Characteristics of coupled plasmon modes in asymmetric layered system

We used an asymmetric layered system functioning as a plasmon waveguide coupler to couple surface plasmon modes with gap plasmon modes. The planar system was analyzed by the transfer matrix method to design the optical dimensions of the system. We simulated the effective mode indexes and H-field distribution of the coupled modes, for different gap widths and refractive indexes. For the calculated modes the propagation lengths were calculated. Furthermore, a sample structure was fabricated and odd gap plasmon modes were excited with a coupling prism in an attenuated-total-reflection (ATR) configuration. The mode index measurement showed good agreement with the simulation data.