Surface plasmons and the extreme anomalous skin effect

We have derived a simple formula for the dispersion relation of surface plasmons on metals in the extreme anomalous skin effect region. Comparisons of this theory with the usual local dielectric theory is made for Cu, Ag, Au, Sn, and Pb. The two theories can be more than two orders of magnitude different in their predictions of propagation lengths, depending on the temperature.     

Theory of second harmonic generation by surface polaritons on metals

We discuss the theory of second harmonic generation by surface polaritons which propagate on the surface of a nearly free electron metal, with emphasis on the infrared frequency range.     

Theory of the effect of a dc current on surface polaritons in n-type silicon

A theoretical investigation has been made of the effect of a drift current on surface polaritons in n-type silicon. The current direction is taken to be the same as the propagation direction of the surface polaritons. Retardation is included, but damping is neglected. In obtaining the dispersion relation, the specular-reflection/mirror-image technique of Kliewer and Fuchs is used to handle the boundary conditions. The results indicate that an interaction takes place between the current and polaritons which gives rise to polariton instabilities for certain frequency ranges. These instabilities are a consequence of the presence of the surface.     

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.     

Optical rectification effect due to surface plasmon polaritons at normal incidence in a nondiffraction regime

We carried out an experimental and numerical investigation of photoinduced voltage at normal incidence in the nondiffraction regime, which was not predicted to occur by the simple momentum conservation model. We prepared two samples: one having space inversion symmetry and the other without this feature. At normal incidence in the nondiffraction regime, we observed a finite signal only for the asymmetric structure. We found that surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are excited by the signal and are attributed to the origin of the voltage. We also evaluated the radiation force of light by using the Maxwell stress tensor and found that pressure of light and not shear force is mainly induced in the structure due to the asymmetric excitation of SPPs.     

Theory of nonlinear excitation of surface polaritons in lossy media

The purpose of this paper is to study the nonlinear excitation of surface polaritons taking fully into account the damping of the active medium and the finite cross-section of the nonlinear polarization on the interface. This problem is solved using the guided wave calculation techniques where the EM field at the surface polariton frequency is expanded over a complete set of normal modes of the unperturbed interface. Using a “table method” we find that this set includes one guided mode, which is the surface polariton mode, and two classes of radiation modes. The expressions of all these modes are derived and interpreted physically. We then get the expression of the EM field excited at the surface polariton frequency inside and outside the pumped region and show that, in the general case, it is a mixture of all these normal modes. The end of the paper is mainly devoted to the study of the surface term occurring in the expression of the EM field at the surface polariton frequency: we point out the existence of a resonance phenomenon with two kinds of surface polariton modes: the “spatial” one and the “temporal” one. The corresponding dispersion curves, or resonance curves, are given and it is explained how each of them can be obtained experimentally.     

Theory of a Fabry-Perot type interferometer for surface polaritons

A theory of an interferometer for surface polaritons has been developed. Transmission and reflection coefficients have been calculated for surface polaritons crossing in interferometer on a metal surface. Two kinds of interference phenomena have been described. The experimental results by Z. Schlesginer and A.J. Sievers are discussed.     

Role of surface plasmon polaritons in anomalous transmission of an electromagnetic wave through two arrays with subwavelength slits

The anomalously large transmission of an electromagnetic wave through structures consisting of two periodic arrays of subwavelength slits in films has been investigated. The conditions ensuring zero transmittance of this system have been determined. The role of surface plasmon polaritons in transmission anomalies has been analyzed. An analysis of the systems consisting of three arrays of slits has revealed specific features of the transmittance that are independent of the number of slits. It has been demonstrated that, at a wavelength corresponding to the excitation of a surface plasmon polariton in the gap between two periodic arrays of subwavelength slits, the transmittance is zero (i.e., transmission is suppressed). The investigation has been carried out using numerical simulations with the Fourier modal method.     

The Kohn-Luttinger effect and anomalous pairing in new superconducting systems and graphene

We present a review of theoretical investigations into the Kohn-Luttinger nonphonon superconductivity mechanism in various 3D and 2D repulsive electron systems described by the Fermi-gas, Hubbard, and Shubin-Vonsovsky models. Phase diagrams of the superconducting state are considered, including regions of anomalous s-, p-, and d-wave pairing. The possibility of a strong increase in the superconducting transition temperature T _c even for a low electron density is demonstrated by analyzing the spin-polarized case or the two-band situation. The Kohn-Luttinger theory explains or predicts superconductivity in various materials such as heterostructures and semimetals, superlattices and dichalcogenides, high-T _c superconductors and heavy-fermion systems, layered organic superconductors, and ultracold Fermi gases in magnetic traps. This theory also describes the anomalous electron transport and peculiar polaron effects in the normal state of these systems. The theory can be useful for explaining the origin of superconductivity and orbital currents (chiral anomaly) in systems with the Dirac spectrum of electrons, including superfluid ³He-A, doped graphene, and topological superconductors.     

