Tamm states of one-dimensional metal-dielectric photonic crystal

The authors employ the Bloch theorem of periodic structures and transfer matrix method to study the Tamm states supported in the surface of a semi-infinite one-dimensional (1D) metal-dielectric photonic crystal (PC) that is adjacent to an air background. The authors find that the optical properties of the Tamm states are quite different between the transverse magnetic (TM) wave and electric (TE) wave. The Tamm state properties are also sensitive to the stack sequence of the PC. Owing to the surface plasmon resonance on the surface of metal, the Tamm states of 1D metal-dielectric PC take on some unusual properties including the straight dispersion curve, extremely slow group velocity and large range of frequencies.