title: Experimental investigations into capability of terahertz surface plasmons to bridge macroscopic air gaps.
abstract: Results of experimental and theoretical studies of the capability of terahertz surface plasmons (SPs) to cross macroscopic air gaps in a substrate (or between substrates) with admissible losses are presented. SPs were launched with quasi-cw free-electron laser radiation with 130 μm wavelength (λ). We managed to detect SPs passing across gaps as wide as 100 mm (or about 10(3)⋅λ), which is very promising for development of terahertz SP circuitry. The phenomenon was harnessed for splitting an SP beam into two new ones, guided by their own individual plane-surface substrates.
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Gerasimov
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Knyazev
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Nikitin
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Zhizhin