Electromagnetic Surface Waves

Chapter 2

Surface-Plasmon-Polariton Waves I

2.1 Introduction

For those researchers who focus on surface waves, the emergence of surface waves of many new types during the past few decades has been both exciting and stimulating. The uninitiated, however, may feel disoriented amidst the vast array of phenomenons tabulated in Table 1.1. As it may be difficult to see the forest for the trees, let us take a detailed look at the simple surface-plasmon-polariton waves supported by the interface of two homogeneous and isotropic materials, each characterized by a permittivity scalar. Let us also note here that the study and application of simple SPP waves does not need much help from nanotechnology, and, indeed, flourished for decades without it.

Surface ...