Bistable diode action in left-handed periodic structures

Abstract

We study nonlinear transmission of an asymmetric multilayer structure created by alternating slabs of two materials with positive and negative refractive indices. We demonstrate that such a structure exhibits passive spatially nonreciprocal transmission of electromagnetic waves, the analog of the electronic diode. We study the properties of this left-handed diode and confirm its highly nonreciprocal and bistable transmittance by employing direct simulations.