Asymmetric hyperbolic metamaterials

Optically thin absorbers, based on asymmetric hyperbolic metamaterials: If an optical axis of the hyperbolic metamaterial is tilted with respect to the interfaces of a planar slab, it exhibits asymmetry in the properties of waves propagating upward and downward with respect to the interfaces. Under an appropriate choice of the material parameters it results in a very large wave attenuation constant under perfect matching of the layer with free space. Asymmetric hyperbolic media can be fabricated from different materials such as aligned carbon nanotubes, graphene, noble and some other metals.