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.