Electromagnetic Surface Waves

Chapter 5

Tamm Waves

5.1 Introduction

Chapters 2 and 4 provide descriptions of surface-wave propagation when both partnering materials are homogeneous. This is the first chapter in this book wherein at least one of the two partnering materials is periodically nonhomogeneous normal to the interface guiding surface waves. Both partnering materials are isotropic dielectric, and the specific type of surface waves are called Tamm waves.

Igor Yevgenyevich Tamm did not discover or predict this class of surface waves, but these waves are named after him because he pointed out that electron states at the surface of a material of finite extent are different from the electron states inside the same material [47]. The optical analog of a surface electron state ...