Extraordinary transmission through metal-coated monolayers of microspheres

The spectral dependence of the extraordinary transmission through monolayers of close-packed silica or polystyrene microspheres on a quartz support, covered with different thin metal films (Ag, Au and Ni) was investigated. The measured spectra were compared with modeled transmission spectra using finite difference time domain (FDTD) calculations. Measured and modeled spectra show good overall agreement. The supported modes in the sphere array were found to be of utmost importance for the transmission mechanism and the results also suggest that the presence of guided modes in the photonic crystal may further enhance the extraordinary transmission through the metal film. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America