William L Barnes 2006 J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 8 S87 doi:10.1088/1464-4258/8/4/S06
William L Barnes
Show affiliationsWe look at four length scales associated with the surface plasmon–polariton (SPP) modes in the visible and near-infrared. We examine some of the consequences of these length scales for exploiting surface plasmon–polariton modes as a means to provide sub-wavelength optics. The four length scales discussed are the SPP wavelength, the SPP propagation distance, and the penetration depths of the field associated with the SPP into the dielectric and metal media that bound the interface that supports the SPP. Length scales spanning seven orders of magnitude, from nanometres to centimetres, are of relevance to SPPs. This paper concludes by identifying some of the challenges that lie ahead.
71.36.+c Polaritons (including photon-phonon and photon-magnon interactions)
Issue 4 (April 2006)
Received 21 December 2005, accepted for publication 27 January 2006
Published 21 March 2006
William L Barnes 2006 J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 8 S87
Andrea Hamilton et al 2008 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 41 212002
M Grupp et al 2007 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 40 2703
Katsuhiro Tomioka et al 2009 Nanotechnology 20 145302
Jared Burdick et al 2009 Nanotechnology 20 065306
J A De Toro et al 2009 Nanotechnology 20 085710
Matthias Hillenkamp et al 2007 Nanotechnology 18 015702
Hailin Cong et al 2009 Nanotechnology 20 075307
R Klein et al 2007 Phys. Med. Biol. 52 659
B M Graham and A Adler 2006 Physiol. Meas. 27 S65