skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Charge oscillation-induced light transmission through subwavelength slits and holes.

Journal Article · · Phys. Rev. A

We present a concrete picture of spoof surface plasmons (SSPs) combined with cavity resonance to clarify the basic mechanism underlying extraordinary light transmission through metal films with subwavelength slits or holes. This picture may indicate a general mechanism of metallic nanostructure optics: When light is incident on a nonplanar conducting surface, the free electrons cannot move homogeneously in response to the incident electric field, i.e., their movement can be impeded at the rough parts, forming inhomogeneous charge distributions. The oscillating charges and dipoles then emit photons (similar to Thomson scattering of x rays by oscillating electrons), and the interference between the photons may give rise to anomalous transmission, reflection, or scattering.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Nature Science Foundation of China; Ministry of Science and Technology of China
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
950203
Report Number(s):
ANL/XSD/JA-58786; PLRAAN; TRN: US0901971
Journal Information:
Phys. Rev. A, Vol. 76, Issue Sep. 2007; ISSN 1050-2947
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH