Superconducting plasmonics and extraordinary transmission

Negative dielectric constant and dominant kinetic resistance make superconductors intriguing plasmonic media. Here we report on the first study of one of the most important and disputed manifestations of plasmonics, the effect of extraordinary transmission through an array of subwavelength holes, using a perforated film of high-temperature superconductor. We show that in the millimetric wave part of the spectrum exceptionally strong extraordinary transmission exists in the ideal conductor state, improves in the plasmonic regime of a superconductor, and diminishes in a highly lossy metal. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3489091]