STATIONARY SURFACE-PLASMONS ON A ZERO-ORDER METAL GRATING

Zero-order metal diffraction gratings may give remarkably strong absor ption of radiation. This absorption is due to the excitation of standi ng wave coupled surface plasmons in the narrow grating grooves. Theore tical modeling shows that a family of resonances exists, as the gratin g grooves are deepened, corresponding to successive standing wave orde rs of the coupled surface plasmon.