Surface plasmon laser with two hole arrays as cavity mirrors

Surface plasmon propagation and scattering on structured metal–dielectric interfaces are important tools for field confinement and enhanced atom–field interaction. In this paper, we demonstrate a new type of surface plasmon (SP) lasing that more closely resembles the usual mirror-based laser, in a geometry that comprises a central 50-μm-long flat region between two metal hole arrays that serve as reflecting mirrors. The lasing mode shows features of double-slit interference modulated by the radiation pattern of, and selection rules set by, the scattering of SPs on the 2D hole arrays. Our results also provide information on the group velocity of surface plasmons and their scattering and penetration in hole arrays.Quantum Matter and Optic