Nanofocusing with Channel Plasmon Polaritons

• Published in: Nano letters Vol. 9; no. 3; pp. 1278 - 1282
• Main Authors: Volkov, Valentyn S, Bozhevolnyi, Sergey I, Rodrigo, Sergio G, Martín-Moreno, Luis, García-Vidal, Francisco J, Devaux, Eloïse, Ebbesen, Thomas W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 11-03-2009
• Subjects: Equipment Design; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Image Enhancement - instrumentation; Metal Nanoparticles - chemistry; Metals - chemistry; Microscopy - methods; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning - methods; Models, Statistical; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Nanotechnology - methods; Optical workshop techniques; Optics; Physics; Surface Plasmon Resonance; Nano-optics; Nanometer scale; Plasmon polariton interaction; Digital simulation; Optical focusing
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/nl900268v

We investigate radiation nanofocusing with channel plasmon polaritons (CPPs) propagating along subwavelength metal grooves that are tapered synchronously in depth and in width. Efficient CPP nanofocusing at telecom wavelengths with the estimated field intensity enhancement of up to ∼90 is directly demonstrated using near-field microscopy. Experimental observations are concurred with electromagnetic simulations, predicting the possibility of reaching the intensity enhancements of ∼1200 and opening thereby exciting perspectives for practical applications of CPP nanofocusing.