Continuous layer gap plasmon resonators

We demonstrate both theoretically and experimentally that a gold nanostrip supported by a thin dielectric (silicon dioxide) film and a gold underlay forms an efficient (Fabry-Perot) resonator for gap surface plasmons. Periodic nanostrip arrays are shown to exhibit strong and narrow resonances with nearly complete absorption and quality factors of similar to 15-20 in the near-infrared. Two-photon luminescence microscopy measurements reveal intensity enhancement factors of similar to 120 in the 400-nm-period array of 85-nm-wide gold strips atop a 23-nm-thick silica film at the resonance wavelength of similar to 770nm. Excellent resonant characteristics, the simplicity of tuning the resonance wavelength by adjusting the nanostrip width and/or the dielectric film thickness and the ease of fabrication with (only) one lithography step required make the considered plasmonic configuration very attractive for a wide variety of applications, ranging from surface sensing to photovoltaics. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America