Fundamental modes of a nonsymmetric planar metamaterial waveguide

The properties of fundamental (lower) guided wave modes propagating in a nonsymmetric planar metamaterial waveguide are considered. A graphical approach is applied for the analysis of their dispersion characteristics oriented toward the determination of the waveguide’s parameters ensuring the propagation of these waves in the waveguide. It is shown that, a nonsymmetric waveguide, as a symmetric one, can support both forward and backward wave modes.