Optical wave properties of nano-particle chains coupled with a metal surface

Optical phenomena supported by ordered and disordered chains of metal nano-particles on a metal surface are investigated by considering a particular example of gold nano-bumps on a gold surface. The TWs supported by these structures are analyzed by studying the frequency-wavenumber spectra of the fields excited by localized sources placed near the chain. Periodic nano-bump chains support traveling waves (TWs) that propagate without radiation loss along, and are confined to the region near, the chain. These TWs are slow waves with respect to both space fields and surface plasmon polaritons supported by the metal surface. For nearly resonant nano-bumps, the TWs are well confined and can be excited efficiently by a localized source placed near the chain but the TW propagation length is short. For non-resonant nano-bumps, the TWs have large propagation lengths but are not well confined and are excited less efficiently. The TWs supported by nano-bump chains were shown to have larger propagation lengths than free-standing chains of the same dimension/size and cross-sectional confinement. TWs also are supported by disordered chains and chains with sharp bends. Perturbations in nano-bump positions are shown to reduce the TW propagation length much less significantly than perturbations in their sizes. Transmission through sharp chain bends is much stronger for nearly resonant nano-bumps than for nonresonant ones. In addition to their ability to support TWs, nano-bump chains can be used to manipulate (excite/reflect/refract) SPPs on the metal surface. (C) 2007 Optical Society of America.