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Plasmonic amplification of free-electron evanescent fields

Plasmonic amplification of free-electron evanescent fields
Plasmonic amplification of free-electron evanescent fields
We show experimentally for the first time that free-electron evanescent fields can be amplified by a plasmonic nanolayer in a manner analogous to the way in which optical fields are amplified in the poor-man's superlens.

The manipulation of evanescent electromagnetic fields has been a key motivation in the field of plasmonics. However, one class of evanescent field has been excluded from consideration here - the evanescent field of moving free electrons. The electromagnetic energy of free electrons exists in the form of evanescent waves and it can be out-coupled to light only when the electrons are in close proximity to a 'slow-wave medium' or optical inhomogeneity. The former causes the well-known phenomenon of Cerenkov radiation, the latter diffraction or Smith-Purcell radiation. Here, in analogy to the 'poor-man's superlens', wherein the evanescent component of light from an object is restored by a thin silver layer to beat the diffraction limit, we demonstrate the use of an intermediate silver layer to amplify the free-electron evanescent field before it is out-coupled into light by a nano-grating. The presence of a silver layer provides for the excitation of phase-velocity matched surface plasmons, and leads to the amplification of the electrons' evanescent field.
So, J.-K.
06a7afea-61c2-439d-9ac4-047ea21a909b
Ou, J.Y.
3fb703e3-b222-46d2-b4ee-75f296d9d64d
Adamo, G.
a614528b-81c3-4f38-a709-5e582b03e7d2
García de Abajo, F.J.
68958b41-966f-49ef-9578-d0ffa446b33e
MacDonald, K.F.
76c84116-aad1-4973-b917-7ca63935dba5
Zheludev, N.I.
32fb6af7-97e4-4d11-bca6-805745e40cc6
So, J.-K.
06a7afea-61c2-439d-9ac4-047ea21a909b
Ou, J.Y.
3fb703e3-b222-46d2-b4ee-75f296d9d64d
Adamo, G.
a614528b-81c3-4f38-a709-5e582b03e7d2
García de Abajo, F.J.
68958b41-966f-49ef-9578-d0ffa446b33e
MacDonald, K.F.
76c84116-aad1-4973-b917-7ca63935dba5
Zheludev, N.I.
32fb6af7-97e4-4d11-bca6-805745e40cc6

So, J.-K., Ou, J.Y., Adamo, G., García de Abajo, F.J., MacDonald, K.F. and Zheludev, N.I. (2013) Plasmonic amplification of free-electron evanescent fields. Institute of Physics Singapore (IPS) Meeting '13, Singapore. 04 - 06 Mar 2013.

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Other)

Abstract

We show experimentally for the first time that free-electron evanescent fields can be amplified by a plasmonic nanolayer in a manner analogous to the way in which optical fields are amplified in the poor-man's superlens.

The manipulation of evanescent electromagnetic fields has been a key motivation in the field of plasmonics. However, one class of evanescent field has been excluded from consideration here - the evanescent field of moving free electrons. The electromagnetic energy of free electrons exists in the form of evanescent waves and it can be out-coupled to light only when the electrons are in close proximity to a 'slow-wave medium' or optical inhomogeneity. The former causes the well-known phenomenon of Cerenkov radiation, the latter diffraction or Smith-Purcell radiation. Here, in analogy to the 'poor-man's superlens', wherein the evanescent component of light from an object is restored by a thin silver layer to beat the diffraction limit, we demonstrate the use of an intermediate silver layer to amplify the free-electron evanescent field before it is out-coupled into light by a nano-grating. The presence of a silver layer provides for the excitation of phase-velocity matched surface plasmons, and leads to the amplification of the electrons' evanescent field.

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More information

e-pub ahead of print date: 2013
Venue - Dates: Institute of Physics Singapore (IPS) Meeting '13, Singapore, 2013-03-04 - 2013-03-06
Organisations: Optoelectronics Research Centre

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 366513
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/366513
PURE UUID: 923dc64c-d544-4623-baa8-6a882842445d
ORCID for J.Y. Ou: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8028-6130
ORCID for K.F. MacDonald: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3877-2976
ORCID for N.I. Zheludev: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-1013-6636

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 01 Jul 2014 11:29
Last modified: 06 Mar 2024 02:46

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Contributors

Author: J.-K. So
Author: J.Y. Ou ORCID iD
Author: G. Adamo
Author: F.J. García de Abajo
Author: K.F. MacDonald ORCID iD
Author: N.I. Zheludev ORCID iD

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