Unidirectional manipulation of surface plasmon polariton by dual-nanocavity in a T-shaped waveguide

A structure of two dimensional T-shaped metal-insulator-metal waveguide with dual-nanocavity is proposed. The two nanocavities located at each side of the slit on the lower metallic surface, act as band rejection filters and are capable of stopping the surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) at the resonant wavelengths. The Fabry-Perot interferometry theory and the Finite-Difference-Time-Domain method are utilized to investigate the proposed waveguide. The numerical results demonstrate the realization of miniaturized photonic devices for effectively switching the SPPs propagation between the left and right waveguides in one direction.     

Graded-index ridge surface plasmon polaritons waveguide

We propose and analyze a long-range dielectric-loaded surface plasmon polariton （SPP） waveguide based on graded-index ridge over server millimeter distances. Then the influence of the dielectric thickness and the ridge refractive index on propagation length and mode width is discussed and simulated with the finite ele- ment raethod. The result shows that the SPP can propagate as long as 3.42 mm, as well as the mode width keeping as 1.64μm, a better one compared with the fixed refractive index. Considering its nanoscale dimension and outstanding performance, the structure is easily realized when connected with electrodes.     

Nonlinear resonance-enhanced excitation of surface plasmon polaritons

We theoretically investigate nonlinear resonance-enhanced excitation of surface plasmon polaritons in a metal coated by a one-dimensional photonic crystal. Tunneling modes above the air-light line can be directly excited in this structure. Then, with suitable parameters, photon energy and momentum conservation between the tunneling mode and the surface plasmon polaritons can be realized by means of nonlinear four-wave mixing. Compared with the nonlinear excitation of surface plasmon polaritons in a bulk metal [Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 266802 (2009)], the conversion efficiency in our structure is noticeably enhanced.     

Nonlinear excitation of surface plasmon polaritons by four-wave mixing

We demonstrate nonlinear excitation of surface plasmons on a gold film by optical four-wave mixing. Two excitation beams of frequencies omega(1) and omega(2) are used in a modified Kretschmann configuration to induce a nonlinear polarization at a frequency of omega(4wm)=2omega(1)-omega(2), which gives rise to surface plasmon excitation at a frequency of omega(4wm). We observe a characteristic plasmon dip at the Kretschmann angle and explain its origin in terms of destructive interference. Despite a nonvanishing bulk response, surface plasmon excitation by four-wave mixing is dominated by a nonlinear surface polarization. To interpret and validate our results, we provide a comparison with second-harmonic generation.     

银纳米线表面等离激元波导的能量损耗

金属纳米结构的表面等离激元可以突破光学衍射极限,为光子器件的微型化和集成光学芯片的实现奠定基础.基于表面等离激元的各种基本光学元件已经研制出来.然而,由于金属结构的固有欧姆损耗以及向衬底的辐射损耗等,表面等离激元的传输能量损耗较大,极大地制约了其在纳米光子器件和回路中的应用.研究能量损耗的影响因素以及如何有效降低能量损耗对未来光子器件的实际应用具有重要意义.本文从纳米线表面等离激元的基本模式出发,介绍了它在不同条件下的场分布和传输特性,在此基础上着重讨论纳米线表面等离激元传输损耗的影响因素和测量方法以及目前常用的降低传输损耗的思路.最后给出总结以及如何进一步降低能量损耗方法的展望.表面等离激元能量损耗的相关研究对于纳米光子器件的设计和集成光子回路的构建有着重要作用.     

Long-range surface plasmon polaritons propagating on a dielectric waveguide support

In the traditional long-range surface plasmon geometry, an ultrathin metal film is sandwiched between two layers having identical dielectric constants. Here we demonstrate the long-range surface plasmon polariton (LRSPP) properties for a new structure where a thin layer with a dielectric constant exceeding that of the surroundings is inserted within the sandwich, provided the layer thickness d satisfies the condition k(⊥)d=mπ where k(⊥) is the component of the guide wavevector perpendicular to the layer and m is an integer. The resulting plasmon modes have smaller losses and nearly the same phase velocity as the original LRSPP. This provides a strategy to support silver films having thicknesses of 10's of nanometers to create plasmonic devices for sensor applications.     

