Propagation dynamics of vortex electromagnetic waves in dispersive left-handed materials

The interactions between electromagnetic (EM) waves and Metamaterials have always been considered as research focus of electronic information science and technology. In this work, we focus on the dynamical properties of EM waves with vortex structure propagating in left-handed materials (LHMs) exhibiting dispersive characteristics. The analytical expressions for the electric and magnetic field components of vortex EM waves without the limitation of the paraxial condition are derived using the spectral domain method. A canonical approach is utilized to explore the dynamical properties, including the energy, momentum, spin and orbital angular momentum, of vortex EM waves in dispersive LHMs. Numerical results show that the orientation of transverse energy flow in the LHM is reversed compared to that in the free space. The waves with higher angular frequency are beneficial to improve the dynamical characteristics. Furthermore, the topological charge and polarization state have a significant effect on the dynamical quantities. This study is expected to provide useful insights into the interactions of vortex EM waves with metamaterials, and their further applications.

Automated summary

This study focuses on the dynamical properties of vortex electromagnetic waves propagating in dispersive left-handed materials (LHMs), using the spectral domain method to derive analytical expressions for the electric and magnetic field components. It is found that the direction of transverse energy flow in LHMs is reversed compared to free space, higher angular frequency waves improve dynamical characteristics, and topological charge and polarization state significantly affect dynamical quantities.