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Updated: Jul 1, 2026
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Determination of the Excitation and Coupling Rates Between Light Emitters and Surface Plasmon Polaritons
Published on: July 21, 2018
Ultrafast control of grating-assisted light coupling to surface plasmons
Nir Rotenberg1, Markus Betz, Henry M van Driel
1Department of Physics and Institute for Optical Sciences, University of Toronto, 60 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. nrotenbe@physics.utoronto.ca
Optics Letters
|September 17, 2008
Summary
We achieved subpicosecond control over light coupling to surface plasmons using gold gratings. This enables rapid manipulation of plasmon resonance for advanced optical applications.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Surface-plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are electromagnetic waves coupled to collective electron oscillations at a metal-dielectric interface.
- Controlling SPP excitation and propagation is crucial for nanoscale optical devices and sensors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate subpicosecond temporal control over the coupling of free-space radiation to surface-plasmon polaritons.
- To investigate the dynamic response of plasmon resonance to ultrafast optical excitation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized gold gratings with periods of 830 nm and 500 nm to couple free-space radiation to SPPs.
- Irradiated the gratings with 100 fs, 810 nm laser pulses.
- Measured the shift in the 570 nm plasmon resonance and associated reflectivity changes.
Main Results:
- Achieved subpicosecond control over the coupling efficiency.
- Observed a dynamic shift of the 570 nm plasmon resonance by approximately 0.75 nm.
- Reported a reflectivity change up to 6% with a decay time of approximately 1 ps.
Conclusions:
- Demonstrated ultrafast, subpicosecond control of light coupling to SPPs.
- Established a method for dynamic tuning of plasmon resonance via thermally induced electron redistribution.
- This work opens possibilities for high-speed optical modulation and signal processing at the nanoscale.