微波频段表面等离子激元波导滤波器的实验研究

基于理论分析, 实验研究了二维磁单负材料/双正材料/磁单负材料表面等离子波导的滤波效应. 研究表明, 该波导结构具有低通滤波性质, 引入分支缺陷之后, 由于谐振效应该波导具有带阻滤波效应. 分支缺陷相当于亚波长谐振腔, 谐振腔的长度决定带阻滤波器的中心频率, 而中心频率几乎不受缺陷位置的影响; 滤波器透射率下降的幅度由耦合距离决定. 通过引入谐振腔及改变谐振腔的长度、数量以及耦合间距等参数, 可以实现可调节的表面等离子波导滤波器. 实验结果与理论分析符合得很好, 该性质将在可调的单通道或多通道带阻滤波器件中具有潜在的应用价值. 关键词： 表面等离子激元 特异材料波导 谐振腔 滤波器     

Trapping of surface plasmon polaritons in a multiple-teeth-shaped waveguide at visible wavelengths

We numerically and theoretically demonstrate that a metal–insulator–metal (MIM) waveguide with multiple-teeth-shaped graded depths can strongly slow light as the propagation velocities of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are reduced over a large frequency bandwidth at visible wavelengths domain. Since the wavelength of the trough of transmission is dependent on the depth of the tooth-shaped dielectric in the MIM waveguide, the guided SPPs at different frequencies can be localized at different spatial positions of the multiple-teeth-shaped graded depths MIM waveguide, which can be proved by the scattering matrix method. The separation between trapped waves can be tuned by changing the grade of the tooth-shaped depths and the lifetime of SPPs in the waveguide may be long enough for some meaningful nano-photonic applications.     

Directional excitation of surface plasmon polaritons in structure of subwavelength metallic holes

In this paper, we propose a structure formed by two subwavelength holes fabricated in a metal film to realize directional excitation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). The holes are employed as SPP sources, and the relative phase of SPPs generated at the hole exit end can be adjusted by changing the dielectric material filled in holes. Using the difference in relative phase values of SPP for two holes filled with different dielectric media, the SPPs can interfere constructively along one direction while destructively along the opposite direction. Our theoretical analysis is verified by the three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method. Moreover, the directional excitation of SPPs in two-hole array structure is also discussed. It is found that the effect of SPPs directional excitation is improved with the increase of the number of two-hole.     

Propagating surface plasmon polaritons for remote excitation surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy

To illustrate the attractive potentials of remote-excitation surface enhanced Raman scattering (RE-SERS), we review the fundamental concepts and typical applications of propagating surface plasmon polaritons (PSPPs). Based on the RE-SERS technic, the adsorbed molecules are protected from being directly illuminated, while the merits of SERS still remained. However, the critical limitations of applying RE-SERS hinder its rapid development. Hence, drawing an overview about the PSPPs would be beneficial for further promoting the significance of RE-SERS in biological application and investigating the mechanism of surface catalytic reactions.     

Low-loss Airy surface plasmon polaritons

We propose a scheme to obtain a low-loss propagation of Airy surface plasmon polaritons(SPPs) along the interface between a dielectric and a negative-index metamaterial(NIMM). We show that by using the transverse-magnetic mode and the related destructive interference effect between electric and magnetic absorption responses, the propagation loss of the Airy SPPs can be largely suppressed when the optical frequency is close to the lossless point of the NIMM. As a result, the Airy SPPs obtained in our scheme can propagate more than a 6times longer distance than that in conventional dielectric–metal interfaces.     

Nonlinear s-polarized surface plasmon polaritons

We have examined the dispersion relations for s-polarized surface plasmon polaritons, guided by (a) the interface between a semi-infinite metal and dielectric medium, and (b) a metal film bounded by semi-infinite dielectric media for situations in which one or more of the dielectric media are characterized by an intensity-dependent refractive index. We found that s-polarized waves satisfy the dispersion relations for very thin metal films bounded by nonlinear dielectric media. These waves exist only for power levels above a threshold that depends on the material parameters. We also comment on the experimental feasibility of observing these waves.     

Phase and reflectivity behavior near the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons in Kretschmann-ATR systems with metamaterials

In this work we study the optical response of Kretschmann-ATR structures with metamaterials near conditions of resonant coupling between the incident wave and a surface plasmon polariton. In contrast with previous research available in the literature, particular attention is paid to the behavior of the phase of the reflected fields. Besides, the results are discussed in the frame of a phenomenological model based on the properties of the complex poles and zeroes of the reflection coefficient.     