Surface impedance and boundary scattering in metals for the conditions of the anomalous skin depth

The non-local conductivity for a metal satisfying the conditions of the anomalous skin depth is characterized by a logarithmic divergence. It is postulated that this divergence can be directly related to the surface impedance of a semi-infinite metal in the extreme anomalous limit. Methods are presented for calculating theGreen's function for the conduction electron distribution function and the non-local conductivity. These methods are applied to a model where the electrons cannot drift along the magnetic field. Approximate expressions are obtained for the dependence of the divergence upon the value of the static magnetic field. Experiments are in progress to attempt to relate a model of surface scattering to the behavior of the surface impedance for small magnetic fields. Work supported principally by the Joint Services Electronics Program [Contract DA-28-043-AMC-02536(E)].     

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.     

Theory of surface polaritons in n-type silicon in the presence of a DC current

A theoretical investigation has been carried out on the effect of a drift current on surface polaritons in n-type silicon. The current direction is taken to be parallel to the direction of propagation of the surface polaritons. From the dispersion curves, there is evidence that an interaction takes place between the current and the polaritons which gives rise to polariton instability or amplification for certain frequency ranges. These instabilities are believed to be due to the presence of the surface.     

Method of frustrated total reflection in spectroscopy of surface polaritons in almost perfectly conducting metals

The standard technique for surface polaritons excitation by a prism coupling in Otto configuration is applied for investigation of almost perfectly conducting (pec) metals like tantalum irradiated by a collimated He-Ne laser radiation (λ ₀ = 632.8 nm). In pec metals the imaginary part of the relative dielectric permittivity (ɛ″) is quite larger than the modulus of the real part of the same quantity (ɛ′ < 0, ɛ″ ≫ | ɛ′ |). Under this condition the single Lorentz dip of the reflectivity coefficient is proven to exist and is given in an analytical form, which follows from simplification of the usual multilayer Fresnel formula. In the case of a deterministically curved metal surface an approximate solution to the reduced Rayleigh integral equation appropriate for the Otto configuration is also given. These two theoretical deductions are compared with experimental data that have been produced by us for the reflectivity into the prism region from a bulk tantalum sample.     

Adsorbate vibrational dynamics in the anomalous skin effect frequency region

It is shown that in surface infrared reflectance at low frequencies, dipole forbidden parallel adsorbate vibrations give rise to anti-absorption resonances, whose asymmetry is independent of the nature of the adsorbate-substrate bond. The theory is compared with new absolute IR measurements for CO/Cu(100) and (111) over the frequency range 180–2500 cm⁻¹ at high resolution (1 cm⁻¹). The linewidth of the CO frustrated rotation is dominated by energy relaxation via electron-hole pair exitations. The deduced lifetimes (~ 1 ps) are in good agreement with theory.     

On the anomalous skin effect in an inhomogeneous bounded plasma

The possibility of penetration of a variable transverse field into a bounded plasma when the skin depth is small in comparison with the plasma thickness is discussed.     

A new class of surface magnetic TM polaritons in crystals with linear magnetoelectric effect

The conditions necessary for the formation of a new type of a surface magnetic TM polariton at the magnetic dielectric-nonmagnetic metal or the magnetic dielectric-nomagnetic dielectric interfaces are determined. The formation of a surface electromagnetic wave of this type is caused by the effect of spatial dispersion of a magnetic dielectric medium.     

Theory of the inverse Faraday effect in metals

An analytic expression is given for the inverse Faraday effect, i.e., for the magnetization occuring in a transparent medium exposed to a circularly polarized high-frequency electromagnetic wave. Using a microscopic approach based on the Drude approximation of a free-electron gas, the magnetization of the medium due to the inverse Faraday effect is identified as the result of microscopic solenoidal currents generated by the electromagnetic wave. In contrast to the better known phenomenological derivation, this microscopic treatment provides important information on the frequency dependence of the inverse Faraday effect.     

Polarization properties of surface plasmon polaritons at the boundary of topological insulators with the axion effect

Properties of surface plasmon polariton waves are theoretically studied in structures containing topological insulators with the axion effect. The effect of axion properties on dispersion, localization, and polarization of plasmon polaritons is analyzed. A possibility of determining the axion effect from the variation in the plasmon-polariton polarization is shown, and conditions for enhancement of polarization effects are revealed in waveguide structures of the dielectric?metal?dielectric type.     

The anomalous exhibition of GSF energy at surface of fcc metals

The generalized stacking fault (GSF) energy curves for (1 1 1) surface of fcc metals are calculated by the second nearest-neighbor modified embedded atom method (2NN-MEAM), in order to investigate the deformation mechanism of (1 1 1) surface. Except the energy reduce for all these metals, strange energy curves are found for Au, Pd and Pt, especially for Au. Combining the surface GSF energy data and the experimental results, we find that the deformation mechanism should be explained by not only the values of the stable stacking fault energy γ_sf and unstable stacking fault energy γ_usf, but the whole shape of a metal’s energy curve.