Long-range propagation of plasmon polaritons in a thin metal film on a one-dimensional photonic crystal surface

We present experimental results on ultralong-range surface plasmon polaritons, propagating in a thin metal film on a one-dimensional (1D) photonic crystal surface over a distance of several millimeters. This propagation length is about 2 orders of magnitude higher than the one in the ordinary Kretschmann configuration at the same optical frequency. We show that a long-range surface plasmon polaritons propagation may take place not only in a (quasi)symmetrical scheme, where a thin metal film is located between two media with (approximately) the same refraction index, but also in a scheme where the thin metal film is located between an appropriate 1D photonic crystal and an arbitrary (air, water, etc.) medium. The ultralong-range surface plasmon polaritons are potentially important for biosensors, plasmonics, and other applications.     

Theory of surface plasmon polaritons in truncated superlattices

A theoretical investigation has been made of surface plasmon polariton modes in truncated superlattices using a local theory with retardation. The modes are characterized by electric fields that decay exponentially away from each interface and that have an envelope that decays exponentially away from the end of the truncated superlattice. A criterion for the existence of the surface models is developed. Numerical results are presented for several illustrative cases.     

Exciton polaritons in quantum-dot photonic crystals

We present a theory of the photonic band structure of three-dimensional arrays of quantum dots (QDs). A system of Maxwell’s and material equations is solved and the dispersion equation for exciton-polaritons is derived making allowance for a nonlocal dielectric response of quasi-zero-dimensional excitons confined in QDs. The reflection and transmission coefficients are calculated for a single plane, a pair of planes and a stack of equidistant planes of QDs. Two different approaches are proposed to perform a calculation. One of them is based on recurrent equations relating the reflection coefficients for N + 1 and N planes, while in the other approach the Bloch solutions for an infinite QD lattice are used.     

Waveguide plasmon polaritons in metal-dielectric photonic crystal slabs

The optical properties of arrays of metallic (gold) nanowires deposited on dielectric substrates are studied both theoretically and experimentally. Depending on the substrate, Wood’s anomalies of two types are observed in the transmission spectra of such planar metal-dielectric photonic crystals. One of them is diffraction (Rayleigh) anomalies associated with the opening of diffraction channels to the substrate or air with an increase in the frequency of the incident light. The other type of Wood’s anomaly is resonance anomalies associated with excitation of surface quasi-guided modes in the substrate. Coupling of the quasi-guided modes with individual nanowire plasmons brings about the formation of waveguide plasmon polaritons. This effect is accompanied by a strong rearrangement of the optical spectrum and can be utilized to control the photonic bands of metal-dielectric photonic crystal slabs.     

Optical isolator based on nonreciprocal coupling of two Tamm plasmon polaritons

In this paper, we have studied the one-dimensional photonic crystal (PC) including a magneto-optical metal defect using the developed transfer matrix method for magnetic materials. Around the two interfaces between metal and one-dimensional PC, two nonsymmetric Tamm magneto-plasmon polaritons may be excited and coupled. The coupled states take on a clear nonreciprocal behavior and result in nonreciprocal transmission. The results are demonstrated through electromagnetic field distribution simulations based on finite element software. It provides a useful reference to realize optical isolator design.     

Tamm states and nonlinear surface modes in photonic crystals

We predict the existence of surface gap modes, known as Tamm states for electronic systems, in truncated photonic crystals formed by two types of dielectric rods. We investigate the energy threshold, dispersion, and modal symmetries of the surface modes, and also demonstrate the existence and tunability of nonlinear Tamm states in binary photonic crystals with nonlinear response.     

Exciton polaritons of nano-spherical-particle photonic crystals in compound lattices

Nonlocal investigations are presented for exciton-photon coupling in three-dimensional nano-spherical-particle photonic crystals in compound lattices for a tailored dielectric environment to optimize the optical properties of nano particles. The photonic band structure can be modified by tuning the nano particle size and the distance between two interlacing identical face-centered sub-lattices making up the photonic crystal lattice. A complete photonic band gap with a gap-midgap ratio as large as 40.82% has been found in the wurzite structure under the current investigation.     

Dispersion of cylindrical surface plasmon polaritons in layered structures

The problem of the existence of cylindrical surface plasmon polaritons on thin metal conductors is considered. A dispersion relation is obtained and analyzed, the domain of existence of dispersion curve with a maximum is found, and parametric relations are derived.     

Magneto-phonon polaritons in two-dimension antiferromagnetic/ion-crystalic photonic crystals

Magneto-phonon polaritons in a two-dimension photonic crystal (PC) are discussed. This PC is constructed by embedding a periodical square lattice of ionic-crystal cylinders into an antiferromagnet. The two media are dispersive, with their individual resonant frequencies near each other. We first set up an effective-medium method to obtain the effective magnetic permeability and dielectric permittivity of the PC, followed by the dispersion relations of surface and bulk polaritons. There are a number of new surface polaritons, and two new distinctive bulk polariton bands in which the negative refraction and left-handedness can appear. The numerical calculations are based on the example, FeF₂/TlBr PC.     

Woodpile photonic crystals composed of air columns

Silicon-based woodpile photonic crystals (PhCs) composed of air columns have a large gap/midgap ratio exceeding 20% over a wide dimensional range of the cross section of the air column when the cross section is deformed to a rectangular shape extended normal to the stacking direction. Such a PhC structure can be formed using a simple technique based on 45° dry etching. Furthermore, introducing twin air columns with small cross sections instead of corresponding mother air columns yields a defect state at the region where the columns cross. Since the fabrication process is a planar-type Si wafer process, fabricated PhCs can be easily combined with conventional electronic circuits and optical elements, such as Si waveguides and switches.     

