Digital Plasmonics

The field of plasmonics offers a route to control light fields with metallic nanostructures through the excitation of Surface Plasmon Polaritons (SPPs). These surface waves, bound to a metal dielectric interface, tightly confine electromagnetic energy. Active control over SPPs has potential for applications in sensing, photovoltaics, quantum communication, nano circuitry, metamaterials and super-resolution microscopy. We achieve here a new level of control of plasmonic fields using a digital spatial light modulator. Optimizing the plasmonic phases via feedback we focus SPPs at a freely pre-chosen point on the surface of a nanohole array with high resolution. Digital addressing and scanning of SPPs without mechanical motion will enable novel interdisciplinary applications of advanced plasmonic devices in cell microscopy, optical data storage and sensing.