Anderson localization of light in disordered superlattices containing graphene layers

Chaves, A.J., Peres, N.M.R. and Pinheiro, F.A. (2015) Anderson localization of light in disordered superlattices containing graphene layers. Physical Review B, 92 (19), 1-10. (doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.92.195425).

Record type: Article

Abstract

We perform a theoretical investigation of light propagation and Anderson localization in one-dimensional disordered superlattices composed of dielectric stacks with graphene sheets in between. Disorder is introduced either on graphene material parameters (e.g., Fermi energy) or on the widths of the dielectric stacks. We derive an analytic expression for the localization length (xi), and we compare it to numerical simulations using the transfer-matrix technique; a very good agreement is found. We demonstrate that the presence of graphene may strongly attenuate the anomalously delocalized Brewster modes, and it is at the origin of a periodic dependence of (xi) on frequency, in contrast to the usual asymptotic decay, (xi) is proportional to (omega)-2. By unveiling the effects of graphene on Anderson localization of light, we pave the way for new applications of graphene-based, disordered photonic devices in the THz spectral range.

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