver-
sions corres-ponding to the
exchange slab meta-slab so that it does not matter
whether the slabs are made of dielectric or meta-dielec-
tric, the solutions of the equations (D.6)-(D.8) will be the
same in any case.

,, ,,,,knABk nBA 
We get at once from (D.8) in terms of an arbitrary am-
plitude X
 


222
202 2
exp i,
exp i
A
vv kaX
BvvkaX

 (D.9)
S
ubstituting (D.9) into (D.7) gives
198 P. HILLION
 
 




1111 022022
1111120220 22
exp iexpiexpiexp i
1exp iexpi1expiexp i
AkaBkavvkavv kaX
vAkaBkavvvkavvkaX

 

 

(D.10)
from which we get

111221 1122
2,;,,2 ,;,
A
kvk vXBkvkvX

 (D.11)

11 2 212121212
,; ,,expi,expikvkvvvkk avvkk a
 



(D.11a)

1
120221 2
,vvvvvv v
 (D.11b)
But we get from (D.6)

01 101 101 101 1
211 a)211 b
ir
AvvA vvBAvvA vvB  ) (D.12)
and, substituting (D.11) into (D.12a) gives



1
011122011 122
41,;,1,; ,i
X
vvkvkvvvkvkvA


 

(D.13)
Once X ob X tained from (D.13), the relations (D.11)
and (D.12b) supply respectively
11
,
A
B and r
A
. Sub-
stituting (D.13) into (D.9) gives 2
2
,
A
B and finally
t
A
is obtained from the first relation (D.8) which
achieves to determine the amplitudes of the TM har-
monic plane wave in the two layered film, a result that
does not depend, as said earlier, whether one has to deal
with slabs or meta-slabs.
We now assume that in the first slab , is
pure imaginary giving birth to an evanes-cent wave so
that since , 1 are changed into 11
, the compo-
nents
0za
v
1
k
1
,
viik
1
x
y
H
E in this slab become with , > 0
1
k1
v

 

1
1111
1
11111
exp exp
iexpexp0
x
y
HA kzBkaz
EvAkzBkazz



a


(D.14)
{in a meta-slab where , < 0, (D.14) is defined with
1
k1
v
1
exp kz and
z
1
exp ka
}
The boundary conditions are at
0z



11 1
01111
exp ,
1iexp
ir
ir
AA ABkaX
vAAvABkaX

 
(D.15)
and at za

  
1112222
211122222
expexp iexpi
i1exp1exp iexpi
AkaBAkaBka
vAkaB vAkaBka

 
 
 
(D.16)
Substituting (D.9) valid for a slab or a meta-slab, into
(D.16) gives


1112
1122
2exp ;,
2;,
2
,
A
kav kv
Bvkv
 (D.17)


122 122
12 2
;,,expi
,expi
vk vvvka
vv ka




1
120221 2
,,,ivvvvvv v
 (D.17b)
But, we get from (D.15)
01 101 11
21i1i exp
i
A
vvAvvB ka (D.18a)
01 101 11
21i1iexp
r
A
vvAvvBka (D.18b)
(D.17a)
and, substituting (D.17) into (D.18a) gives




1
††
01 1221012221
41i;,exp1i; ,expi
X
vvvkvkavvvkvka A


 

(D.19)
Once X obtained from (D.19), the relations (D.17),
(D.18b) supply respectively 11
,
A
B and r
A
. Substi-
tuting (D.19) into (D.9) gives 2
,2
A
B and finally t
A
from the first relation (D.8).
Let us explicit the amplitudes A. Neglecting the sec-
ond term that depends on exp(k1a) in the coefficient of
Ai, the expression (D.19) reduces to


1
01 1221
41i;,exp
X
vv vkvka

 

(D.20)
so that according to (D.17) in which may be deleted
for the same reason,
1
B

1
1011
21 i,0
i
AvvAB
 (D.21)
and, substituting (D.21) into (D.18) gives
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JMP
P. HILLION
199

1
10101
1i 1ii
A
vvvv A
  (D.22)
while according to (D.9) and to the first relation (D.8),
the amplitudes 22
,,
t
A
BA, depend on
1
exp ka.
Then, we get from (D.22) 22
ri
implying that
the two layered film behaves as a mirror giving a distorted
image because of the factor

1
01 01
1i 1ivv vv

changed into its con-juguate complex for a meta-slab.
A
A
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. JMP