Surface Plasmon-polaritons on thin metal films- IMI (insulator-metal-insulator) structure -

Dielectric – ε3

Dielectric – ε1

Metal – ε2

ReferencesSurface plasmons in thin films,E.N. Economou, Phy. Rev. Vol.182, 539-554 (1969)

Surface-polariton-like waves guided by thin, lossy metal films,J.J. Burke, G. I. Stegeman, T. Tamir, Phy. Rev. B, Vol.33, 5186-5201 (1986)

Plasmon slot waveguides: Towards chip-scale propagation with subwavelength-scale localization,J. A. Dionne,* L. A. Sweatlock, and H. A. Atwater, Phy. Rev. B, Vol.73, 035407 (2006)

Geometries and materials for subwavelength surface plasmon modes,Rashid Zia, Mark D. Selker, Peter B. Catrysse, and Mark L. Brongersma,J. Opt. Soc. Am. A, Vol. 21, 2442-2446 (2004)

Plasmon-polariton waves guided by thin lossy metal films of finite width: Bound modes of symmetric structures,P. Berini, Phy. Rev. B, Vol.61, 10484 (2000)

Introduction: When the film thickness becomes finite.

modeoverlap

Introduction:Possibility of Propagation Range Extension

freq

uenc

y

in-plane wavevector

Long-Range SP: weak surface confinement, low loss

Short-Range SP:strong surface confinement, high loss

Introduction: Extremely long-range SP ?

in-plane wavevector

freq

uenc

y

Symmetrically coupled LRSP

Anti-symmetrically coupled LRSP

Introduction: Dependence of dispersion on film thickness

practically forbidden

200 400 600 800

-1

-0.75

-0.5

-0.25

0.25

0.5

0.75

1

200 400 600 800

-1

-0.75

-0.5

-0.25

0.25

0.5

0.75

1

60h nm=

250 500 750 1000 1250 1500

-1

-0.75

-0.5

-0.25

0.25

0.5

0.75

1

250 500 750 1000 1250 1500

-1

-0.75

-0.5

-0.25

0.25

0.5

0.75

1

10h nm=

Surface-polariton-like waves guided by thin, lossy metal films

J.J. Burke, G. I. Stegeman, T. Tamir, Phy. Rev. B, Vol.33, 5186-5201 (1986).

Burke, PRB 1986

Dispersion relations for waves guided by a thin, lossy metal film surrounded by dielectric media

Characteristic of "spatial transients" : Usual symmetric and antisymmetric branches each split into a pair of waves

one radiative (leaky waves) and the other nonradiative (bound waves).

Symmetric modes : the transverse electric field does not exhibit a zero inside the metal filmAntisymmetric modes : the transverse electric field has a zero inside the film.

εm = - εR – i εI hz

xε1

ε3

ε1 > ε3

Dispersion relation for thin metal films (3 layers)obtained from the Maxwell equations

( )0( , , ) ( )expyi iH x z t e H f z i x tβ ω= −⎡ ⎤⎣ ⎦

[ ] ( )[ ] [ ] ( )

[ ] ( )

3

2 0 2

1

exp ( ) in medium 3

( ) exp ( ) exp in medium 2 0

exp in medium 1 0i h

B s z h z h

f z A s z h A s z z h

s z z

⎧ − − ≥⎪

= − + − ≤ ≤⎨⎪ ≤⎩

2 2 20j j js kβ ε= −

[ ]

[ ]

0

0

exp

0

exp

( )

( )

yx

y

j

jz y

Hi iE H i xzi E

E H H i x

df zdz

f z

βωε ωε

ωεβ β β

ωε ωε

∂⎧ − −= =⎪ ∂⎪⎪= ∇× → =⎨

⎪ − −⎪ = =⎪⎩

E H

[ ]

[ ] ( )

[ ] [ ]{ } ( )

[ ] ( )

