We present an analytical study of the dynamic interplay among surface plasmon polarization charges, electromagnetic fields, and energy flow in the metal/dielectric interface and metal nanoslit structure. Particular attention is given to the regime where the energy flow in the metal side is significant compared to that in the dielectric side. The study reveals that a vortex-like circulation of energy is an intrinsic feature of surface plasmon propagation supported by a metal/dielectric interface, and, in general, a vortex can form when the permittivity and permeability values of the materials involved satisfy the following condition: {(ε_m /ε_d ) <-1 and (µ_m /µ_d ) >-1} or {(ε_m /ε_d )>-1 and (µ_m /µ_d )<-1}.

© 2006 Optical Society of America

1. H. Raether, Surface plasmons on smooth and rough surfaces and on gratings, (Springer-Verlag, Berlin 1988).
2. E. N. Economou, "Surface plasmons in thin films," Phys. Rev. 182, 539-554 (1969). [CrossRef]
3. J. Nkoma, R. Loudon, and D. R. Tilley, "Elementary properties of surface polaritons," J. Phys. C: Solid State Phys. 7, 3547-3559 (1974). [CrossRef]
4. P. Tournois and V. Laude, "Negative group velocities in metal-film optical waveguides," Opt. Commun. 137, 41-45 (1997). [CrossRef]
5. J. A. Porto, F. J. Garcia-Vidal, and J. B. Pendry, "Transmission resonances on metallic gratings with very narrow slits," Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 2845-2848 (1999). [CrossRef]
6. S. Astilean, Ph. Lalanne, and M. Palamaru, "Light transmission through metallic channels much smaller than the wavelength," Opt. Commun. 175, 265-273 (2000). [CrossRef]
7. P. N. Stavrinou and L. Solymar, "The propagation of electromagnetic power through subwavelength slits in a metallic grating," Opt. Commun. 206, 217-223 (2002). [CrossRef]
8. I. V. Shadrivov, A. A. Sukhorukov, and Y. S. Kivshar, "Guided modes in negative-refractive-index waveguides," Phys. Rev. E 67 057602(1)-(4) (2003). [CrossRef]
9. H. Shin, and S. Fan, "All-angle negative refraction for surface plasmons using a metal-dielectric-metal structure," Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 073907(1)-(4) (2006).
10. K. L. Tsakmakidis, C. Hermann, A. Klaedtke, C. Jamois, and O. Hess, "Surface plasmon polaritons in generalized slab heterostructures with negative permittivity and permeability," Phys. Rev. B 73, 085104(1)-(11) (2006). [CrossRef]
11. P. B. Johnson and R. W. Christy, "Optical constants of the noble metals," Phys. Rev. B 6, 4370-4379 (1972). [CrossRef]
12. E. D. Palik, Optical constants of solids, (Academic Press, New York 1998).
13. J. A. Dionne, L. A. Sweatlock, H. A. Atwater, and A. Polman, "Planar metal plasmon waveguides: frequency-dependent dispersion, propagation, localization, and loss beyond the free electron model," Phys. Rev. B 72, 075405(1)-(11) (2005). [CrossRef]
14. J. D. Jackson, Classical electrodynamics 3rd Edition, (John Wiley and Sons, New York 1999).
15. Z. Sun, Y. S. Jung, and H. K. Kim, "Dynamic evolution of surface plasmon resonances in metallic nanoslit arrays," Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 023111(1)-(3) (2005). [CrossRef]
16. C. Liu, C. Yan, H. Chen, Y. Liu, and S. Gao, "Evanescent field on the surface of a negative-index planar lens," Appl. Phys. Lett. 88, 231102(1)-(3) (2006). [CrossRef]

J. Phys. C: Solid State Phys.

• J. Nkoma, R. Loudon, and D. R. Tilley, "Elementary properties of surface polaritons," J. Phys. C: Solid State Phys. 7, 3547-3559 (1974). [CrossRef]

Opt. Commun.

• P. Tournois and V. Laude, "Negative group velocities in metal-film optical waveguides," Opt. Commun. 137, 41-45 (1997). [CrossRef]
• S. Astilean, Ph. Lalanne, and M. Palamaru, "Light transmission through metallic channels much smaller than the wavelength," Opt. Commun. 175, 265-273 (2000). [CrossRef]
• P. N. Stavrinou and L. Solymar, "The propagation of electromagnetic power through subwavelength slits in a metallic grating," Opt. Commun. 206, 217-223 (2002). [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev.

• E. N. Economou, "Surface plasmons in thin films," Phys. Rev. 182, 539-554 (1969). [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev. B

• P. B. Johnson and R. W. Christy, "Optical constants of the noble metals," Phys. Rev. B 6, 4370-4379 (1972). [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev. Lett.

• J. A. Porto, F. J. Garcia-Vidal, and J. B. Pendry, "Transmission resonances on metallic gratings with very narrow slits," Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 2845-2848 (1999). [CrossRef]

Other

• H. Raether, Surface plasmons on smooth and rough surfaces and on gratings, (Springer-Verlag, Berlin 1988).
• I. V. Shadrivov, A. A. Sukhorukov, and Y. S. Kivshar, "Guided modes in negative-refractive-index waveguides," Phys. Rev. E 67 057602(1)-(4) (2003). [CrossRef]
• H. Shin, and S. Fan, "All-angle negative refraction for surface plasmons using a metal-dielectric-metal structure," Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 073907(1)-(4) (2006).
• K. L. Tsakmakidis, C. Hermann, A. Klaedtke, C. Jamois, and O. Hess, "Surface plasmon polaritons in generalized slab heterostructures with negative permittivity and permeability," Phys. Rev. B 73, 085104(1)-(11) (2006). [CrossRef]
• E. D. Palik, Optical constants of solids, (Academic Press, New York 1998).
• J. A. Dionne, L. A. Sweatlock, H. A. Atwater, and A. Polman, "Planar metal plasmon waveguides: frequency-dependent dispersion, propagation, localization, and loss beyond the free electron model," Phys. Rev. B 72, 075405(1)-(11) (2005). [CrossRef]
• J. D. Jackson, Classical electrodynamics 3rd Edition, (John Wiley and Sons, New York 1999).
• Z. Sun, Y. S. Jung, and H. K. Kim, "Dynamic evolution of surface plasmon resonances in metallic nanoslit arrays," Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 023111(1)-(3) (2005). [CrossRef]
• C. Liu, C. Yan, H. Chen, Y. Liu, and S. Gao, "Evanescent field on the surface of a negative-index planar lens," Appl. Phys. Lett. 88, 231102(1)-(3) (2006). [CrossRef]

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