A unified theoretical study of surface plasmon polaritons on flat metallic surfaces and interfaces is undertaken to clarify the nature of these electromagnetic waves, conditions under which they are launched, and the restrictions imposed by Maxwell’s equations that ultimately determine the strength of the excited plasmons. Finite Difference Time Domain computer simulations are used to provide a clear picture of the electromagnetic field distribution and the energy flow profile in a specific situation. The examined case involves the launching of plasmonic waves on the entrance facet of a metallic host perforated by a subwavelength slit, and the (simultaneous) excitation of the slit’s guided mode.

© 2007 Optical Society of America

1. T. W. Ebbesen, H. J. Lezec, H. F. Ghaemi, T. Thio, and P. A. Wolff, "Extraordinary optical transmission through subwavelength hole arrays," Nature 39, 667-69 (1998). [CrossRef]
2. R. D. Averitt, S. L. Westcott, and N. J. Halas, "Ultrafast electron dynamics in gold nanoshells," Phys. Rev. B 58, R10203-R10206 (1998). [CrossRef]
3. J. J. Mock, S. J. Oldenburg, D. R. Smith, D. A. Schultz, and S. Schultz, "Composite Plasmon Resonant Nanowires," Nano Lett. 2,465 -69 (2002). [CrossRef]
4. G. Gay, O. Alloschery, B. V. de Lesegno, C. O'Dwyer, J. Weiner, and H. J. Lezec, "The optical response of nano-structured surfaces and the composite diffracted evanescent wave model," Nat. Phys. 264, 262 - 67 (2006). [CrossRef]
5. H. F. Ghaemi, T. Thio, and D. E. Grupp, "Surface plasmons enhance optical transmission through subwavelength holes," Phys. Rev. B 58, 6779-6782 (1998). [CrossRef]
6. F. J. Garcia-Vidal, H. J. Lezec,  et al, "Multiple paths to enhance optical transmission through a single subwavelength slit," Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 213901(4) (2003). [CrossRef]
7. Ph. Lalanne, J. P. Hugonin, S. Astilean, M. Palamaru, and K. D. Moller, "One-mode model and Airy-like formulae for one-dimensional metallic gratings," J. Opt. A, Pure Appl. Opt.  2, 48-51 (2000). [CrossRef]
8. 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 (2005). [CrossRef]
9. H. Raether, Surface Plasmons on Smooth and Rough Surfaces and on Gratings, (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1986).
10. J. J. Burke, G. I. Stegeman, and T. Tamir, "Surface-polariton-like waves guided by thin, lossy metal films," Phys. Rev. B 33, 5186-5201 (1986). [CrossRef]
11. A. Taflove and S. C. Hagness, Computational Electrodynamics: The Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method, 2nd ed., (Artech House, 2000).
12. Y. Xie, A. R. Zakharian, J. V. Moloney, and M. Mansuripur, "Transmission of light through slit apertures in metallic films," Opt. Express 12, 6106-6121 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
13. Y. Xie, A. R. Zakharian, J. V. Moloney, and M. Mansuripur, "Transmission of light through periodic arrays of sub-wavelength slits in metallic hosts," Opt. Express 14, 6400-6413 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

J. Opt. A,

• Ph. Lalanne, J. P. Hugonin, S. Astilean, M. Palamaru, and K. D. Moller, "One-mode model and Airy-like formulae for one-dimensional metallic gratings," J. Opt. A, Pure Appl. Opt.  2, 48-51 (2000). [CrossRef]

Nano Lett.

• J. J. Mock, S. J. Oldenburg, D. R. Smith, D. A. Schultz, and S. Schultz, "Composite Plasmon Resonant Nanowires," Nano Lett. 2,465 -69 (2002). [CrossRef]

Nat. Phys.

• G. Gay, O. Alloschery, B. V. de Lesegno, C. O'Dwyer, J. Weiner, and H. J. Lezec, "The optical response of nano-structured surfaces and the composite diffracted evanescent wave model," Nat. Phys. 264, 262 - 67 (2006). [CrossRef]

Nature

• T. W. Ebbesen, H. J. Lezec, H. F. Ghaemi, T. Thio, and P. A. Wolff, "Extraordinary optical transmission through subwavelength hole arrays," Nature 39, 667-69 (1998). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• Y. Xie, A. R. Zakharian, J. V. Moloney, and M. Mansuripur, "Transmission of light through slit apertures in metallic films," Opt. Express 12, 6106-6121 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Y. Xie, A. R. Zakharian, J. V. Moloney, and M. Mansuripur, "Transmission of light through periodic arrays of sub-wavelength slits in metallic hosts," Opt. Express 14, 6400-6413 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rev. B

• J. J. Burke, G. I. Stegeman, and T. Tamir, "Surface-polariton-like waves guided by thin, lossy metal films," Phys. Rev. B 33, 5186-5201 (1986). [CrossRef]
• R. D. Averitt, S. L. Westcott, and N. J. Halas, "Ultrafast electron dynamics in gold nanoshells," Phys. Rev. B 58, R10203-R10206 (1998). [CrossRef]
• 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 (2005). [CrossRef]
• H. F. Ghaemi, T. Thio, and D. E. Grupp, "Surface plasmons enhance optical transmission through subwavelength holes," Phys. Rev. B 58, 6779-6782 (1998). [CrossRef]

Other

• F. J. Garcia-Vidal, H. J. Lezec,  et al, "Multiple paths to enhance optical transmission through a single subwavelength slit," Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 213901(4) (2003). [CrossRef]
• H. Raether, Surface Plasmons on Smooth and Rough Surfaces and on Gratings, (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1986).
• A. Taflove and S. C. Hagness, Computational Electrodynamics: The Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method, 2nd ed., (Artech House, 2000).

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