Strong nonreciprocity of phonon polaritons of an insulator at its boundary with an ideal metal or superconductor in a magnetic field

Surface phonon polaritons in a semi-infinite insulator in a constant magnetic field at the boundary with an ideal metal or a superconductor have been considered. These phonon polaritons are induced by dynamic magnetoelectric interaction, which exists in the presence of a magnetic field. The modes of these surface polaritons appreciably differ in opposite directions of the magnetic field or the propagation of the wave. As a result, polaritons of a given optical or infrared frequency propagate only in one direction with respect to the magnetic field, which is the effect of rectification of surface electromagnetic waves. The inversion of the magnetic field results in 'switching on' or 'switching off' of surface polaritons. The existence of radiant surface polariton modes is predicted. (author)