Linewidth-Optimized Extraordinary Optical Transmission in Water with Template-Stripped Metallic Nanohole Arrays

The experimental observation of unusually sharp plasmon resonance peaks in periodic Ag nanohole arrays made using template stripping is reported. The extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) peak associated with the surface plasmon polaritons at the smooth Ag-water interface shows a well-defined Fano-type profile with a linewidth below 10 nm at a wavelength of around 700 nm. Notably, this sharp and intense radiant peak (Q factor of 71) is obtained at visible frequencies in water and at normally incident illumination. This is accomplished by obtaining high-quality Ag surfaces with a roughness below 1 nm, which reduces the imaginary component of the Ag dielectric function that is associated with material damping, as well as shrinking the nanohole radius to decrease radiative damping of plasmons. The localized spectral response of the radiant plasmon peak is characterized using the nanohole array in water in a layer-by-layer fashion via sequential atomic layer deposition of Al2O3. Because the ultrasharp EOT peak is obtained with excellent uniformity over a centimeter-sized area from the metallic nanohole array in water, these template-stripped nanohole arrays will benefit many practical applications based on EOT.