Spatiotemporal sub-wavelength near-field light localization

The control and localization of light at sub-wavelength scale are theoretically demonstrated with a very simple sub-wavelength dimension structure. This is demonstrated through a peculiar structure that can support localized modes which are not linked to any plasmon resonance. It is based on the acronym "FEMTO" that is designed using 26 sub-wavelength rectangular apertures engraved into perfectly conducting metal screen. A polarization-sensitive guided mode through these nano-apertures is at the origin of the light localization. Consequently, sub-wavelength light spots can be achieved with very simple structures illuminated by temporally shaped plane waves. Three parameters are temporally controlled for this purpose: the polarization, the wavelength and the amplitude of the incident beam. It is also demonstrated that replacing the perfect conductor by a real metal with dispersion leads to accentuate both the light confinement and its localization. These results open the path to the conception of optical nano-structures dedicated to sub-wavelength light addressing.