33

3

20 2 0 2

2

11

1

exp ( )

exp exp ( ) exp 0

exp 0

x h

s B s z h z h

siE H i x A s z h A s z z h

s s z z

ε

βωε ε

ε

⎧−− − ≥⎪

⎪⎪− ⎪= × − − − ≤ ≤⎨⎪⎪

≤⎪⎪⎩

( )( )

1 2 2 0

2 3 2 0

0 : exp[ ] 1

: exp[ ]x x h

x x h

z H H s h A A

z h H H A s h A B

= = ⇒ − + =⎧⎪⎨

= = ⇒ + − =⎪⎩

From the boundary conditions,

2 11 2 2 0

1 2

2 32 3 2 0

3 2

0 : exp[ ]

: exp[ ]

x x h

x x h

sz E E s h A As

sz h E E A s h A Bs

εε

εε

⎧ = = ⇒ − − =⎪⎪⎨⎪ = = ⇒ − − = −⎪⎩

[ ] [ ] [ ] ( )

[ ] [ ] ( )

[ ] ( )

2 12 2 3

1 2

2 12 2

1 2

1

cosh sinh exp ( ) 3:

( ) cosh sinh 2 : 0

exp 1: 0

j

ss h s h s z h j z hs

sf z s z s z j z hs

s z j z

εε

εε

⎧⎛ ⎞+ − − = ≥⎪⎜ ⎟

⎝ ⎠⎪⎪⎪= + = ≤ ≤⎨⎪⎪ = ≤⎪⎪⎩

From the equations at z = 0, Ah, Ao, and B can be determined by,

Therefore, anther equations at z = h gives the dispersion relation,

( ) [ ] ( )2 21 3 2 2 1 3 2 2 2 3 1 1 3tanh 0s s s s h s s sε ε ε ε ε ε+ + + =

2 2 20j j js kβ ε= −

Dispersion relation when

Burke, PRB 1986

When h >> c/ωp (classical skin depth), tanh(S2h) 1,

SP1 :

SP3 :

2

21 pm

ωε

ω= −

h → ∞

The solutions consist of decoupled surface-plasmon polaritons (SPP) :

propagating along the ε1-εm interface

propagating along the ε3-εm interface

1,3 ( ) i mi

i m

hc

ε εωβε ε= → ∞ =

+

If we assume that and R I m R Iiβ β ε ε ε>> = +

Burke, PRB 1986

If / (light line),i cβ ε ω>

Hence Si is real. But, there are two types of solutions for the semi-infinite media SPPs :

2 2 2 0i i oS kβ ε= − >

(1) Si > 0, SPPs are nonradiative, or bound

(2) Si < 0, SPPs are grow exponentially with distance from the interface,which are physically rejected because of their non-guiding property

If / (light line),i cβ ε ω<

Therefore, SPPs, are bound at the semi-infinite media only when Si are real and positive.

For a finite film thickness, the two allowed semi-infinite SPPs are coupled.

One of the SPPs could become leaky (radiative) in the ε3 medium when ε1 > ε3

2 0iS <

Hence Si is imaginary. The field is a plane wave radiating away form the metal boundary.

[ ] ( )[ ] [ ] ( )

[ ] ( )

3

2 0 2

1

exp ( ) in medium 3

( ) exp ( ) exp in medium 2 0

exp in medium 1 0i h

B s z h z h

f z A s z h A s z z h

s z z

⎧ − − ≥⎪

= − + − ≤ ≤⎨⎪ ≤⎩

Burke, PRB 1986

There are two types of solutions for Si > 0 : symmetric (s), antisymmetric (a)

1 3(1) : 0 & 0S S> >h → ∞

The fields grow exponentially with wave front tilted to carry energy away from the metal

The fields decay exponentially into both ε1 and ε3, and the wave fronts are tilted in towards the metal film. -> nonradiative waves

The field in ε1 and the metal is guided by the interface,the filed in ε3 grows exponentially (leaky).