Surface Tamm states in one-dimensional photonic crystals containing anisotropic indefinite metamaterials

Silica-based Yb 3+-doped glass is prepared by non-chemical vapor deposition.The drawn photonic crystal fiber(PCF) has a strong absorption at 976 nm and emission wavelength of approximately 1 037 nm.The intensity and spectral lineshape of the near infrared(NIR) luminescence of the Yb3+-doped PCF are recorded and discussed in terms of excitation power,excitation wavelength,fiber length,and Yb3+ ion concentration.The emission intensifies as the excitation power and Yb3+ ion concentration increase.The intensity of the shorter wavelength side of the luminescence spectrum decreases as the length of the PCF increases.     

Propagation of surface plasmon polaritons in anisotropic MIM and IMI structures

Electromagnetic wave propagation through waveguide structures consisting of anisotropic dielectric layers, assisted by surface plasmon-polaritons (SPPs) is theoretically studied. Dispersion relations corresponding to both short range and long range coupled SPP modes in metal/insulator/metal (MIM) and insulator/metal/insulator (IMI) structures, taking into consideration the anisotropy of the insulator, are derived and numerically solved. The dispersion has a prominent dependence on the anisotropy of the dielectric environment. The dependence of propagation on the misalignments of the optic axes of the insulator has also been investigated.     

Coupled-mode approach to surface plasmon polaritons in nonlinear periodic structures

We present a coupled-mode theory describing light propagation in an array of nonlinear plasmonic waveguides. Our model predicts a two-band dependence of the propagation constant versus transverse quasi-momentum and existence of discrete and gap plasmon solitons.     

类特异材料半导体复合结构中的电子Tamm态

通过选取具有特殊能带结构的半导体材料碲镉汞(Hg_1-xCd_xTe), 类比电磁体系得到了电子体系中的类单负材料、类双负材料等类特异材料, 然后将其组合成一维复合异质结构. 通过数值计算, 发现复合结构中存在新型电子Tamm态, 包括返向电子Tamm态和含类近零折射率材料复合结构中的电子Tamm态. 这些结果拓展了人们对电子Tamm态的认识.     

Fabrication and optical properties of 3D composite photonic crystals of core-shell structures

Three-dimensional (3D) composite colloidal photonic crystals with SiO₂ core and ZnO shell were fabricated on borosilicate glass (BSG) substrate by a two-stage deposition method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements show that both the pre-deposited SiO₂ and SiO₂/ZnO core-shell structures are oriented with their (1 1 1) axes parallel to the substrates. Optical measurement reveals that the periodic arrays exhibit a photonic band gap in the (1 1 1) direction. The optical properties of SiO₂/ZnO core-shell structures strongly depend on the size dispersions of colloidal spheres and the intrinsic defects in the sample.     

Propagation of surface plasmon polaritons through gradient index and periodic structures

We study propagation of surface electromagnetic waves along a metallic surface covered by various layered dielectric structures. We show that strong radiative losses, typical for scattering of a surface wave, can be considerably suppressed when a single dielectric step is substituted by gradient index or periodic layered structure.     

基于金属表面等离子激元控制光束的新进展

表面等离子激元(Surface plasmon polaritons,SPPs)是一种在金属-介质界面上激发并耦合电荷密度起伏的电磁振荡,具有近场增强、表面受限、短波长等特性,在纳米光子学的研究中扮演着重要角色。近年来表面等离子光学和基于SPPs的纳米光子器件的研究引起了国际上科学家们的广泛关注。讨论了SPPs的基本原理和在亚波长结构下的光学特性,介绍了基于亚波长金属结构的表面等离子激元在空间光束准直与聚焦、平面内光束聚焦与传导和在近场纳米光束的控制等方面的研究情况,以及在纳米光子学器件中的潜在应用。     

Radiative plasmon polaritons in multilayer structures with a two-dimensional electron gas

Two-dimensional plasmon polaritons are analyzed for a typical experimental configuration in which a layer of two-dimensional electrons with a finite mobility lies on the top of a dielectric waveguide formed by the substrate (a wafer of finite thickness). Two-dimensional plasmons couple strongly to the radiative modes of this dielectric waveguide. It is shown that, as a result of the competition between collisional and radiative processes, a family of eight quasi-stationary normal modes arises. Six of them decay carrying energy to infinity. The two remaining plasmon-polariton modes are nonradiative. One of these modes, the TM-type plasmon polariton, in the limiting case where retardation is disregarded corresponds to the conventional longitudinal two-dimensional plasmon. The other mode, the TE-type plasmon polariton, exists only for a finite thickness of the substrate. All of them are characterized by different dispersion relations of the complex frequency ω(q) = Reω + iImω and differ in both polarization (longitudinal and transverse) and symmetry with respect to the direction of decay (symmetric and asymmetric). The latter modes decay slowly, propagating into free space to plus or minus infinity. The conditions under which the Q factors of certain modes are arbitrarily high are found. In this case, Imω(q ₀) = 0, and dissipative losses in the two-dimensional electron gas are compensated by external sources. As a result, the reflection coefficient for a plane wave whose angle of incidence is determined by the vector q ₀ vanishes.     

Surface plasmon polaritons and their role in the enhanced transmission of light through periodic arrays of subwavelength holes in a metal film

We present results of the transmitted, reflected, and absorbed power associated with the enhanced transmittance of light through a silver film pierced by a periodic array of subwavelength holes. Comparing experimentally acquired dispersion curves under different polarization conditions shows that the transmission features of the array are consistent with p-polarized resonant modes of the structure. By exploring the regime in which no propagating diffracted orders are allowed, we further show that the transmittance maxima are associated with both reflectance minima and absorption maxima. These new results provide strong experimental evidence for transmission based on diffraction, assisted by the enhanced fields associated with surface plasmon polaritons.