Artificial TE-mode surface waves at metal surfaces mimicking surface plasmons

Abstract

Manipulation of light in subwavelength scale can be realized with metallic nanostructures for TM-polarization components due to excitation of surface plasmons. TE-polarization components of light are usually excluded in subwavelength metal structures for mesoscopic optical interactions. Here we show that, by introducing very thin high index dielectric layers on structured metal surfaces, pseudo surface polarization currents can be induced near metal surfaces, which bring to excitation of artificial TE-mode surface waves at the composite meta-surfaces. This provides us a way to manipulate TE-polarized light in subwavelength scale. Typical properties of the artificial surface waves are further demonstrate for their excitation, propagation, optical transmission, and enhancement and resonances of the localized fields, mimicking those of surface plasmon waves.