Spoof Surface Waves on Non Conducting Structured Interfaces

Abstract

Spoof surface waves are demonstrated theoretically to propagate along periodic corrugated surfaces made of non-conductive lossless materials with positive permittivity. An analytic derivation of the Spoof surface wave dispersion relation is presented in the case of deeply subwavelength period of a corrugated structure using impedance boundary conditions at the interfaces. Thus obtained dispersion relation is verified numerically and limitations as well as physicality of impedance boundary conditions when modeling Spoof surface waves are discussed. Finally, suitable materials, potential experimental realization, and sensing applications of Spoof surface waves in the terahertz spectral range are discussed.