Can circular polarized light produce surface plasmon polaritn? I know that the surface plasmon polaritons have a definite orientation, but the polarization direction of circularly polarized light changes with time, so it is impossible to circulary polarized light to produce surface plasmon polaritons.
But recently, I read a paper (Optical Express 26 (2): 1199, with the website Article Tunable asymmetric transmission through tilted rectangular n...
). They announced surface plasmon polariton generated by circular polarized light. So, can someone help me explain what are surface plasmon polariton and localized surface plasmon.
This is a surface wave that is polarized (the magnetic field is parallel to the interface and produced by currents circulating just beneath the surface -- they tend to make some sort of loops). Just so that we're clear, surface plasmon polariton are not polaritons (if you know anything previously on polaritons) and they are not plasmons either (the quantization of the Langmuir wave that can propagate in plasma). If you know nothing about these two things then you can't be confused and can continue to use the term without further thinking.
Antoine Moreau
Thank you very much, Anthoine. I am still confused by your answer. If the surface plasmon is just a polarized surface wave, then it is polarized in which direction. Because any electric waves are polarized. I Think loop current generates a magnetic dipole, and polarization direction of dipole and surface wave are two things. Can you tell me your answer in more detail.
I found a tutorial on youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLT1vrnJXWI), Is the explanation of this tutorial the same as that of surface plasmon polariton in nanophotonics?
The tutorial is ok for the surface plasmon, but it's a little bit off for the LSPR. Not a huge problem, but still. The thing is : the electron gas does not oscillate outside of the metal. Another thing : this mechanism does not accurately allow to predict any other resonances, whereas there are quite a few.
In a polarized light you have both polarization, so that it does not suprise me that it works. Surface plasmons (or gap plasmons) can be excited another way using such waves, but it's complicated.
You can have a look on that, which could help maybe :
https://github.com/AnMoreau/PyMoosh/blob/main/notebooks/SPR.ipynb
Article Directing Nanoscale Optical Flows by Coupling Photon Spin to...
There they excite a mode using polarized light. But it's from the side, that all the difference. I would not completely agree with the interpretation, though. But it's quite technical.
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