No Arabic abstract
We apply the technique of far-field interferometry to measure the properties of surface waves generated by two-dimensional (2D) single subwavelength slit-groove structures on gold films. The effective surface index of refraction measured for the surface wave propagating over a distance of more than 12 microns is determined to be 1.016 with a measurement uncertainty of 0.004, to within experimental uncertainty of the expected bound surface plasmon-polariton (SPP) value for a Au/Air interface of 1.018. We compare these measurements to finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD) numerical simulations of the optical field transmission through these devices. We find excellent agreement between the measurements and the simulations for the surface index of refraction. The measurements also show that the surface wave propagation parameter exhibits transient behavior close to the slit, evolving smoothly from greater values asymptotically toward the value expected for the SPP over the first 2-3 microns of slit-groove distance. This behavior is confirmed by the FDTD simulations.
Transmission spectra of metallic films or membranes perforated by arrays of subwavelength slits or holes have been widely interpreted as resonance absorption by surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). Alternative interpretations involving evanescent waves diffracted on the surface have also been proposed. These two approaches lead to divergent predictions for some surface wave properties. Using far-field interferometry, we have carried out a series of measurements on elementary one-dimensional (1-D) subwavelength structures with the aim of testing key properties of the surface waves and comparing them to predictions of these two points of view.
One-dimensional (1D) subwavelength corrugated metal structures has been described to support spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). Here we demonstrate that a modulated 1D subwavelength corrugated metal structure can convert spoof SPPs to propagating waves. The structure is fed at the center through a slit with a connected waveguide on the input side. The subwavelength corrugated metal structure on the output surface is regarded as metasurface and modulated periodically to realize the leaky-wave radiation at the broadside. The surface impedance of the corrugated metal structure is modulated by using cosine function and triangle-wave function, respectively, to reach the radiation effect. Full wave simulations and measuremental results are presented to validate the proposed design.
Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to analyse the physical-chemical surface properties of subwavlength structured silver films and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) numerical simulations of the optical response of these structures to plane-wave excitation, we report on the origin and nature of the persistent surface waves generated by a single slit-groove motif and recently measured by far-field optical interferometry. The surface analysis shows that the silver films are free of detectable oxide or sulfide contaminants, and the numerical simulations show very good agreement with the results previously reported.
Measurement of the transmitted intensity from a coherent monomode light source through a series of subwavelength slit arrays in Ag films, with varying array pitch and number of slits, demonstrate enhancement (suppression) by as much as a factor of 6 (9) when normalized to that of an isolated slit. Pronounced minima in the transmitted intensity were observed at array pitches corresponding to lambda_SPP, 2lambda_SPP, and 3lambda_SPP where lambda_SPP is the wavelength of the surface plasmon polariton (SPP). Increasing the number of slits to more than four does not increase appreciably the per-slit transmission intensity. These results are consistent with a model for interference between SPPs and the incident wave that fits well the measured transmitted intensity profile.
We show how intrinsic material properties modify light transmission through subwavelength hole arrays on thin metallic films in the THz regime. We compare the temperature-dependent transmittance of Au films and MgB$_{2}$ films. The experimental data is consistent with analytical calculations, and is attributed to the temperature change of the conductivity of both films. The transmission versus conductivity is interpreted within the open resonator model when taking the skin depth into consideration. We also show that the efficiency of this temperature control depends on the ratio of the transmission peak frequency to the superconducting energy gap in MgB$_{2}$ films.