Spoof plasmons in corrugated transparent conducting oxides

Abstract

Nowadays, there is a need to search for better materials aimed for plasmonic and metamaterial applications. Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) are known as low-loss plasmonic materials in the near-infrared wavelength range. The further design of the lower loss materials would be available by fulfilling a more sophisticated theoretical study. In this work, we address the spoof plasmons on a periodically corrugated surface made of the TCOs. We assumed the Drude–Lorentz’s permittivity model of the semiconductor, which accurately describes the loss of these spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). In the THz frequency range, the properties of the dispersion and loss of spoof SPPs on corrugated ZnO and indium tin oxide surfaces are studied. A low-loss propagation of spoof SPPs can be achieved by an optimum design of the surface structure. Moreover, it was found that the low guiding attenuation can be achieved by employing the TCOs.

Keywords:

• Surface plasmons
• surface waves
• terahertz
• transparent conducting oxides