Modeling columnar thin films as platforms for surface–plasmonic–polaritonic optical sensing

Via exploitation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), columnar thin films (CTFs) are attractive potential platforms for optical sensing as their relative permittivity dyadic and porosity can be tailored to order. Nanoscale model parameters of a CTF were determined from its measured relative permittivity dyadic, after inverting the Bruggeman homogenization formalism. These model parameters were then used to determine the relative permittivity dyadic of a fluid-infiltrated CTF. Two boundary-value problems were next solved: the first relating to SPP-wave propagation guided by the planar interface of a semi-infinitely thick metal and a semi-infinitely thick CTF, and the second to the plane-wave response of the planar interface of a finitely thick metallic layer and a CTF in a modified Kretschmann configuration. Numerical studies revealed that SPP waves propagate at a lower phase speed and with a shorter propagation length, if the fluid has a larger refractive index. Furthermore, the angle of incidence required to excite an SPP wave in a modified Kretschmann configuration increases as the refractive index of the fluid increases.     

On multiple surface-plasmon-polariton waves guided by the interface of a metal film and a rugate filter in the Kretschmann configuration

The excitation of multiple surface-plasmon-polariton (SPP) waves—of different linear polarization states, phase speeds and spatial profiles—guided by the interface of a metal film and a rugate filter in the Kretschmann configuration was investigated. A plane wave of either of the two linear polarization states was made incident on the metal-capped rugate filter of finite thickness and the absorptances were calculated using a stable algorithm. The excitation of SPP waves was inferred by the presence of those peaks in the absorptance curves that were independent of the thickness of the rugate filter. The absorptance peaks representing the excitation of s-polarized SPP waves are narrower than those representing p-polarized SPP waves. For efficient excitation of multiple SPP waves, the metal film's thickness should be close to the penetration depth of the metal. The solution of a canonical boundary-value problem of SPP-wave propagation guided by a metal film, with a semi-infinite homogeneous dielectric material on one side and a semi-infinite rugate filter on the other side, reinforced the results obtained for the Kretschmann configuration. The thin metal film in the Kretschmann configuration may lead to coupling of its two interfaces.     

金属-光折变材料复合全息结构对表面等离激元的波前调控

表面等离激元(surface plasmon polaritons, SPPs)控制具有重要意义.表面电磁波全息法是在金属表面设计能有效控制SPP传输的凹槽阵列结构.本文提出一种新的SPP传输的控制方法,利用金属-光折变材料复合全息结构控制SPP传播.在金属表面覆盖一层光折变材料,两束SPP波在光折变材料内干涉生成全息结构,利用此全息结构能够控制SPP的传播.通过时域有限差分法模拟验证,结果显示,通过金属-光折变材料复合全息结构可以有效地控制SPP波束的传输,实现SPP平面波束的单点聚焦、两点聚焦,以及生成零阶和一阶高斯SPP波束.经过优化发现,光折变材料的最佳厚度为3.3μm,最佳折射率调制度为0.06.现有SPP控制器件主要是通过离子束刻蚀,而金属-光折变材料复合全息结构不需要刻蚀,从而扩展了SPP控制的器件的制作方法,为SPPs的全光控制提供了新的思路,使SPP全光控制成为可能,进一步实现了SPP全光开关等功能.     

Surface-plasmon-polariton waves guided by the uniformly moving planar interface of a metal film and dielectric slab

We explored the effects of relative motion on the excitation of surface-plasmon-polariton (SPP) waves guided by the planar interface of a metal film and a dielectric slab, both materials being isotropic and homogeneous. Electromagnetic phasors in moving and non-moving reference frames were related directly using the corresponding Lorentz transformations. Our numerical studies revealed that, in the case of a uniformly moving dielectric slab, the angle of incidence for SPP-wave excitation is highly sensitive to (i) the ratio β of the speed of motion to speed of light in free space and (ii) the direction of motion. When the direction of motion is parallel to the plane of incidence, the SPP wave is excited by p-polarized (but not s-polarized) incident plane waves for low and moderate values of β, while at higher values of β the total reflection regime breaks down. When the direction of motion is perpendicular to the plane of incidence, the SPP wave is excited by p-polarized incident plane waves for low values of β, but s-polarized incident plane waves at moderate values of β, while at higher values of β the SPP wave is not excited. In the case of a uniformly moving metal film, the sensitivity to β and the direction of motion is less obvious.     

