Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026

Direct Imaging of Laser-driven Ultrafast Molecular Rotation
Published on: February 4, 2017
Observation of the Dyakonov-Tamm wave
Drew Patrick Pulsifer1, Muhammad Faryad1, Akhlesh Lakhtakia1
1Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.
Abstract:
A surface electromagnetic wave called the Dyakonov-Tamm wave has been theoretically predicted to exist at the interface of two dielectric materials at least one of which is both anisotropic and periodically nonhomogeneous. For experimental confirmation, a prism-coupled configuration was used to excite Dyakonov-Tamm waves guided by the interface of a dense thin film of magnesium fluoride and a chiral sculptured thin film of zinc selenide. The excitation was indicated by a reflection dip (with respect to the angle of incidence in the prism-coupled configuration) that is independent of the polarization state of the incident light as well as the thicknesses of both partnering materials beyond some thresholds. Applications to optical sensing and long-range on-chip communication are expected.
More Related Videos
11:27Studying Soft-matter and Biological Systems over a Wide Length-scale from Nanometer and Micrometer Sizes at the Small-angle Neutron Diffractometer KWS-2
Published on: December 8, 2016
07:42Rapid Repetition Rate Fluctuation Measurement of Soliton Crystals in a Microresonator
Published on: December 15, 2021
Related Concept Videos
Doppler Effect - II
Propagation of Waves
Consider a scenario where a wave propagates from a string of low linear mass density to a string of high linear mass density. In such a case, the reflected wave is out of phase with respect to the incident wave, however the...
Doppler Effect - I
Reflection of Waves
Interference and Diffraction
Equations of Wave Motion