Backward Tamm states in left-handed metamaterials

The authors study the electromagnetic surface waves localized at an interface separating a one-dimensional photonic crystal and left-handed metamaterial, the so-called surface Tamm states. They demonstrate that the metamaterial allows for a flexible control of the dispersion properties of surface states and can support the Tamm states with a backward energy flow and a vortexlike structure. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.