Mapping the near-field propagation of surface plasmons on terahertz metasurfaces

Journal Article · Mon Jul 13 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4926967· OSTI ID:22483173

Xu, Yuehong; Zhang, Xueqian; Tian, Zhen; Gu, Jianqiang; Ouyang, Chunmei; Li, Yanfeng; Han, Jiaguang ^[1]; Zhang, Weili ^[1]

---

1. Center for Terahertz Waves and College of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China)

Controlling the propagation of surface plasmon polaritons is essential in developing highly integrated photonic devices. By using near-field scanning terahertz microscopy, we experimentally demonstrate that polarization-controlled tunable surface plasmons (SPs) could be directionally excited on a metal surface with carved columns of aperture resonators under special arrangement. The experimental results reveal that terahertz SPs could be unidirectionally launched in opposite directions owning to destructive and constructive interferences on the two sides with circularly polarized incident waves of opposite handedness. Meanwhile, the linearly polarized wave is able to excite the terahertz SPs along either side of the structures. The presented results would be useful to implement functional terahertz plasmonic devices.

• OSTI ID: 22483173
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 107, Issue 2; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
APERTURES
INTERFERENCE
MAPPING
METALS
MICROSCOPY
PLASMONS
POLARIZATION
POLARONS
RESONATORS
SURFACES