Waves guided by symmetric structures ( )1 3ε ε=

There are four types of solutions satisfying :

We can estimate the properties of the solutions as follows:

0h →1 3S S± = ± 1 3(2) : 0 & 0S S< <

1 3(3) : 0 & 0S S> <1 3S S± = ∓ 1 3(4) : 0 & 0S S< >

1 3(1) : 0 & 0S S> >

1 3(2) : 0 & 0S S< <

1 3(3) : 0 & 0S S> <

1 3(4) : 0 & 0S S< >

The field in ε3 and the metal is guided by the interface,the filed in ε1 grows exponentially (leaky).

2 2 2 0i i oS kβ ε= − >

ε1

εm

ε3

Leaky (ε1)Hy

Leaky (ε3)

ε1

εm

ε3

Hy

Bound (a)

ε1

εm

ε3

Hy

Bound (s)

ε1

εm

ε3

Leaky (ε1)

Hy

Bound (ε3)

ε1

εm

ε3

Hy

Leaky (ε3)

Bound (ε1)

Two nonradiative, Fano modes

Two radiative, leaky modes

Four SPP modes

2 SP solutions

1 SP solution

1 SP solution

No solution

ε1

εm

ε3

Hy

Bound (a)

ε1

εm

ε3

Hy

Bound (s)

Two nonradiative, Fano modes

1 3(1) : 0 & 0S S> >

Symmetric bound (sb) Asymmetric bound (ab)

Surface plasmon dispersion for thin filmsDrude model

ε1(ω)=1-(ωp/ω) 2Two modes appear

L-

L-(asymmetric)

Thinner film:Shorter SP wavelength

Example:λHeNe = 633 nm

λSP = 60 nm

L+(symmetric)

Propagationlengths: cm !!!(infrared)

0 50 100 150 200

1.5

1.6

1.7

1.8

1.9

2.0

ab

sb

β r/k0

thickness (h : nm)0 50 100 150 200

1E-7

1E-6

1E-5

1E-4

1E-3

0.01

0.1

1

ab

sb

β i/k0

thickness (h : nm)

( ) [ ] ( )2 21 3 2 2 1 3 2 2 2 3 1 1 3tanh 0s s s s h s s sε ε ε ε ε ε+ + + =

2 2 20j j js kβ ε= −

2 1 31.55 , 118 11.58 2.25 , m iλ μ ε ε ε= = − + = =Ex)

ε1

εm

ε3

Hy

Bound (a)

ε1

εm

ε3

Hy

Bound (s)

sb ab

Waves guided by asymmetric structures

Burke, PRB 1986

One antisymmetric mode is always obtained.The "symmetric" solutions are of two types, nonradiative (bound) and nonradiative (leaky):

( )1 3ε ε≠

1 3 1 3 & S S S S± = ± ± = ∓There are also four types of solutions satisfying

ε1εm

ε3

Hy

Bound (a)

ε1εm

ε3

Hy

Bound (s)

ε1εm

ε3

Leaky (ε1)

Hy

Bound (ε3)

ε1εm

ε3

Hy

Leaky (ε3)

Bound (ε1)

ε1εm

ε3

Hy

Growing (z)

Growing (x)

z x

1 3(1) : 0 & 0S S> >

1 3(2) : 0 & 0S S< < 1 3(3) : 0 & 0S S> < 1 3(4) : 0 & 0S S< >

2 2 2 0i i oS kβ ε= − >

ε1εm

ε3

Leaky (ε1)

Hy

Leaky (ε3)

1 3For example, 0 & 0 when - and -

R I

i iR iI i iR iI

SS S iS i

ββ β β

< >= =

2 2 2Bound and Leaky modes when 0i i oS kβ ε= − > Growing modes

Waves guided by asymmetric structures

Burke, PRB 1986

Nonradiative mode the fields in the dielectric decay exponentially away from the film and the wave fronts are tilted into the metal film, in order to remove energy from the dielectric media (for dissipation in the metal) as the wave attenuates with propagation distance.

Leaky (radiative) mode The wave energy is localized in one of the dielectrics, say ε1, at that dielectric-metal interface. The wave amplitude decays exponentially across the film, and then grows exponentially into the other dielectric medium, ε3 in this case. In the ε1 medium, the wave fronts are tilted towards the film to supply energy from ε1 for both dissipation in the metal, and radiation into ε3.

Leaky (radiative) mode The analogous case of localization in ε3, and radiation into ε1.

Growing modeThe field amplitude grows both with propagation distance as exp(βIx), and into one of the dielectrics as exp(SRz). Since the wave-front tilt is into the film (as opposed to away from it for leaky waves), these waves are dependent on externally incident fields supplying energy to make the total wave amplitude grow.

( )1 3ε ε≠

Burke, PRB 1986

Leaky waves

They only have meaning in a limited region of space above the film and require some transverse plane (say x=O) containing an effective source that launches a localized wave in one dielectric near its metal-dielectric boundary. The field decays across the metal and couples to radiation fields in the opposite dielectric.

The ε1 field amplitude grows exponentially for only a finite distance z, In this sense, the solutions do not violate boundary conditions as z - infinite.

θ

For fields radiated at an angle θ relative to the surface, the angular spectrumof the radiated plane waves is

Thus, the radiated power is

The wave attenuation due to radiation loss can be estimated from the solutions by calculating the Poynting vector for energy leaving, for example, the ε1-εm boundary, per meter of wave front,

LOCAL THEORY FOR MULTIPLE-FILM SYSTEM

Maxwell equations with a local current-field relation as follows:

For electric (or TM) waves that Hz= Hx = Ey= 0 in all of the media,

Local approximation to the current-field relation

with

The local approximation satisfies the dielectric function in the metal,

Surface plasmons in thin, multilayer filmsE.N. Economou, Phy. Rev. Vol.182, 539-554 (1969)

the solution for any component of the fields can thus be represented in the form

A. Single Metal-Dielectric Interface

The solution for Ex that remains finite at infinity is

The continuity of E and H fields acrossthe boundary gives the dispersion relation as

If the dielectric constant for the insulator ε i =1,

( )( )

/1

/metal

insulator

KR

Kε

ε⎡ ⎤

≡ − =⎢ ⎥⎢ ⎥⎣ ⎦

m dx

m d

kc

ε εωε ε

=+ 22

22

)1()(

pd

dpspx c

kkωωεεωωω

−+

−==

It is obvious that retardation effects are important for q = (k/kp) < 1and that they do not play any role for q>>1.

222 2 2 2 2

2, if 1 pp m

m m

c ck k c kω

ω ω ω ω εε ωε

= ⇒ = ± = ± + = −

Dispersion of bulk plasmon:

Retardation (radiative loss)

Therefore, we are interested in region IV.

B. Insulating Film between Two Semi-Infinite Metals

Branches I and II are adequately described by thelongitudinal electrostatic theory when k >> kp ,

If εi=1, the low-frequency k < kp, part of I,

If kpdi << l, as is usually the case, branch III is

If kpdi << l, the k << kp portion of II is

and, at k = 0

C. Metal Film in Vacuum

When k < kp, for branch II (antisymmetric oscillation)

When k < kp, for branch I (symmetric oscillation)

When k > kp, both I and II approach

2,2

, 2i m

i mK kc

ω ε= −

( )( )

//

metal

insulator

KR

Kε

ε⎡ ⎤

≡ − ⎢ ⎥⎢ ⎥⎣ ⎦

* Burke, PRB 1986 :

2 2 2 , 1, 2, 3.n n oS k k nε= − =

D. Swihart's Geometry

When k << kp, for branch I

Branch II just R=1, corresponds to oscillations on the external interface (insulator/metal).

