Optical and Magneto-Optical Measurements of Plasmonic Magnetic Nanostructures

Sammanfattning: At the interface between a metal and dielectric, it is possible for an electromagnetic wave to couple with the conduction electrons of the metal to create a coupled oscillation known as a surface plasmon. These surface plasmons can exhibit properties which are not shared with their purely electronic or electromagnetic components. Such unique properties include the ability to transmit plasmonic waves through sub-wavelength spaces, opening up the possibility of combining the high data density seen in photonics-based information technologies with the nanometer-scale electronic components of modern integrated circuitry. Other plasmon properties such as the highly resonant nature of plasmon excitation may potentially lend themselves to novel cancer treatments and medical probing techniques. In order to develop such technologies, a deeper understanding of surface plasmons and their relationship with a material’s properties and structure is necessary. In the present work, angle- and energy-resolved optical measurements for a square lattice of circular Fe20Pd80 islands are presented in the form of reflectivity and transmission maps, along with higher resolution reflectivity, transmission, and TMOKE measurements for a few specific wavelengths. A theoretical model describing the connection between plasmonic and magneto-optical behavior is described and compared with the experimental data, showing a very high correlation.