Optical Bloch oscillations in periodic structures with metamaterials

Abstract

We predict that optical Bloch oscillations can be observed in layered structures with left-handed metamaterials and zero average refractive index where the layer thickness varies linearly across the structure. We demonstrate a new type of the Bloch oscillations associated with coupled surface waves excited at the interfaces between the layers with left-handed material and conventional dielectric.

3 pages, 5 postscript figures