基于石墨烯加载的不对称纳米天线对的表面等离激元单向耦合器

本文设计并数值研究了一种石墨烯加载的不对称金属纳米天线对结构.利用石墨烯费米能级的动态调控特性,实现了电控表面等离激元的单向传输.类似于传统的三明治型纳米天线结构,设计的不对称金属纳米天线对结构可以等效为两个共振的磁偶极子,由于磁偶极子辐射电磁波的干涉,将导致单向传输效应.通过计算腔中的电场分布,发现石墨烯的调谐能力与石墨烯区域的电场强度成正比关系.以上现象都可以通过等效电路模型进行理论解释.此外,该结构具有小尺寸、高效率、宽带宽和易于光电集成等优点,在未来的光子集成与光电子学领域将具有重要的应用.     

表面等离激元的聚焦与波导增强

近年来,表面等离激元学（plasmonics）已经形成一个新的学科热点.电子在金属与介质界面的集体振荡行为形成一种元激发——表面等离激元（surface plasomon polariton,SPP）.由于其具有特殊的耦合与传播性质,与SPP相关的器件设计与应用成为目前纳米光子学领域的国际前沿研究方向.文章介绍了利用微...     

Surface plasmon polariton scattering by small ellipsoid particles

Scattering of surface plasmon polaritons (SPP’s) by small ellipsoid particles placed near a dielectric–metal interface is theoretically considered. Using the Green’s function formalism and the dipole approximation, we consider the differential and total scattering cross-sections associated with the SPP-to-SPP scattering as well as with the SPP scattering into waves propagating away from the interface, analyzing the influence of system parameters. As an example, scattering cross-sections of differently shaped gold spheroid particles placed near an air–gold interface are evaluated at the light wavelength of 800 nm. It is shown that the differential and total cross-sections depend strongly upon the particle-to-surface distance, the ratio between the major and minor axes and their orientation with respect to both the interface and the direction of SPP incidence. Implications of the obtained results to the design of SPP micro-optical components are also discussed.     

Non‐Locality Effects in Excitation and Spatial Propagation of Surface Plasmon‐Polaritons

This work investigates the influence of non‐locality in the dielectric response on the spatio‐temporal evolution of surface plasmon‐polaritons (SPP). SPP excitations are coherently generated by a quantum scatterer in the vicinity of a flat metal interface. It is demonstrated that the excited non‐equilibrium SPP population eventually splits into two coherent localized wave packets. One packet propagates along the interface and the other is centered in the vicinity of the scatter. The amplitude of both waves slowly decreases due to several relaxation mechanisms, with the Landau damping being the strongest. The non‐locality of the metallic dielectric response considerably influences spatial profiles of the plasmon field intensity, in particular, leading to coherent spatio‐temporal oscillations between the two wave packets.     

Electromagnetic waves and oscillations in the layered semiconductor-dielectric-semiconductor structure

Theoretical and numerical studies of the electromagnetic properties of the layered semiconductor — dielectric — semiconductor (SDS) structure was carried out. It was shown that the weak damping guide and surface waves may exist in this structure and retardation of surface waves may be several times more than for the semiconductor — dielectric (SD) interface. If this structure contains reflections it leads to the formation of high Q-factor resonance oscillations. It was found that at the beginning of intermode coupling of two surface oscillations in the studied resonance structure, hybrid surface oscillations with near resonance frequencies are formed. Their electromagnetic field components along the wave propagation direction are orthogonal to each other and modulated along the SD interface by orthogonal envelopes.     

P-I-N Tuned hybrid device

Conclusions Thus, described device allows to control ultra high frequencies amplitude in wave propagation direction in the range from –3,5 dB to –43 dB. This device may be used as controlled filter with fixed controlling current values; as a variable attenuator with fluent current changing; and as a switcher with extreme controlling current value. The device has profitable weight-size parameters. Described device has two important advantages, namely higher attenuation level and a simple construction as compared with previously known one.     

Propagation parameters of the beam extracted from a diode pumped Nd:YAG ceramic slab laser with a hybrid stable–unstable resonator

We analyze the propagation properties of the beam extracted from a diode pumped ceramic Nd:YAG slab laser adopting a hybrid stable–unstable resonator. Such a resonator produces a beam characterized by an Hermite–Gauss mixture-like distribution in one transverse direction and a hard-edge diffracted distribution on the other transverse direction. The beam propagation parameters M_x² and M_y² are measured for different values of the diodes driving current. We obtain a beam parameter product smaller than 3 mm mrad in both transverse directions and in the whole range of powers, up to an extraction of 220 W in a QCW regime.     

