Plasmon-polariton gap and associated phenomenon of optical bistability in photonic hypercrystals

Photonic hypercrystals are a novel type of metamaterial combining the properties of photonic crystals and hyperbolic metamaterials. The transmission of transverse magnetic polarized light through photonic hypercrystal is studied. Along with the conventional gaps, the angular incidence of such radiation at the plasmon frequency of the perpendicular component of permittivity tensor of hyperbolic metamaterials gives rise to the appearance of the unconventional plasmon-polariton gap. Some properties of this gap and the associated phenomenon of optical bistability at the edge of this gap are explored. •Photonic hypercrystals combine the best of photonic crystals and hyperbolic metamaterials.•The transmission of light through such structures gives rise to gaps for high-k waves.•Plasmon-polariton gap is an unconventional gap appearing at oblique incidence of transverse polarized light.•Optical bistability is studied at the lower edge of the plasmon-polariton gap.•Optical bistability for high-k waves can be utilized in all optical devices in high resolution range.