Hamiltonian optics of hyperbolic polaritons in nanogranules

Abstract

Semiclassical quantization rules and numerical calculations are applied to study polariton modes of materials whose permittivity tensor has principal values of opposite sign (so-called hyperbolic materials). The spectra of volume- and surface-confined polaritons are computed for spheroidal nanogranules of hexagonal boron nitride, a natural hyperbolic crystal. The field distribution created by polaritons excited by an external dipole source is predicted to exhibit ray-like patterns due to classical periodic orbits. Near-field infrared imaging and Purcell-factor measurements are suggested to test these predictions.