论文部分内容阅读
Based on the orthogonality relations among the modes in left-handed-material (LHM) slab waveguides (SWGs),we derive the coupled equations among the modes caused by imperfect surfaces, and compute the transmission loss due to mode conversion. The computation shows that the transmission loss is very large, which is due to three facts: (1) there exist slow waves in the LHM SWG, whose electric field is mainly distributed in the surface; (2) the absence of fundamental node-less modes, so the fundamental modes have a node, whose electric field is also mainly distributed in the surface; and (3) the different focusing effects of the random RHM and LHM imperfections cause the electric field to suffer from severe deformations aggravated by the electric field distribution of the guided wave and the slow wave, which of course dissipates the power carried by the guided wave more severely. Therefore, we can safely conclude that the LHM SWG is unsuitable for transmitting the fundamental modes with a node.