Localization length calculations in alternating metamaterial-birefringent disordered layered stacks

A detailed theoretical and numerical analysis of the localization length in alternating metamaterial-birefringent random layered stacks, under uncorrelated thickness-disorder, has been performed. Similar structures have recently been reported to suppress the Brewster delocalization for $\it{p}$-polarized light, when "standard" isotropic layers (with positive index of refraction) are considered instead of metamaterial layers, providing a generic means to produce polarization-insensitive, broadband reflections. However, this enhancement of localization is valid for short wavelengths $λ$ compared to the mean layer thickness $a_0$. At higher wavelengths, we recover the Brewster anomalies for $\it{p}$-polarized states impeding a remarkable localization of light. To achieve a better localization for a wider range of wavelengths, we replaced the conventional isotropic layers by negative-index metamaterials presenting low losses and constant index of refraction over the near-infrared range. As a result, our numerical calculations exhibit a linear dependence of the localization length with $λ$ (in the region $5 <λ/a_0 < 60$) reducing the Brewster anomalies in more than two orders of magnitude with respect to the standard isotropic scheme at oblique incidence. This enhancement of localization is practically independent of the thickness disorder kind and is also held under weak refractive-index disorder.

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