title: Optical properties of a nanosized hole in a thin metallic film.
abstract: Subwavelength holes are one of the most important structures in nanophotonics, providing a useful geometry for nanosensing and giving rise to extraordinary transmission when patterned in arrays. Here we theoretically and experimentally examine the optical properties of an individual nanohole in a thin metallic film. In contrast to localized plasmonic nanostructures with their own characteristic resonances, nanoholes provide a site for excitation of the underlying thin film surface plasmons. We show that both hole diameter and film thickness determine the energy of the optical resonance. A theoretical dispersion curve was obtained and verified using spectral measurements of individual nanoholes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, M.S. 61, Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005-1892, USA.
authors.forename: Tae-Ho
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Nikolay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mirin
authors.forename: J Britt
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lassiter
authors.forename: Colleen L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Nehl
authors.forename: Naomi J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Halas
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nordlander