Ultrafast dynamics of surface plasmon polaritons in plasmonic metamaterials

Using near-field scanning optical microscopy and ultrafast laser spectroscopy, we study the linear optical properties of subwavelength nanoslit and nanohole arrays in metal films, which are prototype structures for novel plasmonic metamaterials. Near-field microscopy provides direct evidence for surface plasmon polariton (SPP) excitation and allows for spatial imaging of the corresponding SPP modes. By employing spectral interferometry with ultrashort 11-fs light pulses, we directly reconstruct the temporal structure of the electric field of these pulses as they are transmitted through the metallic nanostructures. The analysis of these data allows for a quantitative extraction of the plasmonic band structure and the radiative damping of the corresponding SPP modes. Clear evidence for plasmonic band gap formation is given. Our results reveal that the coherent coupling between different SPP modes can result in a pronounced suppression of radiative SPP damping, increasing the SPP lifetime from 30 fs to more than 200 fs. These findings are relevant for optimizing and manipulating the optical properties of novel nano-plasmonic devices. PACS 42.70.Qs; 07.79.Fc; 42.25.-p     

Focusing surface plasmon polariton wave packets in space and time

The spatiotemporal focusing of surface plasmon polariton (SPP) wave packets (WPs) by planar plasmonic‐lens coupling structures is described using combined femtosecond interferometric time‐resolved photoemission electron microscopy (ITR‐PEEM) imaging and model simulations. The focusing properties of lens structures inscribed lithographically into Ag films depend on the angle of incidence of the excitation field. Severe aberrations are introduced by the phase delay in the interaction of obliquely incident plane waves with the commonly employed circular arc‐shaped lens structures. It is shown that the aberration can be corrected by accounting for propagation delays caused by the incidence angle‐dependent retardation of the optical field‐lens structure interaction. The focusing of SPP‐WPs in both space and time is demonstrated with aberration corrected lens structures.     

超表面上表面等离激元波的光栅衍射行为研究

本文利用严格数值仿真研究了550~700 nm波段的可见光通过金属光栅耦合方式激发的表面等离激元(SPP)波在金属表面的光栅衍射行为与现象。研究结果表明:SPP波在金属表面的衍射行为与自由空间光相比有极大不同,由于SPP波的近场属性,经金属光栅衍射后在近场可表现出明显的光栅分光现象,但经过一段传输距离后则分光现象消失而表现为不同级次的光合为同一束光;在近场衍射情况下,其情况与自由空间光衍射行为类似,对SPP亚波长金属光栅来说同样只有零级透射光;而当金属光栅周期大于SPP波长时,高级衍射级次则开始出现。研究结果对下一步在金属表面上实现微米级片光谱仪器具有重要借鉴意义。     

金属光栅对表面等离子体波的辐射抑制研究

对金属光栅进行严格耦合波理论计算, 得到了780和1500 nm波长入射光条件下不同光栅调制深度(20-80 nm)对应的反射谱. 根据Fano理论推导了描述反射谱线的经验公式, 最后应用有限元法计算光栅表面近场电场分布, 验证了公式的正确性. 反射谱线公式反映出光栅耦合表面等离子体的各个物理效应, 其中最重要的是反映出光栅在某一调制深度下对表面等离子体反耦合的抑制作用, 这一发现为设计光栅能量约束器件提供了物理依据.     

Resonant scattering of surface-plasmon polariton pulses by nanoscale metal defects

We have theoretically investigated the dynamics of the scattering of surface-plasmon polariton (SPP) pulses by single nanoscale metal defects through a rigorous calculation of the time dependence of the reflected and transmitted SPP and of the angular distribution of the scattered light. SPP resonances that occur at deep Gaussian grooves are probed with SPP pulses, the resonant scattering being unequivocally manifested by (a) the exponential tails of the scattered SPP and light pulses and (b) the delay time of the transmitted SPP pulse.     

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.     

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.     

Fiber-Bragg-grating-assisted surface plasmon-polariton sensor

A theoretical scheme for a new surface plasmon-polariton (SPP) fiber sensor with a fiber Bragg grating imprinted into the fiber core for SPP excitation is presented for the first time to our knowledge. In our scheme the energy in the fiber core mode can be transferred to a SPP with high efficiency by means of a properly designed short-period fiber Bragg grating (SPG). Developed for the cylindrical (fiber) geometry, our scheme without loss of generality can be applied to a planar geometry. Our simulations are based on the coupled-mode method and are performed at telecommunications wavelengths.     

Spin-controlled directional launching of surface plasmons at the subwavelength scale

In this paper, we demonstrate a spin-controlled directional launching of surface plasmons at the subwavelength scale.Based on the principle of optical spin's effect for the geometric phase of light, the nanostructures were designed. The inclination of the structures decides the spin-related geometric phase and their relative positions decide the distance-related phase. Hence, the propagation direction of the generated surface plasmon polaritons(SPPs) can be controlled by the spin of photons. Numerical simulations by the finite difference time domain(FDTD) method have verified our theoretical prediction. Our structure is fabricated on the Au film by using a focused ion beam etching technique. The total size of the surface plasmon polariton(SPP) launcher is 320 nm by 180 nm. The observation of the SPP launching by using scanning near-field optical microscopy is in agreement with our theory and simulations. This result may provide a new way of spin-controlled directional launching of SPP.     

