Asymmetrical plasmonic absorber and reflector based on tilted Weyl semimetals

Abstract

Abstract We investigate the surface plasmon polariton dispersion and optical spectra of a thin film of tilted Weyl semimetal. Tilted Weyl semimetals possess tilted Weyl cones at the Weyl nodes and are categorized to type-I with closed Fermi surfaces and type-II with overtilted Weyl cones and open Fermi surfaces. We find that the surface plasmon polariton dispersion of this system is nonreciprocal even in the absence of the external magnetic field. Moreover, we demonstrate that the tilt parameter has a profound effect in controlling this nonreciprocity. We reveal that the thin film of type-II Weyl semimetal hosts the surface plasmon polariton modes with the negative group velocity. Furthermore, we show that the angular optical spectra of this structure are highly asymmetric and this angular asymmetry in the absorptivity and reflectivity depends profoundly on the tilt parameter of the tilted Weyl semimetal. These exciting features propose employing the tilted Weyl semimetals in optical sensing devices, optical data storage, and devices for quantum information processing.