title: Huygens-Fresnel principle for surface plasmons.
abstract: We present an explicit form of the surface plasmon propagator. Its form has the structure of a vectorial Huygens-Fresnel principle. The propagator appears to be a powerful tool to deal with diffraction, interference and focusing of surface plasmons. In contrast with the scalar approximation used so far, the vectorial propagator accounts for near-field and polarization effects. We illustrate the potential of the propagator by studying diffraction of surface plasmons by a slit and focusing of surface plasmons by a Fresnel lens.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique, CNRS and Université Paris-Sud, Campus Polytechnique, RD 128, 91127 Palaiseau cedex, France. tatiana.teperik@institutoptique.fr
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Teperik
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Archambault
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marquier
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Greffet
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D008027:Light; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012031:Refractometry / Q000379:methods*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000379:methods*