The effect of optical non-reciprocity in multilayer nanostructure systems based on Bi

In multilayer non-magnetic structures with island layers Bi ([Bi–Al$_2$O$_3$]$_{\mathrm{N}}$) – at room temperature, an abnormally large optical non-reciprocity effect was detected. It is shown that this effect can be closely related to the behavior of dielectric permittivity in Bi nanostructured layers. It is found that in these multilayer island systems, the metallic nature of the optical response of the dielectric constant (Re$(\varepsilon)<$ 0) is observed $<$ 0) in the optical range when the thickness of the dielectric layer of Al$_2$O$_3$ is less than 1.6 nm. It is assumed that the island systems [Bi–Al$_2$O$_3$]$_{\mathrm{N}}$ exhibit the properties of “left” metamaterials with negative $\mu$ and $\varepsilon$ in the optical range.