Inverse Photonic Design of Functional Elements That Focus Bloch Surface Waves

Bloch surface waves (BSWs) are surface states excited at the interface between a one-dimensional dielectric photonic crystal (1D-PC) and some ambient material. They are promising alternatives to propagating surface plasmon polaritons thanks to their much longer propagation lengths (up to thousand times the wavelength) that is not limited by absorption and the opportunity to excite them in both polarizations. They are currently considered for multiple applications in integrated optical systems or for sensing devices [1].