Abstract

If the negative-permittivity region in a layered structure is very thin (≲ 300 Å for Ag at 6328 Å excitation), the two surface plasmons at its interfaces couple in its interior to yield a coupled-surface-plasmon mode whose propagation constant increases with decreasing layer thickness. These modes were observed by measuring reflectance versus angle of incidence through a high-index prism for TM-polarized light. For very thin Ag films, the reflectance minimum diverges from the phase-matching condition, as determined from independently measured refractive indices and thicknesses. This divergence apparently arises from separation of the pole and the zero in the reflectance versus propagation vector as the Ag thickness is decreased.

© 1979 Optical Society of America

Enhanced total reflection with surface plasmons

G. A. Plotz, H. J. Simon, and J. M. Tucciarone
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 69(3) 419-422 (1979)

Use of a total absorption ATR method to measure complex refractive indices of metal-foils

H. Kitajima, K. Hieda, and Y. Suematsu
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 70(12) 1507-1513 (1980)

Mapping of surface plasmon dispersion in thin Ag–Au layered composite films

Chuan Zhong, Kyle E. Ballantine, Christopher Kervick, Christopher M. Smith, D. Mullarkey, I. V. Shvets, John F. Donegan, and David McCloskey
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 33(4) 566-573 (2016)

Theory of diffraction efficiency and anomalies of shallow metal gratings of finite conductivity

Kenji Utagawa
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 69(2) 333-343 (1979)

Reflected second-harmonic generation with coupled surface-plasmon modes in Ag/liquid/Ag layers

Qin Chen, X. Sun, I. R. Coddington, D. A. Goetz, and H. J. Simon
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 16(6) 971-975 (1999)