Polymer-loaded propagating modes on a one-dimensional photonic crystal

We numerically and experimentally demonstrate that a polymer film-coated one-dimensional photonic crystal (1DPC) can sustain transverse electric (TE) polarized modes without the limit of guided layer's thickness. Our results indicate that two propagating modes are existing inside the polymer film, the first one is the TE polarized Bloch surface wave, and the second one is the TE polarized guided mode. Here in, the evolution of these two modes with change in the polymer film thickness is presented. Our numerical simulation results are in well-agreement with the experimental data obtained using back focal plane imaging. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.