Plasmon-polariton waves in nanofilms on one-dimensional photonic crystal surfaces

Abstract

The propagation of bound optical waves along the surface of a one-dimensional (1D) photonic crystal (PC) structure is considered. A unified description of the waves in 1D PCs for both s-and p-polarizations is done via an impedance approach. A general dispersion relation that is valid for optical surface waves with both polarizations is obtained, and conditions are presented for long-range propagation of plasmon-polariton waves in nanofilms (including lossy ones) deposited on the top of the 1D PC structure. A method is described for designing 1D PC structures to fulfill the conditions required for the existence of the surface mode with a particular wavevector at a particular wavelength. It is shown that the propagation length of the long-range surface plasmon polaritons in a thin metal film can be maximized by wavelength tuning, which introduces a slight asymmetry in the system. © IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.