1302.6604 (Daniel Traviss et al.)

Ultrafast plasmonics using transparent conductive oxide hybrids in the
epsilon near-zero regime    [PDF]

Daniel Traviss, Roman Bruck, Ben Mills, Martina Abb, Otto L. Muskens

The dielectric response of transparent conductive oxides near the bulk plasmon frequency is characterized by a refractive index less than vacuum. In analogy with x-ray optics, it is shown that this regime results in total external reflection and air-guiding of light. In addition, the strong reduction of the wavevector in the ITO below that of free space enables a new surface plasmon polariton mode which can be excited without requiring a prism or grating coupler. Ultrafast control of the surface plasmon polariton mode is achieved with a modulation amplitude reaching 20%.

View original: http://arxiv.org/abs/1302.6604