Magneto-optical properties of asymmetric one-dimensional magneto-photonic crystals

Abstract We analytically investigate the magneto-optical properties of asymmetric one-dimensional magneto-photonic crystals (MPCs) by using our previously presented coupled mode description. We show that an MPC with one magnetic defect, placed asymmetrically, provides the same number of degrees of freedom as a symmetric double-defect MPC. Consequently, an asymmetric single-defect MPC allows arbitrary transmittance and Faraday rotation at the central frequency, just as a symmetric double-defect MPC, and hence a desired performance can be obtained by the more compact single-defect structure. However, the possible ranges of performance are more restricted than the possible ranges of a double-defect MPC. We present the synthesis relations to design the single-defect MPC. In a similar manner, we show that an asymmetric double-defect MPC provides more degrees of freedom than either a symmetric double-defect or an asymmetric single-defect MPC. The excessive degree allows us to design a more compact MPC than the symmetric double-defect MPCs for a desirable central frequency performance, in the wide possible range that double-defect structures provide.