Regensburg 2010 – scientific programme

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O: Fachverband Oberflächenphysik

O 72: Plasmonics and Nanooptics VI

O 72.6: Talk

Thursday, March 25, 2010, 16:15–16:30, H32

Femtosecond Surface Plasmon Characterisation on Metallic Dielectric Interfaces — Jose Francisco Lopez-Barbera, Brian Ashall, and •Dominic Zerulla — University College Dublin, School of Physics, Dublin 4, Ireland

As result of the latest advances in ultrashort pulse measurements, it is now possible to investigate ultrashort processes such as surface plasmon polariton (SPP) dynamics on a sub 20 fs time scale. SPPs are one of the fastest events in nature with time scales varying from 100s of attoseconds to 100s of nanoseconds. Using advanced autocorrelation techniques based on optical gating (FROG and GRENOUILLE) in combination with a 12 fs broadband Ti:Sa laser system, we have characterised the resonant photon-SPP coupling processes on metallic thin films. In particular we focus on the excitation, propagation and life-time of the SPPs at high temporal and frequency resolution. We will present surprising insights into the behaviour of SPPs on this short timescales, including data on the interference of the SPP emission with the directly reflected/diffracted channel.