Branch III,

The intersection of branch III with the line ω=ck occurs, when

Branch IV behaves for small k as

E. Two Metal Films of Different Thicknesses

Where,

When k << kp,

branch II, III

The branch II and III

Where,

Branch II Branch IIIBranch II

Branch III

F. Two Dielectric Films

For k<<kp branches I and II are given by

In the special case when d1=d2=di they correspondto symmetric and antisymmetric solutions,

And, in the limit when

Branch III starts, when k= 0,

Branch III starts, when k= 0,

For k<kp

Branch IV is, for small k,

It corresponds to an oscillation which couples the two junctions, and, when one of the thicknesses of the dielectric films becomes large, the coupling is broken and the oscillation is confined to one of them.

G. Three Metal Films

When k<<kp branches I and II are given by

When k<<kp branches III and IV:

When k<<kp branches V and VI

Periodicity of alternating thicknesses dm and di, implies that the eigensolutions obey the Floquet-Bloch theorem; namely,

The secular equation is

Solutions are found in the shaded regions.

When k<<kp curves III and IV can be taken as straight lines with phase velocities,

Any intermediate solution has phase velocity

H. Periodic structure of alternating metal and insulating films

The upper region within which solutions lie is bounded by I, a portion of IIa, and IIb.

If (kp2 didm )<< 1, Curve I is

while curve IIa is

Solutions near I are given by

When k>>kp the secular equation is

Conclusions of Economou

Modes of SPO in multiple-film systems can be classified into two main groups.

One group contains those modes whose dispersion curves start from zero frequency at k=O, increase as k increases, but remain below the line ω= ck.

The other group starts at k= 0 from ω= ωp, or a value slightly less than ωp, and remains close to the line ω= ωp. For very large k, all the dispersion curves of both groups converge asymptotically to the classical surface plasmon frequency ωp /root(2).

In addition to these two groups, some uninteresting modes may appear with dispersion curves that lie just below the curve ω2= ωp

2 + c2k2 which corresponds to the trivial solution of zero fields.

For normal metals this description is valid only for high enough frequencies so that oscillation damping is negligible. On the other hand, for superconducting metals, the picture is valid not only for the high-frequency region but also for low frequencies.

In Multiple-film structures radiative SPO exists, which should have observable effects in the radiation properties of these structures. In particular, there seems to be a possibility of obtaining intense radiation as the number of the films increases.

Dispersion relation for thin metal strips with finite widths

metal strip

dielectric

Finite film thickness and width

Plasmon-polariton waves guided by thin lossy metal films of finite width: Bound modes of symmetric structures,P. Berini, Phy. Rev. B, Vol.61, 10484 (2000)

( )

( )

( , , , ) ( , )

( , , , ) ( , )

i z t

i z t

x y z t x y e

x y z t x y e

β ω

β ω

−

−

=

=0

0

E E

H H

z-axis : propagation direction

1 2r 0( ) kε −∇ × ∇ × =H H

From the Maxwell equations

1 1 2 2 1r r 0 r( ) ( ) ( ) 0t t t t t t tkε ε β ε− − −∇ × ∇ × − ∇ ∇ ⋅ − − =H H H

t i jx y

∧ ∧∂ ∂∇ = +

∂ ∂( )( ) i z t

t x yH i H j e β ω∧ ∧

−= +Hwhere

Assume that all media be isotropic.The magnetic field on x-y (transverse plane) satisfies

E o, Ho : polarization direction

This eigenvalue problem can be solved by a numerical method with proper boundary conditions, such as one of FDM, FEM, MoL, …Here, we use the FDM (finite difference method).

y

FDM

0 50 100 150 200

1.50

1.52

1.54

1.56

1.58

1.60

1.62

1.64

β r/k

o

sabo

ssbo

thickness of metal (nm)0 50 100 150 200

1E-7

1E-6

1E-5

1E-4

1E-3

0.01

β i/k0

sabo

ssbo

thickness of metal (nm)

2 1 31.55 , 118 11.58, 2.25, 5 m i w mλ μ ε ε ε μ= = − + = = =Ex)

y

x

xy

z