We present the polarization resolved, angular dependent, optical reflectance properties for single TE mode optical waveguides in contact with a nanostructured gold surface. A substantial angle dependent resonant decrease in the TE polarized surface reflectivity is measured which cannot be explained by a simple waveguide coupling due to surface roughness. Rather we show that the resonance is due to the excitation of a coupled waveguide-plasmonic surface mode created by the interaction between the metal nanostructure and the waveguide. A model based on coupled mode theory is introduced in order to explain the experimental data.

© 2008 Optical Society of America

1. M. Fox, Optical Properties of Solids (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001).
2. H. Raether, Surface Plasmons on Smooth and Rough Surfaces and on Gratings (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, (1986).
3. A. V. Zayats, and I. I. Smolyaninov, "Near-field photonics: surface plasmon polaritons and localized surface plasmons," J. Opt. A 5, S16-S50 (2003). [CrossRef]
4. D. Porath, O. Millo, and J. I. Gersten, "Scanning tunneling microscopy studies and computer simulations of annealing of gold films," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 14, 30-37 (1996). [CrossRef]
5. F. Ladouceur, "Roughness, inhomogeneity, and integrated optics," J. Lightwave Technol. 15, 1020-1025 (1997). [CrossRef]
6. R. Sainidou, and F. J. G. de Abajo, "Plasmon guided modes in nanoparticle metamaterials," Opt. Express 16, 4499-4506 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
7. A. Adams, J. Moreland, P. K. Hansma, and Z. Schlesinger, "Light-Emission from Surface-Plasmon and Waveguide Modes Excited by N-Atoms near a Silver Grating," Phys. Rev. B 25, 3457-3461 (1982). [CrossRef]
8. R. G. Hunsperger, Integrated Optics: theory and technology (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1991).
9. C. Kittel, Introduction to Solid State Physics (John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken, NJ, 2005).
10. D. N. Jarrett, and L. Ward, "Optical-Properties of Discontinuous Gold-Films," J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 9, 1515-1527 (1976). [CrossRef]
11. A. Christ, S. G. Tikhodeev, N. A. Gippius, J. Kuhl, and H. Giessen, "Waveguide-plasmon polaritons: Strong coupling of photonic and electronic resonances in a metallic photonic crystal slab," Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, (2003).
12. H. A. Haus, Waves and Fields in Optoelectronics (Prentice-Hall, New Jersey, 1984).
13. R. W. Cohen, G. D. Cody, M. D. Coutts, and B. Abeles, "Optical Properties of Granular Silver and Gold Films," Phys. Rev. B 8, 3689 (1973). [CrossRef]
14. A. Yariv, "Coupled-Mode Theory for Guided-Wave Optics," IEEE J. Quantum Elect. QE 9, 919-933 (1973).

IEEE J. Quantum Elect. QE

• A. Yariv, "Coupled-Mode Theory for Guided-Wave Optics," IEEE J. Quantum Elect. QE 9, 919-933 (1973).

J. Lightwave Technol.

• F. Ladouceur, "Roughness, inhomogeneity, and integrated optics," J. Lightwave Technol. 15, 1020-1025 (1997). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. A

• A. V. Zayats, and I. I. Smolyaninov, "Near-field photonics: surface plasmon polaritons and localized surface plasmons," J. Opt. A 5, S16-S50 (2003). [CrossRef]

J. Phys. D Appl. Phys.

• D. N. Jarrett, and L. Ward, "Optical-Properties of Discontinuous Gold-Films," J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 9, 1515-1527 (1976). [CrossRef]

J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B

• D. Porath, O. Millo, and J. I. Gersten, "Scanning tunneling microscopy studies and computer simulations of annealing of gold films," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 14, 30-37 (1996). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• R. Sainidou, and F. J. G. de Abajo, "Plasmon guided modes in nanoparticle metamaterials," Opt. Express 16, 4499-4506 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rev. B

• A. Adams, J. Moreland, P. K. Hansma, and Z. Schlesinger, "Light-Emission from Surface-Plasmon and Waveguide Modes Excited by N-Atoms near a Silver Grating," Phys. Rev. B 25, 3457-3461 (1982). [CrossRef]
• R. W. Cohen, G. D. Cody, M. D. Coutts, and B. Abeles, "Optical Properties of Granular Silver and Gold Films," Phys. Rev. B 8, 3689 (1973). [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev. Lett.

• A. Christ, S. G. Tikhodeev, N. A. Gippius, J. Kuhl, and H. Giessen, "Waveguide-plasmon polaritons: Strong coupling of photonic and electronic resonances in a metallic photonic crystal slab," Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, (2003).

Other

• H. A. Haus, Waves and Fields in Optoelectronics (Prentice-Hall, New Jersey, 1984).
• R. G. Hunsperger, Integrated Optics: theory and technology (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1991).
• C. Kittel, Introduction to Solid State Physics (John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken, NJ, 2005).
• M. Fox, Optical Properties of Solids (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001).
• H. Raether, Surface Plasmons on Smooth and Rough Surfaces and on Gratings (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, (1986).

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