Plasmonic Airy beam generated by in-plane diffraction

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Plasmonics
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are light-matter interactions confined to metal surfaces.
• Controlling SPP propagation is crucial for integrated photonic devices.
• Airy beams are known for their unique non-diffracting and self-healing properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally realize a plasmonic Airy beam on a silver surface.
• To investigate the generation and properties of such beams from in-plane SPPs.
• To propose a novel method for generating and modulating plasmonic Airy beams.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a specialized nanoarray structure on a silver surface.
• Generation of Airy beams from in-plane propagating surface plasmon polariton waves.
• Utilizing nonperfectly matched diffraction processes for phase tuning and beam modulation.

Main Results:

• Successful experimental realization of a plasmonic Airy beam.
• Demonstration of nonspreading, self-bending, and self-healing characteristics of the plasmonic Airy beam.
• Development of a new phase-tuning method for versatile beam generation and modulation.

Conclusions:

• The developed plasmonic Airy beam and its generation method offer advanced control over in-plane SPPs.
• This work paves the way for novel applications in lab-on-chip photonic integrations.
• The findings contribute to the fundamental understanding and practical manipulation of surface plasmon polaritons.