Efficient directional excitation of surface plasmon polaritons by partial dielectric filling slit structure

In this paper, we investigate the excitation of surface plasmon polariton (SPP) in the metallic slit partly filled with dielectric by using the finite-difference time-domain method. It is found that the slit structure displays high asymmetry in the field distribution and SPP excitation due to the difference in matching degree of SPP wavevector on the two sides of slit exit. At certain incident wavelengths, the power flow carried by SPP modes on one side of slit exit is over three orders of magnitude greater than that on the other side, an efficient directional excitation is achieved. The SPP generation efficiencies on both sides of slit exit can be periodically adjusted by the dielectric width, but their changes are not synchronous, implying that such slit structure could be acted as a directional splitter/coupler. Moreover, the asymmetry degree of SPP excitation can also be modulated by the refractive index of dielectric layer.     

Monolithic excitation and manipulation of surface plasmon polaritons on a vertical cavity surface emitting laser

We report the manipulation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) on a thin Au layer integrated on top of the mirror of a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). Gratings etched into the Au layer to different depths are used to couple the light into and out of the film, and to bend the trajectory of the SPP. The result paves the way to compact integrated plasmonic devices.     

The excitation and emission of terahertz surface plasmon polaritons on metal wire waveguides

The development of effective techniques for guiding pulsed terahertz radiation is essential for the continued development of terahertz spectroscopy and imaging applications based on the technique of time-domain spectroscopy. Terahertz surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) can be excited and guided on cylindrical metal wires with low loss and dispersion. This propagating surface wave, known as a Sommerfeld wave, possesses radial polarization, which is not well matched with conventional sources of pulsed terahertz radiation. A photoconductive terahertz antenna with radial symmetry produces radiation that more efficiently couples to the wire waveguide. At the end of the wire, terahertz SPPs emit radiation into free-space that exhibits frequency-dependent diffraction. To cite this article: J.A. Deibel et al., C. R. Physique 9 (2008).     

表面等离子体激元的若干新应用

表面等离子体激元（SPPs）是在金属和介质界面传播的一种波动模式。本文首先叙述了SPPs的相关特性和激发方式,给出了一种基于表面等离子体激元共振（SPR）场增强原理产生相干极紫外辐射的方法,利用该方法可极大地提高光源的光子流量。分析了SPPs在生物及医疗领域的新应用,并对其在治疗癌症方面的技术原理进行了讨论。介绍了SPPs在新型光源和能源领域的发展和应用情况,综述了SPPs在太阳能电池、光子芯片以及集成电路方面的新工艺和新技术,包括最近几年来所取得的一些重要成果。最后讨论了SPPs在光存储方面的快速发展和巨大贡献。     

Magnetotransverse scattering of surface plasmon polaritons

We show experimentally that the in-plane scattering of surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) is influenced by a perpendicular magnetic field. The average SPP flux is deflected into the direction perpendicular to both its initial propagation direction and the magnetic field direction. From a phenomenological point of view, this is an analogy to the Hall effect for electrons and a 2D equivalent of the photonic Hall effect.     

基于平面波导激励的修正长程表面波的传感器研究

为了解决传统的强度检测型波导激励的表面等离子体共振传感器灵敏度不高的缺点,研究平面波导激励的介质膜-金属-被测介质的可激发修正的长程表面等离子体波结构。采用离子交换的方法制备折射率可用费米函数拟合的平面波导,研究了离子交换时间对平面波导的模数及等效折射率等特性的影响,为激励波导的优化设计提供有效依据。采用制备的平面波导激励介质膜-金属-被测介质的非对称结构,研究金属材质、介质膜厚和金属膜厚等因素对修正的长程表面等离子体波特性的影响,对被测溶液的折射率进行检测。实验结果表明,其灵敏度为传统的强度检测型表面等离子体共振传感器的6倍,并且具有较好的线性关系。     

Direct imaging of localized surface plasmon polaritons

In this Letter, we report on dark field imaging of localized surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in plasmonic waveguiding bands formed by plasmonic coupled cavities. We image the light scattered from SPPs in the plasmonic cavities excited by a tunable light source. Tuning the excitation wavelength, we measure the localization and dispersion of the plasmonic cavity mode. Dark field imaging has been achieved in the Kretschmann configuration using a supercontinuum white-light laser equipped with an acoustooptic tunable filter. Polarization dependent spectroscopic reflection and dark field imaging measurements are correlated and found to be in agreement with finite-difference time-domain calculations.