Open AccessHigh sensitivity of surface plasmon of weakly-distorted metallic surfaces
Author(s) -
Wei Chih Liu
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/opex.13.009766
Subject(s) - surface plasmon , optics , materials science , wavelength , surface plasmon polariton , localized surface plasmon , nanometre , plasmon , surface (topology) , surface wave , physics , geometry , mathematics
Effects of nano-scale surface geometry on surface plasmon are studied by the coordinate-transformation differential method to numerically calculate surface plasmon modes on a weakly disordered metallic surface. An air-silver surface profile with a subwavelength period and a nano-scale height at wavelength of 650 nm are chosen and it is found that the Bloch wave numbers and the surface plasmon modes are highly sensitive with distortions of only a few nanometers for periods much less than wavelength. On the contrary, distortions of long periods which are comparable to wavelength have little impact. Three typical surface profiles exhibit surface plasmon modes of wide variations.