Grating-coupled excitation of the Uller-Zenneck surface wave in the optical regime

The excitation of the Uller-Zenneck surface wave in the optical regime was theoretically investigated for planar as well as periodically corrugated interfaces of two homogeneous, isotropic dielectric materials, with only one of the two being dissipative. A practical configuration involving the plane-wave illumination of a planar interface of the two partnering materials was found to be unsuitable for experimental confirmation of the existence of this surface wave. But, when the interface was periodically corrugated, the Uller-Zenneck wave was found to be excited over a wide range of angles of incidence. Air and crystalline silicon were identified as suitable partnering materials for experiments in the visible and ultraviolet spectral regimes.