The transmission properties of a one-dimensional photonic crystal containing two kinds of single-negative (permittivity- or permeability-negative) media are studied theoretically. We show that this structure can possess a type of photonic gap with zero effective phase $\left({\varphi }_{\text{eff}}\right)$. The zero-${\varphi }_{\text{eff}}$ gap distinguishes itself from a Bragg gap in that it is invariant with a change of scale length and is insensitive to thickness fluctuation. In contrast to a photonic gap corresponding to zero averaged refractive index, the zero-${\varphi }_{\text{eff}}$ gap can be made very wide by varying the ratio of the thicknesses of two media. An equivalent transmission-line model is utilized to explain the properties. A photonic quantum-well structure based on zero-${\varphi }_{\text{eff}}$ gaps is proposed as a multiple channeled filter that is compact and robust against disorder.

• Received 14 February 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.69.066607