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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Determination of the Excitation and Coupling Rates Between Light Emitters and Surface Plasmon Polaritons
Published on: July 21, 2018
Wire-grid polarizers in the volume plasmon region
Anni Lehmuskero1, Benfeng Bai, Pasi Vahimaa
1Department of Physics and Mathematics, University of Joensuu, Joensuu, Finland. anni.lehmuskero@joensuu.fi
Silver and aluminum wire-grid polarizers show reversed transmittance in the volume plasmon frequency region. This behavior is explained by how different light polarizations interact with the metal grating at these specific frequencies.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Wire-grid polarizers are crucial optical components.
- Understanding their behavior near plasma frequencies is essential for advanced applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the optical properties of silver and aluminum wire-grid polarizers.
- To analyze their performance in the volume plasmon frequency region.
Main Methods:
- Analysis using effective approximate refractive index formulae.
- Rigorous simulations employing the Fourier modal method.
- Examination of internal field intensity distributions.
Main Results:
- Transmittance reversal observed for parallel and perpendicular polarizations within the plasma region.
- Parallel polarization mimics homogenous thin metal films.
- Perpendicular polarization exhibits absorption in the plasma region and transmission otherwise.
Conclusions:
- The study elucidates the unique optical response of wire-grid polarizers at volume plasmon frequencies.
- Field intensity distribution analysis provides insight into the observed polarization-dependent behavior.
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