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.     

SPM of nonlinear surface plasmon waveguides

Pulse propagation equation of nonlinear dispersion surface plasmon waveguide is educed strictly from wave equation. The nonlinear coefficient is defined and then used to assess and compare the nonlinear characteristic of three popular 1-D surface plasmon waveguides: the single metal–dielectric interface, the metal slab bounded by dielectric and the dielectric slab bounded by metal. SPM (self-phase modulation) of the typical surface plasmon waveguide is predicted and discussed.     

Complex Modulation in Plasmon-Assisted Transmission Spectra of a Two-Slit Structure

We study the plasmon-assisted transmission of two kinds of slit structures in a 290-nm-thick silver film on a glass substrate. For the two-slit structure, the total transmission intensity spectra displays a complex modulation, which is attributed to different propagation constants of the surface plasmon polaritons （SPPs） on the silver-air and silver-glass interfaces. Replacing one of the two slits by a shallow corrugation results in a simple sinusoidal intensity modulation because of the only effective SPP excitation and propagation on the silver-air interface. These confirm the role of different SPP propagations and interference in the transmission properties of metal nanoslits.     

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.     

Highly directional spaser array for the red wavelength region

The spaser offers an opportunity to achieve coherent optical sources at nanometer scales due to the extreme confinement of optical fields. However, achievement of spasers with directional propagation in the visible wavelength region remains a challenge thus far, owing to the unique optical feedback mechanism and large dissipative losses of the metal cavity. Here, we experimentally demonstrate for the first time a spaser showing highly directional emission in the visible by using a periodic subwavelength hole array perforated in a metal film, which function as plasmonic nanocavities, along with an organic laser dye to supply gain. The lasing occurs in the red wavelength region and shows a single mode. It is suggested that the optical feedback for spasing is provided by the SPP–Bloch wave, which is supported by the fact that no spasing was attained in aperiodic holes as well as in periodic holes that do not support the SPP–Bloch wave at the spasing wavelength.     

About the nature of increase of the nonlinear optical response of a rough surface

It is shown that during the propagation of surface plasmon polariton (SPP) in the system of two touching spheres (or cones) when one is a metal and the other is a semiconductor, the conditions of strong localization of the surface wave are realized. At the point of contact, an essential decrease of the wavelength of the SPP is observed and the diffraction processes do not hinder its localization on the nanometric scale. As a result, wave fields increase anomalously. The considered phenomena open a new possibility to propose the experimental way for exploring the gigantic enhancement of the nonlinear optical response from a rough surface.     

Reflection–refraction of attenuated waves at the interface between a thermo-poroelastic medium and a thermoelastic medium

Phenomenon of reflection and refraction is considered at the plane interface between a thermoelastic medium and thermo-poroelastic medium. Both the media are isotropic and behave dissipative to wave propagation. Incident wave in thermo-poroelastic medium is considered inhomogeneous with deviation allowed between the directions of propagation and maximum attenuation. For this incidence, four attenuated waves reflect back in thermo-poroelastic medium and three waves refract to the continuing thermoelastic medium. Each of these reflected/refracted waves is inhomogeneous and propagates with a phase shift. The propagation characteristics (velocity, attenuation, inhomogeneity, phase shift, amplitude, energy) of reflected and refracted waves are calculated as functions of propagation direction and inhomogeneity of the incident wave. Variations in these propagation characteristics with the incident direction are illustrated through a numerical example.     

TM mode optical characteristics of five-layer MOS optical waveguides

The field distribution and complex eigenvalue equation of the TM mode are solved from the wave equation for a five-layer optical waveguide with finite metal cladding and a dielectric buffer layer. For air–Au–SiO₂–GaAs–AlGaAs MOS waveguides, numerical results for the propagation constant and absorption loss of the TM mode are computed in the complex plane from the eigenvalue equation. The effects of some guided structural parameters on the mode propagation and absorption loss are analysed and discussed.     

Quasi-steady-state surface acoustic waves at a rough solid surface

Sound propagation along an inhomogeneous solid-vacuum interface is considered. The frequency-wavenumber relation has been obtained for the transverse-polarized surface wave and the range of existence of this wave has been analyzed. The surface roughness is shown to produce additional damping.