We demonstrate a novel method for effectively coupling light with surface-plasmon polaritons using specially designed dipolar scatterers strategically positioned at an optimal distance from the surface. In our experiments, we constructed gold disks with a silica spacer from a flat gold surface and adjusted the spacer thickness to match a specific scatterer geometry that resonates at a predetermined optical frequency. This setup achieved a peak coupling efficiency of light to plasmon that is comparable to the square of the light's wavelength, at an ideal distance facilitated by the balance between strong particle-surface interactions and minimal surface-induced particle-dipole damping, both of which are enhanced at closer distances. Our findings, which are consistent with both analytical theory and electromagnetic simulations, propose the use of strategically placed scatterers as an innovative solution to the longstanding issue of efficient coupling in and out of nanophotonic systems.
We experimentally demonstrate high coupling of light to surface polaritons by means of an optimized scatterer placed at a suitable distance from a polariton-supporting surface. Specifically, we consider poorly-absorbing gold disks acting as nearly-perfect resonant scatterers, which we separate from a gold film by means of a dielectric silica spacer. This configuration leads to resonant coupling between externally incident light and plasmon polaritons in the film with associated cross sections that approach and surpass the fundamental limit ~λ2 imposed by the light wavelength λ. Our method introduces a disruptive, efficient way to solve the in/out-coupling problem in nanophotonics.
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