Observation of the Uller-Zenneck wave

Abstract

The Uller-Zenneck wave has been theoretically predicted to exist at the planar interface of two homogeneous dielectric materials of which only one must be dissipative. Experimental confirmation of this century-old prediction was obtained experimentally by exciting the Uller-Zenneck wave as a Floquet harmonic of non-zero order at the periodically corrugated interface of air and crystalline silicon in the 400-to-900-nm spectral regime. Application for intra-chip optical interconnects at ~850 nm appears promising.