Thermally driven sensitive surface phonon polariton modes in thin-film SiC

The results of this work show that significant changes to the spectral properties of thermal emission may be accomplished by taking advantage of surface phonon polariton (SPP) modes that are very sensitive to small refractive index changes. Surface phonon polaritons are interface restricted wave modes that do not usually participate in thermal radiative energy exchange. In this work, the possibility of varying the spectral properties by using a thin-film surface active material, layered between dielectrics, is explored. Unlike surface gratings, the multilayered structure discussed in this work couples the surface modes into radiative modes using subtle changes in refractive index. The proposed multilayer effect is studied by first developing the SPP mode dispersion relation to identify the spectral location of the surface modes. The relationship between SPP coupling and refractive index change is then developed. The fluctuation-dissipation theorem and an impedance boundary condition is used to theoretically show how thermal radiation can excite SPP modes. Results are then presented that show how film thickness and substrate properties act to support SPP modes that are particularly sensitive to changes in refractive index and therefore offers opportunities for dramatic changes to the spectral properties.     

Implications of transient changes of optical and surface properties of solids during femtosecond laser pulse irradiation to the formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures

The formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) upon irradiation of silicon wafer surfaces by linearly polarized Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser pulses (pulse duration 130 fs, central wavelength 800 nm) is studied experimentally and theoretically. In the experiments, so-called low-spatial frequency LIPSS (LSFL) were found with periods smaller than the laser wavelength and an orientation perpendicular to the polarization. The experimental results are analyzed by means of a new theoretical approach, which combines the widely accepted LIPSS theory of Sipe et al. with a Drude model, in order to account for transient (intra-pulse) changes of the optical properties of the irradiated materials. It is found that the LSFL formation is caused by the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons, SPPs, once the initially semiconducting material turns to a metallic state upon formation of a dense free-electron-plasma in the material and the subsequent interference between its electrical field with that of the incident laser beam resulting in a spatially modulated energy deposition at the surface. Moreover, the influence of the laser-excited carrier density and the role of the feedback upon the multi-pulse irradiation and its relation to the excitation of SPP in a grating-like surface structure is discussed.     

Mechanism and control of periodic surface nanostructure formation with femtosecond laser pulses

Fundamental mechanism of femtosecond-laser-induced periodic surface nanostructure formation has been investigated under the condition using superimposed multiple shots at lower fluence than the single-pulse ablation threshold. With increasing the shot number of low-fluence fs-laser pulses, the periodic nanostructure develops through the bonding structure change of target material, the nanoscale ablation with optical near-fields induced around the high curvatures, and the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) to create the nano-periodicity in the surface structure. It is confirmed that non-thermal interaction at the surface plays the crucial role in the nanostructure formation. Based on the mechanism, we have demonstrated that the periodic nanostructure formation process can be controlled to fabricate a homogeneous nanograting on the target surface, using a two-step ablation process in air. The experimental results obtained represent exactly the nature of a single spatial standing SPP wave mode that generates periodically enhanced near-fields for the nanograting formation. The calculated results for a model target reproduce well the nanograting period and explain the characteristic properties observed in the experiment.     

Modeling of a surface plasmon polariton interferometer

We model the operation of a micro-optical interferometer for surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) that comprises an SPP beam-splitter formed by equivalent scatterers lined up and equally spaced. The numerical calculations are carried out by using a relatively simple vectorial dipolar model for multiple SPP scattering [Phys. Rev. B 67 (2003) 165405]. The SPP beam-splitter is simulated elucidating the influence of system parameters, such as the angle of SPP beam incidence, scattering particle size, and inter-particle distance, on the splitting efficiency and phase difference between the transmitted and reflected beams. It is found that the splitting efficiency is very sensitive to the size of scatterers and angle of incidence. Comparing our simulations with experimental data available in the literature, we conclude that this approach can be used, with certain limitations, for modelling of SPP components assembled of individual scatterers, e.g., beam-splitters and interferometers, and suggest further improvements of the model used.     

Ultra-wideband surface plasmonic bandpass filter with extremely wide upper-band rejection

An ultra-wideband bandpass filter (BPF) with a wide out-of-band rejection based on a surface plasmonic waveguide (SPW) slotline with ring grooves is designed and analyzed. A paired microstrip-to-slotline transition is designed for quasi-TEM to TM mode conversion by using a microstrip line with a circular pad and the slotline with the same circular slot. The mode conversion between the TM and the surface plasmon polariton (SPP) mode is realized by using a gradient slotline with ring grooves and an impedance matching technique. The upper cut-off frequencies of the passband can be adjusted by using these proposed SPP units, while the lower frequencies of the passband are created by using the microstrip-to-slotline transitions to give an ultra-wideband BPF. The dispersion curves of SPP units, electric field distribution, and the transmission spectra of the proposed ultra-wideband bandpass filter are all calculated and analyzed by the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The simulated results show that the presented filter has good performance including a wide 3-dB bandwidth of 149% from 0.57 GHz to 3.93 GHz, an extremely wide 40-dB upper-band rejection from 4.2 GHz to 18.5 GHz, and low loss and high selectivity in the passband. To prove the design validity, a prototype of the BPF has been manufactured and measured, showing a reasonable agreement with simulation results. The unique features of the proposed BPF may make it applicable for integrated circuit and plasmonic devices in microwave or THz frequency ranges.     

