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Determination of the Excitation and Coupling Rates Between Light Emitters and Surface Plasmon Polaritons
Published on: July 21, 2018
Directionally scattered optical second-harmonic generation with surface plasmons.
Optics Letters
|September 25, 2009
Summary
Scattered optical second-harmonic generation from surface plasmons at a silver-quartz interface forms an arc pattern. This pattern results from multiply scattered surface plasmons, indicating enhanced backscattering effects.
Area of Science:
- Condensed matter physics
- Optics
- Materials science
Background:
- Surface plasmons are collective electron oscillations at metal-dielectric interfaces.
- Optical second-harmonic generation (SHG) is a nonlinear optical process where two photons interact to create a photon with double the frequency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the spatial distribution of scattered optical second-harmonic generation (SHG).
- To understand the underlying physics of surface plasmon excitation and scattering at a silver-quartz interface.
Main Methods:
- Prism-coupled surface plasmon excitation was used.
- The spatial pattern and intensity distribution of scattered SHG light were analyzed.
Main Results:
- A distinct arc-shaped spatial pattern of scattered SHG was observed.
- The observed pattern was explained by the interference (beating) between forward-incident and backward-scattered surface plasmons.
- Single-scattering theory could not explain the intensity distribution, suggesting multiple scattering events.
Conclusions:
- Multiple scattering of surface plasmons is the dominant mechanism for the observed SHG.
- The phenomenon can be interpreted as enhanced backscattering of surface plasmons.
