Science |
Volume 305 Page 847-8 |
2004 |
JB Pendry, L Martín-Moreno, and FJ
Garcia-Vidal
Metals
such as silver support surface plasmons: electromagnetic surface excitations
localised near the surface which originate from the free electrons of the
metal. Surface modes are also observed on highly conducting surfaces perforated
by holes. We establish a close connection between the two, showing that
electromagnetic waves in both materials are governed by an effective
permittivity of the same plasma form. Because the size and spacing of holes can
readily be controlled on all relevant length scales, this gives the opportunity
to create designer surface plasmons with almost arbitrary dispersion in
frequency and in space, opening new vistas in surface plasmon optics.
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