Effects of shape of terminus on excitation of surface plasmon modes on metal nanowires

The effects of the shape of a nanowire terminus on the excited surface plasmon polariton （SPP） modes are investigated. The conical terminus and terminus cut at a certain angle are studied. For the first time, the quantitative mode decompositions are carried out to derive the full information about excited SPP modes. It is demonstrated that tuning the shape of the terminus provides an effective method to control the composition of excited SPP modes on metal nanowires. It is especially found that some important patterns, such as the pure TM0 mode and the superposition of TM0 and HE＋1 or HE-1 modes, can be generated by some specific shapes of the terminus, whereas there is no way to produce these patterns using flat-end nanowires.     

Coupling effect of surface plasmon polaritons in single-negative lamellar heterostructure

Propagation characteristics of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in the lamellar heterostructure, which is actually a SPP waveguide array, constructed by two kinds of single negative (SNG) material layers stacked alternatively are investigated. Based on the finite element method (FEM), the negative-refraction (NR) property is demonstrated when the electromagnetic wave penetrates through free space into such SNG lamellar structure. A clear view of the underlying physics of NR is presented qualitatively that is mainly related to the coupled SPPs. The strong coupling effect leads to the novel SPP dispersion curves and then the anomalous propagation characteristics.     

Dual mode near-field scanning optical microscopy for near-field imaging of surface plasmon polariton

In this paper, we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that metal coated apertured probes are efficient near-field probes on surfaces with high reflectivity for the scattering as well as for the collection mode near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM). We show that a blunt apertured metal coated tip is very effective in suppressing image dipoles which affect strongly the signals scattered from frequently used sharp metal tips or gold nanoparticle attached probes. By using a simultaneous collection and scattering mode (dual mode) NSOM we measure the near-field images of surface plasmon polariton (SPP) launched from a slit. The collection mode measures propagating SPP along lateral distance in a long scan range with high signal-to-noise ratio, and the scattering mode measures the polarization resolved near-field of SPP. Comparisons of the measured data obtained in the dual mode enable to easily characterize SPP and to separate the measured near-field into the propagating SPP and the directly transmitted light.     

Effects of a one-dimensional surface defect on designer surface plasmon polaritons

By using a finite difference time domain(FDTD) method,the effects of a one-dimensional(1D) surface defect on designer surface plasmon polaritons(designer SPPs) supported by a 1D metallic grating in THz domain are investigated.When the size of the defect is in a special range which is not too large,the designer SPPs reflected and scattered by the defect are weak enough to be neglected.The defect only induces a disturbance in the energy distribution of the designer SPP supported by the whole defect grating.If the defect size exceeds the said range,the reflecting and scattering are dominant in the influences of the defect on designer SPPs.Our analysis opens opportunities to control and direct designer SPPs by introducing a 1D defect,especially in low frequency domain.     

Surface-plasmon-polaritons-assisted nanolithography with dual-wavelength illumination for high exposure depth

We propose a new direct writing nanolithography approach using a plasmonic focusing device and a nano silver mirror with dual-wavelength illumination for high exposure depth. Arrays of pyramid aperture are used to focus the incident light beams into 80 nm light spots. The pyramid combined with a thin silver film coated on the substrate constructs a surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) coupling cavity, which amplifies the intensity of the light field in it by SPP effect and resonance. The transmission depth of the standing wave formed by forward and reflected light could reach hundreds of nanometers. Two lasers with different wavelengths are used as illumination sources to homogenize the light field through complementation between the two standing waves. Simulation results show by using 355 nm and 441 nm wavelengths, a space of 44 nm at the bottom of the photoresist could be obtained after exposure and development. The feature size of resist patterns could be further scaled down, depending on the optimization of parameters of photoresist exposure and development, illumination wavelengths, etc.     

Propagation length of surface plasmon polaritons excited by a 1D plasmonic grating

The propagation length of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) is investigated experimentally using a 1D metallic grating fabricated on a higher refractive index substrate (Gallium Phosphide, GaP). The experimentally measured value propagation length of the SPP (L_SPP) at 785 nm wavelength is 13.33 ± 0.13 μm, which is close to the theoretical value of the L_SPP on an ideal Au-thin film. The SPP resonance observed in far-field measurements confirms the underlying process and the related effects on the L_SPP measured by scanning near field optical microscope (SNOM). Far-field measurements shows that L_SPP is associated with the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the SPP resonance which in-turn associated with in-plane directional scattering of the SPP.