Experimental excitation of the Dyakonov–Tamm wave in the grating-coupled configuration

The Dyakonov–Tamm wave was experimentally excited along the periodically corrugated interface of magnesium fluoride as the isotropic homogeneous partnering material and a zinc–selenide chiral sculptured thin film (STF) as the anisotropic and periodically nonhomogeneous partnering material. The total transmittance of a $p$-polarized 633 nm laser beam was measured as a function of the angle of incidence for several thicknesses of the chiral STF to identify those dips in total transmittance that are indicative of the excitation of a Dyakonov–Tamm wave.