Metal-free quantum-based metamaterial for surface plasmon polariton guiding with amplification

We propose an artificial material, based on inclusions of low-dimensional quantum structures made of AlN/GaN semiconductor layers, in a similar setting to that of a quantum cascade amplifier. By a proper quantum-dispersion engineering, this metamaterial can be used as a nonmetallic guide of surface plasmon polaritons in the optical regime with the added benefit of amplification and modulation. Advanced dispersion engineering of this quantum system is detailed here and due to the rapid development of the epitaxial growth of such material, we expect that the full set of the required material parameters will be realized in the near future. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.2978208]